Interview with DJ Josh Billings

Tags: Interviews with DJs

DJ Josh Billings has been spinning at his house music club “focus” for the past 4 years. With his love for house music, he has worked his way up and has established Focus as one of the best house music spots in Southern California. Dancers across the Los Angeles and Orange County areas gather every tuesday to listen to him spin house and vibe to his music.

What is your DJ name?

Josh Billings

How old are you?

24yrs old.

What style of music do you play?

Deep House

How long have you been a DJ for?

4 Years

When did you start and how did you get into it?

Started focus and learned from the best. Got a great place to learn on a big sound system as well and different environments & opening up a night.

What is your opinion on the current scene?

It needs more love. Everywhere else in the world Dance music is the number one genre, but in the united states it’s neck and neck with Polka.

What equipment are you using at the moment? What was your very first setup like?

First setup was some weak korg mixer and 2 technics. Currently it’s 2 CDJ-1000 MK3s, Pioneer DJM-800 or Rane Mp2015 w/ XP2016 kit, 2 Technics 1200 Mk3s, 2 Mackie SRM-450 Monitors + EAW Sound System J

Any projects/new releases that you are working on?

Just finished up the new CD and am looking forward to giving a grip of them away

Where do you get your gigs? What is your favorite spot to spin at?

Generally people find me after seeing me play at focus or something. A lot of people find me via joshbillings.net

What are some of your major influences (Artists, DJs, etc.)?

Miguel Migs, Jimpster, Only Freak & Lately Dutch house like Hardsoul & Fedde Le Grand

What is your most memorable moment while spinning (at an event/club, etc.)?

Opening for Kaskade on Halloween night for about 700 people and just seeing the crowd moving like a wave

Why do you spin…what do you get out of it?

It’s an amazing feeling that you’re sharing the music you love with these people and they are dancing to every beat you throw down.

Do you have plans for the future as a DJ?

I’d like to tour a bit more and it seems to be moving in that direction. I get a lot of request to come to different people’s areas so I’m optimistic on getting around a bit more. I’d also like to try actually producing something. The stuff I have done is pretty much garbage.

What direction do you think the scene is headed in?

Hopefully a very good one. I’m going to do less promoting of my club and more promoting of the music in general and I think the club will benefit in the end.

Where would you like the scene to be? (status wise)

I would love for people to just come out for House Music like the do for Hip Hop. It’s a bummer that the genre just isn’t loved. People need to come support their local djs more.

What makes a good DJ? What are the key elements? Do they need to produce their own tracks?

Not at all. A lot of great producers are horrible DJs. I think the best DJs are the ones that are somewhat psychic in knowing exactly what the dance floor wants to hear next. Mixing isn’t nearly as important as track selection. I’ve seen Djs that mix like shoes in a dryer but the songs they play are killer so people love them.

How do you feel about the dancers that come to listen to your music? Does the DJ and the dancers go hand in hand in the scene?

Of course man, without dancers the DJ wouldn’t feed off anything and how many dancers do you know that would go to a club that was playing 1 80 minute long mix CD after the other? There is no energy there.

What is focus? How did it get the name? How did it all begin? Where is it headed now?

Focus is such a weird name and it has nothing to do with music really, but it’s more of my state of mind at the time of starting it. My big saying to myself was “Stay focused” or “Keep your eyes on the prize”. Anyways I had started my own printing company and was starting this club because I really wanted something fun to do during the week and there was nothing really going on. House was the only music I was really into, so I took it upon myself to throw a party and luckily the guys at tapas liked our crowd (no fights or gangs or anything) and they allowed us to grow over time. Focus isn’t really headed anywhere. I’d rather keep the vibe small no matter what. I know it keeps growing but I don’t want to take it to a bigger venue. I don’t like big venues personally. You lose a lot of the feeling in the large spaces.

Any other comments or shout outs?

If you love house music help it out. Spread the word. Burn a CD for a friend withy our favorite house tracks on it or something and bring em by the club ( or any house club for that matter). If everybody got 2 of their friends into house music the scene would TRIPPLE in size over night.