April Profile:Katalyst Crew: Zedan (till the day I die!)-Covert Operations-Scientia Recordings-RSD-32 Degrees (RIP) Site: Covert-Operations.org / Scientia Recordings / Zedan Contact: katalyst@scientiarecordings.com or katalyst@covert-operations.org

Audio Mixes:
Real Audio: Katalyst Live @ Dubwize!
MP3: Katalyst Live @ Dubwize!

How did you get started ?
I honestly never thought that I would end up being a DJ or where I am at musically in my life. I have been a drummer since the age of 5 and I always was in bands since I was 12 and never thought of anything else but sitting behind a kit and playing my heart out. I am a big fan of death metal, punk, and so much more but I was definitely a metal head for quite sometime. Incidentally, being at one of those shows proved to be pivotal in my career as a DJ. It was a friend, Ricky Simpson, who I had a Digital Music class in high school with, turned me onto the whole electronics thing with Prodigy's Experience. That album still gives me chills whenever I hear it. Pure sonic brilliance. I was into Afrika Bambataa, Kraftwerk, and electro/techno music as a kid but I grew to hate what people had done to it with surge of horrible dance acts that seemed to spawn like viruses when I was in middle school. Experience and the stuff the Chemical Bros. were doing as the Dust Bros. was also ripping in my opinion. It was all about the beats and I hadn't heard too much besides that 91/92 sound that really stole my imagination.

That led me to start producing first and the DJing came later on. I had heard a compilation called Welcome to the jungle and it had all the classic tunes on it like Terrorist, Helicopter Tune, and Roll the Beats. I wore that CD out and then I heard a CD called Timeless by Goldie and that was it. I found the music that really wanted to make me stand behind decks and play records and expose people to it here. Around 97 I got some decks and I had already been collecting and buying records so it was just a matter of time. Another friend Thomas (DJ Buddha) and I spun and learned a lot together since we always just practiced at his house and then go watch others later on at night so I knew then it was going to be a hard road to get to where I wanted to be in terms of being a drum and bass DJ. For a good year or two, I played the worst slots anyone could play, any party that would let me play, and just kept pushing to be heard for better gigs. I slowly met others who were into drum and bass it slowly came apparent that this was something new for Dallas and Fort Worth but the opportunities were better for me in Dallas so that's when I went out there. I got gigs at the early 32 degrees shows and a few one offs with other production companies so that led to my involvement with Zedan. Zedan is actually the first promotional crew in Dallas to have drum and bass as a main area for an event. I met Reggie at a Cannibal Corpse show and from there we stayed in touch and I saw him at parties handing out fliers and talking to people about what is going on within the scene. I was working at Neurovox buying Drum and Bass for the store which Reggie and Lance bought and then we became Core Records. I learned a lot through Reggie and Lance about this scene and throwing successful events. It's all about respect for what you do and the people who share that also.

Through the exposure that I was blessed with by Zedan, I became apart of 32 Degrees and there Decibel was born and the many many events that came with it. Through the drama and excitement of it all, 32 was something that I will always be glad I was apart of as some of the best shows I have been apart of were at that place. Wes (MC Alias), Gammah, Chrisko, and myself came together to do Covert Operations as something that we really wanted to be very secretive and not have the kids know who actually was apart of the company. We thought it was not important to know who was behind the event as long as the event was TOP NOTCH. So we kept our mouths shut for awhile and people thought it was 32 Degrees under a different name, others thought it was just Wes, and the list goes on and on. When we decided to shut down Decibel, we all went our separate ways and so Wes, Chris, and I hooked up again with Todd and really pursued Covert Operations with the results you see now with our events at Trees and other venues. Scientia Recordings is now my new avenue with Chrisko and it is going to be the next brick in my master plan to rule the world! We just put out the first release so please go out and buy it!

Who inspires you musically and why?
Anyone can inspire me musically as long as it's real. I need to feel it. I want to be able to feel what they play and/or sing about. As far as drum and bass, Matrix, Paradox, C4C, Optical, Dom & Roland, Tech Itch, and Dillinja will always rate massive in my book. There are many others but I am thinking time and time again and these have been at it for a minute although C4C are the newest of the bunch. It is their uncanny ability to blend atmosphere, music, and sense of independence to their production that makes them really stick out in my mind. I'm really an avid fan of Miles Davis, especially around his experimentation with electronics in the 70's and his creation of fusion with Bitches Brew. Herbie Hancock, Roy Ayers, and the Yellowjackets are some others I constantly dig on. Metal like Cradle of Filth, Morbid Angel, and especially Death (RIP Chuck!) were bands that I was obsessive about since I loved the music so much. It was very technical, intricate, and heavy with sheer brutality. I loved it and still do. After being a DJ for awhile, I really started to get into Detroit techno and tech house thanks to Reggie really turning me onto the good stuff. There is just too much music that inspires me so I guess I can just say if it's good it's good and I will dig it.

