Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Ross.
Hi Eric, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
It started at the young age of 15 growing up in NY. Music was a hobby that I carried around in the classic 8 speaker, 4 deck, alarmed boom box. Fast forward to the illegal rave scene in the early 90s, from Orlando to San Francisco I got the taste of DJing actual vinyl. My first Club Residence was in Orlando with Kimball Collins whom I give all the credit to for teaching me how to beatmix and design/program a set. From that point on I played alongside the Top DJs in the Dance music scene from Sasha, Digweed, Deepdish, Paul Oakenfold, Dave Seamen, Hernan Canttaneo, Dave Ralph, Paul Van dyk, Tiest, etc. all during the underground phase of the early 90s. I relocated to Chicago in the mid-90s where I plunged myself into the Chicago House scene. Having established a few key club residence playing alongside Derrick Carter, Mark Grant, and other great house legends, I befriended a Musician/Producer who goes by the name of Sombionx (Adam Nelson). Adam owned a music and studio & Film production loft in Chicago called Q studios… He took me under his wing to teach me how to actually produce music. From that point on I wanted to be a producer far more than a DJ. With both Domestic and European club experience as a DJ, I hunkered down in the studio with Adam and we released my first Vinyl, Dr. Feels Good on Adams label Q studios. This Ep did well in the House/Tech house charts and it launched me as a legitimate producer in 2000ish. Since the EP release I have been blessed to play at many great venues in many great countries. I ended up in the place where all dreams come to be, Los Angeles Cali. A producer/artist friend called me up one day and he said, “Eric you need to get out to Los Angeles asap”. I ended up in East L.A. for a brief period with Artist/producer Brav0 and the label boss of Soniquarium. I slept in his live and work studio where we worked on tracks day and night as well as played shows at the famed Globe Theater on L.A.s Broadway Street. I eventually moved into a loft in DTLA and I submerged myself into the Energy of the Los Angeles underground scene working with many local artist and playing many shows in the Warehouse circuit. I launched my label SQ1 in Los Angeles in 2017 and became part of an amazing network of talented djs and event throwers. Los Angeles is home base but Dallas has become my second Hub. I can still tap into the Los Angeles energy for creativity and return to Dallas which allows me to focus in on inspiration I gained and finished musical work. Dallas is an amazing city with so much potential for the “Dance Music” scene. In fact, the world-famous I’tll Do Club is just the spot cultivating the Dallas Scene and helping it grow as well as the Team who run an amazing Deep House movement called Metro Dallas. Having my Live & Work space in the Bishop Arts district of Dallas, I have teamed up with Development /Marketing manager of Exiler Brandon Bell and his project in Bishop Arts called Casablanca. This is an amazing space, full of love and positive energy. We are kicking off a Deep House event on Sundays starting in Jan 2022 and will be the last Sunday of each month from 3pm to 7pm. If anyone reading this is in Dallas at that time, stop by Casablanca.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Nothing is ever a smooth road and the road less traveled will always be the right path. The biggest challenge has been not to sell my soul. Both in the Los Angeles/Hollywood sense and in my Ego sense. Everyone one in music wants to be famous right? Jets, cars, houses, and respect. In order to achieve this one has to typically conform to what society says is cool. One has too fit the mold, be the “POP” star DJ/producer. Could be cake throwing Gimmicks
or simple Pop music hooks in your tracks. Whatever the fad is at that time is where “they” want you to be. So, the challenge for me has been to balance ego against being an underground artist. Staying true to the Underground Roots that I started out in. Sure, from time to time, you can catch a hint of “melody with vocals” on my radio show Deep Transmissions L.A. on studosoundsradio. Or catch my most recent Track Kaliforina- Desert Hotel mix and get a hint of “popular music”. But nevertheless, the struggle in the studio is to create my sound that is far different than the Popular style but yet grab the attention of all music lovers worldwide. Jets, Cars, houses come and go. Music last forever.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My work is twofold. Design sound and being a TasteMaker. Production can be as simple as a few prerecorded stems from a Producer pack, throw them together, done. However, I sit down and shape sound from scratch. I use the basic preset on a VST or Outboard gear device and start to shape tones, textures in keys that I like. This is how I create the foundation of a track. I am proud of the fact that my tracks nowadays are 100% sound designed. It wasn’t always like that. I was once a Producer Pack stem guy at the start of producing.
I am also known for my Magical Music Journeys. I take people on such a journey when they come to hear me live or listen to my radio show… I do not play popular hits. I play music that I find to be uplifting. I program my sets around what I want to hear and what vibe I want to present. I’m no Juke Box, I don’t take request. I’m a taste maker. I will play tracks that many have yet to hear, promos that are not yet available. I want to take the audience on a rare musical journey before the tracks becomes popular. It may sound selfish but it’ s Pure Love of the music that drives me. I want to bring people along for the ride that they can’t catch anywhere else. And maybe I’ll drop a few “known” tracks that were remixed as teasers from time to time during a 4 hour set.
What sets me apart from the many DJs is the blessing of having experienced the original Rave Scene, touring the Globe, all before “EDM” became popular. Back when a girl laughed at you when you said you were a DJ. Back when the dance floors were raw, dirty, covered with dust and only one Strobe light flashing while 1000s danced without a care in the world. A time when people came together for the music regardless of the “DJ” playing it. That experience is now hard to duplicate as the POP world and Music Festivals have taken over and Illegal Warehouse parties became the Popular Clubs.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is the feeling the people get when they hear my music or Dj sets. Fame, money I could give two shits about. But the smiles on people’s faces, the interaction among people from all walks of life, Rich, Poor, Black, white, Asian, Latin, Gay, Straight coming together and blending into one Human Race. Forgetting all the false stigma and labels put on people by those in “Power” or in Control that divide us. The Love and Harmony that can come from a Dance Music event is unlike any thing I have ever witnessed as emotional guards come down, people loosen up and soon realize we are all in this together. Once people experience that and and the “light bulb” comes on, then that is Why it matters. Unity through music and not Division through hate and politics.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sq1theunderground.com
- Instagram: @djericross
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/iXMWj1mqgGzqBRAu6
