RiCHARD.GEAR
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RiCHARD.GEAR

Austin, Texas, United States

Austin, Texas, United States
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"DJ EDUCATION #1: RiCHARD.GEAR"

Local DJ Robert David Schacherl - RiCHARD.GEAR- wasn’t even 13 when he started DJing.  Born into disco-operating parents here in Austin, David - or “Davey” as he’s known to friends -  acquired his first set of turntables before finishing puberty.  During his teens, Davey got his first steady DJing posts at various Austin clubs, and today, he spins at some of the city’s most enviable venues, like Beauty Bar and Back Alley Social.  With a loyal nightlife following and hair of unpredictable color, we thought Davey/RiCHARD.GEAR would be the perfect person to interview for our first installment of DJ Education.

Below, RiCHARD.GEAR talks to us about Austin’s biggest DJ’s, his favorite local club to shake it, and spinning tunes on top of the Barton Springs Daily Juice.

First things first Davey: Talk to us about the term “DJ.”  Tell us why being the kind of DJ you are is a little different than, say, a wedding rental DJ.

Well, DJ is short for “disc jockey,” so by definition, someone who “rides” the discs or rides on the the music. Like most good rides, one wishes for the spin to never stop, and that’s what the seasoned/talented DJ does, keeps the ride going and going, for sometimes hours, with peaks and valleys, quick turns and drops in the energy. Bringing the crowd up and down with a continuous blend of music with no pauses or “dead air.” To answer your question more directly, the DJing I do consists of carefully selected tracks mixed and blended back to back so that the audience isn’t exactly aware that the tunes are transitioning from one to another until I say so. By comparison, a wedding DJ would typically play one song after the other, from start to finish with little or no blend/mix to make the transition smoother.

Austin is experiencing quite a little explosion of talented DJ’s and mash-up junkies. Give us kind of a layout of the scene: who are some of the big players?  Where can you go to hear them?  How have they coalesced in the past few years?

I’d say the biggest boys on the block these days are the Learning Secrets guys, Ian Orth and Jeremy Nugent. They throw some of the highest profile parties with some of the biggest names (Juan Maclean, The Field, Hercules & Love Affair) as well as the up-and-comers (like Runaway). They’ve done events at Beauty Bar and Mohawk and do a monthly Thursday party called KEWL BREEZE at Lanai (5th and Congress).
Following close behind them, I’d have to say is my own party crew Wild LIfe. We do every first and third Thursday at Barcelona (209 E 6th st) and we’ve hosted such national talent as Computer Club, Trash Yourself, Kingdom, Kids At The Bar and Bird Peterson. WILD LIFE is Me, Joshua Distance, Details, DJ Reber and Ryan Ulloa.
Other motivated cats in the scene are the DJ Dojo Crew (DJ Manny, Bigface, French Roast), Flashlight Party (Markus with a K, Orlando Mas, Jordan Kline & Matthew Thomas), Dubbel Dutch, The Hype Headz (DEEJAY YAYYAY, Shooknite, Tummy Toast, Lazy Bass), and of course DJ Orion.
In years past, the place to catch most of the above peeps has been in the 7th and Red River district, however, I feel like since the beginning of ‘09 the DJ’s that made a name for themselves in that area’s clubs and bars have been reaching west to new and different bars/clubs for better pay, better sound systems and fresh environments.  I know I certainly have. My money is on Barcelona to be the official hot spot of Austin by the end of the year. That place is run by the nicest guy in the world (Garrett Boyd) has the friendliest bartenders (Ryan Ulloa and Eric Stall) the best door guy (Jay Man) and the BEST sound system/turntable set up a DJ could dream for. And most importantly, Barcelona understands the necessity of the DJ and respects them just like you would any other employee.
Lanai (422 Congress at 5th St.) is also another amazing place with great sound, great environment and top notch tunes.

Where do you find the songs/samples/sounds to mix together into dance party genius?

A majority of the music I play I find on blogs, through friends that actually produce the music or through online digital music retailers like Beatport.com and JunoDownload.com. You also can’t beat the record selections at End of An Ear, Waterloo Records or Backspin Records, I also can’t wait for the new DJ Dojo location to open!

You’ve got a new dance night at Firehouse Lounge called “Sounds Fit.”  Is it different than the Sounds Fun nights you used to do?

