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Scott Blackwell

A bio and interview focusing on Disco DJ Scott Blackwell.

Scott Blackwell came to the DISCO world from rural Texas. Getting his start at a small club in Fort Worth. Soon it was on to PAPAGALLOS and ELAN in Dallas. The owner Michael Courso was opening a DISCO in the exclusive Coconut Grove section of Miami, Florida. A Place called FACES IN THE GROVE. He brought Scott to sunny Miami with him. While waiting for FACES to open,he found work at VISIONS in Kendall, a trendy club on the outskirts of Miami. There he established himself as THE BEST DEE JAY IN TOWN. He found ease in the ability to mix and overlay records. Finally when FACES opened, he continued to dominate the music scene and established FACES IN THE GROVE as one of Miami's best DISCOS.

After the owner was murdered, Scott found his way to BACKSTREET in Fort Lauderdale, where his reputation was further enhanced. Soon, New York City came calling, after a quick few months at LA VOLCANIC in Pompano, Florida. Scott went to the BIG APPLE. Getting fired four days later, he soon was playing everywhere and commanding attention in the biggest DISCO city in the world. He opened the PALLADIUM to rave reviews, winning various awards for his work. Soon he was off to Los Angeles.

Scott had done a number of STUDIO remixes, and found a new calling. Soon he was in high demand. Combining both Club work and studio mixing, Scott has shown LONGEVITY that few other have. He is now in his third decade at the turntables.

Today he continues his fine work in PADRI, a trendy club in Los Angeles. He also has his personal wiring and installation company during the week, that provides sound systems for various venues. He is also the founder, and chief creative officer of SUDANCE, a relief organization for SUDAN in which fellow deejays get to give back by remixing records.

I will always remember Scott Blackwell as the one deejay who drove me to perfection, attempting to keep up with his great mixing talents. Keep it up OLD-TIMER.

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Interview with Scott Blackwell conducted by DiscoMusic.com member, The Vynil Junkie follows:

Award winning Disco Deejay Scott Blackwell continues to spin his magic after thirty years. I knew him well at the beginning, having worked with him and competed against him. He was the BEST mixer I knew, better then all the big names from the 1970s New York City area. Scott's mixes were always long, smooth and accurate. His music was the latest, his clubs the best. His time down here in Miami could only be surpassed by his years in the BIG APPLE.

He has been acknowledged as one of, if not THE BEST deejay in the Club scene today and for the last Twenty-Five years. Recently, I talked to him after not seeing him since 1983, at the Convention Hotel (formerly the DORAL Hotel) of the Winter Music Conference, held in Miami Beach. Although many years had passed, our friendship seemed intact, like it was only a few weeks since we last talked.

The young, cocky thin Texan I knew, was now a little more mellow, and not so thin anymore. But he still has his trademark blond curls! Having been out all night, he was extremely exhausted, as we sat in the Hotel's restaurant for a much needed cup of Java. This is the text of the conversation between an ALL-TIMER and an OLD-TIMER.

SCOTT: I was married for twenty-three years, divorced now. I've got an eighteen-year-old daughter now.

TVJ: Jesus Christ, man we haven't seen each other in twenty-five years. I'm sitting here with Scotty Blackwell. Okay Scott, tell us how you got started. And you're inspiration to deejay?

SCOTT: My inspiration was to get laid.

TVJ: Yeah that was everyone's.

SCOTT: I lied my way into my first job. It was a little bitty place in Fort Worth called the WEDGEWOOD LOUNGE, a local neighborhood bar. I told the guy in charge that I had experience, but I had no records. I used what records they had there. I didn't even know the music.

TVJ: What year was that?

SCOTT: Ninety-Thirty eight I guess.

TVJ: Seriously

SCOTT: I think it was 1978 I guess.

TVJ: That was right before before I met you.

SCOTT: That was in 1979. I came to VISIONS of Kendall, and you were up the street at the CROWN of Kendall. Funny thing was that they were both owned by Liquor companies.

