Charming, stylish, humorous and flamboyant, DJ Jess is always the “fun” guy to run into at parties. Born in LA and exiled to NYC because his parents lost a bet, Jess started his DJ career by placing a personal ad in the Village Voice: "Emotionally troubled, adorably absurd audiophile seeks someone to shoplift from H&M with, and to share massive music collection." Whatever that really meant, it has proven to work for Jess. Judging by the packed crowds and frequent lines outside the door of Rififi (where his weekly party, TRASH!, takes place), Jess is definitely a vibrant part of the NYC night scene. He loves his work, loves NYC, loves the music and the nightlife and yet he claims, “I don't believe in love. There is only the memory of love, and the desire for…”

Ok… Anyways, ladies and gents, here’s DJ Jess...

Andy: On your Friendster profile, you list “must love NYC” under “people you want to meet.” What exactly does being in NYC and loving NYC mean to you?

Jess: There is nothing more dangerous than getting exactly what you want. In LA, you could easily live your life free from criticism or social and political realities. In NYC, you may live in a penthouse on CPW, but you'll still be hit for change the second you step out the door. I find that very healthy. To me, NYC represents that balance, that necessity of having both good and bad, summer and winter, Anderson Cooper and Bill O’Reilly.

A: How would you compare the party/night scenes here to the West Coast?

J: West Coast parties are generally short-lived. They last only about 6 months or so and then a new one pops up somewhere else. Having said that, however, they do party much harder, if only because their night ends at 2 a.m. to our 4 a.m. If you ever DJ out there, you find that people will dance to so much more, and drink and sniff and fuck so much harder. I'm much too delicate for LA. When I'm done DJing, I prefer to lounge around romantically in my underwear listening to CBS-FM, sipping Ginger & Green Tea and philosophizing flippantly on the state of current pop music.

A: What are some of your favorite parties? DJs? Bands?

J: My absolute favorite band is Americana, who are playing Memorial Day Weekend. As for my discman, you'll generally find albums by Team Dresch, Morrissey, and New Order. As far as DJs, Michael T, Alex Malfunction, Justine D, and I think that Nick Mark is one of the most underrated DJs in the city. That man has kept the indie nightlife going for nearly 8 years now.

A: What’s the weirdest thing that’s happened during your parties?

J: Nothing shocks me anymore, sadly. Whether it's sex in the bathroom, blowjobs in the booth, stripping bartenders, cokeheads in the corner, it all happens so much at nearly every party that I've gotten pretty used to it. When I first started, I would see something like that and say, "I can't believed that happened!" Now if I see something go down I say, "I can't believe that hadn't happened yet!"

A: What’s one of your all time favorite song to listen to / play?

J: I'll have to say New Order's "Bizarre Love Triangle", because it's always a surefire hit with the kids, and the beat is so easy to mix in and out of. You can go anywhere, aesthetically, with that song.

A: How do you feel about the street promoters?

J: I feel very strongly about them. They are an absolute necessity. The nightlife is at war with the current administration, and having people devote themselves entirely to the promotion on that nightlife is a blessing.

A: Well, thank you. Your party, TRASH!, had gotten heavy tickets from the city for noise complains, over capacity, etc. How do you feel about that?

J: TRASH! is a very DIY party. The kids put a lot of effort into it, and are very passionate about the music they hear. This isn't one of your typical hipster parties, where everyone dresses in black and turns their back on the dance floor. They love and embrace the songs they hear and as a result can get slightly "disorderly" as the NYPD has so delicately phrased it. Still, the Bloomberg administration is intent on ending nightlife as we know it, and unless the city gets genuinely heated and excited about this debate, the city that never sleeps will become the city that mildly naps.

A: Who do you wanna give shout outs to?

J: Antonio. A clever behind-the-scenes scenester who has his own role as a footnote in the history of NYC nightlife.

A: What would you like to see change in NYC?

J: I would love to see a government that actually enjoys the company of the people they govern. I would like to see an MTA that exists to help us, not punish us. I would like to see VP2 be open for 24 hours.

A: What are your future plans?

J: Shower, style hair, repeat as necessary. Still trying to be miss understood.

Ahh, the good. life. You can catch Jess at these parties:

www.broadcastnyc.com
www.trashnyc.com