Fireside Chat with Gene King
In the Beginning there was Jack. And then there was Gene King.
Recently, Gene King has been instrumental in showcasing Canadian talent in the urban music genre, including
Nadine Navarre and Sacha Williamson. Gene has remixed and produced music for numerous labels like
Contraband, A&M, BMG, KMS, Defender, Slip N’Slide, Debut, Hi-Bias, Warner, Easy Street and Ultrasound. He has
worked with artists such as Claudja Barry, Kairene, TLC, Wild Strawberries, De’Lacy and Black Masses. Despite
the runaway success with 'Changes feat. Sascha', distributed by Shelter Records, Gene remains with his feet on
the ground forever looking forward.
Gene is also a programmer for CKLN.88.1 FM, celebrating 10 years on the air.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mark Motive:
Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with me.
Right now you're keeping busy both DJing and producing. How did you get started as a DJ?
Gene King (Myspace page):
The Djing path started when I was at my cousin’s house for a party in 1977. I always liked music, records, etc and
this was my first time I had ‘DJ-ed’. I started the night Djing her birthday party with one turntable! Later on some
guys came in with a mixer and two turntables and I was fascinated by the whole thing.
The music being non stop etc...It was new to me.
I started getting more heavily into DJing after that and then about a year later I got a gig in a roller rink on Saturday
afternoons. I was living in Montreal at the time and this was at a place called ‘Skadium’.
Mark Motive:
So 1979 - were you into disco and stuff like that?
Gene King:
Yeah that’s all there really was. I grew up on West Indian music, funk, soul and rock. But at the time disco was
big…but we still played a bit of everything.
Mark Motive:
It sounds like you grew up listening to a wide range of music. Where did your musical influences come from?
How did you get exposed to this stuff?
Gene King:
Well my dad used to go to parties held by his friend from university. He used to take a reel-to-reel and record the
entire party. The next day (usually Sunday afternoons) we would listen to the whole party and hear a lot of great
music. Philly Sound, Manu Dibango, Calypso, James Brown, Osibisa, Stevie Wonder, Fatback, Barrabas, etc…
That’s how I got my schooling.
Mark Motive:
Sounds like a great way to get exposure to a lot of different sounds. How did you see the music and music
scene change from the late 1970s to 1980s?
Gene King:
Well, for one thing it became more electronic in the 80s. I loved that! A lot of the music “disco” or “funk” oriented
became synth based and it suddenly became a new fresh thing. Also, every type of music was being remixed for
the dance floor. It just seemed like a natural transition from the music before it.
Mark Motive:
Was disco dying in popularity at that time?
Gene King:
Yes it was. By 1979 a lot of kids were on that disco sucks kick. A lot of artists weren’t getting the same airplay and a
lot of the music went back underground.
Despite the backlash, more electronic stuff was coming out though which was not really that different form disco.
The name “disco” got tired but the music didn’t really change much.
Mark Motive:
So it was more of a 'branding' thing. People still had to dance I suppose?
Gene King:
Exactly. I mean a lot of the club that were NOT underground played extended mixes of Madonna or other pop artists
but the music was still good. The problem was that the whole disco culture was exploited and the popularity
declined by the early 80s.
Mark Motive:
So at this time when did you start seeing 'house' developing as a genre?
Gene King:
The first time I heard "house" was when I went to the record store (Pierre Music in Montreal). There was this woman
who knew her stuff (Elizabeth). She used to turn me on to all the funk and electronic stuff that was coming out
(Afrika Bambaata, Kashif, Paul Lawrence, all that electro funk, disco etc).
Then she played this house music anthem by Marshal Jefferson. At first I hated it! I remember telling her that it
sounded like badly produced disco. Of course, it was disco…just a natural extension of it.
So I heard this other DJ playing the record a few nights later and it sounded crazy on a big sound system! I was
hooked and I went to the same store the next day and bought every DJ International and Trax record I saw.
Mark Motive:
I suppose it was creative guys with no money, no equipment banging out new tracks?
Gene King:
Yeah that’s it music made by DJs or struggling producers with no money
Mark Motive:
Nice. So you were hooked. Were you playing anywhere at the time?
Gene King:
I was playing at a club called Le Flirt. We played stuff like EG Dailey, Colonel Abrams, Madonna, Roy Ayers, Anne
Clark…just club music and popular music.
As you can see I just named some pop, house, alternative and R&B…but it was all club music.
Mark Motive:
Did you know a lot of other people in Montreal (or Canada) that discovered house music at the time?
Gene King:
Well a lot o R&B and new wave clubs were playing it as well as stuff like freestyle.
