by Alex R. Mayer – EDGE 

“I never thought of myself as just playing records, but creating atmosphere.” – Nicky Siano

Think of today’s biggest DJs, the ones that everyone watches and listens to; the DJs of DJing if you will. Think about their tricks and techniques, the way they select and mix their records, and the energy and atmosphere they create on their dancefloors. Now, think about the DJs who came before them, such as Frankie Knuckles and Larry Levan. Those DJs who influenced today’s
spinners, were guided musically and philosophically by a man who pioneered the art of mixing on three turntables, who first got audiences to sing records back to the DJ and who made everyone stop dancing and look up at the DJ booth of Studio 54.

Nicky Siano heard and saw something in the music and nightlife of the early 1970s that transcended the accepted norms of that time. The dance music community had come together out of a need for expression, and a declaration of their rights. The music reflected the many intense social and political issues of the time, including the Vietnam War and the Stonewall uprising. When people came together to dance, it was a safe haven, if only for the night. It was also a way to communicate collectively, something which DJs such as Siano and David Mancuso realized early on. [Read More]