DJ Dan has been on the cutting edge of forward thinking dance tracks for over 18 years. As one of the pioneers of the west coast explosion throughout the 90s to the present day wave of electro and indie dance, DJ Dan continues to push the envelope as he brings to you his long awaited debut artist album entitled Future Retro.

To celebrate Dan?s 20th anniversary in music, he decided to create something special, one vantage point looking back and paying homage to where we have come, and another looking to the future of where we are going. Based in 2 parts ?Future? and ?Retro?, its a culmination of all things great on the dance floor, fusing classic dance tracks with Dan's unique blend of funky driving electro; A musical journey that spans the infamous past, present, and looks to the future of electronic music, from Mr. Fingers to Phuture to Frankie Knuckles to Midnight Star...Chicago to Detroit to San Francisco to New York City and back again.

Future Retro is much more than just an album; it?s a way of thinking, an idea, and most importantly a community. FR is a place for any and all music enthusiasts to come and share experiences, thoughts, content. FR is an open stream of consciousness, a place where people can interact with other like-minded individuals, and a forum to share ideas, perspectives, and content from the past?present?and future of music.

DJ Dan Exclusive Nocturnal Interview

You've been tagged America's Hardest Working and Most Beloved DJ. How does it feel to be known like that?
DJ Dan: It's crazy honestly to think how long I've been dj'ing. I really never thought I could make a living out of something I loved growing up. I just feel very blessed and happy that people continue to let me tell my story through dj'ing. I've always looked at it as telling a story and that's why I try to incorporate many different styles into my dj sets. One night a friend walked up to me after my set and said "I can tell you are pissed off by the way you played-----I love it when you dj angry!". Evidently I play really hard and aggressive when I'm mad.

Since your start in '89, you've been at the forefront of dance music culture. From Funky Tekno Tribe to the present day, its been quite a journey....how do you think the music scene has evolved since then?
DJ Dan: What is truly amazing to me is to see how dance music has evolved but at the same time will sample from old disco and funk bands. Daft Punk has been a great example of this. The music of the past really helps write the music of the future. At the end of the day we are always looking for great music to dance to but we want the music to keep the flavor of what we are familiar with, but with a fresh new twist and better production qualities.

You've played at diverse arrays of music festivals...which one would you rate the best?
DJ Dan: At the moment, I would have to say that EDC in Los Angeles. It is one of the biggest festivals in the world and because of the diversity of Los Angeles, the crowd gets off on many different styles of music. It's also a crowd that really come out to dance and just have a great time. To dj to a crowd that big and hyped up makes me realize how happy I am to be a dj.

Whats your favourite movie, song, drink, vacation spot?
DJ Dan: My favorite movie currently is Bruno. My Favorite song is Angel by The Eurythmics. My favorite drink is Vodka 7---Or just a shot of Patron. My favorite vacation spot is Florianaopolis, Brazil.

How was it working on your album "Future Retro"? Does it get tougher with time to be innovative with each new album?
DJ Dan: You know, this is my first original artist album. I've done many singles in the past and many mixed compilations but never an original full length album. I decided to pull from influences from my past on this record. That's why I have done half of the record as covers of my all time favorite dance tunes and the other half new material.

If you could choose only 3 things to take with you on a deserted island, what would they be?
DJ Dan: My photo collection, my "dance hits of the eighties" collection, and a bottle of Kettle One.

Any plans of touring for the remainder of 2009? Where all can we expect to see you play?
DJ Dan: Yes, I'm heading to Hawaii now and will be doing dates in Brazil, Hawaii, China and Canada as well as my usual dates here in the states.

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish! Would you agree with this statement?
DJ Dan: Yes, I do agree with this. The way I interpret this statement is that we shouldn?t be satisfied with what we have, we must strive to be greater and we need to keep the hunger to get there. We also can't be afraid of making mistakes because we will eventually get it right in the end!

Interview by Matt Darey, Nocturnal Radio

Websites http://www.djdan.com/ and on MySpace go to http://www.myspace.com/djdanmusic

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