It became part of the program
Mark Motive:
So let's move a bit forward in time to the late 80's early '90s. Where were you at that time?
Gene King:
I moved to Toronto in 1987…February 21st 1987.
Mark Motive:
Was it a big change? Why did you move?
Gene King:
Pretty much. I didn’t like the language climate on Montreal. The whole language thing created barriers…for instance
it was hard to get a job.
Mark Motive:
Understandable. I suppose a lot of people were making the same move at the same time. A lot of companies
too.
Gene King:
Yup. Ever since 1976 people just left. When I got to Toronto, I met up with some school buddies.
Mark Motive:
So you moved to Toronto. 1987. Deadly Headly on the radio. What else was going on here? Were you
disappointed or happy with the scene here compared to Montreal?
How were you supporting yourself? What were your plans in Toronto?
Gene King:
I came here and the first club I saw was the spectrum, which had good sound. I was impressed because it looked
like some of the clubs in Montréal.
But there weren't that many around at the time, except for places like the Copa and the Twilight Zone.
Mark Motive:
Were you looking for work at the time?
Gene King:
I was. I was staying at relatives but I was not DJing for a year because I didn’t know anyone. As I went out more I got
to meet people and started to do fill-ins at clubs, one-offs, etc.
Then I started working at places like PM Toronto, Klub Max...fill ins at Big bop...and in 1993 ended up working at
Whiskey Saigon for a few years while I was doing CKLN and some late night parties with Kaje and this promoter by
the name of Timber.
Mark Motive:
That was really when the scene took off. Probably the first time I heard the name Gene King was in the early
'90s going to places like Whiskey Saigon and various after-hours.
Gene King:
That’s what I was doing a lot of. The scene was just changing. The zone closed down a few years before and
people were doing parties.
Mark Motive:
Because there was a void?
Gene King:
Yeah, but there was so much going on anyways in the clubs.
Mark Motive:
At the time, I recall the focus was on local DJs. Gene King, PTS, D&T, etc. it was rare that guests were brought
in...Is that right?
Gene King:
That’s right. It was local thing and the scene was bigger, stronger. You went to a party and you know that Jason
Palma, PTS (Peter, Tyrone and Shams), Kaje or myself - and many others - would be playing somewhere. And
these parties would go on until daylight.
Mark Motive:
To those that were not there, these were events with 50-200 people held in many of the empty warehouses in
what is now called the ‘club district’. What sort of crowd did you have back then?
Gene King:
A mix of everyone, and lot of gay people. That’s missing today…just more festive vibe.
Mark Motive:
You bring up an interesting point. House had a big influence from the gay, black community in Chicago and
NYC. But why did the gay people leave the scene?
Gene King:
I really have no idea to be honest. I liked house music because there was no posing. There was style and fashion,
yes. But no posing or negativity. It was always fun and you could be yourself. Everyone was welcome: young, old;
black, white, Asian; straight, gay. It didn’t matter. But the gay element has been gone for while.
Mark Motive:
So let’s move from the early 90's to the decline of the warehouse scene and rise of the club scene. How did
this impact you?
Gene King:
I have always played in top 40 clubs as well. Changes in the scene didn’t really affect me because I have always
been producing it and always been playing the music - whether at a party or on the radio. But...times are different
now
Mark Motive:
That brings us nicely into the other side of Gene. Producing. When did you first get into that?
Gene King:
Hmmmmm. When I heard some the house stuff in the early 80s I figured “I am a musician why don’t I get some
gear together and make my own stuff too!!!!”
That took a while to get set up. When I moved to Toronto I was still experimenting and trying to make stuff with
rented keyboards and reels. I saw and ad in Dave’s Dance Music (former CKLN radio show that distributed a
weekly brochure) tip sheet for cheap studio time. Turns out that the guy that had the studio was friend of mine form
Montréal. We went to school together. We hung out more and I ended up doing his first release with him.
Mark Motive:
What year was that?
Gene King:
That would be 1991 the record was “Freedom” by Lifetime. I had played some keys on one of the mixes and
arranged some of the music. It was my first experience actually being involved in making a record. It all started from
there.
A few years later we started another label called Contraband Records and in our second year of business we had a
top ten record with “I Need Man” by Kairene.
Mark Motive:
I have some Contraband Records upstairs
Gene King:
You're kidding
Mark Motive:
I do. I can't remember the tracks though. How did you find running a label...as a business?
Gene King:
Well for the most part my partner was more on the business tip, but it was just as hectic and stressful as it is today.
I guess it would be like any other business. You have to deal with supporters, haters, money,
personalities…everything.
