Bizarro off nights for LDW this past weekend. I could not spin for some reason. I started to and then let Bald Eagle take over. It was like DJ block. Bizarro and lame. Sowwwwwy.

My new alias is also the name of the band i play in for Rock Band on 360.

I play drums. It's a lot harder than fake guitar. Fake drums. Errrrrrrrr.

DRAGON WARS!

This movie is kinda a drag, but I just love them wigs. Mmmmm pastry.

I am spent. I want Hawaii now. I want to live on the beach. Suffocation imminent. Sigh.

So I got a free sidekick today (I know I am like three years ago). But it is small and lets me post crap on myspace, which is neat. Beware the inebriated posts to come.

To any of you that have been wondering why I have not been at my last few shows...

My father passed away suddenly last Friday and I have been in Virginia with my family. It has been a rough time, and I don't know exactly when I will be back on the decks.

Much love to my friends and coworkers that have helped me through this time by sending their sweet words of support.

Chess

 

I promise to have new mixes up sooooon. I am so lame. I need to record, like woah. Just been so busy with the magazine.

Coming soon. Very soon. Like in a week soon.

:) Mother Hubbard 2007 Megamix

Chess

Going to NYC to play with my bands Tigercity and Freer at Mercury Lounge. Gonna be hot! Those of you in Chicago better go to SubT that night for Pussy Galore: Summer Camp PART DEUX with the fabuliscious Miss Gab and Megatronix!

Life has been busy. Pick up the new UR Magazine and come out this weekend to Switchyard Fest!

xoxo
Chess

So tired, but had a great weekend. The L.D.W. anniversary shows both at Hideout and darkroom were brilliant. Fun times. Fun times. It's weird to think it has been 4 years since L.D.W. started. I was talking to the Bald Eagle (BAH-CAW!) about how strange it is since both he and I have changed so much on both personal and professional levels during that time and yet L.D.W. has been a constant.

I love the mighty Bald Eagle and the people I have met over the past four years that have been coming out to the shows the ENTIRE time. We aren't hip or cool, but we have kept it real. We are in this out of our love of music and dancing. Playing with bands (watching them grow or disappear) and comparing playlists from today to yesterday has been giving me a fuzzy feeling all weekend. I have never considered myself a hipster and what I truly love about L.D.W. is that it is not involved in a particular scene and it doesn't cater to any specific clique although we play a lot of up and coming hipster indie snob music.

Bald Eagle and I are excited about recording more (my mixCD is coming, soon...I promise!) and we both plan to pursue the performance aspect of DJing in addition to our event promotions.

A couple highlights from my DJ life over the past four years:

• My first dj gig - djing before the acoustic show with Dan Andriano (of Alkaline Trio) down in Smartbar - I still love Alkaline Trio no matter how much shit I get for it
• Starting L.D.W. with Chris (Bald Eagle) after working at Metro together and getting lessons in DJing from Josh (J2K) who later joins L.D.W.
• Opening for the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs the first time they come to Chicago and getting wasted with Karen O while discussing why half Korean chicks RULE so hard
• Having James Murphy (of LCD Soundsystem) wear the L.D.W. t-shirt we gave him at Coachella in 2004 and see a picture of him with it on in XLR8TR magazine
• An awesome writer from my online zine gets the L.D.W. logo tattooed on her chest
• L.D.W. gets a full page article in URB Magazine in 2004
• Opening at the Aragon for New Order in 2005 with Chris
• DJing at the wedding of two long time L.D.W. dancetroopers
• Our first Chicago Tribune article
• Getting on the 2006 CS Magazine's "Lust List" and Chicago Magazine's 2006 most eligible singles list alongside Mark Bell (the hottest NHL player in history of hockey) - unfortunately I was so lame I totally spilled beer all over the front of my dress when he came up to talk to me
• Booking and playing at the first Presets show in Chicago and having them tell me it was one of their most memorable shows
• Filling in for my friend Nigel's DJ and getting to play a set before Kid Koala and use all his equipment. Then lose keys and have Kid Koala (my DJ hero) come to the rescue and help me find them in the lawn outside Abbey Pub.
• Playing at Charlie Trotters for NYE 2007 and blowing out the soundsystem!
• Playing WMC and realizing that Chicago's rock DJs kick NY's djs' collective butt

Be sure to come out June 9th when our old compatriot J2K comes back for a reunion show during a break in touring with his booty shaking super duo Flosstradamus.

xoxo
Chess

Decided to start a blog on here. Been a busy bee. DuFour and I took over UR Chicago magazine. It's worth reading now...really. It has been keeping me working pretty much non-stop. No time for WoW, no time for recording, no time in general. Sad face.

Moved into my own place. Very nice. Cut back on shows :( for now. Going to start recording my new summer mixCD next week :) that I am very excited about.

Saw Bjork from the 8th row. OMG. She is the ONE person outside my nuclear family that has yet to let me down. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. I mean, I was giddy. I haven't felt excitement like that in...I dunno how long. I miss feeling that way. I hate getting old. Not cause of the standard girlie reasons, but because I like feeling like a kid. I like having that sparkle in my eyes.

Bought a hybrid car. Now I am officially yuppified. But seriously, it is pretty f'n awesome. It is purely electric 0-25mph. Makes no sound. It's like a ninja. I pick it up this Friday. A 2007 Mercury Mariner. So yeah, I am one of those d-bags now. I promise not to rub my great gas mileage in your face though. Really.

Life is crazy stressful, but good. Plus, I get to come home to two of the most beautiful pups in the known universe. BASEN-Gz, y'all. My cat-dogs. My children.

Talking about my hybrid and my dogs. God, I am L.A.M.E.

Friday is L.D.W.'s 4th anniversary at Hideout. This super rad band Sybris is bringing the heat. Chris and I are ready to do some tag team sets off the cuff and seriously, we are bringing it. What "it" is? Who even cares.

xoxo
Chess