my car is full of hotmix 5 tapes d.loaded from deep house pages (and a
couple of tapes by a friend that's deeply influenced by the hot mix 5
style). it's always chicago 1984 in my car. i've even come to love the ads
- harlem globe trotters in town for one night only, bobby brown playing the
world's largest house party, and i've got to get some hair relaxer.
james
www.jbucknell.com
Matt MacQueen
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]
.com> To
313 <313@hyperreal.org>
03/03/04 09:45 PM cc
Subject
(313) The story of the Original Hot
Mix 5
This one is floating around the net again and thought this might
interest some of you.... lotsa details but one of the greatest eras
in radio mix shows.
(and you can still hear Kenny "Jammin" Jason on the syndicated 'old
school friday mix' on V-103 in Chicago that is syndicated nationally,
but it's mostly mainstream disco/funk stuff, nothing very underground
or raw house from back then, but hey it's better than nothing, driving
around you can catch Zapp - Computer Love or Black Ivory - Main Line.
Still you're not gonna hear anything like raw jackin acid or psycho
dark stuff like 'where is your child' and stuff like used to be on the
old shows).
--------------------------------------------------------------
LOST IN THE MIX
THE STORY OF THE ORIGINAL HOT MIX 5
by Rebecca Ortiz
You thought it was dead. You even mourned its absence. But whoever
told you disco died was lying. Well they weren't necessarily lying -
they were just misinformed. You see disco never died; it just
descended. Now you might be asking yourself what could the bellbottom
wearing, afro-fabulous, Saturday Night Fever-living-times
have "descended" in to? In one sentence? One of the greatest elements
of Chicago's history--house music.
Although it has been rumored that house music was to have been co-
invented in our sister city New York, make no mistake, Chicago's
style and sound combination took people on the wildest rides of their
lives and claimed an identity all its own. And although several
artists contributed to this advanced genre of dance music, there were
five individuals that laid some serious groundwork. Despite confusion
of the original team, the names of replacements and the vendettas
that surrounded the industry as a whole, these five remained strong -
strong enough to leave a severe dent in the city of Chicago. They may
not have parted "best friends" - or have even passed as business
associates-- but they made Chicago, house music, and the world that
surrounds that lifestyle what it is, as we know it today. These five
individuals were the premier DJ team in the world. Ladies and
gentlemen it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you the Hot Mix
5.
Farley "Jackmaster" Funk, Mickey "Mixin" Oliver, Scott "Smokin" Silz,
Ralphi Rosario and Kenny "Jammin" Jason, all arrived for a meeting
planned by Michaels to discuss his idea for a house mix show. The
sixth interviewee, Jeff Davis, failed to show. During this meeting
they talked of this "team/corporation" they were forming. They were
the Hot Mix guys which was the generic term given to the group before
members were chosen by Michaels and after hours of struggling with
names they decided on the Hot Mix 5.
Chosen to host the show was part-time WBMX radio personality Armando
Rivera. It wasn't long after the 5 were formed that the show
developed a personality all it's own. "It's the Saturday Night Live
Ain't no Jive mix show hosted by Armando." Each week the switchboard
would light up with requests and comments about their favorite of the
5. Playing the latest in house sounds, Farley appealed to the African-
American audience, Ralphi to the Hispanic audience, Mickey and Kenny
represented the streets of Chicago and Scott the suburbs. For
scheduled guest appearances they would pack venues with thousands of
people, sweat would be dripping from the ceiling and sometimes the
cops would come and close the place down for violating fire codes
with hundreds of people over-populating these events.
"Driving down Rush and Division [in downtown Chicago] on the weekend
was like listening to a giant ghetto blaster," recalls Michaels, "It
didn't matter what creed you were or what kind of car you had--
everyone had the Saturday Night Live Ain't No Jive show on - it gave
me chills."
Their success seemed to be larger than life. They were in demand
around the city getting paid unprecedented amounts of money to play
an hour-long set. If they played a record on Saturday night, come
Sunday morning kids would be at the record store eagerly waiting to
buy it. But with all this good fame and fortune came trying times.
By popular demand, after only three months of on airtime as the Hot
Mix 5, a Friday night mix show was added. Now it was no longer the
Saturday Night Live Ain't No Jive show but also the Friday Night Jam.
The months to follow would add the Hot Lunch Mix and also 15 minute
Mini-mixes throughout the day. The demand for the men was getting
stressful. Aside from turning in two weekly mix tapes for radio play
they were playing events/parties on Friday and Saturday nights per
their contracts with WBMX. Plus they were expected to live their own
lives. At the time Ralphi was only a freshman in high school.
Although the stresses were inevitable after four years on WBMX (1981-
1984) the show was about to reach a turning point.
Through the years, Michaels served as the "unofficial manager" of the
group. Helping the guys understand the technical side of their
contracts and their popularity, he also encouraged them to pursue
their own musical careers as well. Making up to thousands of dollars
an hour they would agree to play clubs, and throw their own parties
for the 5 to play at. Record deals were offered to the men, even
offers from other radio stations to lure the 5 away from WBMX. After
seeing fellow members' egos grow along with their wallets it was
obvious that animosity was growing and in 1984 reached it's high
point.
