Meet Mikey Shanley in this week’s #IDSpotlight!
Name: Mikey Shanley
Rave Name: DJ Mikey Shanley
Age: 33
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pennslyvania
Current City: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Occupation: DJ and Producer
Instagram: @djmikeyshanley
What was your first electronic music event?
Phoenix 3. It was a 3-day weekender on a farm in West Virginia and still my inspiration to this day. We turned left at the red balloon and went down a dirt road. We were told to park and walk over to a pickup truck that loaded a ton of ravers, tents, record boxes and backpacks into the truck bed and drove us through a mud pit to some more solid ground to set up camp. DJs played the top of the top of big-rig/18 wheeler truck containers. My Ecstasy was fake, but no matter. I danced all night (maybe it wasn’t so fake) and the green laser slammed off the wall of trees leading into the forest and spelled out “Phoenix 3” on them. I felt like I was abducted and yet at home.
What/who influenced you to attend your first event?
Definitely the draw of electronic rock bands like Kill Hannah, Skillet, and Orgy. Then I adopted the “Kandi Kid” look mixed with a sort of emo/goth thing lol (I was a teen, give me a break). Then all at the same time I started to buy music compilations like “Happy 2b Hardcore”, smoking lots of weed and generally being interested in psychedelic drugs and the power of the mind as well as Fooly Cooly and anything that blinked, glowed in the dark, looked fun and bright like it was from Japan and so on.
What is one moment from an event that was special and why?
There are so many. My Green Mercedes pill was kicking in in Philly at a huge massive and it was the first time I had E that good. A girl I met earlier that day at the Temple dorms saw found me on the lower level sort or alone and trying to deal with my current fear and loathing state and she just smiled, took my hand and said, “come on…you need to dance”. She took me upstairs in the “House” room. It was dark, the flashing lights and many bodies just dancing and being positive and free changed me forever. I was faced and danced the night away with this rave angel. She was older, more experienced and really showed me what it was all truly about (dancing/movement).
The first time I heard funky techno/tribal techno and watched the DJs layer those kinds of tracks was really intense as well. It was so chugging and driving and primal….it was bad ass.
Every time I see Donald Glaude at a show, he kisses me on the cheek lol. Doesn’t matter if it’s NYC, San Diego, Miami or Pittsburgh.
Going to the UK for a three-day weekender and hanging out with Scott Brown, Hixxy, and all the Happy Hardcore guys was extremely epic as well.
The first time I saw Carl Cox and Fat Boy Slim at Ultra. I never knew minimal could be so maximal.
What is your favorite festival or event?
Ultra holds a special place in my heart currently due to where I live, the many memories there seeing Carl Cox, sneaking flyers in to promote myself as a young DJ, the road trips and flights to and from it….oh my a rush of memories.
What is your favorite electronic song and why?
That changes daily. However, I will say that I have a dirty little obsession for Intelligent/liquid DnB. It’s so ethereal, light airy and sort of like progressive house as far as the trance-like sounds used for it…love that stuff.
Who are your favorite artists?
Fedde Le Grand, Carl Cox, Fat Boy Slim, Bingo Players, Eric Prydz, Markus Schulz, Robbie Rivera, Josh Wink, John Digweed and so many more.
What are your favorite genres?
We are in the era of fusion sounds. I love tech house yet big room and tribal and trance.
What do you feel your “Identity” is in the electronic music community?
I’m kind of the new age punk rocker of the scene. I’m vegan most days, love yoga, tattoos, and life. I’m definitely a Pisces at the core and I like “bright grooves” so I sneak steel drums in my tracks a lot. I’m a beach guy. Love meditating. I definitely have a ying to my yang. For as center as I am at times, I’m also a total nutball that is constantly trying to release fear from my life by shaking things up, screwing with my hair and indulging in lots of motivation talks and advice.
Is there anything else you would like to add about yourself for the readers?
I love you guys and I really hope that you do not let something as silly as fear (or your own mind) get in the way of going after your dreams and doing what you were truly put on this earth to do. Sure, it will be hard…but life is hard anyways so you might as well have fun pushing to be yourself and leaving a mark. Love one another ever when people have given you a reason not to. Don’t let culture or borders create a divide that creates hate. Appreciate it for what it is and move…or fall completely in love with it. Also, can we try to respect this earth a little bit more and break the mold on a conventional society?
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Thanks for the love guys!!! Blessings to you – Mikey