Indie Artist Music Hustle
Indie Artist Music Hustle Podcast with Blonde Intelligence is where you will experience exquisite cranial repertoire. The podcast (Available on your favorite podcasting platform) provides entertainment news, thoughts on celebrity gossip, independent music artists, as well as businesses that contributor to the music and entertainment industries. The purpose is to provide exquisite cranial repertoire. Don't forget to hit that subscribe button!!!! follow me @BlondeIntelligence @RRoneice. Also the channel name is That Blonde Broad.
Indie Artist Music Hustle
From Drums to Digital: The Evolution of a Houston Music Producer
Welcome to this week's Indie Artist Music Hustle with Blonde Intelligence. I am your host Ms. Roni and I always seek to give you exquisite cranial repertoire. Growing up as a drummer in Houston's diverse music scene, John Lacey's path to becoming an innovative producer and MPC DJ reflects the evolution many musicians must navigate in today's digital landscape.
From his early resistance to technology ("I don't like things crashing on me, I like just hitting just drums") to his current mastery of the MPC, John shares candid insights about the different skillsets required for acoustic versus digital music-making. "It takes more natural skill to play a drum set, but it's a different kind of skill," he explains, noting how traditional drumming depends on muscle memory while the MPC functions as "its own little brain" with infinite creative possibilities.
What truly sets John apart is his revolutionary approach to DJing. Rather than using conventional turntables or controllers, he maps MPC buttons to control DJ software while performing live drum patterns on a second MPC simultaneously. "I'm just a performer," he says, describing how this dual-device setup creates "a performance within a performance" that audiences rarely experience from typical DJs. This innovative technique has helped him carve out a lucrative niche performing at weddings and events.
Perhaps most refreshing is John's honesty about how fatherhood transformed his relationship with music. "Family is completely and utterly first for me," he emphasizes, candidly sharing that while many claim to create purely for artistic expression, his primary motivation is providing for his young sons. This perspective grounds his involvement with the Houston Bass Runners and National Beat Battle Association, where he showcases his finger drumming talents in online competitions. Check out his performances on YouTube to witness firsthand what happens when traditional percussion training meets digital innovation in the hands of a family man with serious skills.
Hello everyone. Welcome to this week's Indie Artist Music Hustle with Blind Intelligence. I'm your host, ms Ronnie, where I always seek to give you exquisite cranial repertoire. This week we have a very special guest. We have Mr John Lacey. Say hello to everyone.
Speaker 2:Hey, what's up everybody? It's me how you doing today, miss Ronnie, I'm doing fine.
Speaker 1:How are you? I'm great. Okay, what we're gonna do is we're gonna start out with letting you take over and tell everyone a little bit about yourself.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, okay, so my name is John and I've been playing music, interested in music, basically all my life. I started out as a drummer when I was about 12. Started drumming under a bunch of different teachers that I had Chuck Payne, the jazz musician, paul Laughlin, some other real notable players to me and basically taught me the way. All through middle school I just really practiced a lot with just drums until I was later. So I played in the church and everything a lot Messed around on the piano as well. But then I got introduced to the MPC drum machines and DJ software, the stuff that I shied away from at first because I didn't really like all the technology. I don't like things crashing on me, I like just hitting just drums, you know. So I kind of just transitioned into that, started producing DJing. And you know I'm a family man, a husband, a dad. I got a lot of hats to wear, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're being very modest, Because I have seen you in action and I told your partner the same thing. I have seen you in action and, as my daddy would say, you ice cold hey, thank you very much so my question question is going to start out with. You told me that you started out playing the drums and then you went to the MPC. What is the difference for you between the actual drum and the MPC?
Speaker 2:Well, the drums just because it's an acoustic instrument, so you know it's literally came from a tree and a stretched skin you know what I'm saying? That goes over it and makes a noise. So I guess you know. Just the mpc being digital and a drum set being completely acoustic, it gives it a different feel. But they've came a long way with sensitivity and the pads to where you can really sound off on it like a real drum set.
Speaker 1:Which one do you think requires the most skill?
Speaker 2:That's an interesting question. It's just different kinds of skills, because that drumming is all really muscle memory and stuff that you practice and you get better at the more you practice With the MPCPC. If you're talking about just tapping on it like a drum set, I guess you could say that. But the MPC is like its own little brain, you know. So it's like kind of like Photoshop or something like that, where you could do one thing a million different ways. It's a lot more intuitive. It's just computer. You know what I'm saying. So I would say maybe it takes more natural skill to play a drum set, but it's a different kind of skill and it might be a little bit more advanced than how to work this MPC. You know what I mean. I'm a drummer, 100%.
