On a recent, cold, Los Angeles evening (about 50 degrees), I found myself wandering around Echo Park, Los Angeles, in a random alley. Amid the damp garbage and a few vagrants, I began thinking I was lost – there was no way a club could be here. So, I turned around. My appointment time had past. And, right as I had given up hope of seeing a living legend perform, I turned a corner and noticed a dim red side, “RED BULL.” This was the place.

I walked into an ill-lit, dungeon of a venue which was nearly void of people. I began to wonder if I had mistaken my location. But, turning another corner, I noticed a tall, stout man wearing a blue t-shirt, cargo pants and sandals, who was concentrating on one Technics 1200. “Let’s get a sound check going,” he says, turning to a man hidden in the darkness. Bending over, he pressed a few buttons and I started to hear the familiar, gritty sound of the original DJ medium – the 45. Suddenly, nearby par cans illuminated the scene, giving me some bearing about my location. “RED BULL 45s”, read signs around the room. Stunned, I glanced around the vastness of the Echoplex. Amid two bars and plenty of booze, a circle had been formed around the dancefloor in which four DJ stages had been prepared.

Wandering around the room examining the stations, it became clear to me what was going on. The equipment was rather homogeneous – each station with two Technics turntables and either a Rane TTM56 or Allen & Heath Xone 02 mixer. An effects processor here and there. Stacks of 45s on the tables. It was a battle of funky proportions. In this dark venue, giants of the turntablist universe – J Rocc, Music Man Miles, DJ Renato, and DJ John Doe - had gathered to duke it out to the sounds of old Soul. Yet, despite the obvious talent that would be playing that evening, there was only one person in particular whose presence validated the two hour commute to party.

Someone began tapping my shoulder. “You ready to meet him?”

Looking back toward the entrance, the man in the blue shirt was completing his sound check. Yet, oddly, there was no second turntable. Surely, someone was bringing out a second deck… you can’t DJ on one table, especially on one as simple as an old 1200. Could you? He leaned over for a second and started fidgeting with something over the table, where I noticed there were foot pedals. “That’s strange,” I thought. Something was amiss. Approaching the table, someone with a video camera was filming him for what sounded like a podcast or a commercial. He seemed bored, if not pissed at something.

“Lucas, this is Joseph Geffen from DJForums.com. He’s next.” I reached in to shake his hand as a smile appeared on his face. “Hi I’m Lucas, the Cut Chemist.” The questions came naturally.

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JGeffen, DJF: You’ve been on an epic musical journey. Over the years, you’ve played with Ozomatli, Jurassic 5, and a whole lot of other groups. Then you’ve played alongside the other epic artists like DJ Spooky and Amon Tobin How did you get started in music? Did you play any instruments growing up as a child?

Cut Chemist, CC: The natural reason for choosing turntables was because I couldn’t play anything else. (laughs). Being around music for too long made me pretty envious of other people who played other instruments. But, you know, now I’m trying to learn the guitar and some piano.

DJF: Clearly you’ve managed to create a trademark sound. Is there any equipment, software or hardware, that allows you to achieve such an incredible, original sound?

CC: Yeah, you know, Protools. It’s just a really powerful, versatile program. It helps me put the finishing touch on some of my tracks.

DJF: Speaking of new technology, I noticed that you’re going to be using footpedals in your performance tonight. What’s that all about? Is there any reason you choose to use that unit as opposed to another effects unit?

CC: Effects units like the EFX1000 don’t do anything that I need. I mean, I don’t use flanger or phasers or that stuff, and the sampler on those is only a few seconds long. The foot pedal sampler has three memory banks where I can store several minutes of music at a time. That way, I can build tracks. Like tonight I’m trying to rebuild rap classics from the basic elements.

DJF: That seems to be a pretty common theme with you. I think it was sometime last year, I saw you play at the single most memorable event I could ever imagine: Pravda at the Walt Disney Music Hall [At this event, he and six other turntablists produced live remixes of Stalin-era, Russian composers of classical music. Later on, a ten-piece Theramin orchestra joined them – something that hadn’t happened since 1938.] With that in mind, what have been your most and least favorite gigs thus far?

CC: Actually, that concert at the Walt Disney Music Hall was probably my favorite. I mean, that shit was crazy and lots of fun. That and a performance I did at the Hollywood Bowl were probably my favorite. But, it’s hard to compare that with J5 and Ozomatli – those were great. The benefit I did with DJ AM was also a lot of fun. But I’d say a lot of what makes a gig great is what the crowd gives you, you know. You feed from their energy. Like, if they’re into what I’m playing, I’ll give them a great show, but if they’re not into it, you’re not as motivated to really go crazy. Like in England, they weren’t into the set I was playing. They were there to hear some mainstream hip-hop… they were really disappointed with me.

DJF: Are there any particular artists or genres that inspire you?

CC: In terms of other artists, I really look up to DJ Shadow because of his music collection. But lots of genres inspire me, everything from country, rockabilly, soul, funk, latin… I mean, every club is different. You play to the crowd. Hell, I’ve even played punk.

DJF: I think that’s cool that you draw ideas from such a variety of influences. But I think there are a lot of people who consider you to be the prodigal son of music representing Los Angeles.

CC: What? Really? No way.

DJF: Well, there are clearly a lot of people who think that you represent the city, musically. Would you say there are aspects about the city that inspire you to create your music?

CC: Everything. I mean, I couldn’t live in any other city and make this music. It’s the mix of Mexican culture, speaking about Ozomatli and Jurassic 5. It just couldn’t happen anywhere else. There’s isolation and communalism here. The gang culture. It’s a capital and wasteland put together. A city of broken dreams. It’s dynamic.

DJF: Such variety must make it hard to find music here. Where in the world do you find all of your music, anyway?

CC: Years ago I would just stumble upon with all the [music] shops that Los Angeles used to have. But now since so many places have gone, I hit up dealers and specialty stores. I’ve got some people I go to when I’m looking for something in particular.

DJF: Speaking of the music media, CD or Vinyl?

CC: [Laughs]. Well, vinyl in a vacuum. I mean, it sucks to carry. It’s terrible for touring. But it’s the only archival medium for music that really reproduces the full sound as it was recorded.

DJF: Well, anyway, you’ve come such a long way with time. How would you define success in terms of a music career? Do you think you’ve reached that point?

CC: I have definitely not reached it. I think success is having a sense of artistic fulfillment and having recognition. I want to be liked by as many people as possible without compromising my style. I mean, I feel successful already, but I think I have to keep going. It’s good to challenge yourself.

DJF: Is there any advice you’d like to offer to other aspiring DJs and turntablists?

CC: Just keep challenging yourself and be open to new music.

DJF: Last question, and it’s been on the minds of all the DJForums members…What kind of car do you drive and why?

CC: [Laughs]. I drive a Hybrid. I was looking into a Prius, but they were sold out and there was this long waiting list. So I went with a hybrid Civic. Purely for environmental reasons.

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Lucas appeared courtesy of Red Bull.