After claiming that he couldn't take the attitudes and egos
Scott "Smokin" Silz left the group. Although other stories for his
leaving have circulated through the group Scott says, "We were 5
different guys from 5 different backgrounds who wanted different
things. We were never really friends - just business partners. It was
bound to happen over time. I just felt my time had come so I moved on
to bigger and better things." Scott's leaving marked the beginning of
the end for the 5.
Frequent guest mixer Julian "Jumpin" Perez filled the fifth slot
after winning a city-wide DJ Battle. And after only a few months of
Julian's arrival Farley decided to leave the group to go to their
competing station WGCI in hopes of finding more money and success. "I
wanted to get away from the other guys," says Farley, "and just being
a big-headed DJ at the time it was all about me." No formal
replacement procedure was made after his departure - the fifth slot
was left open for guest mixers and the name "Hot Mix 5" stayed the
same. Sharing time in the fifth slot were guest mixers Steve "Silk"
Hurley, Frankie Knuckles and Frankie "Hollywood" Rodriguez. Farley
began mixing as part of the "Jackmasters on WGCI along with
Mario "Smokin" Diaz, Mario Reyes, Mike "Hitman" Wilson, Fast Eddie
and Bad Boy Bill. Looking to follow WBMX's successful universal mix
show mix show formula WGCI began beating them in ratings and in
October 1985 lured father figure and creator of the 5 - Lee Michaels
to the program irector position at the competing station.
Soon after Michael's departure the group felt the effects of his
absence. BMX was loosing listeners to 'GCI and conflicts between the
Hot Mix 5 and executives at the station began to develop. In an
effort to make a statement in July of 1986, the three remaining
original members of the Hot Mix 5 (Kenny Jason, Ralphi Rosario and
Mickey Oliver) walked out on 'BMX leaving behind only guest mixers
and new Hot Mix 5 member Julian "Jumpin" Perez. Leaving the station
without a mix show and relocating to WGCI new home of Lee Michaels -
the family would be reunited. Unfortunately it wasn't that simple.
According to Ralphi Rosario WGCI didn't pay what was discussed and
didn't give the airplay desired or promised- except on the a.m. show.
WBMX also filed a lawsuit against the 3 for breach of contract.
Although no monetary values were collected, the end result for them
leaving before their contract was up was they were not allowed to
play on any other radio station except for WBMX until their contracts
had expired (one month remained).
Without the Hot Mix 5 the air time at BMX was filled by Julian Perez
and several of the guest mixers such as Bad Boy Bill,
Frankie "Hollywood" Rodriguez and Mike "Hitman" Wilson.
Farley, Kenny, Scott, Mickey, Ralphi and Mario Diaz mixed as the Hot
Mix 5 at GCI. For the month remaining on their contracts per BMX
Mario carried the show himself. Shortly following the groups
relocation to the new station Farley returned back to BMX. But
Farley's return was short-lived. In 1988 BMX was sold and due to
internal stockholder conflicts, closed its doors forever. Looking
back on the situation Farley explains,"What they [BMX] did really
upset me because they paid me big bucks to come back and all they
wanted to do was get the ratings back up and once they did they sold
it and then I was out of a job."
Farley eventually returned to WGCI a few years later where Ralphi,
Kenny, Scott and Mario mixed as the Hot Mix 5. Farley quit in early
1999. The remaining members were Scott and Kenny. A few months after
Farley's depature the Club 1075 mix show was canceled.
Since that time four of the original members have pursued successful
musical careers. Farley pursued a career in music production and is
recognized as one of the pioneers and creators of house music
(Godfather of House). Ralphi also pursued a career in music
production after attending Columbia College Chicago for three years
in communications. Scott pursued a career in radio production and is
currently the production manager for the V103 (former home of BMX)
morning show the Mond Squad and also the Mini concert. He also
started his own Mobile DJ company Hot Mix Productions. Kenny became a
police officer and has been a lieutenant for the past 15 years. His
part-time job is as a volunteer fireman and hosting a syndicated
radio station that plays at hits and dusties in 30 cities across the
United States, including Mexico. Shortly after the breakup of the Hot
Mix 5 Mickey moved to Arizona with his family and pursued a career in
contracting million dollar homes. He is currently running a phone
company in Phoenix.
Although the 5 have a great amount of respect for each other and
still talk, they wouldn't all consider each other close friends. Just
5 individuals who shared a life changing experience - that changed
not only themselves but the city of Chicago and music as well.
What started out as a small idea by a man name Lee Michaels, the Hot
Mix 5 still lives as the name of Pioneers amongst the House Music
nation. Memories from that time period will forever linger as the
times that made dance music what it is today. This was the premier DJ
team in the world - playing music that transcended all barriers to
appeal and influence everyone. Despite animosity, egos and money, the
5 laid the groundwork that developed the Chicago street flava that
draws individuals in from around the world. They were the infamous
Hot Mix 5. And although you might not be able to name the original 5
if you aren't a native to our windy city, their sound is unmistakable
and once you hear it you won't ever be the same.
--
Matt MacQueen
http://SonicSunset.com
ForwardSourceID:NT00007C4E
