Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Exclusive interview: DJ Skribble on his new Vegas residency

DJ Skribble

Courtesy Photo

DJ Skribble

If Las Vegas wasn’t a complete circus already, 2010 is only going to heighten the spectacle — at least when it comes to nightlife.

As the Weekly broke the news of Felix da Housecat’s new Cat’s Meow circus-themed party, another variation on the theme was also in the works.

Officially announced last week, noted turntabilist and remixer DJ Skribble is launching his Freak Show party starting March 6 at Studio 54. Skribble is no stranger to Las Vegas, having played pretty much every major club in town and held previous residencies at Body English, Cherry, RA back in the day and at the Palms for Ditch Fridays.

This time around, it’s Skribble’s night and he’s ready to bring the energy to one of Vegas’ first and enduring megaclubs.

Las Vegas Weekly: What can Vegas look forward to with Freak Show on Saturday nights at Studio 54?

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DJ Skribble

Skribble:Right now we’re still in early production and getting it ready... It’s going to take — I wouldn’t say more like a circus — but more of musically on that journey and almost like anybody can come as you are, be yourself and enjoy the music and come see what we’re all going to do over there.

Is it going to be a full-on production with performers?

Yes, absolutely yes.

Any hints maybe as to what they’ll be doing while you’re spinning?

I’m not allowed to talk about that (laughing).

How many times per month will you preside over the party and will you be exclusive to spinning only at Studio 54?

I’ll be there every Saturday night. ... I’ll be exclusive to the MGM and Studio 54.

I’m coming in there every Saturday night to really try to raise the bar and put on the best show that I can and also, through the music and the lighting and the sound and then the visuals, take you on that ride for an entire night on Saturday night. If you’ve seen me play at a club, it’s going to be totally different than what you’ve seen me do before.

How about any guest DJs with you to open or close the night?

As we get into the residency, I’m sure we’re going to do some of that. Right now I know I just want to take the helm over and pretty much I’m going to make sure that I’m there every week, week in and week out, no matter what.

You just release your 26th compilation album, Dance Nation. Will special guests that you’ve remixed stop by the club?

I’m friends with everybody from Naughty by Nature to Tommy Lee, so you never know who’s going to come through.

Click to enlarge photo

DJ Skribble.

Might you branch over to DJing at some of the pool parties at Wet Republic as well?

I hope so. I love Wet Republic.

Will you be spinning mostly hip-hop or throw some house in the mix as you sometimes do?

It’s going to be pretty much a gamut of everything. We’re going to start the night off around 10, 11 o’clock and take it as long as we can go. As the night progresses, I’m sure we’ll go to the house stuff later on, but I don’t just stick to one genre of music. I never have. I play everything, whether it’s Lady Gaga or Black Sabbath or it’s Jay-Z or it’s David Guetta. So you’re going to get the full gamut of the music spectrum with me.

You’re most often billed as a “celebrity DJ,” but the term — at least in Vegas — more applies to maybe a rock star who’s stepping behind the tables. What does the label “celebrity DJ” mean to you these days?

The celebrity DJ thing? I mean, it was cool I guess for me because I was the first because of MTV or whatever. But you know what? I just want to be known as not a celebrity DJ. I’m a musician; I’m a DJ. Did that make me a celebrity? Yeah, I’ve had the opportunity to live that life. That’s what I do. Some DJs that are celebrities that became DJs because it’s cool? I’m not downing them. It’s just that’s not my thing. I was a DJ first and became a celebrity.

Speaking of people sometimes categorized as a “celebrity DJ,” your buddy Pauly D is also going to be doing some gigs here in Vegas at your old haunt, the Palms Pool & Bungalows. Are you showing him some skills to help him prepare for that?

Yeah, actually, Pauly, again, he was a DJ before he got The Jersey Shore. There’s a lot of haters out there and a lot of people beating him up, but the jury’s still out. The kid knows what he’s doing. He’s been playing in a megaclub in Ultra in Rhode Island, which is one of the clubs that I came up playing in. So he’s been in a big room before and a big room sound situation. It’s just that he went from playing local, hometown farm leagues to going to the New York Yankees when he did the Jersey Shore show. So he’s been propelled into this fast-forward, 560,000-miles-per-hour lane. The same thing happened to me. My first season at MTV was at the Jersey Shore, and after that summer, I went on this rocket ship that was incredible. It could be overwhelming for somebody, but he’s handling it really well. The kid’s a rock star.

Why have you chosen now as the time in your career to create your own night with a full-on production?

I do over 200 shows a year all over the country. One Saturday I’m in Miami, another Saturday I’m in Fargo, North Dakota, and another Saturday I’m in Fairbanks, Alaska. Vegas is like the melting pot. You’re getting people from all over the world that come to Las Vegas. ... This particular residency, this one’s more based around me and my journey through life, what I’ve done in music and how long I’ve been in this industry. They made this about me and what I wanted to do as a collective group together. So this one means the world to me.

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