2008 Woodie Awards
Electronic music DJ visits Webster
By: Brian Stuckmeyer
Issue date: 4/28/05 Section: Culture
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Woody McBride, also known as DJ ESP, flew in from his home in Minneapolis April 23 to share details of his 17-year career in the electronic music business with Webster University students.
John Pruett, president of Webster's Audio Engineering Society, the campus organization that sponsored McBride's discussion, said the deejay was scheduled to appear in St. Louis that weekend and agreed to stop by the UC Sunnen Lounge before his other engagement.
"The Webster University student chapter encourages retaining all manner of music industry personalities for talks on the Webster campus," Pruett said. "We believe that the more world exposure we can provide to students at Webster, the more enriched the overall campus atmosphere will be." McBride, who has spent the last 17 years promoting, creating and deejaying electronic music, said he wasn't always involved in the music industry.
"I worked for the Associated Press for a while in and out of college," said McBride, who holds associate degrees in art and journalism from Bismarck State College in North Dakota. "I decided it wasn't the career for me."
McBride's career path became clearer to him, however, after he was exposed to electronic music at age 19.
"I grew up in North Dakota where it was pretty much classic rock and country music," McBride said. "The first time I heard the exotic sound of electronic music I was blown away. It transcended my understanding of the music industry. I could tell that I wanted to be a part of this."
Early in his career, McBride said he realized his enthusiasm for electronic music exceeded his experience.
"My ear wasn't well-trained enough to listen for the blends of different tracks," McBride said.
His first professional gig as an electronic music deejay didn't go so well either. In the process of mixing tracks at the First Avenue nightclub in downtown Minneapolis, McBride said he swapped out the wrong record, immediately drawing the attention of the surprised club patrons.
John Pruett, president of Webster's Audio Engineering Society, the campus organization that sponsored McBride's discussion, said the deejay was scheduled to appear in St. Louis that weekend and agreed to stop by the UC Sunnen Lounge before his other engagement.
"The Webster University student chapter encourages retaining all manner of music industry personalities for talks on the Webster campus," Pruett said. "We believe that the more world exposure we can provide to students at Webster, the more enriched the overall campus atmosphere will be." McBride, who has spent the last 17 years promoting, creating and deejaying electronic music, said he wasn't always involved in the music industry.
"I worked for the Associated Press for a while in and out of college," said McBride, who holds associate degrees in art and journalism from Bismarck State College in North Dakota. "I decided it wasn't the career for me."
McBride's career path became clearer to him, however, after he was exposed to electronic music at age 19.
"I grew up in North Dakota where it was pretty much classic rock and country music," McBride said. "The first time I heard the exotic sound of electronic music I was blown away. It transcended my understanding of the music industry. I could tell that I wanted to be a part of this."
Early in his career, McBride said he realized his enthusiasm for electronic music exceeded his experience.
"My ear wasn't well-trained enough to listen for the blends of different tracks," McBride said.
His first professional gig as an electronic music deejay didn't go so well either. In the process of mixing tracks at the First Avenue nightclub in downtown Minneapolis, McBride said he swapped out the wrong record, immediately drawing the attention of the surprised club patrons.