Yeah, I'm not an SG and this is their homework assignment, but I thought it might be interesting to see what 10 things I can come up with to tell you about me.
1. I've been on SG since 2002. Sometime around May I joined, so next month will be 12 years.
1 a. I have 13 tattoos myself, but I wish I didn't have any. I don't regret them and I will continue to get more. I have ideas for at least 6 or 7 more, plus I want to touch up some of the ones I already have. But the truth is I wish I had none. My girlfriend has no tattoos or piercings.
2. I'm originally from NJ, but now live in Buenos Aries, Argentina. I moved here two years ago. I had come twice on vacation and had met a lot of people I had met through SG. As well as people I knew from the techno scene. People here are shocked that I would leave the US, and even more specifically leave living so close to NYC to live here, but I have my reasons. Whenever someone asks me why I moved I make up a new story just to have fun with them.
3. I make electronic music under the names Minimal: Impossible, Bassfactory, and James McPhee. The most successful of the projects is Minimal: Impossible. Bassfactory doesn't perform anymore, but when we did we played live techno. Which is very different from DJing. We had to bring out drum machines, synthesizers, effects, and a mixing board to perform our music. We almost got signed to Warner Brothers in 1998. The name James McPhee comes from my middle name James and my mother's maiden name McPhee.
4. I run a small techno record label called 1,5,9,13 Music. On a 16 step drum machine if you press the buttons 1-5-9 and 13 you get a four-four kick pattern. If you can't figure out what that means ask, and I'll explain better.
5 . I started DJing in 1994 and started making my own tunes in 96. I have been writing music for so long that when I hear a song I don't really hear it anymore I see how it was written. I see the music. The patterns, the various parts and pieces that make it up. Even if it's not techno.
6. When I was young I was very skinny. I think this was because I used to ride my bike everywhere. When I was old enough to drive I started to gain weight. I went from 113lbs when I was 18 to about 200lbs up until about 2 years ago when I finally started to lose weight. I'm now about 180 or so. I'm trying to get to about 160.
7. I worked on the railroad for 14 years. I operated freight trains. It was a fun and exciting job, but very dangerous. In August of 2007 I was involved in an accident that nearly killed me. I stayed working for the railroad after that for a few more years, but finally left in 2011.
8. I love traveling and have been all over the USA, I've been to Canada 4 times. England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland in Europe, as well as Colombia, Uruguay, and Argentina in South America. On my list of places I'd like to visit are India, Australia, Antarctica, Chile, Portugal, and Brazil.
9. I'm currently learning Spanish. When I moved to Argentina I barely spoke the language at all. It's been a challenge. Some days I hate it and other days I love it. Sometimes when I'm speaking I don't understand what I'm saying, but the person I'm speaking with does and that leaves me even more confused.
10. I am a horrible dancer and have no rhythm, but I want to learn how to dance the tango. I have a feeling that's going to be even harder than learning Spanish.