The latest mix CD by Billy Casazza is entitled It’s Not Me It’s The Music, but he’s really just being humble. Because while somebody else could run out and buy the same records, nobody could spin the way he does, building an escapable vice that commands you to move. “I have always been around dance music and dancing, even when I was Kid,” says Casazza. Growing up on a diet of Front 242, New Order, Kraftwerk, and Nizter Ebb, it wasn’t long before he found electronic music and the love affair truly began. “The first time I heard electronic music I was hooked. I bought records for my friends to spin at all the high school dances in the late 80’s, at that time I had now idea how to DJ.” Although he admits that his main goal at the time was just dancing with the girls. During the early rave days he bounced around from party to party, in 97 he started to DJ out of frustration with the tired sounds he was hearing on the dance floor. “I figured I could buy the records I loved and play them-If they didn’t make me dance I wouldn’t buy them. I still live by that rule.

Honing his skills and developing an unique blend of dark funky, tribal sounds, progressive and electro, and plenty of breaks for the dancers, Casazza quickly moved beyond the confines of California’s Central Valley where he is based, growing a devoted following in San Francisco’s best clubs. 1015, Ruby Skye, Mighty, Anu, 111 Minna, Mezzanine-Casazza has played them all, Djing alongside the likes of Dj Dan, Paul Oakenfold, Scumfrog, Rabbit in the Moon, Terry Mullan, Gene Farris, Hipp-e, Spesh, Soulslinger, RPO, Dylan Rhymes, Doc Martin, Garth, John Howard. As word of his talents spread he began getting International gigs. He played parties in Portugal, Romania, Egypt, Bali, Java, Mexico, Thailand, Argentina, Brazil, Taiwan, and Panama have all been rocked by Casazza.

His Favorite gig? “Opulent Temple at Burning Man is always an experience, but Ecosystem 2.0 in the Amazon Rain Forest in front of 2000 people as the sun was coming up. I had to play after Ken Ishi and a psychtrance Dj, but some how, some way, everyone stuck around smiling and dancing, going off until 10 in the morning, .” It’s a long way from his first gig ( a tequila-fueled house party with the typically annoying request for commercial Hip Hop) but Casazza is a natural in front of crowds, whether its festivals like Burning Man or SF’s Love Fest Parade or the smallest dive bar.

As Casazza continues to travel, and holds down a residency at Anu called Dose, and Opulent Temple, the next step is to focus on his own Label Nutbass Records. Nutbass has already released two 12”s that have been played by the likes of Jerry Bohnam, Gabriel and Dresden and Jondi and Spesh and have received good reviews in BPM, but Casazza wants more. The best thing in the world is to play your own songs and watch everyone dance and have fun,” he says. “My goal is to play just my own music. I think then I could consider myself a true artist” All modesty aside, just ask anyone losing it to one of his sets-they will tell you he is already an artist of the highest order.

He’s been called a Renaissance man of the West Coast scene, and with good reason. A community based licensed clinical psychologist, one of SF’s biggest event producers, a social activist and blogger, a transpersonal psychology researcher, Board Member and key producer of the San Francisco LovEvolution event (formerly known as LoveFest & Love Parade), and the founder and organizer of arguably Burning Man’s biggest sound camp production ever -Opulent Temple. And of course … a DJ.

Syd has been organizing events since 2001 when he started throwing both underground parties and benefit events for different charities with Spundae. The following year he started his own production company Opel Productions, intended to be parties with purpose showcasing a range of forward thinking underground dance music with a dash of social activism thrown in the party message. In 2003, he finished his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, founded Opulent Temple with Rich Martin, and Joined the Board for San Francisco’s Love event, where he heads up the Promotions and Marketing Team, and Floats & Entertainment Team.

In his current ‘day job’, he works out of a community clinic with foster kids in the Bayview Hunter Point area in San Francisco.

On the DJ tip, Syd is one of the West Coast’s top talents, consistently being voted in the Top 10 San Francisco Dream Team poll, and playing the biggest events in California party land. Playing a versatile range of electro house and breaks, to progressive and tech-trance, he’s been personally tapped to open and close for the varied likes of Tiesto, Moby, Stanton Warriors, Paul Oakenfold, Underworld, Armin Van Burren, Adam Freeland, Meat Katie, Markus Schultz, Ferry Corsten, and the list goes on. Syd knows what to do in any situation to bring the universal vibe of dance music. His sets are known for walking the fine line between the gritty and the pretty, and he has a range seldom scene in the West Coast scene.

Without a doubt, DJ ICON has become an iconic figure in the U.S. dance music industry and beyond. With a career spanning two decades, she has captivated audiences the world over with her genre-spanning heavy hitting sound. Her magnetic stage presence, unmatched skill behind the decks and widely supported productions, have led her to be dubbed one of the leading ladies of this domain.

She discovered the world of raves and electronic music in 1996 at age 16 and quickly found herself being pulled behind the decks. She diligently rose through the ranks of the legendary San Francisco underground at a time when female DJs and promoters were few. In just a few years, she found herself at the center of the growing electronic music phenomenon with a steady stream of local residencies as well as a growing number of stateside and international bookings. Her unmatched ability to make a crowd move has taken her on tours throughout the US, Canada, Asia, and Europe. ICON has blessed the festival stages of such world reknown events as Ultra, Coachella and is a mojor driving force behind the legendary Opulent Temple sound camp at Burning Man where she created a massive dusty fan base both at OT as well as every major sound camp on the playa.

Her short 3-year stint in New York catapulted her into the national television spotlight. In 2001 she was featured alongside Reid Speed, DJ Craze and 10 other DJ’s on the 12-part Showtime documentary “Disc Jockey.” And then in 2003 she was pegged to be the on-air DJ for MTV’s internationally syndicated dance competition “The Wade Robson Project.” Over the years she has also held down features on international radio stations like Sirius FM; Radio Record, Russia’s largest radio station; and KROK NYC.

Her releases on Illeven Eleven Records and Hot Cakes have made their way into the playlists of DJs far and wide and earned her spots on Beatport’s top 10 multiple times. Her most recent collaboration with Deekline, “Hey DJ” reached the number 2 spot on Beatport Breaks charts and received support from The Dub Pistols, Smookie Illson and Fort Knox 5.

So what’s next for this powerhouse bass queen? More productions, remixes and mixes are in the works, as she continues to make her mark in the worldwide dance music industry. And if the last twenty years have proven anything, the future will continue to bring big things from this driven and versatile artist.