TVJ: Yeah we were competition for many years. Afterwards I was at MENAGE and our main competition was FACES IN THE GROVE where you worked.

SCOTT: Well the guys who built FACES were from DALLAS, I had worked for them at a club called PAPPAGALLOS. They brought me down here. I worked at VISIONS waiting for FACES to open. MENAGE was built by the MacFaddens who I also worked for in Dallas at ELAN.

TVJ: While you were in Miami, we often deejayed at competing clubs. Your clubs lasted longer then mine did. Why was that?

SCOTT: Probably because I left! VISIONS was still around after CROWN closed.

TVJ: I know why MENAGE closed, someone bombed MENAGE.

SCOTT: That's right, that's when BILL MILLER owned it

TVJ: Bill Miller, the crazy-assed dude who tried to harm both you and me.

SCOTT: Yeah, he threatened my life.

TVJ: Don't worry, I took care of Bill Miller. Eventually his house burned down! You know how he made his money? He was the inventor of the BIC lighter!!

SCOTT: No way! He had the world's worst wig!

TVJ: Yeah, I guess it was before the Hair Club for Men. Anyhow, I always looked at you as the one to beat. The BEST mixer in town.

SCOTT: Wow! Thank you!

TVJ: Did you know that?

SCOTT: Yeah, I came here as a very COCKY kid,

TVJ: NO, NOT YOU!! COCKY?

SCOTT: I didn't know that you looked at me as the "one to beat", I was really COCKY then.

TVJ: Oh you don't have to tell me that!

SCOTT: We had some fun, we were the two best in the area, it was fun times.

TVJ: I used to love watching you mix, cause you'd get into it. I'd watch you perform these long,long beat mixes. And they were perfect, sometimes running minutes long. While I was into the LIVE remix.

SCOTT: Yeah, I would study you and what you did, and soon I'd pick it up. There would be all sorts of deejays watching you remix.

TVJ: That was my thing, while you were always perfect mixes.

SCOTT: What's funny is that is how I mix now.

TVJ: When did that happen, when you went to New York?

SCOTT: I don't know, that's a really good question? I don't really know. I guess it was down here, all you guys, you, Billy Swann were doing all these crazy things with records. It was more that just a mix. I soon started to do it here.

TVJ: Tell me about your time in New York, why did you leave Miami?

SCOTT: Well, after the COLUMBIAN COWBOYS murdered FACES owner Michael Courso, I went to BACKSTREETS. On a Saturday night some Scottish guy was there watching me work. I had no idea until the next day when I get a phone call Sunday morning with this guy in a Scottish accent who tells me he is opening a Club in NEW YORK CITY, and that I was the Best deejay he had ever seen. His name was Mike Lynch, and I accepted a meeting with him.

I had always wanted to deejay in New York, it was my dream. To see if I could compare with all the talent up there. A bigger city, bigger market.Well you know, you're from there.I wanted the moon and the stars, and he gave them to me. He was going to move me to New York. But first I went to work for him at a club he had in Pompano Beach, called LA VOLCANIQUE.

TVJ: Yes, I remember, I went to see you there, and loved the place.

SCOTT: I was there like six weeks, then went to New York. I worked the first FOUR NIGHTS at his club in New York, then he fired me!

TVJ: FOUR NIGHTS!!

SCOTT: I worked the first four nights, at, what was the name of the place, VASAGE. They had a different promoter each night and all the promoters wanted their own deejays. They said that I sucked, who was this deejay from Florida, we need a real New York deejay here. Politics. All the promoters did was bitch, so he called me in and told me that this wasn't working out. "Scotty, the people aren't liking you." And I though I was doing a great job. I had taken what STUDIO 54, The PARADISE GARAGE and the LIMELIGHT were doing, and incorporated it into my music.

A week later I ended up getting hired at PRIVATE EYES, and that was the best thing that could have happened to me. The majority of all the "A-List" parties were held there for almost two years. The connections and people I met there were un-believable! The guy that owned it, his father owned Syrian Oil Tankers, and this club was just a way to keep his son around. There was an endless flow of capitol, constant improvements.