Yeah, it’s different. SOUNDS! FUN! was a month away from celebrating its one year anniversary when Black & Tan (the venue S!F! had been at for 10 months or so) was forced to close in March. After B&T closed, I brought in my WILD LIFE partner Joshua Distance as a new resident for S!F! and we moved the party to Canvas. Things didn’t gel there, so we decided to join forces with our friends Details, who was doing Tuesdays at Back Alley Social (Old Whiskey Bar) and A. Ward who was doing FIT Tuesdays every other Tuesday of the month at Firehouse Lounge. So the four of us are the residents, we do it every week and we mashed up the names from the two principle parties…. but this is only through July. Starting in August, we plan to move SOUNDS! FIT! to Fridays at Firehouse and we got lots of exciting things in the works for that, just you wait!

Who are some of your favorite DJs - locally OR nationally?

Locally, fav dj’s would be Shooknite, DEEJAY YAYYAY and Dubbel Dutch… those guys are consistently in touch with new and emerging styles and are always keeping their sound fresh… those guys make me sweat, thinking: “oh shit! what is this tune they’re playing and how come I don’t know what it is???!?!?”
Nationally, fave DJs/producers: Boys Noize, that guy truly knows what it means to DJ. In Flagranti, Worthy, Radio Slave and Nomathmatics from Kansas City, MO.

You DJed on top of the Daily Juice on Barton Springs during ACL last year.  Any ACL dance block parties in the works this year?

Yeah, that was a blast, definitely my favorite moment DJing last year. I’m sure there will be some ACL parties, just gotta be dodging them C3 peeps! Or maybe they could just ask me to do their parties for them (hint hint)! At least, I’d imagine that Matt Shook (Daily Juice head honcho) would ask me to spin again this year.

You’ve played at Black & Tan, Mohawk, Firehouse, Beauty Bar.  Are there any other places in town you’d like to spread the Richard Gear love to?  If so, why?

Well, I’ve spread my love pretty far and have residencies at Firehouse Lounge (Tuesdays), Lanai (Wednesdays) Barcelona (every first and third Thursday) and Back Alley Social (Saturdays). New places I’d love to get in at would be: The Madison, just discovered that place last week, it’s amazing! From the sound, to the the DJ booth (covered in mirrors like a disco ball), to the decorations and layout of the club… it’s rather stunning. Plus, the manager, Aaron Brady was one of the nicest and most cordial guys I’ve met in the club scene since I don’t know when.

What’s your favorite place to jam when you’re off the clock?

Barcelona. No question. - –Tolly Moseley July 2nd, 2009 Thedelismagazine.com/austin


"An Officer and A Gentleman"

Austinite-soon-to-be-Yankee RiCHARD.GEAR released his first EP Starz a few
weeks ago. It’s a hyper affair, filled with all the usual bumping and grinding you
would expect from the dance floor aficionado. Using razor cut samples from
classic disco tracks, GEAR creates a collage of sound built around none other
than crazy energies and bottom heavy bass.

Rhythm Sektion tossed a few questions to RiCHARD, and he kindly passed them
back.

So, this is an album of sampled disco tracks. What qualities in these songs
stuck out that you chose them over some other rare disco cut?

Well, i didn’t really have a formula, I just chose the bits I liked. my process for
each of the tunes on the EP consisted of me finding a record that I liked and
felt I could work with, recording the entire record into ableton and then
skimming through and picking out pieces that sounded good. usually looping
sections here or there and once I found a loop I liked, it would just develop
naturally from there. I didn’t have any ideas like “i’ll sample this cuz no one
knows what it is,” I just took what I thought sounded good.

You recorded this all with Glasnost (Houston). How did you end up working
together, and what do each of you bring to the table?

The Glasnost boys have been close friends for about two years now. they played
the first WILD LIFE party a few years back and just from doing shows we’ve
developed a close relationship. the only member of Glasnost that was involved
with the project however, was Dan Le. And his role was purely post production,
i.e. mastering all the tunes once I had completed them.

The EP does a great job at blurring the lines between samples, edits, and
original music. I love that there is a kind of hyper, bassier touch to all these
old tracks. What is the Richard.Gear signature you’d like to appear from
listening to this EP?

I don’t know if I’ve found a signature sound yet, there is certainly a bit of
emulation going on here from styles and producers of the past. sample based
disco house was certainly not a revolutionary idea of mine! I’m influenced by
lots of music, and I have several ideas on the drawing board for what’s next,
but using Disco was a natural choice. My parents used to own and operate
several Discotheques in Austin and DJs and disco music was always around, so,
like i said, it was just a natural choice. I certainly will continue to use Disco in
the future, but I don’t want to pigeonhole myself.

