Pablo
17th October 2007, 23:38
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A jack of all and master of many could be Erick
Morillo’s motto. Morillo is a livewire with the drive of a Ferrari, the
chutzpah of a patent medicine salesperson and the charm of a beetle. He
can play a bit, too. As a producer, he has churned out tracks under a
bewildering array of pseudonyms (Ministers De la Funk, Pianoheadz, RAW,
Smooth Touch, RBM, Deep Soul, Club Ultimate and Li’l Mo Ying Yang to
name but some). As a DJ, he has played the world over from his base in
Jersey, to Ibiza, Greece and beyond. Then there’s his coveted residency
at Ministry of Sound, the first American to secure this spot since Tony
Humphries back in 1992; and, for whom, he has released 2 compilation
CD’s. For good measures he’s also remixed Whitney Houston, Crystal
Waters, Jocelyn Brown, Basement Jaxx, Madison Avenue, Enrique
Inglesias, and so many more. And then, of course, there’s a small
matter of one of the biggest selling dance acts of all time. Reel 2
Reel. Yep, Erick Morillo is a busy guy.
Born in New York and raised in Colombia and Union City, New Jersey.
Morillo has been a DJ since the age of twelve, entranced by the
turntable trickery of the masters. Starting out at local parties,
weddings (“more that I care to recall”), as well as ministering the
beats at his graduation party, Morillo’s thirst for dance music was
sated when he spotted an ad on TV for the Center of Media Arts. Within
two days he had enrolled on a studio engineering class, swiftly
followed by graduation (at the top, notch).
Shortly after, Morillo got his first break whilst spinning at Shanghai
Reds in nearby Weehawken, when reggae don El General happened to hear a
re-edit Morillo had done of Nardo Ranks “Burrup”. So impressed was
General with the spunky Latino in the booth, that he invited him to
contribute a track to his next album. “To be honest,” recalls Erick,
“up until that point I never saw myself as a producer. I’d done
re-edits and that was that. “Muevelo,” the product of the pair’s
liaison, wound up attaining platinum and being named Billboard’s Latin
Single of the year in 1992 (Morillo won the same award in 1997 with
“Muevela La Cadera” Reel 2 Real featuring Proyecto Uno).
Morillo was introduced to the house fraternity through his friend Marc
Anthony (the Salsa King), then working with Louie Vega and Kenny “Dope”
Gonzalez on a future anthem: “Ride On The Rhythm”. “Louie’s kinda
watched out for me since the beginning. He never told me how I should
do anything, but he’s just been so supportive. The only thing he ever
said to me was, “Erick focus more on vocals.”
The studio Erick had begged, stolen or borrowed to build (and that loan
from his grandmother didn’t harm the cause either) started churning out
the house tracks. Truthfully speaking, they were of varying quality and
usually not all that good. “Well, I thought I was making house that
sounded like the stuff that was around then, but I wasn’t. Gladys
Pizzaro, then of Nervous, knocked him back several times. Until one day
he turned up at Strictly Rhythm, the hottest label in New York with
something called “The New Anthem” by an act called Reel 2 Reel.
Pizzaro, newly ensconced as A&R at Strictly, snapped it up (she
also gave him his nickname “More” because he always delivered enough
mixes to fill a triple album).
The productions got better and better. And they sold in increasingly
large numbers. With “I Like To Move It”, Reel 2 Reel went ballistic.
Growing by stealth on the underground, “I Like To Move It” wound up in
pop charts across Europe and Asia (and the sales in the US weren’t to
be sniffed at either). It was finally certified platinum in Holland,
and gold in the UK, Germany, France, Belgium and Australia. It also
gave him the chance to travel to Europe for the first time.
“Coming over to England was a revelation to me. It was the first time
people were coming up to me and saying, “Wow, Erick, I really love that
R.A.W. track or that Smooth Touch rocks, man.” Although I knew we’d
have good sales on those records, when you get direct feedback like
that, it’s inspirational.” Erick Morillo had arrived.
Flush from the success, but determined to keep his head and music
firmly in the underground (“It’s where I come from, where I always go
back to.”) he hit big with a pair of Billboard #1’s in the shape of
Smooth Touch’s “In My House” and his sublime collaboration with buddy
Louie Vega, Li’l Mo’ Ying Yang’s “Reach”. “Actually, we’d been out
together for the evening,” says Erick, “we’d had some glasses of wine
and we came down to the studio about midnight and just went for it. My
studio is set up to make tracks quick!”
In 1997, after many months gestation, Subliminal crashed on to the
scene with the club smash by Constipated Monkeys, a twisted slice of
filtered disco-funk. Morillo’s view of what a label should be is
precise down to the smallest detail. It also reflects what he’s seen in
Europe. “We spent eight months getting everything right. Getting the
logo right, getting the design just so. We didn’t want to look like any
other US label, that’s why we went for the picture jackets. We didn’t
want those black die-cut record jackets. I think small things like that
set you apart from the herd. I want the label to be known for the
quality music, so you can go into the store, buy a Subliminal record
and know that you’ve got a quality record.”
