Lunch with Mazi

Last week, I got a chance to sit down with Mazi, who is a house music DJ/Producer/Label Head. He is originally from Iran and now resides in Chicago. We met at Penny's in Wicker Park for lunch. Justin Long, a Chicago DJ/Producer, joined us, they had a studio session after. I had a spicy dish and some water and it was good. Not only was Mazi a sincere good hearted individual, I found him to be very inteligent. He spoke with calmness and was very articulate. Our conversation lasted for about an hour. After, we shook hands and parted.

Greg K: Why do you play music?

Mazi: I guess my whole interest in wanting to play music started by being a fan, a big fan. In high school, sophomore year, I really started to get into dance music, it started out originally with liking synth pop such as electro music like Kraftwerk, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, that kind of stuff. Sophomore year I went to a club called Medusa, here in Chicago. After, it was all I thought about, everything else was a distraction and a bother. I went to college, and then I decided this(DJing/Producing) was what I wanted to do. Up to that point it was something you did to pass time. But it got to the point that it took over so hard core, I had to do it.

Greg K: Did you go to school for Music?

Mazi: No, I was English and Philosophy double major. Had nothing to do with music.

Greg: What point did you decide you where going to do music?

Mazi: I was in Champaign, it was my third year of school. I had a girlfriend, we were together for 3 years and we broke up and I had some kind of an epiphany, "this is a waste of my time being down here, what am I going to do with this English degree, am I going to become a teacher, am I going to write a book." So I was like "I’m going to go back home and make it as a dj/producer. I had no records out, I had no gigs here, I was I’m going to do this or die, no plan b. so I left school went up to UIC to try to finish school. At that point the rave thing was popping in Chicago. If I got a gig I got a gig, if I didn’t get a gig, I would go there with a crate of records and kind of hang out. If the DJ didn’t show up I’d play, if they paid me, they did, if they didn’t pay me I’d play for free. Whatever it was, I was there, it was an event, I was there, any kind of gathering, I was there. And I just tried to meet everyone and see what they were doing. it was a really inspiring time. You would think that it would be hard but it was so exciting for me and it was a cool time because I got to meet everyone and I got to see what they were doing. I think it was good move, my parents wouldn’t agree because I left school to go do DJing. The moment that it was in Chicago history was a good time too. Like 3-4 thousand kids in a warehouse dancing to house music. You don’t do that any more. It was good time. Timing was write.

You can listen to more of the interview at http://gregk.podomatic.com/, by clicking the podcast player, or by clicking on the title of this blog. Feel free to leave any comments or questions here.
Do you want to listen to the whole 1 hour interview? Email us at LaManzaEnt@gmail.com.

Greg K