Reid Speed is a renowned DJ focusing in the dubstep and drum and bass genres. She is also the founder of Play Me Records, which she runs with her husband Alex. Play Me is one of the most respected dubstep and bass music labels from the USA.
2. How did you get started with DJing?
• I started DJing in high school. Since childhood I
had made mixtapes for my friends, I was
utterly obsessed with music. AT 15 I had run
away from home and ended up at a rave
called Eden in Colorado, where heard DJ Dan
spin. I realized there was this medium where
you could communicate musical stories to
large groups at once, and I was hooked. Spent
all my time & money on DJ gear and records
from that point on.
3. So do you remember your first ever
gig in a club? How did you get it?
• I used to shop at Breakbeat Science right when it first
opened. I would often run into local DJs there, and
after 6-7 months of this, one of them (Christian Bruna)
invited me to try out at his Hot Fudge Sundays night,
he said “bring 5 records”, I did, and was offered my first
residency at Camouflage.
• From there, I caught the attention of Stuck on Earth,
the largest rave promoters in NYC. I became their
resident shortly thereafter, and then I also later joined
up with Direct Drive and was a resident of theirs for
years.
4. Do you get nervous before a DJ gig?
• I did get nervous for about the first 2 years.
Then it was like riding a bike.. pure joy.
5. What makes Play Me different from
other labels releasing similar music?
• What makes Play Me different is that I
genuinely care about helping artists succeed
and make a living doing their art. We do not
run a factory. We try as hard as we can for
each and every artist and want each and every
artist to live their dream.
6. What do you find are the biggest
challenges of running a label?
• I’d say the biggest challenge comes from the aftermath of the
success we work so hard to achieve for artists. We specialize in
finding new artists who are small and virtually unknown, and
helping them create a bonafide career of their art. We put all of our
resources into building new artists up, helping them get heard and
get that career going. But more often than not, once relative
success has been achieved or they “level up”, they tend to not just
forget the help, but actually turn against us. They become
egotistical and often just plain shady towards us, bringing in
“management” to obstruct the workflow and attempt to go back on
deals they made with us before they were known. That to me is so
sad, because we literally do everything possible to help, wanting
nothing but loyalty and basic respect in return. Neither Alex or I has
ever taken a dime from the company. 100 % of profits go right back
into helping artists. So when they go flipmode on us, often after
months or years of our tireless work for them, it really hurts.
7. What have been some of the
landmark releases on Play Me?
• Some of my personal favorites I’m most proud
of would include the recent Singularity &
Them Lost Boys EPs, DCarls’ “Jump” EP, Dirt
Monkey, FS, and Cyberoptics in general as
artists. But taking it back, some things I am
stoked we had a chance to be a part of include
Dillon Francis’s first release, Figure’s first real
solo EP, and also helping to launch Bare, J.
Rabbit, Nostalgia, Dodge & Fuski… I’m super
proud of all that.
8. How is the health of the EDM scene
at the moment in your eyes?
• The scene is at a convergence right
now….There is an overabundance of music,
and therefore crap, but also therefore
amazingness. The possibility of a new artist to
actually make a living off their art has never
been better. So I am stoked, all this
mainstream business coming in obviously
waters it all down, but helps people live….
9. where do you think this convergence
is heading?
• I can’t say. Although I sincerely hope the
obsession with turning up and molly go away
soon. I do know that with money comes
greed. So, I will have to keep hoping for and
being the change in consciousness I hope to
see emerge to all.
10. How do you balance running 2 labels
and Djing?
• Ha, its very hard, this is why i don’t currently
have many shows, because I’ve spent a lot of
time helping others and didn’t have time to
help myself! But we now have a small Team
Play Me and that is making it increasingly
more possible to do both and have neither
suffer.
11. Resources
• Visit BassGorilla.com at http://bassgorilla.com
for electronic music tutorials, courses, podcast
interviews with famous producers and label
owners.
• Visit Play Me Records at
http://playmeofficial.com