The quality has been reinforced by a slew of club hits, including
Octahvia’s “In My Life” , Da Mob featuring Jocelyn Brown’s “Fun”, Pete
Heller’s Big Love, and Ministers De la Funk featuring Jocelyn Brown
“Believe” - each one a distinct take that reflects Morillo’s vision,
neither New York garage, nor European progressive, but incorporating
elements of both. Naturally enough, the prestige gigs have followed
closely behind his verve in the studio. Erick is currently one of the
most in-demand US DJs and, it has to be said, one of the few Americans
who hasn’t priced himself out of the European market. And, on top of
his Ministry residency, he won Best House DJ award at the 1998 Ibiza DJ
award, as well as being nominated for Best International DJ in the
Muzik awards 1998, 1999 and 2000 and winning best independent label for
2 years running at the 2000 Muzik awards. Donning numerous magazine
covers in Europe, Erick’s popularity increased as MTV made use of his
natural presenting skills as he stood in for various presenters and
hosted specials in Miami, the Ibiza Festival in 1999 & 2000.
Musically, Morillo embarked on yet another journey. Joined by
labelmates, Jose Nunez and Harry ‘Choo Choo’ Romero, the trio formed
“The Dronez” and produced some of the most cutting edge remixes for
artists such as Whitney Houston, Jocelyn Brown, Diana Ross, DJ Rap, The
Sneaker Pimps, Basement Jaxx, and Mystic 3.
On a solo tip, Erick has recently remixed Bob Sinclar, LL Cool J and Macy Gray.
In between producing, remixing, running an ever expanding label (he has
recently created a home for deeper and darker sounds on Subliminal
offshoot “Sondos”, and the self-explanatory “Subliminal Soul”) and
DJing all over the world, he can also be found in the studio working on
a new album penciled in for an late 2002 release.
And what’s else is on for 2002? Following the red hot reception of his
“Subliminal Sessons Vol 1”, Erick’s next compilation in the series is
set for an early June release. As well as Subliminal Sessions
residencies in US and UK, this summer sees Erick continuing his
Wednesday‘s at Pacha Ibiza, which garnered the award for Best Ibiza
Party at this year’s Muzik Awards. Already a familiar television
personality with appearances on MTV UK and host of UK’s 2001 Dancestar
Awards, in production is Erick’s seven part series that follows him
around the world to the biggest parties and will air throughout the
year to millions of viewers on Channel 4.
Disc jockey, producer, all-round social gadfly and party animal. Are
you ready for some more? Ladies and Gentlemen: Erick Morillo.
A jack of all and master of many could be Erick
Morillo’s motto. Morillo is a livewire with the drive of a Ferrari, the
chutzpah of a patent medicine salesperson and the charm of a beetle. He
can play a bit, too. As a producer, he has churned out tracks under a
bewildering array of pseudonyms (Ministers De la Funk, Pianoheadz, RAW,
Smooth Touch, RBM, Deep Soul, Club Ultimate and Li’l Mo Ying Yang to
name but some). As a DJ, he has played the world over from his base in
Jersey, to Ibiza, Greece and beyond. Then there’s his coveted residency
at Ministry of Sound, the first American to secure this spot since Tony
Humphries back in 1992; and, for whom, he has released 2 compilation
CD’s. For good measures he’s also remixed Whitney Houston, Crystal
Waters, Jocelyn Brown, Basement Jaxx, Madison Avenue, Enrique
Inglesias, and so many more. And then, of course, there’s a small
matter of one of the biggest selling dance acts of all time. Reel 2
Reel. Yep, Erick Morillo is a busy guy.
Born in New York and raised in Colombia and Union City, New Jersey.
Morillo has been a DJ since the age of twelve, entranced by the
turntable trickery of the masters. Starting out at local parties,
weddings (“more that I care to recall”), as well as ministering the
beats at his graduation party, Morillo’s thirst for dance music was
sated when he spotted an ad on TV for the Center of Media Arts. Within
two days he had enrolled on a studio engineering class, swiftly
followed by graduation (at the top, notch).
Shortly after, Morillo got his first break whilst spinning at Shanghai
Reds in nearby Weehawken, when reggae don El General happened to hear a
re-edit Morillo had done of Nardo Ranks “Burrup”. So impressed was
General with the spunky Latino in the booth, that he invited him to
contribute a track to his next album. “To be honest,” recalls Erick,
“up until that point I never saw myself as a producer. I’d done
re-edits and that was that. “Muevelo,” the product of the pair’s
liaison, wound up attaining platinum and being named Billboard’s Latin
Single of the year in 1992 (Morillo won the same award in 1997 with
“Muevela La Cadera” Reel 2 Real featuring Proyecto Uno).
Morillo was introduced to the house fraternity through his friend Marc
Anthony (the Salsa King), then working with Louie Vega and Kenny “Dope”
Gonzalez on a future anthem: “Ride On The Rhythm”. “Louie’s kinda
watched out for me since the beginning. He never told me how I should
do anything, but he’s just been so supportive. The only thing he ever
said to me was, “Erick focus more on vocals.”
