Dj Joe Lenders Far more then just a one time local Dj from Miami, Dj Joe Lenders talents exceed that behind turntables and a mixer. 305Disco recently caught up with Mr. Lenders and was able to get a few words from him about his time as one of South Florida's most recognized Deejay's. First off, allow me to say thank you for having taken your time from your busy schedule to honor me with this interview. (JL) My pleasure. It's fun reminiscing. Besides having been a top club DJ,you were also well known for being an on air jock heard through out the airwaves in Miami, how did that come about and what was it like? (JL) I was a fan of radio since I was a kid. I went to college just out of High School and studied radio broadcasting at Miami Dade South. I garnered an internship at WQAM working with Dave Burgess and Dave Dunaway. That lead to work at WGBS, WQDI, WGLY, WTMI and WRGI (Marco Island). I also had brief stints on WMYQ and others. I was working in radio during the day and at night I was DJ'ing at night clubs... mostly Big Daddy's. That's where I met a guy named Marcel Bauman. He was in charge of the new Omni Hotel and said that their new club needed a DJ. I stayed working in radio for a year while I was at Scaramouche... in case things didn't work out. Which did you prefer, spinning to a live crowd or on radio? (JL) No doubt about it, being a club DJ was a much better gig. Instantaneous gratification, you know they love you and hang on your next mix.... with radio, you found yourself wondering if anyone is listening. Plus the pay for a hot club DJ was awesome. When speaking about Disco in Miami from way back when, your name almost always seems to pop up while being labeled as a legendary DJ by club goers and your peers, how does that make you feel? (JL)It's nice to be remembered. Back in the 70's, being a house DJ at a hot club like Scaramouche imparted celebrity status in the night club scene. It definitely took adjusting on my part to get used to being treated as "just a customer" in the club scene after it was all over. To think that some people still remember me is very flattering. Which DJ (s) from back then did you admire? (JL) I think everyone admired Bobby Lombardi's mixing style, the guy was amazing, 4 turntables at once. But there was more to being a DJ, so I think a lot of guys influenced the way I worked. Carlos Nodal from Honey for the Bears was really great at being in touch with his audience. Billy Swann from the Manhattan was always on top of the newest music. Smokey at Sammy's always kept it real, playing the favorites even though everyone else was playing a tight rotation of new stuff. The guys spinning in New York were also idols... at New York New York and Studio 54. I would go there to listen and learn. Like any of today's DJ's, like who? (JL) I wish I could say I've kept up with the club scene. Now, as a filmmaker, I regularly put in 80 hour weeks directing. That does not leave time for clubbing. The last club I visited was Mangos on South Beach last November. The DJ was inaccessible, like a lot of clubs. I just look like another middle aged guy, so most DJs won't take the time to talk to me. It's the same in many Orlando and Las Vegas clubs. In the last dozen clubs I attended the DJ never spoke or said his/her name. Care to share a short wild club story that won't get you in trouble with the Mrs? (JL) Wow... there are tons, but like you said, my wife is better off not knowing most of them. The Scaramouche had an awesome light show, including neon and lasers. At that time lasers were brand new. We had a huge 8-foot long Krypton-Argon Laser with enough power to light a cigarette at a few feet away. One night we were all under the influence of alcohol and a variety of 70's refreshments and decided we could use the laser to put a dot on the surface of the moon. So 3 of us, with an entourage of another half dozen, dragged the laser to the roof of the Omni after Scaramouche had closed. We tried to put a spot on the moon. Well, we failed to calculate for the curvature of the earth and the effects of atmosphere and never hit the moon. But we did manage to waken a lot of people in condos within miles of the Omni, when we shot the laser into their windows. Most of the other stories involve women, celebrities and recreational drugs, so I'll keep those to myself for now. (JL)Where did you meet your better half? (JL) My wife Lora started in Scaramouche as a casher supervisor in 1979. Over time she was given charge of the business end of the club and the entertainment operations were in my charge. Together we were