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By Arjan Timmermans
DJ DeMarko is finally getting the recognition he was hoping for. Nearing 40,
the hunky New York club jock is one of the fastest rising DJs on the gay circuit,
and is releasing his first remix album this August on Centaur Records. In conjunction
with his CD debut, he will also play at clubs around the country to promote the
record.
DeMarko is scheduled to make his debut in Washington D.C., on Saturday, July
17, spinning his tribal beats and U.K. house at VelvetNation.
The road to success was not an easy one for DeMarko. The Montreal native moved
to Los Angeles to start a successful career as a model and actor. He made the
cover of Playgirl Magazine in 1997 and did several commercials for Nike.
But his dreams of success were shattered after a serious car accident. DeMarko
was paralyzed and had to go through extensive rehabilitation to regain his
strength. DJ friends Tony Moran and Manny Lehman encouraged him to use music
as a way to escape from the pain and frustration.
Now completely recovered, DeMarko says that dance music ultimately gave him
the willpower to make it through this difficult time.
The Canadian vividly remembers how he received his big break as a DJ. “After
my accident, I started bartending in L.A.,” says DeMarko. “One
day, the resident DJ did not show up. I got all my stuff from home and I filled
in for him that evening. I started to work with Manny then a bit more to learn
the ropes and to fill in for him at times.”
DeMarko’s style can be classified as progressive tribal house with powerhouse
diva vocals. “The boys love their divas,” he laughs. “I like
to give the crowd what they want and make everybody happy. Everybody loves
vocals, you need tribal for the rhythm and progressive vibes for energy.”
He proudly admits how long he waited for the moment to release his debut CD.
“It was the reason I came to New York,” he says. “It is
so interesting to me because there are still people that refuse to believe
in what I do. But that’s O.K. With my persistence, determination, hard
work and not giving up, I’m now making a name for myself.
“Spinning is what I love to do. I’m very confident about it. I
have always looked for something that makes me happy and with music I’ve
found it. I don’t even have to get paid for it.”
DeMarko is one of few African-American DJs on the gay circuit. He believes
that racism might have been a factor in some of the hurdles he has faced and
the relentless criticism he has received from naysayers.
“I have heard stories about club owners who don’t want to book
me because I’m black,” he says. “You know what, if they’re
going to judge me by what I look like and not by what I’m playing, then
I’m not the one losing. It’s their patrons that will miss out on
a good time.”
DeMarko’s CD debut will appear in stores in mid-August. It will be the
next installment in Centaur Records’ much-celebrated “Global Groove” series.
The DJ cannot reveal which tracks will be included on the CD, because all the
songs haven’t been legally cleared for inclusion on the album yet.
DeMarko’s performance at VelvetNation marks his Washington, D.C., debut.
He looks forward to spinning for the city’s partygoers.
“I heard great things about the D.C. crowd,” he says. “They
better get ready for a good time. I won’t let them down.”
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