The Beatdown

If turntables outsell electric guitars and everyone and their mother is a DJ, then what exactly sets the Terry Mullans of the world apart? Hailing from Chicago’s fervent dance scene is a start, as Mullan was exposed from an early age to true dance originators such as Farley “Jackmaster” Funk and Steve “Silk” Hurley. Then there’s his patented sound– jackin’ 4/4 rhythms tinged with 303 baselines, along with a seamless blend of the various subgenres of the Chicago scene. In his early career, Mullan’s close friendship with the Plus 8 camp, including John Aquiviva and Ritchie Hawtin, led to some of his first big gigs and ultimately to his first mix CD released on the Plus 8 imprint. Aquiviva and Hawtin’s insight into running a label was truly the catalyst for Mullan when he formed his own imprint, appropriately titled Catalyst Recordings. Since then, his collaborations with the likes of DJ Dan and Halo Varga along with his solo efforts have been rocking floors and shaking asses worldwide. Splitting time between his busy DJ schedule, running his label and producing some of the funkiest house tracks known to man leaves time for little else. So what is the difference between so many bedroom aficionados and this globe-trotting DJ elite? Luck? Timing? Self-promotion? Probably a little of each. But in the case of Mullan, utter dedication hasn’t hurt.