a great team, raising the club's popularity and attendance. After the Omni changed hands in 1982 the new owners did not understand the Miami club business and wanted to make operational changes which inevitably would put the club out of business, so Lora and I quit. But by then we both had spent so much time together we couldn't imagine being apart. That was 25 years ago. One word, Scaramouche? (JL)It was a name a marketing company picked out. The name Scaramouche did not mean "red lips" in spite of the logo. It was a real buzzword in 1977 when the first publicity started. No other club had a name like Scaramouche. It meant everything, yet nothing. A Scaramouche was a swash-buckler, a swordsman not unlike the three musketeers. It sure became a household word in the 70's. My business card had just the Scaramouche trademark red lips, the word "Scaramouche" and my name. Back then it was my pass to any club, restaurant, or party. I never waited in line, I never paid for a drink. The word Scaramouche was all that was needed. Instant celebrity, with just that word. Once Scaramouche shut it's door, you ventured into a new part of the nightclub business besides being a DJ ,exactly what was that? I was always an entrepreneur. While at the Scaramouche I was one of Miami's only nightclub consultants. I worked with designers and club owners to "fix" problem clubs and design new clubs. While doing that I always pushed the envelope on dance floor entertainment. I built some clubs with massive video screens. But programming was not available for those club video screens At that time. My friends and I made the first music videos to show in clubs. No training. We just picked up the first (huge) video cameras and started shooting. The first videos were crude and needed lots of lights. But,as we progressed our videos became underground hits at many clubs. I shot as many disco artists as I could when they appeared at Scaramouche and then also shot in and around clubs. I also got into the record business, re-mixing albums and disco singles. But the video got into my blood, the first time someone paid me for a video I produced, I knew that was it. It was about a year after I left the Scaramouche that I went into video full-time. What exactly made you put down the vinyl and pick up a camera instead? (JL) There was this amazing disco backlash in the mid 80's that killed the club scene. The "Disco Sucks" bumper stickers were everywhere. DJ pay went from $200 a night to $10 an hour. The video Scaramouche in the 80's paid $125 an hour. It was an easy decision. Do you still own your records (how many) and do you ever play them? (JL) I have boxes in storage at my studios along with a couple of turntables. I haven't touched them since 1990. Maybe it's time for ebay. From the looks of it, you have been able to become successful in all you have set your sights on, I'd say your nickname should be "Midas", rather then "The Needle", by the way why were you crowned "The Needle" and by whom? (JL) That's very kind of you to say. I'm a very lucky man, I've had a lot of great breaks. The Needle? Bo Crane pinned that one on me. Bo and his assistant Bruce Hard at the Florida Record Pool had nicknames for everyone. They called me "The Needle" because the first thing to touch a record was the needle. I had a reputation for finding the hits before anyone else. The record companies would send me test pressings weeks before anyone else would get them. I appreciated the nickname, but it was more of an industry thing, between DJs and the Record company executives. I think the general public would have thought the nickname was drug related. So the other DJs, record people and Bo called me "The Needle" as a compliment to my ability to break new music. Bo was the best friend a DJ could have. I don't think Bo has received the recognition he earned in the business. What's life like for The Needle these days? (JL) Very good. I'm directing another film "Terror Within" this fall. I've joined forces with a new partner to expand my motion picture business and the next few years are already booked. I own a government financed cable access channel and video production company, 1Pro Media, that are also doing excellent. My wife retired a few years ago and she is enjoying the benefits of my success and overseeing the construction of our new home. Ever get the itch to dust off the records and get behind a booth again? (JL) All the time. You never lose the urge. The dance floor was always my canvas, the dancers were my paint. Every song was a brush stroke. I could make a quiet sea of