Speaker 1:So I would agree with that, because with a traditional drum set you're not just using just your hands, you also have to use your feet.
Speaker 2:So yeah, and you're right about that.
Speaker 1:A lot of that's yeah, that's overlooked so tell me what is your I would say procedure that you use when you're making a beat.
Speaker 2:It just depends how I'm feeling. Honestly, I'll start music with just drums first and then add a melody or a bass line, and sometimes I'll just want to sit down and make a bunch of A-bar loops of melodies that I create and then come back another time and maybe put drums over them. So it really does depend on how I feel. But, being as how I'm such a rhythm-based artist, a lot of the times the rhythm comes first for me. Okay.
Speaker 1:So, with you being a producer, what would you say is your strongest genre for producing? Because a lot of times, producers can produce all type of music and I had one to tell me that they normally do what a person comes to them and won't. But what do you think is your strongest genre for producing?
Speaker 2:um, that's tough to say. Uh, I think if I put my mind to something and really try to nail it, I could do it. You know what I mean. But maybe just recently I feel like the sample based music, chopping samples, so that could. That could really go into hip hop or, like you know, more trapped out kind of stuff. I just found I have a knack for that, for messing with samples actually and putting my drums over them. So I'd say, if I had to give you an answer, probably just anything sample based recently. That's just recently though.
Speaker 1:What do you think you could do with some rock and roll?
Speaker 2:Hey, I used to be into heavy metal and all that, honestly, like I got into a mosh pit and dislocated my kneecap and after that, like that moment scarred me so much. I was like you know what I'm done with all that music period. So I didn't. Even so, I haven't really been listening lately, but I used to be up on rock. I used to play rock. I still love Blue Fighters, red Hot Chili Peppers, you know all that too. So I have chopped a rock song. Matter of fact, yeah, my friend, josh Taylor, wanted me to remix one of his songs and he's actually a praise and worship artist, but they make like rock music. And, yeah, I chopped it up, made two beats out of two of his songs and he's actually a praise and worship artist, but they make like rock music. And, uh, yeah, I chopped it up, made two beats out of two of his songs for him to reuse.
Speaker 1:you know okay so you like what? Just hip-hop. So it's hip-hop and rock. What else do you think would make up the sound of John Lacey?
Speaker 2:You can just always tell with me that it's real, wrapped up in funky music beats that make you want to move, just real rhythm based. You know, I do pride myself in playing the piano and all that, but if I'd have to say like, no matter what style I go to, I'm always putting some extra drums in there to make something move a little different. You know, do you sing?
Speaker 1:Uh, do you sing?
Speaker 2:I will sing on occasion, you know, if I have to. I try not to be scared you know what I'm saying because it's like hey, only God can judge me.
Speaker 1:So I'm not really worried about all that, but I'll sing every now and then okay, so of every instrumentalist, dead or alive, which one do you think that you can relate the most to?
Speaker 2:um, instrumentalists. I'm gonna sound weird saying this, but it's just what I grew up with. You know what I'm saying and admired the most was probably Kanye. I feel like he just that's who I relate to. Probably the most that I can think of I would like to say, like John Coltrane or something cool. You know what I mean. But if I'm being honest, uh, yeah, probably kanye okay, so we skipped a little bit.
Speaker 2:Tell everybody where you from I'm from houston, texas, okay, texas, okay. So tell me, how does heavy metal fit into Houston, texas? Well, when they say Houston is a very diverse place, they really mean that. You know what I mean. Like, it is different kind of music from every little niche there's a little scene for it. You know what I mean. So, yeah, that's how it fits in. They do crazy shows from Houston, san Antonio, new York City. You know it's there.
Speaker 1:Okay, with you being her in the mosh pit before, in the situation that happened with Astroworld, could you have understanding, or do you have understanding, for accidents that happen in that type of setting, with you being experienced at first hand, because a lot of times people have opinions on things and have never been in that situation before. With you being in that situation, do you have, I guess, more empathy for what happened, or do you? And or do you think that it's unfair that people who have never been in that situation to actually talk about the shoulda, wouldas and couldas?
