Bevaughn Moore: Boss DJ
Scene Stealer
Stabroek News
January 20, 2007
Many would have heard his voice on the radio and depending on how much you are into dancehall reggae would have heard it on mixed tapes/discs and unwittingly taken part in the evolution of a boss DJ.
The voice referred to here belongs to Bevaughn Moore one of Guyana's premiere disc jockeys.
A bit of a spiritualist, he says, "I've been through so much. Thanks to music and the strength of the Almighty I have been able to get to places to keep party vibes rolling with Guyanese scattered across the Caribbean."
Having elevated himself in the sound business over a time span of 15 years, Bevaughn is now poised to take it to the next level, by, in his own words, actually stepping into the studio to expand his repertoire on some recordings.
The DJ who is currently one of Stereo Sonics' senior mix masters let The Scene in on his plans for the near future that includes, "studio works definitely, listen out you must hear something."
He already has some studio experience under his belt, having recorded an obscure track, which many dancehall fans may not have heard, on the 'Jungle Rhythm' put together by Spida Man and the Fire Clan crew. He revealed that the band has been "probing me to come in and do something [a track] they said they have everything...it's going to happen."
He added, "I am supposed to do another collaboration with Fire Clan just a short while before Mash so just keep your ears open." The first effort was described as "just an experiment where I found out that something is there and it provided an opportunity to get credits for one of the first to be featured on a good song."
How does making music fall into making the most familiar voice in the land a top DJ? He says, "I like playing people's music and feel pleased when two weeks later that song becomes a hit." But experimenting with rapping on a track and spinning discs did not just happen overnight. Bevaughn, one of Guyana's most influential and popular DJs says, "It was all about love for the music growing up and going to school... I always liked to play music. Then I had family who were always on the reggae side playing Gregory Isaacs and such tapes. So it was a family thing, that's how the love for the music came about."
Following this introduction to music, Bevaughn's experience with actually spinning discs began on a then little known sound system called Stone Love. At that time Ronny Sanmogan was in charge of the sound system, which played at small engagements such as staff parties and basketball games. A relative who lived close to the sound system's headquarters in D'urban Street, Lodge intervened for Bevaughn paving the way for him to be a part of the Stone Love family.
The DJ, then cutting his teeth in the entertainment arena said, "I always used to get a lot of flexibility from my home, my mother especially and I actually started to work out with the fellas and from then on it was like that."
Having grown up in Station Street, Kitty the now popular musical connoisseur made mention of the educational background that set the foundation, "as a youth it was Stella Maris Primary School then I moved on to Central High School."
In his final year of high school exposure to playing music in public came with certain time restrictions. "I had to go to school ... I was around 16 then [and] they used to call me 'Curfew' because I would turn up for the party when the system was now going to hook up and then play up to about 7 pm or 8 pm, because Mommy said you got to go home by a certain time you have to go to school."
Another phase opened for the DJ after school that saw him not only mashing it up in GT, but also exporting the vibe to Caribbean ports with Stone Love. He has been accessing places such as Jamaica, Barbados, Antigua, Trinidad and Canada, many times spinning discs for fans who knew him since he played for Stone Love.
In 1995, "I went to Caribana [in Canada] with Stone Love and that's what cemented my DJ commitment 'cause at that time I used to work with Guyana Stores. We would be playing out from Thursday night to Sunday night; then having to go to work on Monday morning it was telling.
"So when I got the opportunity to go to Canada and they told me I could not get time off to go, I decided I could not pass up the chance and sent in my resignation. And from then on I'm here. I signed on with Stereo Sonic and have moved to another level with television and all that."
Some time around then things began to spiral out of control for Stone Love resulting in the shift over to Stereo Sonic back in the mid to late 90s. "The situation that developed was people were complaining about 'Boss' spraying in parties. It got to a stage where at parties persons were spraying 'Boss' and had people running, screaming and coughing... the stigma was attached to Stone Love at the time it was just not getting permits."
Having already made the decision to be a professional DJ, Bevaughn found himself in a slight quandary. "I just needed to know I'm still out there so even though people were telling me I am the best there was no opportunity for me to go out there and play. I was confined to one neighbourhood so to stay popular I had to do what I had to do. But still 'nuff' big ups to the Stone Love crew because that's where it all started from."
At this point, Roger Gilgours, Stereo Sonics' business director was coming back to Guyana from a stint overseas and was looking for the best DJ to juggle for his sound. "He came at the time when something was needed I even went even into Rastafarianism just to find a non-confrontational way to get out," Bevaughn recalled. "Everything that happened was according to what was recommended for me to do. I stopped going around the sound and people were like 'he deh pun stupidness nobody ain't bringing no set' but thank the Father I still have the opportunity to play music and witness some generations come through."
Now firmly entrenched in the Stereo Sonic team, Bevaughn talks respectably about the unit: "It is a group of us who work together from the man who drives the truck to the fellas who take care of the system… It is a brotherly thing. The organization is staying focused. The NY connection is still there, though everybody is doing their thing. The team work and unity are there."
Even though DJ Bevaughn has gone through years of hit records on cassette, vinyl and now CD format he admits to being nervous once and a while. "Sometimes it happens but then it's your job. But it's like riding a bicycle you know you can ride but may be shaky so when I pick up the mike it starts to flow."
Everybody knows that sometimes DJs tend to talk too much, particularly on the airwaves. Says Bevaughn, "We are open to any little comment that people might have about how we play the music sometimes we might be making some mistake along the way." However, he explained it has to do with the people who sponsor the programmes; they require a lot of verbal plugs, "not just playing their 30 second ads that's why a lot of times we have to go that extra mile."
It is therefore no mistake that corporate support is responsible for ensuring private DJs can bring the hype mixes to the populace. "I got on the radio through Ansa McAl, sponsors from the get go with the Royal Stout Power Hour... Roger came up with his business expertise and introduced us to further marketing ourselves from simply being dancehall DJs to interacting with businesses on a different level that's where the team work comes in."
While Bevaughn has achieved the enviable goal of making money out of a profession he loves, he also enjoys family life and says about the experience, "right now the life is totally different. I mean when you're by yourself you might say I'll eat something later sometimes not even caring. But when you've got a wife you can go home to who looks out for you then it's a different something, she makes sure you eat."
Commenting on the status of the entertainment industry locally the DJ gave it his blessing. "I always saw potential. It's not that I like to go around bragging but when a lot of people were saying it does not make sense playing that music on the radio, a lot of artistes were complaining but I was like, no problem. I had this vision about local artistes. I feel proud to know that I'm part of the crew that actually made it possible for persons to penetrate since we were independent DJs doing our part. It has to start somewhere so give thanks for everything."
Bevaughn passed another milestone on Monday, but has chosen to celebrate it with a big birthday bashment tonight at Main Street's own sound lab Club Elysium. Also coming to the party are Hits & Jams, Slingerz Family, Riddim Squad and a number of guest artistes. basstone@lycos.com