Audio By Carbonatix
The story of 37-year-old DJ Iz (Joshua Michael) starts off much like those of other house jocks of his generation: “Growing up in Chicago, blah, blah, blah.” But in 1979, Iz moved to San Jose, far away from the burgeoning house scene of his birth city; there, he soaked up the town’s ska and punk revival and formed a band that included now-legendary DJ Doc Martin on trumpet. Some time later, on a Chicago visit to relatives, Iz was hipped to influential record store Gramophone and was told to introduce himself to a young employee named Derrick Carter; their instant friendship drew Iz back to his hometown, where he, Carter and the infamous Red Nail Posse lived together and developed innovative tracks. After buying MIDI gear, breathing Chi-town air for a few years and releasing tracks on Blue Cucaracha and Prescription, Iz moved back to the Bay Area, where he resides to this day, holding down the longest-running weekly gig in the city, “Bionic,” and releasing tracks on seminal imprints Classic, OM and Seasons. On Saturday, Iz brings his well-traveled record bag to Zubar to spin his funky, Chi-Bay hybrid sound.
When news happens, Dallas Observer is there —
Your support strengthens our coverage.
We’re aiming to raise $30,000 by December 31, so we can continue covering what matters most to you. If the Dallas Observer matters to you, please take action and contribute today, so when news happens, our reporters can be there.
