DJ Venom
DJ Venom, aka Dave Schifino, was brought into this world on August 26, 1973. Growing up in Providence, Rhode Island, he experienced all different styles of music.
By selling fake Run DMC-style gold chains, he got enough money together to buy his first set of turntables. He started off spinning hip hop, reggae, and house music in the late 80s-early 90s. In 1991, he got immersed in the rave scene and made the switch over to techno & house in 1993.
“It was totally fresh air compared with the hip hop scene. Everybody in techno was in good spirits, everybody was smiling and nobody was trying to be better than any other person; there was no attitude,” - DJ Venom.
Currently, he spins a delicious mix of happy hardcore, hard house, and booty house.
"Being a DJ takes on different meanings. If I am going to spin for college crowds and spin stuff I don't like, then it’s a job. On nights when the crowd isn't dancing and there's just a bad vibe in the place, it's a job. But you feel like you can educate people. You as a DJ feel like you can influence people's lives whether it is with the music you play or with whatever you represent.” - DJ Venom
"Sometimes I'll look at the scene and say, ‘What am I doing here? Mr. Straightedge in a drug-infested scene.’ I always have to stop and look at the good points. Like, look, there are all these people dancing and they enjoy what I do. People dancing to my music, that's my motivation, that's what keeps me going. I ignore the people who are already passed out in the corner.” - DJ Venom