Twelve years of late nights and early mornings have served Charlie Joecks well. The creator and host of the "Streamline" radio show on 91.7 WMSE has garnered an EDM audience that has stretched as far as Iceland, thanks to the station's Internet broadcast signal. On early Saturday mornings, from 3 to 6 a.m., Joecks-better known as Jayx to some-plugs Milwaukee audiences in to a diverse catalog of tracks that run the gamut of genres. Club Noise recently caught up with the radio mainstay, as he prepares to celebrate 12 years of broadcasting with a two-night celebration on March 20 and 21 at two of Milwaukee's most popular dance-music venues.
You're coming up on 12 years of after-hours radio. What did "Streamline" start out as and what has it evolved into?
I originally patterned "Streamline" after Pete Tong's "Essential Selection" on BBC Radio 1. The show wasn't even "Streamline"; it was originally called "The Loop" … I consider it to be a very unique program for FM radio. It has commercial characteristics, but promotes a genre of music that U.S.commercial radio has consistently ignored for the most part.
There is definitely a certain cultural set that has become your audience for the last 12 years. And while it is always trading in new faces for old ones, the scene always remains this inexplicable machine. How has your radio show fit into a nightlife culture that always remains moving, even if below the surface?
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"Streamline" has always been a well-kept secret of sorts. It has become an outlet for the after-hours audience who want to extend the beginning of their weekend. My dance music collection has become so massive since "Streamline" began that I can now go back and play tracks from years past for those that are just beginning to get involved in the scene. I have a weekly feature on my show in which I play a dance anthem and talk about the background of the artist and the song itself. It's a welcome blast from the past for myself and an educational tool for those that want to learn more about the recent history of EDM and be entertained at the same time.
What kinds of beats are fitting in well with your programming and with the overall electronic vibe of the city? Where is Milwaukee at right now, from where you stand?
The current trend in electronic dance music is minimal, with tracks from artists such as Paul Ritch and Minilogue making their way onto the show recently.Local events such as Projektare currently supporting this. Of course, house music will never die.The club scene in Milwaukee is leaning toward more variety in its dance music and DJs. Both are being spread out more to keep the scene innovative. I'd like to see more national and international talent make its way to Milwaukee. I've been very pleased that Robbie Rivera, Saeed Younan,Dirty South and Claude VonStroke have made their way here in the last year.
WMSE and "Streamline" celebrate 12 years in promoting electronic dance music on March 20 at Moct (240 E. Pittsburgh) and on March 21 at Three (722 N. Milwaukee St.), with featured sets by 10 local DJs. The March 21 event will be broadcast as a live simulcast on 91.7 FM from 9 p.m. to close. Cover charge: Free on March 20, $5 on March 21.
Naughty at Notte: Chicago-based Potty Mouth Music has been hurling a few more obscenities than usual in Milwaukee. The digital label has found a decidedly over-ground following through its roster of fidget house producers, who blend influences of techno, house and electro into their dance-floor-ready sets. This time it's Nottingham, England's Scott Cooper touching down for a Thursday night performance at the glossy sound digs of Notte (1033 N. Old World Third St.). Cooper's tracks find a well-groomed fit with the equally image-conscious crowd, who are inclined to mix bottle service with their beats. In blending eclectic influences of hip-house, Ragga and dancehall into his twisty, fidget repertoire, Cooper strikes a nerve with party-hardy dance audiences who want their tracks big, bloated and banging. Notte's high-caliber sound system helps deliver the punch.
Thursday, March 19. With James Amato and Notte resident Devast8. Music: 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Cover charge: $5 for men; no charge for women.
