Brian Hardy aka DJ Biskit has been DJ'ing in the Baltimore area for a very long time.  We like to think of him as a journeyman DJ who is  at the top of his game.  He proves it by DJ'ing around town and promoting the "goldmine" called the "Good Vibrations" party.  Read the exclusive and extremely insightful  interview he gave the BBC.

For mix Cd's and bookings contact DJ Biskit a biskit32@yahoo.com  or the Good Vibrations website You can also purchase CD's at the Good Vibrations party @ the Street Folks Cafe'. Biskit was also interviewed for an ongoing series of interviews that we discontinued but his was informative enough to keep.  Check it out.

             Listen to a classic mix by DJ Biskit while you read the interview.

BBC---How long have you been DJ’ing and what influenced you?
I have been Djing for about 22yrs. I started when I was 13. The thing that influenced me to become a DJ is that I went to a House party when I was 13 and I saw a friend of mine spinning music on turntables (Pioneers) and he had the people mesmerized and so was I!! The next day I told my father that I wanted to become a DJ. That Christmas, my dad got me 2 turntables, a mixer, tape deck, receiver, Headphones and 2 speakers. Then the very same friend that was spinning at the party hooked my stuff up and taught me how to mix!! The rest is history!!

BBC---Did you always want to play House music or is this something that picked up momentum over the years?
When I first started Djing, I started out spinning disco and Garage tracks like “Caught up in a one night love affair”, Heartbeat, Let No Man put Asunder and all the old Disco tracks. I loved disco but I also loved Funk and R&B. When Hip Hop came along, I immediately jumped into that. I became a real good trick DJ. Scratching, Backspinning, running breaks etc. Then came House Music!! The first house track I heard was JM Silk’s “Music Is the Key” I went nuts and was like “what in the world is this”?!?! Then came Serious Intentions’ “You Don’t Know” and I was hooked. But I still loved Hip Hop. I became King of The Basement Parties because I could play it all!! Made me real popular in High School!!!

BBC---Let’s take it back 5 or 6 six years ago. The House scene was struggling in Baltimore and Two Fierce Productions was running the city with their big parties. How would you describe your DJ’ing activities at that time?
Well the Two Fierce Parties when they first started was some of the best parties that ever happened in Baltimore because they would play mostly House Music. I played a few of the Two Fierce Parties. Back then I was part of a group called Ruff Bros. Productions. We gave medium scale parties at various locations thru out the city. They were pretty successful but it was too many chiefs and not enough Indians so to speak. This helped get my name out there as a DJ. I was also doing an after hours party at the Midnite Social Club. This also helped me to gain popularity on the scene. The reason why is because I would always play House Music and people were looking for a place to hear it.
 

BBC---We, at the BBC, have heard of almost every House/Club DJ in Baltimore. You playe(d) such an incredible set at the 5 Mile House and now the “Good Vibrations” party. How come we haven’t heard much about you until the 5 Mile House or the GV party?
I was out there!! I was playing at Silver Shadows on Saturdays, The Wishing Well on Thursdays (now called Tee Bee’s Place). I was doing the Flash Back Teamsters parties, the Kool Komedy shows at the Arena Playhouse. I also played on the old V-103 radio station. I was very busy. The main thing is that at each venue, I played House Music. From these venues, I developed a following that is the basis for Good Vibrations.

BBC---How did you become paired with DJ Tanz at the 5 Mile House and what prompted you to leave?
Tanz and I did a party together for a group called the “Sophisticated Divas” at the Forum. I was doing their very successful cook out parties. When they started doing big parties, they always wanted Tanz and I to play with each other. Tanz and I hit it off right away because we had similar taste and styles in music and ever since then, we have been working together. I will always give Tanz mad love because he really helped “put me on”!!
I started playing at the 5 Mile House when Tanz had his motorcycle accident. He specifically wanted me to take over while he recovered. I use to always come on Sundays and listen because the vibe was spectacular!! When I took over, I went a little deeper with the House Music and took it to the next level and it was well received. When Tanz came back he was astounded at the music I was playing and asked me to stay on and become a tandem.
Then came the new ownership!! They were more concerned about money than the integrity of the Sunday party! They started to let anybody in and pretty soon, the regulars started to leave!! The new crowd wanted to hear all the garbage radio music so Tanz and I left!!! We tried to revive the Sunday night party but the old crew didn’t trust it so they never came back. That was that!!

BBC---What was your vision of the “Good Vibrations” party at Street Folks café when you started planning it and what inspired you?
Actually, Good Vibrations was the Brainchild of Myself and DJ Technics. It’s a couple of years in the making. We would sit around and much like yourself wonder “what happen to House Music in Baltimore??” We use to say that B-More was a mecca for House Music. Where did all the House Heads go, etc. At this time 92Q ruled Baltimore and were not trying to hear anything about House Music. The only place to go at that time was Silver Shadows on Saturdays where I was playing or the Oasis Party that Pope and Oji hosted every other Friday at Club Orpheous. Eventually that died off coupled with the ending of Pope and Oji’s show on WEAA.
We got to thinking that there needs to be a resurrection of House Music in Baltimore. Why not us?? We were looking for the perfect spot to throw the party. In the meantime I started to collect email addresses of all House Heads that I ran across so when we got it organized we would have people to invite. Technics found a spot that was owned by the same people that owned club Zanzibar in DC where he plays on Saturdays. It was called the The Gallery @ 409. It was perfect!! It was downtown and had a 24 hour parking garage next to it, the sound system was banging and it had the perfect vibe. From the beginning it was doomed!! To make a long story short, you can’t always trust your fellow Blackman to do the right thing. So it was Grand Opening, Grand Closing.
Then a friend of Technics knew the owner of Street Folks. The rest is well you know history. The Vision for Good Vibrations is to have Good Music, Good people and a Good Vibe to party to and to bring House Music back to its rightful place in Baltimore.

BBC---When you started talking about your plans for this party did you encounter any naysayers or non-believers?
All man you wouldn’t believe it. And from very prominent people in the House Community. “House is dead in Baltimore”, “People are not going to come out”, “your wasting your time” etc. I knew there were a lot of people out there like me who missed House Music. So we set out to prove them wrong. So far we are doing a very good job!!!

BBC---Now that it’s been proven that House music still lives very well in Baltimore do you plan to expand or be a part of more House influenced events in the area?
Absolutely!!! Even though Street Folks is Home to Good Vibrations now, we are on the lookout for a bigger venue. It has to be perfect though because the House Heads deserve it more than anything.
As far as being part of more House influenced events in the area, I have several in the works. The LuvShine party is going to be an awesome event. Its going to take place on Sunday December 15th From 5pm to 10pm at the new club Sonar downtown. Also, be on the lookout for the “Beautiful People” party coming in December. I am also throwing a series of House Music Happy Hours at Silver Shadows starting on November 10th.
I have other plans in the works but we really need to reach the young people with House Music because if we don’t, it will die out along with us.

BBC---Do you strictly love DJ’ing or do you have plans in the future for being an artist/producer?
I will DJ as long as God allows me too. I am planning to get into producing also. DJ Spen has offered to take me under his wing and I plan to take him up on that real soon.

BBC---When you stop DJ’ing how would you like to be remembered in Baltimore?
I would like to be remembered as a person who really believed in the power of House Music and how much I loved it. Also as a person who tried to do something with House Music rather than complain about it.