Mark Motive:
You're running Shines today. Who have you been working with on tracks?
Gene King:
Pretty much vocalists and producers who are friends of mine. Suges, Plusgroove, Abicah Soul, Sacha Williamson,
Shanchoy…some guys in Italy by the name of Hooger and Dasoul. Shines is pretty self contained…and it all comes
form my studio here.
Mark Motive:
What are some of the things you're really proud of with Shines or other production efforts over the years?
Gene King:
Good question. Right now lot of people are telling me they remember a mix I did long time ago for Lifetime called
“Sail Away”
Mark Motive:
I have that too!
Gene King:
Wow. The white label?
Mark Motive:
Yes Pretty sure.
Gene King:
Whoa - one of my fiends gave me back a copy that I gave him years ago because I didn’t have one. I’m also really
proud of “Changes”. Shelter literally came after me for it. I’m also definitely proud of the work with Shanchoy and
Sacha (Williamson).
I’m also currently working with a vocalist named “Nadine Navarre”, which I am proud of. We’re about to license our
new track to a label in Chicago. She’s a talented artist that can actually perform!
Of course there are others too – Arlene Duncan for instance. I so want to do another tune with that amazing voice!
Mark Motive:
There seems to be a lot of good stuff coming from you and from others in Toronto. Something we should all be
proud of I think.
Gene King:
Thanks. I think Toronto has a lot of talent. I think Toronto has always had great talent it’s time for it to shine! We
have just as good talent as that in NYC and Europe.
Mark Motive:
What do you think it will take for Toronto to become like NYC and support its own artists and really build a
strong deep house scene?
Gene King:
We need some proper club venues that will support the music and the DJs. We really don’t have that now. And I
don’t mean lounges – I mean big clubs with great sound systems.
We also need to see more locals playing 5 hour sets like we used to back in the day...to keep the scene strong and
solid. We need to keep the DJs familiar with the new generation of people coming in as well as the people already
familiar with the scene.
It’s all about support from all sides: the clubs, the music industry, dancers, etc.
Mark Motive:
Thanks Gene. I appreciate you taking the time to do this interview.
Gene can be heard online at www.pushfm.com and www.smoothtrax.gr . Also watch out for new releases with
fantastic artists on Gene's myspace page. Check out his recent release 'Changes feat. Sascha' on Shelter records.
In the Beginning there was Jack. And then there was Gene King.
Recently, Gene King has been instrumental in showcasing Canadian talent in the urban music genre, including
Nadine Navarre and Sacha Williamson. Gene has remixed and produced music for numerous labels like
Contraband, A&M, BMG, KMS, Defender, Slip N’Slide, Debut, Hi-Bias, Warner, Easy Street and Ultrasound. He has
worked with artists such as Claudja Barry, Kairene, TLC, Wild Strawberries, De’Lacy and Black Masses. Despite
the runaway success with 'Changes feat. Sascha', distributed by Shelter Records, Gene remains with his feet on
the ground forever looking forward.
Gene is also a programmer for CKLN.88.1 FM, celebrating 10 years on the air.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mark Motive:
Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat with me.
Right now you're keeping busy both DJing and producing. How did you get started as a DJ?
Gene King (Myspace page):
The Djing path started when I was at my cousin’s house for a party in 1977. I always liked music, records, etc and
this was my first time I had ‘DJ-ed’. I started the night Djing her birthday party with one turntable! Later on some
guys came in with a mixer and two turntables and I was fascinated by the whole thing.
The music being non stop etc...It was new to me.
I started getting more heavily into DJing after that and then about a year later I got a gig in a roller rink on Saturday
afternoons. I was living in Montreal at the time and this was at a place called ‘Skadium’.
Mark Motive:
So 1979 - were you into disco and stuff like that?
Gene King:
Yeah that’s all there really was. I grew up on West Indian music, funk, soul and rock. But at the time disco was
big…but we still played a bit of everything.
Mark Motive:
It sounds like you grew up listening to a wide range of music. Where did your musical influences come from?
How did you get exposed to this stuff?
Gene King:
Well my dad used to go to parties held by his friend from university. He used to take a reel-to-reel and record the
entire party. The next day (usually Sunday afternoons) we would listen to the whole party and hear a lot of great
music. Philly Sound, Manu Dibango, Calypso, James Brown, Osibisa, Stevie Wonder, Fatback, Barrabas, etc…
That’s how I got my schooling.
Mark Motive:
Sounds like a great way to get exposure to a lot of different sounds. How did you see the music and music
scene change from the late 1970s to 1980s?
