WHO After nearly three decades on the decks, champion Canadian DJ John Acquaviva continues to be a crowd favourite and industry guru. Always reinventing his sound and originating new visions, he’s seemingly on an endless world tour, topping the bills at summer festivals such as Benicassim and Global Gathering, playing in Ibiza at the Privilege 2008 season opening party as well as at Space with Danny Tenaglia; Nikki Beach in Marbella, Spain; Cocoricco in Riccione, Italy — the list goes on. The London, Ontario native started out in the disco days and garnered worldwide attention for the revered techno label Plus 8 Records, which he and Richie Hawtin co-founded in 1989. They also founded the underground anthem–loaded Definitive Recordings in 1993, which Acquaviva re-launched a few years ago to feature new music by DJs and producers including Olivier Giacomotto and Kid Dub. In 2000, Acquaviva and Hawtin brought the world Final Scratch — the revolutionary device for mixing digital files with a vinyl-like tool for the turntable. Soon after, Acquaviva helped mastermind the dance music download site Beatport.com, where he’s just released the single “Too Cool 4 Skool” with Giacomotto and a Definitive remix of a track by US/UK tag team Tyler Michaud and Mat Zo.
WHAT Electro-house. “But a bit of everything, really,” says Acquaviva.
WHERE Sept. 1 with Jelo, Evan G and more at Beatsahoy! and Dance 2 Da Beat boat cruise. $55 advance tickets at www.wantickets.com. Pier 6 (207 Queens Quay W). Ship boards at 11am.
FAVOURITE RECORD OF ALL TIME “Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, tied with Low by David Bowie. I am an album guy.”
FAVOURITE RECORD RIGHT NOW "Too many."
FAVOURITE WEBSITE RIGHT NOW www.beatport.com “I get most of my music from there.”
WHAT IS YOUR MOST SURREAL DJING EXPERIENCE? “I have played in airplanes, bomb shelters and just about anywhere you can imagine.”
DIGITAL OR ANALOG? “Digital — the way forward.”
WHAT IS VITAL TO YOUR DAILY ROUTINE? Waking up.
WHAT GLOBAL ISSUE CONCERNS YOU MOST RIGHT NOW? “All politics. [The conflict between] Georgia and Russia is pretty crazy.”
WHAT IS THE LAST GREAT FILM YOU SAW? “Actually, the new Batman, The Dark Knight. I don’t like pop films normally... but this deserved to be a hit.”
WHAT ACTOR WOULD PLAY YOU IN A BIOPIC? “A young Robert De Niro.”
WHAT ARE YOU READING RIGHT NOW? “The Economist, August issues. My tour is too long to bring [just] a book, so I have those to keep me up-to-date on world affairs.”