Meet the Deputy Head DJ with a passion for house music
Due to the current COVID-19 situation we find ourselves having to spend a lot more time at home, we have seen many people on social media showing us what they have done with there homes or garden in their spare time. Plus we also get to see more of what people do for a hobby.
We recently spoke to Lee Pace a 44 year old Deputy Head Teacher from the James Bateman Middle School in North Staffordshire. Like many of us due to lockdown Lee has to spend more time at home. When working out in his home gym you will find him listening to house music whilst he works out. This got him thinking more about music and he has decided to take up a hobby, and become a DJ.
But been a DJ is not exactly a new hobby for Lee, he used to used to DJ many years ago. He used vinyl records on his Technics 1210 decks at home, he also used some CD decks and bit of lighting he had as well. He did a few discos in pubs and clubs, mainly for birthdays and weddings, he also once did a New Years Eve gig, which was the highlight of his DJing career.
Lee said it’s not easy as the technology has moved on massively in 20 years. When asked about the technology he said “I used to DJ with vinyl and trying to mix in a track at the right time, at the right speed was incredibly difficult. Now with the digital technology this aspect has become a little easier, although it still takes some practice.”
He is still getting to grips with the the new technology and all the ‘effects’ you can add to mixes as well. He told us that the best thing about the digital era is the access to music, you can stream any tracks at any time, there are several apps that you can use to synchronise with and the DJ software available.
The most difficult part for any DJ is finding tracks that will work well together, it can sometimes take weeks to put one set together. But as with anything the more practice Lee does the better he will become.
Every DJ has their favourite style of music, the tracks they like the most, and have the most knowledge about. Lee told us that for him “house music is what I enjoy the most, with female lyrics, as it just seems to work better”
Like many of us of a certain age Lee spent many summers holidays in Ibiza in the 90s. He recalls that in 1997, he was walking along a road in Ibiza and his friend asked him what his DJ name would be, he looked around and saw the word ‘tspark’ on back of an Alfa Romeo car, he has stuck with that ever since! so Lee is now known as DJ Tspark.
Many people who DJ for a hobby or professionally put their mix’s online so others can listen, watch this space, because Lee does plan to do this in the future.
On a final note Lee told us “That been a DJ is an amazing pastime! There are lots of skills involved and it really makes you think about how music works. As a teacher I want everyone to find a passion and show it off.”
Lee also said that “The students at his school don’t know about his DJ skills but obviously they’re about to find out! Not sure what they will think but he hope’s they like it!”