Gene King:
Well, for one thing it became more electronic in the 80s. I loved that! A lot of the music “disco” or “funk” oriented
became synth based and it suddenly became a new fresh thing. Also, every type of music was being remixed for
the dance floor. It just seemed like a natural transition from the music before it.
Mark Motive:
Was disco dying in popularity at that time?
Gene King:
Yes it was. By 1979 a lot of kids were on that disco sucks kick. A lot of artists weren’t getting the same airplay and a
lot of the music went back underground.
Despite the backlash, more electronic stuff was coming out though which was not really that different form disco.
The name “disco” got tired but the music didn’t really change much.
Mark Motive:
So it was more of a 'branding' thing. People still had to dance I suppose?
Gene King:
Exactly. I mean a lot of the club that were NOT underground played extended mixes of Madonna or other pop artists
but the music was still good. The problem was that the whole disco culture was exploited and the popularity
declined by the early 80s.
Mark Motive:
So at this time when did you start seeing 'house' developing as a genre?
Gene King:
The first time I heard "house" was when I went to the record store (Pierre Music in Montreal). There was this woman
who knew her stuff (Elizabeth). She used to turn me on to all the funk and electronic stuff that was coming out
(Afrika Bambaata, Kashif, Paul Lawrence, all that electro funk, disco etc).
Then she played this house music anthem by Marshal Jefferson. At first I hated it! I remember telling her that it
sounded like badly produced disco. Of course, it was disco…just a natural extension of it.
So I heard this other DJ playing the record a few nights later and it sounded crazy on a big sound system! I was
hooked and I went to the same store the next day and bought every DJ International and Trax record I saw.
Mark Motive:
I suppose it was creative guys with no money, no equipment banging out new tracks?
Gene King:
Yeah that’s it music made by DJs or struggling producers with no money
Mark Motive:
Nice. So you were hooked. Were you playing anywhere at the time?
Gene King:
I was playing at a club called Le Flirt. We played stuff like EG Dailey, Colonel Abrams, Madonna, Roy Ayers, Anne
Clark…just club music and popular music.
As you can see I just named some pop, house, alternative and R&B…but it was all club music.
Mark Motive:
Did you know a lot of other people in Montreal (or Canada) that discovered house music at the time?
Gene King:
Well a lot o R&B and new wave clubs were playing it as well as stuff like freestyle.
It became part of the program
Mark Motive:
So let's move a bit forward in time to the late 80's early '90s. Where were you at that time?
Gene King:
I moved to Toronto in 1987…February 21st 1987.
Mark Motive:
Was it a big change? Why did you move?
Gene King:
Pretty much. I didn’t like the language climate on Montreal. The whole language thing created barriers…for instance
it was hard to get a job.
Mark Motive:
Understandable. I suppose a lot of people were making the same move at the same time. A lot of companies
too.
Gene King:
Yup. Ever since 1976 people just left. When I got to Toronto, I met up with some school buddies.
Mark Motive:
So you moved to Toronto. 1987. Deadly Headly on the radio. What else was going on here? Were you
disappointed or happy with the scene here compared to Montreal?
How were you supporting yourself? What were your plans in Toronto?
Gene King:
I came here and the first club I saw was the spectrum, which had good sound. I was impressed because it looked
like some of the clubs in Montréal.
But there weren't that many around at the time, except for places like the Copa and the Twilight Zone.
Mark Motive:
Were you looking for work at the time?
Gene King:
I was. I was staying at relatives but I was not DJing for a year because I didn’t know anyone. As I went out more I got
to meet people and started to do fill-ins at clubs, one-offs, etc.
Then I started working at places like PM Toronto, Klub Max...fill ins at Big bop...and in 1993 ended up working at
Whiskey Saigon for a few years while I was doing CKLN and some late night parties with Kaje and this promoter by
the name of Timber.
Mark Motive:
That was really when the scene took off. Probably the first time I heard the name Gene King was in the early
'90s going to places like Whiskey Saigon and various after-hours.
Gene King:
That’s what I was doing a lot of. The scene was just changing. The zone closed down a few years before and
people were doing parties.
Mark Motive:
Because there was a void?
Gene King:
Yeah, but there was so much going on anyways in the clubs.
Mark Motive:
At the time, I recall the focus was on local DJs. Gene King, PTS, D&T, etc. it was rare that guests were brought
in...Is that right?
Gene King:
That’s right. It was local thing and the scene was bigger, stronger. You went to a party and you know that Jason
Palma, PTS (Peter, Tyrone and Shams), Kaje or myself - and many others - would be playing somewhere. And
these parties would go on until daylight.