So you’re off to New York. It seems that this is a typical trend, musicians
leaving the sheltered Austin community to brave the Big Apple. What will
you be up to there? Tell us what’s next for you?

Yep, leaving this saturday, July 31st. I plan to DJ, continue working on new
music, enjoy the city and learn what it takes to survive there. I’m born and
raised in Austin, and although I have traveled extensively, I’ve never really
picked up and moved anywhere. Texas is my home, and although I’m very
prideful of that fact and love living in Austin, if I’m gonna make something
happen, I need to do it now. and, more importantly, I think I’m ready to do it
now.

Praise for the Starz EP:

posted in D Squared's 30+ Song Round Up, July 14th, 2010

“RiCHARD.GEAR chooses his samples wisely to deliver a wonderful disco-housey
experience that is de?nitely going to be stuck in the playlist for a while.”
- Robot Dance Music

“...RiCHARD.GEAR takes a big step in his career & releases his very ?rst ep, Starz...enjoy and show some love!”
- We Like It Indie

“... this track of his has got some heavy beats that only ?st-pumping to it will give it
justice.”
- Music Phileosophy

“[We] like this!” - Forever Disco

“Wow, Love it! Really Cool!” - Lucio Uchoa (Database)
“Absolutely love this EP!” - Supercommodore
“Awesome! Great job!” - Glasnost
“Very Impressive I must say.” - DJ Protege
“Good shit, bro.” - WCKids - Samantha Garrett July 29th, 2010 - Rhythm Sektion


"Rare Magazine"

There are so many DJs in Austin. I’m not quite learned when it comes to what’s good or bad, but I’ll tell you one thing: RiCHARD.GEAR is the bomb! From his color-changing mohawk to the disco and funk he spins. You can always tell he’s having fun, which I respect.
- -Tiffany Diane, published in the June ’09 issue of Rare Magazine Austin, TX


Discography

December, 23rd, 2011 - From The Heart EP (Mozzarella Recordings)
June 29th, 2010 - Starz EP

Praise for the Starz EP:

posted in D Squared's 30+ Song Round Up, July 14th, 2010

“RiCHARD.GEAR chooses his samples wisely to deliver a wonderful disco-housey
experience that is definitely going to be stuck in the playlist for a while.”
- Robot Dance Music

“...RiCHARD.GEAR takes a big step in his career & releases his very first ep, Starz...enjoy and show some love!”
- We Like It Indie

“... this track of his has got some heavy beats that only fist-pumping to it will give it
justice.”
- Music Phileosophy

“[We] like this!” - Forever Disco

"Using razor cut samples from classic disco tracks, GEAR creates a collage of sound built around none other then crazy energies and bottom heavy bass."
-The Rhythm Sektion

“Wow, Love it! Really Cool!” - Lucio Uchoa (Database)
“Absolutely love this EP!” - Supercommodore
“Awesome! Great job!” - Glasnost
“Very Impressive I must say.” - DJ Protege
“Good shit, bro.” - WCKids

Photos

Bio

RiCHARD.GEAR is the alter ego of born and bred Austin DJ/Producer, Davey Schacherl. At the tender age of twelve, he had received his first pair of turntables for Christmas and, while most kids were playing basketball or blowing up G.I. Joe's, Davey was busy mixing classic disco records from his parents crates.

In January of 2009, he co-founded the successful, yet short lived, WILD LIFE party series which hosted such talent as Bird Peterson, Computer Club, Hot Pink Delorean, Guns N' Bombs, Devlin & Darko, John Bourke of Trash Yourself, Kingdom, Kids At The Bar, Eli Smith, Bottin, After Midnight, The Disco Villains, Glasnost and Dani Deahl. In addition to this, he has shared the stage with the likes of The Junior Boys, Wolfgang Gartner, Designer Drugs, Franki Chan, Tittsworth, Cobra Krames, Nadastrom, Culture Prophet, Dubbel Dutch, Dmitry Foyodorov, Denny Le Nihm, Dirty Dave and The French Horn Rebellion.

Summer of 2010, RiCHARD.GEAR teamed up with recent Austin transplant, Brad Hoods (Broken Teeth) , and together, they set out on a two week midwest tour. Dubbed The Celebrity Hoax, the two DJs destroyed dance floors across four states with stops in Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.

With 2012 just beginning, RiCHARD.GEAR has already shared the stage with Fred Falke, Penguin Prison, the RAC Djs and released his second EP, From The Heart, on Italian disco label, Mozzarella Recordings.