Meet Indy's Sleepiest DJ, Cadillac G!

Get the down low on Indianapolis DJ Cadillac G in this week’s Artist Spotlight and listen to his exclusive guest mix!

Coming off of a raucous summer which had him performing nearly every weekend, Gerald Collins, better known as Cadillac G, is keeping his foot to the pedal going into fall with no breaks in sight. Gerald hails from Indianapolis by way of Heidelberg, Germany, but don’t let that fool you – he’s a Hoosier through and through.

Cadillac G burst onto the EDM scene via the “DJ Zero” contest and has become a staple of the dance music scene in Indianapolis. Whether it’s heating up Revel for #SleephausSaturdays or making Sunday evenings at the Red Room in Broad Ripple shake and pop, he consistently works the dance floor into a frenzy.

Read on for some serious insight into his mind as an artist and give a listen to his exclusive guest mix below!

Stream EDMID Guest Mix 131 || Cadillac G on Mixcloud:

First things first, how did you come to be known as Cadillac G? And what is #Sleephaus all about?

The name Cadillac G comes from my fourteen years (and counting) career with Lockhart Cadillac in Fishers, Indiana as a Sales Consultant/Sales Manager. Two of my clients and former Indianapolis Pacers players, Marquis Daniels and Stephen Jackson actually gave me the name Cadillac G after a legendary night out on the town, and it just stuck with me. As for #Sleephaus, everyone who really knows me knows my affinity for sleep and some of my friends call me Sleepy G, so I decided to brand #Sleephaus around my love of sleep and house music.

You regularly play at Revel in Indianapolis, Indiana. What do you like most about this club and what would you say to others who aren’t sure about coming down for a night out on South Meridian?

I like to describe Revel as Indiana’s closest rival to popular big market nightclubs in places like Chicago and Miami. Since its inception, Revel was one of the only nightclubs on Meridian to play primarily electronic music, so I found myself enjoying the scene even when I wasn’t on stage. The atmosphere is lively and the management and staff go above and beyond to ensure that everyone has a great time.

Related: Check out Tim’s review of YehMe2 at Revel in Indy!

When did you start listening to electronic music? Was there any one artist or label that hooked you on the genre?

I’ve been listening to electronic music for approximately nine years but my “aha” moment was seeing Afrojack perform; he absolutely got me hooked on electronic music. I went on to see a set of his from Coachella 2011, and I was absolutely blown away by his energy and performance. It helped that he had Paul McCartney and Usher watching him perform and I was extremely impressed and left wondering exactly who he was.

Who are you currently listening to? Any new artists and tracks that we should be on the lookout for?

I’m currently listening to a lot of Dirtybird artists… Solardo, Gene Farris, Fisher, Camelphat, and Oscar L, to name a few.

You’ve performed at a couple of silent discos in the past. What is your opinion of this format of listening to music? Any “gotchas” for other DJ’s?

I like performing at silent discos because once you put the headphones on all you can hear is the music and you’re only focused on the music. It’s just you and the music, which is what it’s all about. My “gotcha” to other DJ’s would be to keep the energy up. There are no warm-ups so you can’t just gradually increase the energy – you must give 100%, all the time. The worst thing that can happen is to have your audience lose interest in what you’re dishing out; try to always keep them on their toes and wondering what’s going to happen next.

How would you describe your style when performing as a DJ? Is that sound different from your productions, and if so, how?

I would describe my performing style as energetic and fun but with a strong sense of responsibility to deliver the perfect experience for my audience. I find that my best nights are when there are different kinds of people in the club and you have to really dig deep into the library to give everyone a different selection while still bringing it all together as one cohesive night. My performing style differs substantially from my producing style which is focused on proper house music, my one true love.

Who inspires you musically? Do you find yourself trying to incorporate their sound into your own style?

I wouldn’t say that I am inspired by any specific artist but am more generally inspired by the genre itself. Electronic is such a diverse scene with many niches. I find that electronic music is like an onion: there is so much to experience that you peel off the layers that aren’t right for you and eventually find something that you stick with.

Walk us through your process when you’re producing a song. What are your preferred hardware, software, and plugins? Do you have any rituals that you go through when you set down to make a track?

My production setup is pretty simple: I have a Universal Audio Apollo quad interface and I use a Komplete Kontrol 62 key keyboard for my melodies. Everything is brought together in Ableton 10. My go-to strategy is to design a basic drum pattern and then build from there.

If you could play a b2b (or b2b2b) set with any artist(s), who would it be and why?

If I could do any B2B with any artist, it would have to be Fisher. His energy is on another level and I think that his work is incredible.

What does the rest of 2018 have in store for you? Any upcoming shows or tracks that you’re particularly excited about?

2018 continues to get better and better. I am excited to be releasing a new EP toward the end of the year and will be continuing my residency every Saturday at Revel. I’ll also be headlining the Keepin’ It Deep Barbecue so if you find yourself in the Indianapolis area, stop in and check me out!