Mark Motive:
To those that were not there, these were events with 50-200 people held in many of the empty warehouses in
what is now called the ‘club district’. What sort of crowd did you have back then?
Gene King:
A mix of everyone, and lot of gay people. That’s missing today…just more festive vibe.
Mark Motive:
You bring up an interesting point. House had a big influence from the gay, black community in Chicago and
NYC. But why did the gay people leave the scene?
Gene King:
I really have no idea to be honest. I liked house music because there was no posing. There was style and fashion,
yes. But no posing or negativity. It was always fun and you could be yourself. Everyone was welcome: young, old;
black, white, Asian; straight, gay. It didn’t matter. But the gay element has been gone for while.
Mark Motive:
So let’s move from the early 90's to the decline of the warehouse scene and rise of the club scene. How did
this impact you?
Gene King:
I have always played in top 40 clubs as well. Changes in the scene didn’t really affect me because I have always
been producing it and always been playing the music - whether at a party or on the radio. But...times are different
now
Mark Motive:
That brings us nicely into the other side of Gene. Producing. When did you first get into that?
Gene King:
Hmmmmm. When I heard some the house stuff in the early 80s I figured “I am a musician why don’t I get some
gear together and make my own stuff too!!!!”
That took a while to get set up. When I moved to Toronto I was still experimenting and trying to make stuff with
rented keyboards and reels. I saw and ad in Dave’s Dance Music (former CKLN radio show that distributed a
weekly brochure) tip sheet for cheap studio time. Turns out that the guy that had the studio was friend of mine form
Montréal. We went to school together. We hung out more and I ended up doing his first release with him.
Mark Motive:
What year was that?
Gene King:
That would be 1991 the record was “Freedom” by Lifetime. I had played some keys on one of the mixes and
arranged some of the music. It was my first experience actually being involved in making a record. It all started from
there.
A few years later we started another label called Contraband Records and in our second year of business we had a
top ten record with “I Need Man” by Kairene.
Mark Motive:
I have some Contraband Records upstairs
Gene King:
You're kidding
Mark Motive:
I do. I can't remember the tracks though. How did you find running a label...as a business?
Gene King:
Well for the most part my partner was more on the business tip, but it was just as hectic and stressful as it is today.
I guess it would be like any other business. You have to deal with supporters, haters, money,
personalities…everything.
Mark Motive:
You're running Shines today. Who have you been working with on tracks?
Gene King:
Pretty much vocalists and producers who are friends of mine. Suges, Plusgroove, Abicah Soul, Sacha Williamson,
Shanchoy…some guys in Italy by the name of Hooger and Dasoul. Shines is pretty self contained…and it all comes
form my studio here.
Mark Motive:
What are some of the things you're really proud of with Shines or other production efforts over the years?
Gene King:
Good question. Right now lot of people are telling me they remember a mix I did long time ago for Lifetime called
“Sail Away”
Mark Motive:
I have that too!
Gene King:
Wow. The white label?
Mark Motive:
Yes Pretty sure.
Gene King:
Whoa - one of my fiends gave me back a copy that I gave him years ago because I didn’t have one. I’m also really
proud of “Changes”. Shelter literally came after me for it. I’m also definitely proud of the work with Shanchoy and
Sacha (Williamson).
I’m also currently working with a vocalist named “Nadine Navarre”, which I am proud of. We’re about to license our
new track to a label in Chicago. She’s a talented artist that can actually perform!
Of course there are others too – Arlene Duncan for instance. I so want to do another tune with that amazing voice!
Mark Motive:
There seems to be a lot of good stuff coming from you and from others in Toronto. Something we should all be
proud of I think.
Gene King:
Thanks. I think Toronto has a lot of talent. I think Toronto has always had great talent it’s time for it to shine! We
have just as good talent as that in NYC and Europe.
Mark Motive:
What do you think it will take for Toronto to become like NYC and support its own artists and really build a
strong deep house scene?
Gene King:
We need some proper club venues that will support the music and the DJs. We really don’t have that now. And I
don’t mean lounges – I mean big clubs with great sound systems.
We also need to see more locals playing 5 hour sets like we used to back in the day...to keep the scene strong and
solid. We need to keep the DJs familiar with the new generation of people coming in as well as the people already
familiar with the scene.
It’s all about support from all sides: the clubs, the music industry, dancers, etc.
Mark Motive:
Thanks Gene. I appreciate you taking the time to do this interview.
Gene can be heard online at www.pushfm.com and www.smoothtrax.gr . Also watch out for new releases with
fantastic artists on Gene's myspace page. Check out his recent release 'Changes feat. Sascha' on Shelter records.
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