couples or a torrent of jumping maniacs. It was one of the best times of my life, and I don't think I will ever forget it. I think I would spin for a few hours if the opportunity arose. Word association, just type the first thing that comes to mind,next to each word. 70's- freedom and fun, anything goes 80's- reality sets in and it's not nearly as fun anymore Scaramouche - playground for Miami's Rich and Famous Jordache Jeans - nice ass... what happened to those jeans? Asses seemed to have gotten larger, I don't know if Beyonce or JLo could fit into Jordache Miami - the most exciting city in America with the most beautiful women on the planet Nightclubs - adult playgrounds to suspend reality for a few hours Trance music- sounds like the "break" in most disco songs that never leads anywhere... I like lyrics once in a while. Henry Stone- TK Records, now that's a true dance record genius. Henry Stone proves you can stay cool forever, that when you "got it" you "got it" regardless of age. One of the true icons of music. Cocaine- who knew? Seemed harmless enough. I guess there were a lot of lucky people surviving the era in spite of the powdered entertainment that was prevalent. Celi Bee- I made one of the first "music videos" for Celi Bee and the Buzzy Bunch. The song was called Superman and was popular after the release of the movie by the same name. Don't know what happened to Celi or her band after that. Pretty much a "one hit wonder". Once again thank's to Joe Lenders for this rare interview. Crutchfield Electronics MORE DISCOVIEWS!

Henry Stone 305Disco.com had the honor to interview a true living legend within the music business, the man who is directly responsible for what we call the "Miami Disco/Dance Sound" due to his immense involvement during the Disco era, in which his vision, guidance and years of knowledge and intuition, spawned some of the most recognized names in the music industry, such as KC & The Sunshine Band, Betty Wright and a slew of other chart topping notables. The majority of us know the incredible history Mr. Stone has left behind for all to enjoy with his involvement in the Disco & Dance movement, but we here at 305Disco.com as fans of Jazz, Soul and Blues music, would like to reach deeper into Miami's Iconic "Henry Stone's" soul. How are you Mr. Stone? (HS) In good health and I'm actively working on my old catalog We know your Disco past, but I'd like to explore your past and passion for the sound of Soul, Jazz and Blues, if you don't mind? (HS) I was a former Jazz trumpet player. I was in the first integrated army band playing with some wonderful black musicians and I picked up a lot of soul. It's safe to assume that your most passionate about the different sounds of soul such as Jazz & Blues? (HS) Yes, your assumption is correct, I have a great feeling for soul, blues and jazz. When did you first get hooked on the soul sound, who were those you would listen to and found inspiration from? (HS) Upon my release from the army in N.Y., I went to Calif. where I was involved with the early Modern Records, Black and White Records, Exclusive Records on these labels were artist such as Amos MIlburn, Johnny Moore and the Blazers, Hatta Brooks, Joe Liggins and the Honeydrippers, Charles Brown and many more these were the soul sounds that I would listen to and sell out in Calif. 1968 was the year that you discovered a young lady with a powerful voice, her name, Betty Wright, please enlighten our public on how your relationship with Betty Wright came to be and how you were able to progress and evolve Wright's career with much success for years to come? (HS) 1968 Clarence Reid and Willie Clarke brought a young 13 year old singer to my Hialeah studio so I could hear her sing. Her name was Betty Wright. We recorded a few sides in her early years until the classic Clean Up Woman came along, which I leased to Atlantic Records to get full worldwide distribution Clarence Reid & Willie Clarke, are two names here in Miami that, in my opinion, have not gotten the respect due to them as writers and producers, as well as talent scouts, how important was this duo to the Stone family of labels and artists? (HS) Clarence Reid & Willie Clarke are two names that have not gotten what is due to them as writers, producers and talent scouts. This duo was extremely important to the Stone family of labels and artists both pre and post TK. (HS) They were most important as writers and producers, producing huge hits for Betty Wright, hits that brought artists like Betty Wright & Gwen McCrae to Gold and Platinum status. They were both very prolific writers who wrote for many of the TK artists. Clarence Reid also wrote and sang quite a bit of material on the Alston label some of which was leased to Atlantic. It seems Reid and Clarke had no boundaries writing and producing, whether R & B, Soul or Funk to even off the wall productions for the pioneer of nastiness, Blowfly, they could do it all? (HS) Yes, that's true. They could do it all. One artist heard a lot within the compounds of my childhood home was Jimmy Bo Horne, my parents (Cuban none the less) were huge fans of the soul sound, in fact, as I recall, most of their collection was adorned with Stone owned label products, from Dade to Alston etc.