Danny Tenaglia Rides the White Horse Danny Tenaglia
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return of the king Danny Tenaglia rides the white horse Danny Tenaglia a few years ago Danny Tenaglia was the It’s crunch time king of New York, the untouchable “DJ’s DJ.” for Tenaglia Then the city’s club scene fell apart. Now the man who embodies house music in the uS is back with a residency at Space ibiza Words Todd Burns Photos adam Weiss he room iS dark. The moved in, the neighborhood was just music is loud. There’s that. a neighborhood. a place where a disco ball overhead his brothers became friends with local and Danny Tenaglia is bouncers and convinced them to let at the controls. he’s their kid brother in because he was just put on Pink “just dying to see a disco ball”. Tenaglia Floyd's ‘on The run’. pulls out a picture. “This was me in “i saw roger Waters 1976 in at a place called The miami play Dark Side of the moon at Lounge in Williamsburg,” he proudly TCoachella recently. it was awesome!” proclaims. mixmag points out the he gushes. mixmag is standing in front mustache. “it was the 70s, you know. of him, in-between four speakers once and i was trying to look more mature.” housed at Vinyl, the legendary New Now, Tenaglia is bald underneath his York club where Tenaglia started his Be ever-present baseball cap. Today, the received a call from Twilo to play a on the roof. When his kids took over, Yourself party, and we’re listening to cap is white and logoless, accompanied guest spot with Frankie Knuckles. they set a price for the building and psychedelic rock. granted, we’re in his by blue jeans and a T-shirt that shows From there, the residencies rolled they held firm on that price, until 6,500 square foot loft in Long island off Jimi hendrix’s face contorted in in. Twilo, the Tunnel, Vinyl. But it wasn’t finally someone offered to buy it… City, Queens – and not in the heart of ecstasy. until the final one that Tenaglia felt i have no regrets.” ibiza, where he’ll be appearing it seems appropriate, as Tenaglia completely at home. always the throughout this summer at Space – often refers to Larry Levan, a DJ he professional, at Twilo Tenaglia found iNCe ViNYL’S closure, though, but it’s still a surprise to hear the once famously compared to the guitar himself playing what the gay-centric Tenaglia hasn’t seen much to ultimate stoner album issuing forth god. “i learned so much from Larry. he crowd wanted, namely anthems, rather love about the New York club from the enormous soundsystem that was my mentor.” DT soaked up as than the tribal progressive sound he was S scene. he’s been laying low and surrounds us. “i was a pothead,” he much knowledge as he could, once he busy exploring in the studio. Tunnel, on indulging other passions between his tells me early on in our conversation, discovered the Paradise garage in the other hand, was too dark, full of the infrequent guest DJ gigs around the “we used to pass joints around at the 1979, and he took those ideas down club kids that helped earn Tenaglia the world. one of which is furniture design. roller disco in the early 80s.” to miami six years later where he had title “The K-house King”. Like the baby The first thing i see when the doors are it began even before that for Danny his first DJ residency at afterhours club bear’s porridge, Vinyl was just right. By opened to his second-floor loft is a Tenaglia. in 1973 the 12 year-old Cheers. When that venue was set to naming his residency Be Yourself, full-sized stuffed horse. “i got a bunch Brooklynite first heard a DJ mix records close in 1990, Tenaglia was faced with Tenaglia staked a claim for himself and of stuff in the hamptons,” he tells me, together via an unlikely format: a choice. remain in Florida and his audience – gay, straight, whatever: pointing to a lamp made out of a eight-track tape. Paul Kasella was the continue to build a local reputation. just do your thing. shapely woman clad in black leather. man responsible and Tenaglia, being or make his way back to New York and “Let nobody tell you what to do/ The piece de resistance – the DJ booth an early trainspotter, gave the DJ a call. attempt to become more than simply Live your life and see it through/Keep recently put up for sale for $25,000, (Kasella’s phone number was on the “Danny from miami”. on living the way you are/Just know although he notes that everything is cartridge.) Turns out the two lived in he chose the latter. “i came back to that love will make you a star/be negotiable – is now in storage. once the same neighborhood in Brooklyn New York in 1990 with pretty much yourself” was the mantra and to say occupying a spot in another room of – Williamsburg. has it changed much? nothing. it was really like starting over… the formula worked might be an his massive space, he found he never “mamma mia!” Tenaglia exclaims, one i didn’t have a steady gig in New York understatement. Danny’s weekly night used it – why bother playing to an of two he’ll let slip in our two-and-a- for years after i moved back.” as at Vinyl attracted clubbers and DJs empty room? half hours together. “if i go to someone who loves both his around the world to its spartan décor Tenaglia does have friends over, Naples, italy, i feel more like i’m hometown and DJing more than and unpredictable music (depending though, and he’d love to have more. as in my neighborhood as a kid than almost anything, it was tough to bear. on what mood Tenaglia was in, he we’re chatting about New York, the i do when i go back to Williamsburg. But Tenaglia kept busy with remixes could end up spinning old michael martinez Brothers – the young duo it’s wonderful to see how many (michael Jackson, madonna and err… Jackson records or banging techno). that literally have the Paradise garage vegan-type restaurants are moving right Said Fred) and productions (a after a five year, award-winning run, in their blood (their father danced there nowadays, though. i’m waiting rejected remix for New order led to his the music stopped in 2004, when the there in the 70s) – come up. Calling for moby to open up a tea shop. maybe debut, ‘Bottom heavy), as well as DJ venue was sold for transformation into them great talents, he adds “i’d love to i’ll beat him to it!” dates around the world. Finally, in 1996 flats. “The original owner of Vinyl was a open up my place to them. i think they Back in the 70s, before the hipsters after a short stint at the roxy, he passionate rich man. he raised wolves need to learn about how much more is auguST 2008 065 Danny Tenaglia “50 people or 50,000. It doesn’t matter. I’ll play Dunkin’ Donuts if they treat me right” out there. i feel like the few times that techno populated by the likes of T SPaCe, he’ll have plenty of on the island. “i’m really not worried at i’ve heard them i’m still hearing ‘rej’ Luca Bachetti and Davide Squillace, time to do both. entertaining all. a lot of people have asked me that.” and ‘Knights of The Jaguar’ and i have two producers who will be joining on the inside, educating on i tell him that Kevin, his manager, some records here…”, he says, Tenaglia at his residency at Space A the terrace is the promise. before Tenaglia came in, said that he indicating the thousands of pieces of this summer in ibiza, and a far cry a nd Tenaglia is taking it very seriously. was worried about Thursdays. For the vinyl lined up against the wall, “that if from the tribal house sound his “if i can’t give 100 per cent to it, i can’t first time in our conversation, the these kids would hear, they’d go previous mix CDs helped popularise. do it. That’s why i never agreed to do it sunny disposition fades for just a whoa.” and, no doubt, Tenaglia wants But what does remain are his signature before now.” he wants to be there, to moment. Tenaglia’s done hundreds of the spirit of the garage to live on. edits, the ones that have come to welcome you in, to dance himself, interviews and has already talked for Keeping the spirit alive: it’s a point define Tenaglia’s legendary marathon perhaps get behind the bar and serve more than an hour with few ahs and that he makes more than once. “i feel DJ sets he became famous for. a drink or two. Feet sore after a long ums. it’s a rare stumble – but he’s so sorry for kids in New York today that “i want to make something different night of dancing? Take off your shoes quickly back on message: “everyone i almost don’t want to talk about it. for the listener and the producer that at Space and you might find Danny just seems so excited about it. i just They’re missing out on so much.