What makes a DJ legendary? Well in the case of West Coast house music legend Doc Martin, it's a whopping three decades of destroying international dancefloors with his masterclass underground record selections.
Having came up during the late '80s to early '90s dance era, when novel sounds like house, hip-hop, techno and New Wave were emerging and crossbreeding into exciting new stylistic permutations, Doc Martin's DJ sets are a veritable musical education.
"I'm into all kinds of music," Doc tells Crossfade. "I prefer the vibe of a song, over the style of music. I like good bass frequencies, drums, and most of all, it has to have some sort of message to it -- either vocally or sonically. I really like tracks and songs that evoke some sort of emotion."
Ahead of his highly-anticipated headlining performance with Joint Custody and Analog at Wynwood's TSL Lounge on Thursday, Crossfade caught up with The Doc himself to get a peep inside his record bag, and ten all-time essential weapons that have never left it throughout the years.
1. Rhythm Control's "My House"
"I guess you can say this has been used a million times. Maybe not the first house record, but definitely one of the most important ones."
2. Inner City's "Share My Life (Kenny Larkin Remix)
"Such a deep, euphoric record! Plus, it kind of gets things going for all the underground heads. This always creeps its way back into my record bag."
3. Strafe's "Set it Off"
"This to me was an extremely important record. It fused hip-hop, New Wave, and set the path for what would become known as house music."
4. A Guy Called Gerald's "Voodoo Ray" (Paradise Ballroom Mix)
"I know this is a well known cut, but it still stands the test of time. The first time I heard this was in NYC, with two-thousand people going nuts. This will always be one of my favorites."
5. Ralph Falcon's "Every Now and Then" (Soul Mix)
"Oscar [Gaetan] and Ralph -- better known as Murk, who hail from Miami -- made their eternal mark on me with such funky, deep grooves as this one. The crazy thing is that they were probably playing for us in L.A. more than in Miami at this time."
6. Chill Rob G's "Let the Words Flow"
"I bought this record in New York on promo. This got ripped by Snap, and became "The Power." This reminds me of a time when you actually had to be able to rap to be a rapper."
7. Royal Cash's "Radioactivity"
"This sleazy groover seems to do the trick for the serious dancers. I would say a precursor (twenty years prior) of Metro Area."
8. U2's "Lemon" (David Morales Bad Yard Club Mix)
"It's so funny that every time I drop this, I get mobbed with What is this? Brother David [Morales] did amazing remixes for Björk as well. This just has a certain esoteric vibe to it that I love."
9. Shriekback's "Hand on My Heart"
"This record came out when all the New Wave groups were getting into using drum machines. This was one of those songs that would draw you to the dancefloor without hesitation."
10. DJ Buck's "Make It Hot"
"A little bleepy number that has been destroying dancefloors from Ibiza to California. This guy definitely made some stompers!"
Doc Martin. With Joint Custody. Presented by Analog. Thursday, June 27. TSL Lounge, 167 NW 23rd St., Miami. The party starts at 10 p.m. Call 786-479-2241, or visit tsllounge.com.
Follow Crossfade on Facebook and Twitter @Crossfade_SFL.