How much have you changed musically since you started?
I have changed musically light years because I feel to become a better musician you will change and grow whether you like it or not. My mind races with musical ideas all the time that might not necessarily be music that I write, play, or am into but I still would like to try and expand on how it can turn out. I am not afraid to test audiences with something different or to play something that is very different from what the night had to offer. As long as I grab a few heads then my work is done. That is how we had to do it with Drum and Bass in the beginning for this scene so that is how we can keep it going with fresh ideas and talent.

Name two of your favorite tracks.
Moving 808's - Optical
Timeless (all 3 parts) - Goldie

What do you think of the current state of the Dallas Scene?
I think that Dallas has gone through some serious issues and problems and now we are coming back to a point that is good again. I have always thought that Dallas will regain some of its respect when we start putting our own records out and we start to show the world how much talent is brewing here. With the death of the every weekend massive, we were able to bring the shows into more intimate environments and show the clubs in Dallas that we are professional and the future of this city. I feel there is more communication between the "genre" scenes as we were friends and are supporting each other now as producers/DJ's with the projects we all have going. There is strength in unity and it is apparent now more than I ever saw it in Dallas and it makes me feel very optimistic about what is coming on the horizon. The legal issues are what we need to tackle next and that is going to require a massive amount of effort and communication on everyone's behalf in order to have an event or a venue to call home. Austin and San Francisco have set great blueprints that we need to follow and add our flavor to it in dealing with the police and outdated laws that seems to still have chilling effects on what we do.

Support Your Local Record Stores (CORE RECORDS!) Support Your Local DJ's and Talent!

When is your next gig?
4/6/02-AUSTIN SHOW AT ASYLUM with Danny the Wildchild, Kimball Collins
4/10/02-HELLION-TECH ITCH/MC JAKES-TREES
4/20/02-TEXAS DRUM AND BASS SHOWCASE-AUSTIN
5/08/02-RELOAD-PLANET OF THE DRUMS-TREES
5/24/02-INFILTRATION-BAD COMPANY-TREES
6/08/02-JACKHAMMER-TBA-TREES
7/06/02-BASS:MINT-TREES

Do you want to thank anyone?
Covert Operations- Wes, Todd, Chris, and Bill -Thanks for everything and now its time to go in for the KILL!!!!

Covert Street Team- You guys are really cool for wanting to push this music to the limits!

I want to thank the Zedan family (Reggie, Lance, Phooka, Joel Alamo) Melanie, and my Scientia family (Chrisko, Funktion, Spamgazm, Chris Index), Absynth for all the support and inspiration. Demarkus, Joe, Scott, Paul Paredes, Turnaround, Kid Jeremy, BGB (RIP), Coppell fam, Manda, Tolitha, Sarahtonin and Subpoint crew, Melissa, Squirt, ILLROK. Big ups to Dykast, Vector Burn, Terminal Velocity, Dphie, Kasra, Ray Keith, Teebee, Rider, and Fabio. A massive shout goes to Merritt for helping out with everything! Respect due to Houston-the original TX DNB scene, Purrin Lion, Protoculture, Austin Fam-Twist-1. Robert M. 626 Soul Fam All TX crews inside!!! Thanks to thank Scott Beggs and the Trees management and staff, Russell, Home Bar, Nicole and the Red Jacket staff, Mario too. Thank you also to Annesta and the DallasRaves Staff.

I also want to thank every single person that comes to all my shows, has the kind word to say and appreciates what I do. It means the world. There are so many to thank that it would take days so thanks to all of you!

Do you have anything else to add?
Scientia Recordings 001 is out and so go out and buy it! Vector Burn is going to be a name to watch in the coming year so be on the lookout. Dykast is next in the pipeline so hold tight for that one as well. We have some things planned for the label so definitely peep the website and send me a message.

Also, for the DJ trying to come up, if you are hungry man, be patient and play like it's an audition, because it basically is. As easy as it might come, the easier it will go for good.