Armand Van Helden, Noted DJ and Dickhead, Parties at Miami Beach's Arkadia on January 27

Despite being a total dickhead in 2011, Armand Van Helden's a pretty cool dude. When he and Duck Sauce cohort A-Trak teamed up for the "Big Bad Wolf" video last year, Van Helden's face was CGI-ed onto some dude's exposed groin. Thus, via movie magic, the Boston-born DJ became a...

By Victor Gonzalez

January 18, 2012

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Despite being a total dickhead in 2011, Armand Van Helden's a pretty cool dude.

When he and Duck Sauce cohort A-Trak teamed up for the "Big Bad Wolf" video last year, Van Helden's face was CGI-ed onto some dude's exposed groin. Thus, via movie magic, the Boston-born DJ became a dickhead.

But special effects can be misleading -- Van Helden's got very little in common with male private parts. In fact, he's one of the best record producers (and nicest guys) in the game, an incredibly talented remixer and DJ who's been banging out beats since the late '80s.

As a teenager, Van Helden moonlighted as a DJ 'round Beantown, spinning records at local clubs until he quit his day job and turned making music into a full-time gig. He soon released Old School Junkies: The Album, the first of many "unmelodic" records.

"I don't really have a label for it, but I've been asked a number of times if I could--in a few words--say what my music is like," Van Helden told DJsounds reporter VJ Sandra J in a 2009 interview. "I always just say unmelodic. I don't really make intelligent music, I'm not really known for that. I lean more towards blues or something that's more basic and more raw."

Armand Van Helden. Friday, January 27. Arkadia, 4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach. The party starts at 11 p.m. and tickets cost $40 plus fees via wantickets.com. Ages 21 and over. Call 305-674-4680 or visit arkadiamiami.com.

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