Speaker 2:um, I don't think a lot of people, uh, consider all the different aspects of that kind of situation. You know, um, yeah, a lot of people haven't been to a packed show and understand that sometimes they can get like that, but I have never been to a show personally, that is, that was. I forget how many people they said were there. But you know, it's just like you literally can't move and, um, and you know anybody. I'm sure there were certain parts of it that were a little looser, but the parts that were tight and packed in, probably because of barricades, oh yeah, them people, you know, they said they were stuck with their hands up like that. So, yeah, people don't understand what could come from something like that, and I wouldn't even say it's the artist's fault necessarily, just whoever planned it out didn't plan for that and they should have.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean, gotcha gotcha, so tell me about your latest project uh, I'm trying to think like I'm always doing stuff I'm I haven't, I haven't released just like a mixtape of beats or anything yet I think I'm going to make an instrumental, instrumental EP or something like that. I'm working on it right now, but I do do projects for other people, like I said, my my friend, josh Taylor. You know, I make these finger drumming performances and I put them on Instagram and then I also battle in that beat battle league.
Speaker 1:I was going to get to that, anything comes my way so tell me about the beat battle, because I think we're going to have another one getting ready to come up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm not sure I have my video ready. That's all I know I'm ready for it. So, yeah, I'm in a beat battle team called the Houston Bass Runners and it's me, my homie, that put me onto the whole all the NPC stuff, and then some other producers that we linked up with and made friends with, and we're in this league called the NBBA, the National Beat Battle Association, and so it's a bunch of teams from all different cities basically sending in our videos and, uh, letting them go against each other online.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, that's what that is I want you to compare two collaborations that you have had One that has been a collaboration from hell but was very successful, and one that was a great collaboration, but the actual project wasn't that successful. What are your takeaway points from each collaboration?
Speaker 2:I feel like sometimes just not to take too long. You know what I mean? Because because if you spend a long time on something that doesn't work out, or something that you stress on and it doesn't work out, then it feels a lot worse. You know what I mean? Uh, so I kind of like to just treat everything like it's a shot in the dark and uh, and just to put it out, you know, and trust, trust my gut, and if it, if it doesn't work, then you know I won't be so hurt if I just stake my claim on it, you know okay, now tell me about being a dj yeah, that's something.
Speaker 2:Uh, I hadn't really been talking about it for a while, you know, uh, because I wasn't interested in dj and um, I actually really didn't want to do it and uh, my homie convinced me, um, and I hey, the first time I got a little taste of some money doing it, I just kept doing it, you know what I mean. That's that's what kept me on it, honestly, but I actually learned to appreciate it and love it and I actually do it with the drum machine, with the npc. So what I do looks a little different compared to most DJs, but, yeah, a lot of weddings. I'm trying to do Parties here and there, but yeah.
Speaker 1:I've seen some footage of an event that you did and it's like you give a live show within a live show, so if anybody book him, you are getting your money's worth. So what made you come up with that style of DJing? Because it's actually really different than what regular DJs do. It's like you take the good songs it can be a good playlist and then you will chop it up and everything. So what made you start doing it that way?
Speaker 2:I think I really had to start from scratch because nobody DJs with an MPC Not a lot of people do, I don't know. So some people will do it with the pads. You'll see them DJing with pads. So I kind of took a little from that but just took it straight to the MPC, to where I'm mapping all these little buttons on my MPC to control the DJ software. Control the DJ software. And as far as performing, and why I do it like that, or how I began to do it like that, it's because that's what I am. I'm just a performer. That's the easiest thing for me to do is put drums over something. All I have to do is have one NPC controlling and DJing, mixing songs together. And then I got another NPC where I'm going crazy on the drums, just having fun, you know.
Speaker 1:So you had never had any formal education in any of that.
Speaker 2:In DJing or like drumming you mean.
Speaker 1:I mean in any musical aspect at all, any musical aspect at all.
Speaker 2:Well, I guess these were private teachers that I've worked with, uh, that I mentioned before in the beginning, um, and I think I took piano lessons when I was a kid or something, but no, nothing, I never in school, I never did band, um, because I mean, hey, they practice till 9. Pm Every day.
Speaker 1:So I guess the reason why I'm saying that is you found something that you didn't know, that you like, that you end up being good at that. You kind of end up wanting to stick with, without any really formal education in it. So what advice could you give to, let's just say, if you was talking to a group of 13 year olds? What advice would you be able to give them from your own personal experience?
Speaker 2:them from your own personal experience. Probably like what you, what you put in is what you're going to get out of it. So a lot of what's most important is knowing how to practice. Well, you know what I'm saying. Like, if you know how to practice good, then the sky's the limit where you could implement something simple and do it every day and acquire muscle memory from it. And just put the time in and you'll notice that, whatever you work on, whether, whatever you do, you know what I mean you put a little time in and you'll get. You'll start to slowly see results and all you have to do is keep pushing the limit. You know, keep moving every day, don't don't slow down, and there was a time in my life where I was able to do that. I can't so much now, but but in that in that time and that those early years is a is a good time to instill, um, uh, practice yeah.
