DJ Premier. DJ Shadow. Mixmaster Mike, DJ Q-Bert, and the Invisible Scratch Pickles. All are legendary DJs, and most were still riding school buses when Lakewood resident MARK RIDLEN, aka DJ Delux, started spinning at parties. Ridlen has been playing parties in the Dallas area since 1984, netting such accolades as Best DJ of Eclectic Sounds from D Magazine.
You’ve really seen a lot of music come and go. What was popular when you started out?
Mostly things I wasn’t really crazy about playing, like synth pop and Madonna. I was always trying to work the funk into sets, like George Clinton — what I call real dance music. But it was hard. Things have gotten better. People are more open-minded now.
You were called Dallas’ most eclectic DJ. What does that mean? You play Bjork over disco beats, put AC/DC with Nas?
Yeah, exactly. My style’s really varied. If left to my own devices, I’ll have 10 styles of music in the mix … My interests go from old soundtracks to whatever’s new and happening.
You mostly play private parties, right?
Yeah, I play everything. I do clubs, hotels, weddings, bar mitzphahs, corporate parties, wakes …
You’ve DJed wakes? How does one rock a wake?
You play nothing but requests. Whatever they want. I’ve also done tons of ethnic weddings, from Cambodian to Hindi.
What type of wedding is hardest to play?
Well, I did a Chinese wedding recently, and the family told me, “Oh, Chinese don’t dance.” They just wanted some background music. And at Baptist parties too, they don’t dance. It’s forbidden, I guess.
Is it tough DJing for people who refuse to dance?
Actually, my first Baptist wedding was really comical. I was playing, and people were just walking past me, smiling, giving me thumbs up. And I was like, “What’s going on? Why is no one dancing?” Then they told me it was because they were Baptists. “Then why did you hire a DJ?” I wanted to ask. But I’ve gotten used to it since then, the Baptist weddings.
Do you get a lot of corny requests? Are there some songs you refuse to play?
I’m pretty open, so I’ll play what people want. Top 40 hip-pop, the Electric Slide, even country sometimes. … But it’s weird, some of the requests you get. You have women come up to you that look like grandmothers, and you think they’re going to request Hank Williams, but no. They want to hear “Back that Azz Up” or “Baby Got Back.” Even at weddings.
With all the songs you’ve seen disappear from everyone’s memories, why do you think “Baby Got Back” has stuck around? What explains that song’s immortality?
That’s a great question, because that song comes up all the time. It’s good for what it is, I guess. I don’t know where he is now, (song creator) Sir Mix-A-Lot, but he made an endearing song. You know, it’s one of those songs that’s got it all. Everyone can relate to it. It’s pretty much the most universal, booty-oriented jam. It’s slamming, you know?
In addition to private parties, Ridlen spins a weekly karaoke/DJ set every Thursday night at The Meridian Room on Greenville, titled Scare-aoke. For booking information, visit djdeluxe.com.
