DJ Birth Names
Can You Match These Birth Names With Those of Your Favorite DJ?
We know the DJs who spin under the monikers their mothers gave 'em as babies: Pauls, Daves, vans this 'n' that. But what real names lurk behind some famous handles?
See if you can guess from the broad hints provided which far more recognizable stage handle is associated with each of these birth names.
Josh Davis is always a surprise when he appears, since his productions, in sound and scope, don't really match his appearance. You could call him the Pat Riley of electronica. He's spent much of his career collaborating, and while some DJs might love 3 a.m., this DJ thinks midnight is just perfect.
Quentin Leo Cook did the electronic DJ version of "giving back" a few years ago when he created an album to highlight the original tunes of many of the artists he'd sampled over the years. His name is what you might call a contradiction in terms.
Mike Skinner is best known for keeping it every bit as real as any banger from the wilds of South Central. It's just that he's not from South Central, per se. He's quite fit, though, and everybody knows it.
Richard David James is much missed in the dance community. No, he's not dead. He's just much missed. And, despite his DJ name, he's really one of a kind.
Danny Williamson nearly always spins with at least one other member of the label he started; his pseudonym was reportedly inspired by the 70s TV show Hawaii-Five-0.
Tom Jenkinson is notoriously shy and difficult to pin down, not only for interviews, but for performances as well. His geometric dance handle is a good match for his dense, mathematical productions.
Merrill Beth Nisker gave a whole new spin to the whole sexy librarian cliché when she appeared. Her songs are more femme-vulgar than they are sexy, but you'd never know it from her stage name, which is pure creamy innocence.
Richard Melville Hall is descended from one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century and was among the first to popularize electronica for the mainstream. When personal stories are recounted about him, they tend to be on the negative side, perhaps because the name he chose as a moniker is also that of one the great fictional nemeses.
Brian Transeau had nearly $20,000 worth of gear stolen from his studio a few months ago. He's the only one on the list whose name isn't actually a pseudonym. When is a stage name not a stage name?
Brian Joseph Burton took on the biggest names in pop music and won. He's definitely one to watch when he gets an idea into his head. And his producer name suggests a fella who spent some quantity of time watching Saturday-morning cartoons back when such things were done.
Caroline Hervé sometimes laughs when announcing that someone is dead, but not in a malicious way. She's just busy having a good time with her famous friends. She's really just a softie at heart; you can tell from her stage name.
Did you guess them all? If not, just click on the hyperlink to jump to the artist's Web page. Happy hunting!
