Petite and demure you would think that Miss Innocent was as sweet and innocuous as a kitten getting all tangled up in a ball of yarn. And she is. But once in front of the decks this kitten grows claws and Miss Innocent proves that she is one ferocious and calculating DJ who knows how to make the party go off. Her music is hard (tech-trance, techno and acid trance) and her technique is refined. As well, her stage presence is unparalleled; she takes the relationship between DJ and audience to a whole new level.



Like many other Vancouver DJs she has achieved global acclaim while receiving limited recognition locally. Her Vancouver parties are few and far between but she regularly travels to Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and through out the US. She has done a tour of Australia and next month she will be setting off for her second eastern European tour.



Currently she is signed with Soundproof (Vancouver), Futuretech (Graz, Austria), Female Spin (Toronto), and Nightmare DJs (Montral).



When did you first start going to parties?



1997



Did it take time to find the techno/tech-trance genre?



No. Even before I knew what the different genres were I had always been more drawn to that style of music and then when I met Dr. Phreak about six months after I had started to go to parties that was the kind of music he would play so I was always around it.



When did you buy your first set of turntables?



Actually, I dont even own a pair of turntables. I live with my brother, which is kind of handy I guess, because he bought turntables so I just use them. He bought them in 98.



How was your first party as a DJ?



Well, it would have been in August of 99, Trancemission 3, Soundproofs free annual party. It was pretty nerve-racking actually because I had never played on a big sound system before and I found it really hard to separate the sounds because theres music in your headphones and then the monitors and then theres the actual sound coming out of the system. Its really confusing because when you play at home you just have your headphones and your speakers. It was a little confusing and I was really nervous but it went okay and I felt better after because it was a good experience The second time I felt a little bit more comfortable. It was actually the next night because we had done a three-day party. So the first night was really, really nerve-racking because it was the first time I had played on a sound system and the next night I had a better idea of what I should be doing so it wasnt as bad.



o you produce tracks?



I havent produced anything as of yet but Im learning how to use the different equipment and programs. When I go in February to Austria, to stay with my friend Lori (Lori the Hi-Fi Princess), she has a studio set up and were going to try to do some tracks together and see how it goes. I dont know that much about it right now as far as using the different equipment theres a lot to learn.



You just finished an eastern European tour and youre about to go off on another.

How come?



When I was there in September Lori and I had discussed having me back in February Actually part of the reason Im going over there is because these people from Montral are doing a documentary on her and she said she wanted me to be over there for it I think Im playing a couple of shows on my own and then a couple with her. The last two weeks is the documentary and there will be people filming the whole time. The shows well be playing during those two weeks will be part of the documentary. She wanted me to be there because she has a booking agency, Futuretech, and Im helping her with it and Im part of it, too I think Ill also being going there in June for three months, too.



It seems that all other big Canadian cities have a large, thriving techno scene. Why do you think Vancouvers is so small and static?



Ive been wondering that for quite awhile. I dont know. Maybe it has something to do with the people who started the scene in Vancouver because they were more into house music. I think that had a big influence on how the scene is today. Because if you look at Calgary, I know theres a girl called Double D and another girl, Honey Mustard, and they were kind of the ones that started the scene in Calgary and they both like hardcore and techno. If you go there now you see that they have a big hardcore scene and a big techno scene. There just seems to be more of a balance between all the genres and in Vancouver you dont really find that. I dont know if its because the West Coast smokes a lot of pot -- maybe, I dont know, its just the West Coast sound, I guess. I guess its good if youre just beginning just because theres not so much competition because not everyone is doing it In Montral, hardcore is better known than here, and hard techno and trance and acid trance. There are a lot of DJs that play (that kind of music) there so you dont really stand out. But then again, there are more opportunities to play because more people like that kind of music.



What is your opinion on the party scene in Vancouver in general?



Its definitely changed a lot over the last five years. It seems that the novelty of things has died down in general. Compared to three years ago when there were two or three big parties each weekend now youre looking at the big ones being held on the holidays like Halloween and New Years. I think its also changed, too, because of the citys by-laws. Theres a lot more things you have to do and fees you have to pay and that makes the tickets more expensive, for the legal parties that is. There are still those small, illegal parties that happen Maybe its good that its died down a bit.



How would you like to see it develop?



I think the main thing is to see more of a balance between all the genres. Maybe a techno club night happening with the amount of people going to it being the same amount of people going to a house night? That would be nice.



Would you like to be a resident at a club night like that?



Not a weekly resident but maybe a monthly resident.



Each time Ive seen you play youve screamed at your audience. Do you do this consciously?



Its not planned out but (I do it because) it just feels right at the time. Sometimes Ill say, Hey, this is my favourite song or listen to this build-up but sometimes I dont do it at all.



Do you plan your sets?



I used to when I first started just because I was so worried about making a mistake. But, then I couldnt change the set because then I wouldnt know the mix. For the last while Ive been planning out the first couple of songs. If I dont really know what the party is going to be like Ill plan out a couple of different things and then I can go from there. But I dont really plan a full set because I know what record goes well with what and I can do it right at the time.



When you play somewhere youre not very familiar with do you watch the people?



I always like to get to the party about two hours before I play. I can walk around, see what its like, see the people, what the other DJs are playing, see what the crowd is like That way I get a sense of what the people are liking and what would be appropriate to play.



You do a lot of tag teams. How does your style differ when youre playing with someone else?



Well, I guess it depends on the person who Im tagging with. If its Trevor (Son of Jacob) its more techno so Ill play more of my techno music Tagging is a bit different because you dont know where the set is going to go because you play a couple and the other person plays a couple. Sometimes Ill mix into their songs and I wont know how their song will end. That can be a little unnerving because sometimes you dont expect the song to do something. Its different because youre trying to match the other persons style. Sometimes, if I play by myself Ill play a mix of techno, trance, and acid and playing with someone else Ill maybe have to play (for example) more trance. But its fun. And it can take some of the pressure of you because youre not playing for the whole time.



Do you have any CDs out? Any to come?



I have a few out. The first one was Hard but Friendly, Thats a mix of techno and acid trance. Then I put another one out with Martin, one of the Soundproof CDs that we have out, and thats acid trance. Its called, Mono Madness Last February I was in Toronto and I did a tag set at the party with Deko-ze and they recorded it. Thats more tribal-tech. Then the one I recently made, Tone Blue was my demo I sent to Europe. Its tech-trance and techno. Im making a new one right now And Lori and I are going to do a CD together. Shes going to do half the CD and Im going to mix the other half.



Whats been the highlight of your DJ career so far?



One of my dreams was to play with Deko-ze because hes my mentor and when I got to do that I was really excited. Another one was, in April 2001 I got to open up for Mark EG at The Warehouse in Calgary. That was one of my dreams because he is one of the DJs that really inspired me because I met him when I first started Djing I guess going over to Europe was a highlight but in a different way because it was more of a learning experience. It was nice to see what was going on in the world.



Do you see yourself doing this for the rest of your life?



I dont know if for the rest of my life. I dont know if Ill be doing this when Im seventy but, yeah, I would say this is a really big part of my life and I love putting on parties here in Vancouver and Djing.