John Kelley's sound can be defined as hard, intense, funky, tribal, uncompromising, even beautiful.
Whether he is spinning tribal techno, house, breakbeat, or everything in between, John inspires
spirited movement of the body, mind and soul. He works with the dancers, but does not play over them
or down to them. He brings them onboard, challenges them. He works in shifting states of consciousness,
ranging from the serene to the heavy, from the gritty dark groove to the ecstatic and explosively
kinetic. A believer in the spirit of the drum, he clearly understands the mechanics of rhythm, cutting
minimal techno plates with chunky house grooves, at his best captivating the crowd with a whirlwind of
intelligent and physical music.
John learned his love for techno and house music in the heyday of the LA rave underground of the
early '90s. Attending legendary warehouse parties like Aphrodite's Temple and religiously following
Doc Martin week after week to Flammable Liquid, John inherited the cultural spirit of the underground
while being inspired by the ethos of some of the world's best underground DJs. The daring sounds of DJ
masters like DJ Dan, Barry Weaver and Michael Cook hooked John.
Temporarily leaving a promising career-track to become an MD, John decided to take some time to
think and take in his new worldview. Once he bought turntables, his temporary vacation from pursuing
medical school became a permanent break. Serendipitously of course, he met Daniel Chavez at an early
LA Full Moon Gathering in the summer of '93. The outdoor free party experience was new to John, but he
instantly connected with its vibe and power. When Daniel heard by chance one of John's early practice
tapes he asked John to share mixing duties with him. As Moontribe's two resident DJs, John and Daniel
helped create the early sound and memories that have more or less made Moontribe legendary. "Legendary"
is a rather inflated word, but for those who were there in Moontribe's early years, it was indeed
intense, exhilarating and unforgettable.
An emergent sound spun out of this dynamic milieu, including the psychedelic sounds of West Coast
producers like Uberzone, Dubtribe, Bassbin Twins and Young American Primitive. Fused with the breakbeat
genius of UK acts like Leftfield and Underworld, John pushed the intensely funky and hard sound of
breakbeat techno. Two celebrated tapes came from this period, the unrelenting breakbeat ride of the
classic Desert Funk and the supremely psychedelic onset and decay of Lunar Funk.
In time, John's underground reputation lead to a higher profile, a relationship with Moonshine
Music bringing snapshots of his music journeys to an eager and growing following. His popularity
continues to grow, even though he never compromises his artistic vision. Spinning edgy but accessible
techno has earned him respect from his peers and the personal satisfaction of hacking his own path.
Pushing ahead after ten years, John Kelley's sound continues to morph, always one step ahead,
following the cutting edge of hard techno funk. These days, as a DJ, he plays anything from Peace
Division to Jeff Mills to Timo Maas to Circulation. His tribal path is sometimes challenging and
solitary, given today's plethora of progressive trance and deep house DJs. But John refuses to let
the spirit of the drum die. And itıs beginning to really payoff for himself and the music he champions.
Getting personal respects from the likes of Frankie Bones, Neil Barnes of Leftfield, Josh Wink and DJ
Dan is one sign. Seeing new faces and new people burning it up on the dance floor to music-with-balls
is another. It's been a decade-long journey from the hard funky raves of the early LA dance scene and
the halcyon days of early Moontribe, but for John the same vision that guided him then guides him
today. Whether it is with grooving house music, tribal techno, funky trance or tripped-out breakbeat,
there's a simple, unbreakable dynamic. It's not about drugs, money or even pretenses to spiritual
transcendence. It's about the people, the music, the dancing: that's John Kelley's genuine philosophy
and sound -- past, present and future.
For more information visit www.djjohnkelley.com
For bookings please contact Ron Rivilin:
Coast II Coast Entertainment Inc.
phone: 213.471.1100
fax: 213.471.1106
inquiries@artistbookings.com