Speaker 1:So tell me, how do having a family fit into your paid gigs, or do you center everything around family? How are you making the balance between music and family?
Speaker 2:um, yeah, family is completely and utterly first for me, um, in every sense of the word. Uh, it just, you know, it changed me completely. So, while a lot of people will tell you that they do this for the love of the music, you know, it changed me completely. So, while a lot of people will tell you that they do this for the love of the music, you know I'm saying me personally. I'm at this to provide for my family and me in a way that still makes me happy. You know what I mean. So, honestly, yeah, I'm trying. I'm trying to provide in all things that I do, because my sons are only seven and four. So you know I've got to stay on the grind and if my family don't eat, you think I'm up here tapping around and playing keyboard.
Speaker 1:Nah, so I know you told me that you collaborated with several different artists. What artists have you collaborated with that have a project that's out now so people can sample?
Speaker 2:your work, okay. So yeah, the artist I was talking about, my friend, josh Taylor. He has a band called we the Wellspring and you can find that, I think, on iTunes, spotify, all the platforms. I'm pretty sure we got a single that I just that's the remix that I was talking about I flipped one of his songs. I flipped a rock song.
Speaker 1:Okay, I look forward to it.
Speaker 2:It's called Good.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:And then I'm also on his album in a song called Bitter Things Sweet, bitter Things, sweet, yeah, yeah. So that was just like a crazy, like he told me, just to go crazy. So, honestly, I just did an instrumental on whatever I was feeling at the time and so, like I don't have so much music out with a bunch of different people right now, I don't have so much music out with a bunch of different people right now Because, honestly, I only started producing like six years ago or something like that. So I kind of just started a couple of years ago to really making fire and stepping into my lane. So I'm planning on getting it out there. But you know what I mean.
Speaker 2:A lot of these artists want stuff for free and, uh, you and me both know that's not what I'm about. So, uh, I was able to make a little lane for myself, djing and actually getting money to provide for myself, djing and actually getting money to provide for myself, and I'm looking at really trying to put my music out in commercials and media and getting little placements like that, because you know I can make off the cuff stuff as well and I don't. I'm not really trying to depend on one thing. You know what I mean. So if somebody comes at me appropriately and correctly, I'll honor that. I'll work with a budget too. You know what I mean. But some of these people are real prideful, and you know what that means. Pride comes before destruction every time.
Speaker 1:Look, I talked about egos several times, especially working with independent artists. Even doing this show here I would have a problem with sometimes people set the appointment up and then don't show up, and I interview a media person from Trinidad and she was saying that was the reason why radio stations didn't want to work with artists, because they make costly mistakes and things that they don't feel like is a big deal is actually a big deal. Not having a budget to pay for the work that you want done is an issue.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's a major issue. Yes, so tell everybody where they can find you at your social media handles. Anything else that you might want to add before we get ready to get out of here?
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, one more thing I just wanted to add, because I mentioned the Beat Battle team that we work to battle beats with the Houston Bass Runners. Well, the Bass Runners is something that me and my friend Dave came up with a long time ago the name, and it was originally just supposed to be me and him with DJing mixed with producing and stuff, and we found all the rest of the crew DJing mixed with producing and stuff, and we we found all the rest of the crew and, uh, so we do battle beats, but we also work together and produce together, um, in that way. So the base runners that's one you could follow on Instagram, it's just at the base runners like T H a, the base runners, um yeah, I spent the wrong one time.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think there might be a Bass Runner somewhere else, but we didn't know about that. But you can follow me at DJ John Lacey on almost every platform. So Instagram, but let me spell it J-O-h-n-l-a-c-y. Dj john lacy. You can find me at instagram, facebook, pinterest, tiktok I'm trying to think of anything else on Twitter. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:Just search the name and you'll find me YouTube, yep, youtube. Oh yeah, I meant to mention I got videos on my YouTube of me doing finger drumming from all the rounds that I did last year in this beat battle thing. I was doing finger drumming rounds and going crazy and I posted them up on YouTube. So yeah, if you search up DJ John Lacey on YouTube, you'll find all that too.
Speaker 1:And y'all, I'm telling y'all he ice cold, now he ice cold.
Speaker 2:Appreciate y'all.
Speaker 1:Thank you for talking to me today. Well, I thank you for coming, and you can find us on podcasts, on all podcasts and platforms. You can find us on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook video and remember, look for him on YouTube. You can see everything at DJ John Lacey. Thank you for coming.
Speaker 2:Thank you, have a nice day.
Speaker 1:Bye.