On Learning How To Brag And Crate-Building: An Interview With DJ Arlini Martini
Every year, bbatx curates a monthly residency highlighting the work of 10 to 15, Texas-based women and nonbinary visual and musical artists that create work and perform in our programs. As we move to take our programs online, we’ve partnered with Bumble to launch a digital version of The Residency. From now through November 1, 2020, you can tune in for weekly mixes, visuals and workshops from 16 women and nonbinary artists and DJs.
Today, we’ve got an interview with DJ Arlini Martini. In conversation with bbatx committee member Amanda Vaughn, DJ Arlini Martini talks about how she got into DJing, her sonic process for setting the mood and pace of her sets, and what she’s been listening to lately.
ABOUT DJ ARLINI MARTINI:
DJ Arlini Martini is an all-vinyl oldies, soul, garage and punk deejay originally from the Rio Grande Valley. She blends yesterday’s favorites with obscure forgotten songs to create frenzied dance parties.
Would you mind sharing your DJ origin story?
I am only a few years into the DJ game. My friend Dusty Brooks (DJ Bobby Hill) had a weekly residency at the Grand Social Club that focused on oldies and soul, and he invited me one night to come out and DJ with him. At this point I only collected records, so that night he had to teach me basically everything about the mixer while I was deejaying. I figured it was just a one-time invite, but he invited me back every week. When he started to add me to the lineup he asked for my DJ name, and I just stuck to my nickname, DJ Arlini.
After a few months of deejaying every Monday night with DJ Bobby Hill, I reached out to the 13th Floor and asked if I could DJ there—I was super stoked when they said yes. Ever since then, I have picked up more residencies and gigs, so now I average about one gig a week.
How has your DJ practice evolved over time?
I started off deejaying only oldies, mainly doo-wop, and even my first gig at the 13th Floor was all doo-wop. I wanted a name for my DJ night, and at the time I was really into female vocalists, so I picked the name “Where the Boys Are” from the Connie Francis song. Over time, my sound has changed to include more stuff I listen to, like power pop and garage, so perhaps I'll change my DJ night name to reflect my style, but as of right now, when people see that it's a Where the Boys Are DJ night, they show up expecting to hear my eclectic mixes.
You DJ using vinyl records, here in a town where we are blessed with such a diverse range of small, local record shops that each offer a unique musical niche. Where do you buy records?
My two favorite record stores are Antone's and Breakaway Records. Antone's has the largest 50's 45 collection in town, and Breakaway usually has great garage and soul records. I have definitely spent entire afternoons digging through their crates!
What is your favorite record?
My favorite record at the moment is one of my newest records. It's a 60's garage record from a Texas band called the Actioneers. It took me awhile to find it, but I finally found a copy for sale from a seller in France. It's actually pretty short - less than two minutes - but it is so frantic and wild, which is the kind of vibe I want my DJ nights to be like.
How did you build your crates?
I separate my boxes into decades, so I have 50's, 60's, 70's, and 80's (I don't have any recent 90's to 2000's 45's). Unfortunately, that is pretty much the extent of my organizing system, which is a huge pain when I am trying to build a crate for a gig. It means I usually have to go through most of my boxes to pull 50 or so records. However, I do have a few "crowd favorites" that I take with me to almost every gig, and I usually have certain times in the night I play them. Other than those records, the rest of the night is filled with whatever records appealed to me the night before. When I DJ, I usually start off "soft" with my 50's records, and then build up to wild garage and soul, and try to end with power pop and new wave songs. I've noticed this progression mimics the mood of the crowd—usually by the time I move to the "newer" more upbeat records, people are ready to dance!
How do you transport all that vinyl?
The only downside to being an all vinyl DJ is bringing my gear to gigs! I really appreciate when clubs or bars have their own turntables, since that means I only have to show up with my records. I used to carry my records in the white 7" storage boxes, which are heavy and difficult to carry. Luckily, I bought a travel case from a friend that is made out wood and has a lock, and is slightly smaller. It has just enough space for a full DJ night, and I don't feel so worried about someone accidentally bumping into it.
What are your greatest influences?
My greatest influence in life is movies. I absolutely am obsessed with movies, especially pre-WWII films. You don't get much of a soundtrack to early movies, but visually, everything is so well-crafted. I try to think of deejaying like a movie. I want everything, even down to my appearance (I try to dress very 60's/mod, but clash it with my piercings and other punk aesthetics, which also mirrors the variety in my DJ sets), to create an experience for people. I love how the music I play reminds people of certain clothes, dances, and time periods, so my crowds get to be fully immersed into my sets.
This season at bbatx, we're exploring the theme of RISE. What does that mean to you, and how do you find rise in your DJ practice?
I often view myself as a very complacent and slow to rise person, but others around me point out the things I have accomplished, and the goals I have been working on. Sometimes it is difficult to brag about myself, so I am trying to work on that this year. It aligns with the theme of RISE, because I really need to focus on lifting myself up. For example, I often downplay my accomplishments as a DJ, but it is something I really rose up to achieve in a short amount of time. I've been invited to play weekenders, and soul nights out of state. I've also had my own residencies, and have been asked to DJ really exciting events.
What are you listening to now?
I've been working from home lately, so I usually have the radio playing in the background. I love satellite radio, so I play a lot of 50's and 60's music to help me concentrate. It is also music that makes me feel happy and makes me dance, which are things I need at this moment in time!
LISTEN TO DJ ARLINI MARTINI’S BABES FEST RADIO MIX
ABOUT THIS MIX: "Frantic Romantic”
Experience the frantic side of early rock and roll with this high energy doo-wop mix (with a few haunting ballads thrown in). Heartaches and unrequited love never sounded so good.