( which I now have), you name it, my parents should of owned stock in your companies. But there was one artist they truly loved, it was Jimmy Bo Horne. I still recall watching my parents open up the old cabinet style stereo and play Mr. Horne's music over and over again, of course I was into Kiss, but as the years go by, one appreciates things a bit more, especially your parents taste in music. Jimmy Bo Horne, seemed to have a profound effect on his fans, what was it like to work with Mr. Horne? (HS) He was one of the easiest artist to work with, he was so good I wanted to take him to the next level, so I turned him over to KC to produce him. KC and Rick Finch wrote and produced the songs, like Spank and Dance Across the Floor for Horne. I was told by my parents Mr. Horne was a phenomenal performer, we know the man could sing, but how good was he on stage? (HS) He was great on stage. Other than a great R&B singer his performances on stage were excellent. He was a crowd pleaser and could always get them up off their seat to Dance Across The Floor. Jimmy was always a very charismatic performer. One of the things I have always admired about your career has been the fact that you are truly a huge supporter of local musicians. What is your secret to discovering and catapulting to success so many homegrown careers and in so many different genres of music? (HS) Basically, through the years, I was the only record label that was successful out of Miami. I also had my own studio which I made available to the young producers and writers. This was during a time when there was no internet, and everyone didn't have a home studio like today. It was difficult for young talent to find an outlet to record and try out new ideas. I was always a believer in the new young talent and kept an open door policy in my studio. I also was a believer in building my own rhythm section which I did with Latimore, Little Beaver, Timmy Thomas, and Chocolate Perry. Building my own rhythm section was a big part of the early Miami Sound. A sound that for the first time was recognized worldwide as “The Miami Sound”. Two names, just feel free to add what you like, James Brown & Ray Charles? (HS) James Brown and Ray Charles, what can I say? They were the greatest and are two names that I'm so grateful to be associated with and to have been involved with in their early careers. I believed in them before anyone else. I had to trust my ears and my gut instinct. Here's a part called name association, please write down the first thing that comes to mind next to each word I write. Blues & Jazz - BB King , Count Bassie Soul – James Brown The 60's, 70's and 80's – Chart, TK, Sunnyview RC Cola or Pepsi? - Pepsi Robert Johnson – KC’s drummer Sunnyview – Morris Levy Hot Prod. – Henry Stone K.C. – Five #1 Records Disco – Rock Your Baby Blowfly - Clarence Reids Finger South Beach – Party Down Radio today – Not Good Artist today – Hip Hop Reigns Caddy or Lincoln - Caddy Henry Stone's Life - Fantastic 305Disco would like to thank Mr. Stone for taking the time to do this " Discoview ". Not many within the music business find the kind of success Henry Stone has enjoyed through out his career, his longevity of turning out hits is equaled by very few, his name and legacy undoubtedly will continue to be talked about for centuries to come. Mr. Stone's contribution to the music industry is well documented, but most importantly his contribution to the city of Miami is what makes Henry Stone the most important piece of fabric when speaking of the Miami sound, he is a rare gem who through his many years of hard work has earned the right to be called an icon and a legend, better yet, Henry Stone is, Mr. Miami. Henry Stone, the simple trumpet player from New York whose career spawns nearly 6 decades continues to this day, active as ever, releasing music for the world to enjoy through Henry Stone Music. S. FLA. RADIO DJ INTERVIEWS!