Introducing your DJ - Johnny Sonic

The alter-ego of DJ Producer Paul Goodyear - Johnny Sonic has an original playing style all his own. He is an adventurous DJ that cleverly crafts a mashed up set of interesting, original and upbeat records designed to get his dance floor party rockin'. He's the DJ who will avoid an endless stream of anthems and top 40 sounds while happily playing a pop record if he thinks it will work on his floor. He's also the DJ that loves deep electronica but who plays it intertwined with classy heart-warming vocals and an injection of humor. 

With a vinyl collection of over 5000 titles and a musical knowledge second to none, Johnny Sonic approaches DJing with a meticulous attention to detail. Constantly on the look out for the best in music, he doesn't favor only one sound, but rather meshes different styles of music together seamlessly - with what one fellow DJ remarked was "surgical precision". Whether it be house, 80's or 90's electronica or disko, if it's good he'll play it. He views his role as not only an entertainer but also an educator, sharing his passion with you. 
Paul Goodyear is an accomplished producer and remixer who taught himself the technicalities and structure of music using a reel to reel. Today he engineers all of his own productions in his home studio, starting with nothing more than a vocal and ending up with tracks that have regularly appeared in dance charts and to critical acclaim all over the world. Johnny Sonic has been there with Paul from the beginning and this means he knows what works musically and what doesn't - and how it works, how arrangements compliment each other and how you can convey the strongest message to the dance floor.

I spoke to Johnny Sonic recently and here's a snippet of the interview:

PiB "Why now Johnny - has something changed?"
JS "Well I've always been there but just lately, with the move to San Francisco and the great underground scene we have here, I have really started to come out more and Paul finally gave in and is letting me do my thang"

PiB "When you say you have always been there - are there times when it was more Johnny than Paul?"
JS "Hahaha absolutely! It was definitely me that worked with Stephen Allkins AKA Love Tattoo on the single "The History Disco Part 1" and the subsequent  Love Tattoo material.
History of Disco was championed by Pete Tong and became the first track ever to come out on his label Essential recordings . It was also me that DJed seamlessly with Boy George, the night he dubbed me the "Leather Queen of Disko". Before Paul became so big on the "circuit", back in the 80's, it was me playing at the Hordern Pavilion (Summer of Love) Warehouse parties to 6000 people and at the (Midnight) Shift with tonnes of cowbells and electronic hi NRG music. I also had a huge hand in every retrospective set Paul has ever played, from classics sets at Sydney Mardi Gras to the MG 30th anniversary party finale, and compiling the Central Station Records 30 year anniversary CD. But really I have always been there like a devil sitting on his shoulder, whispering in his ear."

PiB"Who are your biggest musical influences?"
JS "Oh God - so many. Paul Goodyear (obviously), Giorgio Moroder, Bobby O, Hustler's Convention, Joey Negro, David Morales, Pet Shop Boys, Vince Clark (Depeche Mode, Yazoo and Erasure), Heaven 17, Sylvester, Yello,  Kraftwerk, Ben Liebrand, Peter Rauhofer, New Order and Cerrone. That'll do for now"

PiB "That's quite a list - will they all make an appearance at Kinky Disko?"
JS "Absa-freakin-lutely and heaps more, I'm going to be one hell of a busy boy in the box. I've also got all kinds of great mash ups and edits I have put together for the night. We're going to Rock!"

*More of the interview will be available soon on the Kinky Disko blog.

Johnny Sonic is a no ordinary DJ - rather he is a DJ rock star who has been hailed as a "disco-dignitary",  a “world-renowned mix master” and a “DJ Sensation.”  A worldwide traveller and disko-citizen he has played everywhere from Mexico to Madrid, Amsterdam to Australia, London to Lazy Bear, Barcelona to Beijing, and New York to  New Zealand.
He plays a mix of electro-disko, twisted h.o.u.s.e. and whatever else catches his attention - all the time expressing himself and his extraordinary musical repertoire. He’s a true scientist, a self-proclaimed disko geek who spends his life perfecting his craft and in the pursuit of authenticity, clarity and truth - avoiding the politics of dancing.

Get yourself onto Johnny Sonic's dance floor without delay - this man is smokin'

For the latest Kinky Disko Podcast mixed by Sonic go to  the music page

Written by - Puss in Boots August 6, 2012

Vote for Johnny Sonic on the DJ List
PHOTO COURTESY OF JIM JAMES -WWW.EDGESANFRANCISCO.COM

Our very special guests

January 2013


Allen Craig  began his DJ career in 1991 spinning a mix of disco and techno at early raves and house parties. He soon settled into a deep underground house sound that’s still with him today. Along the way, he met San Francisco DJ Homero Espinosa, with whom he began making music and eventually founded Yerba Buena Discos, which is now a part of Moulton Music. He then began collaborating with Sergio Fedasz of Go BANG! as The SyntheTigers. Many styles have come and gone in the 20 years he’s been in the scene, but Allen has stayed true to the underground, be it stomping Chicago house, driving tech, or soulful deepness.

2012

Robin Simmons became disenchanted with pop music starting around 1997. His mom worked at Streetlight records in Santa Cruz, and one of her friends took him to an underground party in Santa Cruz where there were 2 rooms. He was 11 at the time. The music was Drum'N'Bass, but everything else was pretty much like he does now. Family environment, energetic DJs and a great visual presentation.

2 months later, Robin owned a pair of belt drive turntables and a basic mixer. He got cheap vinyl from his mom's record store and started making mixtapes. After a year, Robin had the confidence to give one to Vasili Gavre, who promoted a weekly Santa Cruz event called COLORS, on Thursday nights in the Vet's Hall basement of Santa Cruz. Vasili emailed Robin 2 days later asking him how old he was. For some reason, Robin didn't lie. Vasili asked him to play. At Colors, Robin met Rick Preston, who started taking him to parties in the SF bay area. Rick let Robin sit with him in the booth and told him instructive things. "These people are house-heads. I can play more interesting here!" or "this crowd needs to wake up, here's a kick!" Robin would come back down to Santa Cruz and go to high school like a regular kid in the morning.

Fast forward to 2012. Robin is the host and resident of the party of his dreams, "Odyssey" and couldn't be happier to be back in San Francisco.  http://djrobinsimmons.com/

With over 140 remixes to his name, 31 years of DJing, and 26 years of music production under his belt, Jim Hopkins has solidified himself as a San Francisco legend. With roots dating back to the beginnings of the San Francisco rave scene, Jim Hopkins played regularly as one half of The Electroliners at such famed venues as Homebase and The Endup. Jim has seen much success from his long list of original productions including the '95 Anthem "Loose Caboose", many of which were released on his own label, Twitch Recordings. Since first taking off in San Francisco, Jim Hopkins has played in over 48 cities across the nation and had tracks licensed to labels across the world including such countries as the UK, Brazil, Mexico, and Spain.
http://twitchrecordings.com
We are so excited to have special guest Ken Vulsion joining us for the opening night. Ken is a huge reason for us loving San Francisco as much as we do and has made us feel right at home!

Ken Vulsion's first residency in 1983 was at an Italian resaurant / disco called Myhalyk's in Elmira NY. Wednesday was BONEHUNTER night, and he was paid with a pile of wrinkled dollar bills and free chicken wings. Since then he has lived and played in New York, San Francisco, Fire Island, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington, Portland, Palm Springs, London, Black Rock, Healdsburg, and a secret beach town called Bolinas. Ken is a founding member of San Francisco's Hard Energy / Heavy Disco collective - Honey Soundsystem.
http://soundcloud.com/ken-vulsion