The studio Erick had begged, stolen or borrowed to build (and that loan
from his grandmother didn’t harm the cause either) started churning out
the house tracks. Truthfully speaking, they were of varying quality and
usually not all that good. “Well, I thought I was making house that
sounded like the stuff that was around then, but I wasn’t. Gladys
Pizzaro, then of Nervous, knocked him back several times. Until one day
he turned up at Strictly Rhythm, the hottest label in New York with
something called “The New Anthem” by an act called Reel 2 Reel.
Pizzaro, newly ensconced as A&R at Strictly, snapped it up (she
also gave him his nickname “More” because he always delivered enough
mixes to fill a triple album).
The productions got better and better. And they sold in increasingly
large numbers. With “I Like To Move It”, Reel 2 Reel went ballistic.
Growing by stealth on the underground, “I Like To Move It” wound up in
pop charts across Europe and Asia (and the sales in the US weren’t to
be sniffed at either). It was finally certified platinum in Holland,
and gold in the UK, Germany, France, Belgium and Australia. It also
gave him the chance to travel to Europe for the first time.
“Coming over to England was a revelation to me. It was the first time
people were coming up to me and saying, “Wow, Erick, I really love that
R.A.W. track or that Smooth Touch rocks, man.” Although I knew we’d
have good sales on those records, when you get direct feedback like
that, it’s inspirational.” Erick Morillo had arrived.
Flush from the success, but determined to keep his head and music
firmly in the underground (“It’s where I come from, where I always go
back to.”) he hit big with a pair of Billboard #1’s in the shape of
Smooth Touch’s “In My House” and his sublime collaboration with buddy
Louie Vega, Li’l Mo’ Ying Yang’s “Reach”. “Actually, we’d been out
together for the evening,” says Erick, “we’d had some glasses of wine
and we came down to the studio about midnight and just went for it. My
studio is set up to make tracks quick!”
In 1997, after many months gestation, Subliminal crashed on to the
scene with the club smash by Constipated Monkeys, a twisted slice of
filtered disco-funk. Morillo’s view of what a label should be is
precise down to the smallest detail. It also reflects what he’s seen in
Europe. “We spent eight months getting everything right. Getting the
logo right, getting the design just so. We didn’t want to look like any
other US label, that’s why we went for the picture jackets. We didn’t
want those black die-cut record jackets. I think small things like that
set you apart from the herd. I want the label to be known for the
quality music, so you can go into the store, buy a Subliminal record
and know that you’ve got a quality record.”
The quality has been reinforced by a slew of club hits, including
Octahvia’s “In My Life” , Da Mob featuring Jocelyn Brown’s “Fun”, Pete
Heller’s Big Love, and Ministers De la Funk featuring Jocelyn Brown
“Believe” - each one a distinct take that reflects Morillo’s vision,
neither New York garage, nor European progressive, but incorporating
elements of both. Naturally enough, the prestige gigs have followed
closely behind his verve in the studio. Erick is currently one of the
most in-demand US DJs and, it has to be said, one of the few Americans
who hasn’t priced himself out of the European market. And, on top of
his Ministry residency, he won Best House DJ award at the 1998 Ibiza DJ
award, as well as being nominated for Best International DJ in the
Muzik awards 1998, 1999 and 2000 and winning best independent label for
2 years running at the 2000 Muzik awards. Donning numerous magazine
covers in Europe, Erick’s popularity increased as MTV made use of his
natural presenting skills as he stood in for various presenters and
hosted specials in Miami, the Ibiza Festival in 1999 & 2000.
Musically, Morillo embarked on yet another journey. Joined by
labelmates, Jose Nunez and Harry ‘Choo Choo’ Romero, the trio formed
“The Dronez” and produced some of the most cutting edge remixes for
artists such as Whitney Houston, Jocelyn Brown, Diana Ross, DJ Rap, The
Sneaker Pimps, Basement Jaxx, and Mystic 3.
On a solo tip, Erick has recently remixed Bob Sinclar, LL Cool J and Macy Gray.
In between producing, remixing, running an ever expanding label (he has
recently created a home for deeper and darker sounds on Subliminal
offshoot “Sondos”, and the self-explanatory “Subliminal Soul”) and
DJing all over the world, he can also be found in the studio working on
a new album penciled in for an late 2002 release.
And what’s else is on for 2002? Following the red hot reception of his
“Subliminal Sessons Vol 1”, Erick’s next compilation in the series is
set for an early June release. As well as Subliminal Sessions
residencies in US and UK, this summer sees Erick continuing his
Wednesday‘s at Pacha Ibiza, which garnered the award for Best Ibiza
Party at this year’s Muzik Awards. Already a familiar television
personality with appearances on MTV UK and host of UK’s 2001 Dancestar
Awards, in production is Erick’s seven part series that follows him
around the world to the biggest parties and will air throughout the
year to millions of viewers on Channel 4.
Disc jockey, producer, all-round social gadfly and party animal. Are
you ready for some more? Ladies and Gentlemen: Erick Morillo.