TVJ: I bet they took good care of you!

SCOTT: You bet. Then the guy who fired me ended up re-hiring me two years later. He had hired JELLYBEAN as the musical director. John was the hottest guy around, and he hired me, LITTLE LOUIE VEGA, FRANK from STUDIO and a guy named Michael Bloom. Within three weeks, I was the guy working Thursday, Fridays and Saturday nights.

TVJ: WOW! You took over.

SCOTT: Yeah, I was in my prime, and on a roll.
TVJ: Why LA?

SCOTT: Well my wife moved out there, and we reconciled, and had a daughter. The marriage lasted another ten years.

TVJ: And where did you meet your wife?

SCOTT: She's from Panama, and I met her at FACES IN THE GROVE!

TVJ: Wow, the Spanish girls and Miami did get you!

SCOTT: It's funny that Miami played such a big part in my life.

TVJ: I think it was inevitable, Miami and it's women steal everyone's hearts!

SCOTT: Yeah, yeah.

TVJ: What about today?

SCOTT: When I came to LA, I founded a GOSPEL label.

TVJ: Found Jesus?

SCOTT: Actually found him again. For almost ten years I had the label, and did "Fly-Dates", quick week-end gigs all around the states. I didn't have a regular residency in LA at all, then five years ago I started at a place playing HIP HOP! I never played that, but now it's second nature. It's every Friday and Saturday, and it's great money. During the week I also have a Local contractor & designing business; installing AV and sound systems at stores, clubs and malls.

TVJ: What about tomorrow?

SCOTT: I started a non-profit company called SUDANACE that raises money for SUDAN with deejays remixing for charity. It's great to give back. You feel kind of empty sometimes, this is a way to help out, and it prevents "Burn-out".

TVJ: Wow, never heard of something so inspirational from the deejay world. Scotty, we talked about my forth coming book, you know that it deals with the shadier side of our business. Do you have any wild stories that I could use in my next book?

SCOTT: I've been thinking about this, and I was much luckier then you. My life wasn't as wild or dangerous as yours. Down here, BILL MILLER threatened me with harm and a gun, after he thought I took a turntable from him.

TVJ: Scott, you really were lucky if that is the worst thing that you could think of! What is your favorite DISCO song?

SCOTT: (Without hesitation) DON'T LEAVE ME THIS WAY! Both Thelma Houston's and Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes versions. I still play them today. The soccer moms love it. And I never played those songs earlier.

TVJ: Oh, I used to play both versions at the same time, mixing them when they sang"OHH BABY!" It seems everyone did that.

SCOTT: I remember you doing that!

TVJ: Finally, where is the best SPANISH FOOD? In Miami, Texas, New York or LA?

SCOTT: (Laughing out loud) Well in Miami the Cuban food rocks, in New York there is the Puerto Rican food, Dallas and Texas had what they called Mexican food, but it really sucks. I never had real Mexican food until I moved to Los Angeles. Okay, the best overall is Miami, but LA has really great Mexican food. New York has great Black Beans.

TVJ: Oh come on, you're being politically correct!

SCOTT: It is tough, they are all great.

TVJ: Well Scott, I thank you, it has been great seeing you. How old are you now?

SCOTT: I'm 48 years-old now.

TVJ: I'm 52, we are getting old.

SCOTT: Well you still look the same, a little bigger but you look great for someone who lived"La Vida Loca".

TVJ: Well Scott it has been great talking to you, hope it isn't another twenty-five years before we see each other again.

SCOTT: Thanks Pete, it was a pleasure, and I hope there is a movie ahead for you. Let's stay in touch, and say hello to Bernie for me.

We talked further about the deejays of the days gone by and today's deejay. Scott agrees with me, that there are hundreds of old-time deejays that were born too early to enjoy the money paid to today's top deejays. He should know, he was around way back then, and is still one of the best there is today!

 

 

Submitted by vyniljunkie (610)