DJ High Voltage Interview
Recently and finally, I got it together and did a long time coming
interview with Jarod Preston. He is known in Toronto as DJ High
Voltage. I met Jarod in my past life as a party promoter and he
played a few of my parties. Always energizing and good vibe
spreading is he. I am proud to present our little interview as my
second blog post. Check him out on Facebook if you want to find
out where and when he may be playing in the near future and get
yourself hooked up to his divine creations! You can hear one of his tracks here: x
How did you get started in DJing?
Chris Sheppard had a huge influence on me. He used to have
two shows on FM 102 where he had a segment called “Shep’s
Premeditated Megamix”. It would be a popular 80’s song
fused with many other songs, and sometimes it went on for
ten minutes. I think I already had a built-in urge to hear more
than one song at a time, but that’s when I decided to dabble in
it myself. I found out many years later that Shep’s Megamixes
were actually created by DJ Paul Dakeyne for the DMC record
pool, which Chris was a subscriber to.
In 1991 my mom bought me a four-channel mixer for
Christmas. The next day I bought my second Discman and
started playing at any house party that would have me. I chose
CD’s over records, partly because I knew they were more
durable, and partly because it was supposed to become the
main format in the clubs. Two years later I was writing for
a music magazine called Renegade Spectrum. The publisher
had a weekly retro night at The Sanctuary, where he gave me
my first recurring guest slot. But the first time I remember
using a DJ CD unit was at my second rave gig at The Zoo Bar
(Funhaus). I bought my own shortly after.
Do you remember the first song that really did it for you?
Cars by Gary Numan. The soaring keyboards really tripped
me out as a seven year old. I used to go to my local roller
skating rink in Whitby called Wheelies, and I was very excited
whenever they played Cars. That, and Crazy Train by Ozzy
What are you doing presently?
I just finished recording my first video demo for YouTube /
Vimeo debuts. I can’t wait to see the finished product. I’m also
arranging my first podcast of the year. Its part of an ongoing
series called Shock Therapy, where I feature favorite new
tracks, which I think others, will enjoy too. I try to fit as many
styles as I can into 75 minutes. My first release of this name
was a cassette in 1995, and I started the podcast in 2010. I’ve
branded a style called Retronica, which is 80’s influenced EDM,
not unlike the Electroclash movement ten years back. I’ve also
entered a Tears For Fears remix contest on Beatport, and I’m
very pleased with my entry.
Is it hard to get gigs in Toronto?
Yes. There’s a surplus of DJ’s and only a handful of venues. It
was easier in the 90’s when there was at least one major rave
every weekend, and several other options at the same time.
Club owners and promoters tend to hire friends or family
rather than talented strangers. And if they do hire a stranger,
they’re more concerned about the bottom line than sponsoring
a creative endeavor. That’s also something that was better
back in the day. People would follow their hearts a little more.
To be fair, maybe it’s me. Marketing a unique sound can be
tough. It’s like showing everyone a platypus and saying “this is
the ideal pet for you”. It’s a tough sell.
What do you do to (survive) feed both your belly and your
I am determined. And I’m very excitable when it comes to new
sounds. Also I have a day job. It’s comforting to have a steady
income, benefits, and more job security than most.
How has the Toronto dance music scene evolved (or dissolved)
from when you got into DJing to the present culture?
When I started going to raves in ’92 it was ideal for someone
with a short attention span like myself. Every hour was a
different style. Then I watched as all the different camps
developed. Trance. Jungle. Happy Hardcore. For years it was
fractured. One scene would turn their nose up at another. But it
all seems to be coming back together again lately. Open format
is a little more accepted now. There was also the sea change
with the crackdown on warehouse parties. But even the more
alternative styles eventually found a home in the clubs.
What’s your favorite stuff to play right now?
I like variety more than any one style. And I love exposing
people to something new. I like the tech funk of Elite Force.
I like the Suicide Dub family of High Rankin, Hostage, and
Racknruin. I love the drumstep of Twisted Individual and
Urban Assault. And because of my natural urge to combine
songs, I love a good mash up. Colatron and The Reborn Identity
have kept me amused with mashes for quite some time. I think
mash ups are generally underrated in Toronto. That being
said, I think Girl Talk is overrated. I think a DJ should be able
to mix in key. And to not constantly resort to hip hop and R&B
How has Depeche Mode affected your life?
In an insidious way! As an impressionable youth in the 80’s I
appreciated their sense of style. Their fusion of Goth and synth
pop. Their two tone denim and leather look. Their beautiful
and quirky videos. I may enjoy more songs by The Smiths
or The Cure, but almost everything I listen to has strains of
Depeche Mode in it. I never intended to produce nine Depeche
Mode remixes / mashes, and yet they just came to me, one by
Describe your personal creative process and how it
becomes something that you can put back out there?
I always say I use three ears when I listen to something. The
first is to decide if I like something or not. The second is for
deciding if anyone else will like it besides me, and what impact
it will have in a club. And the third is for figuring out what sort
of music it is and how it relates to other things I’ve collected.
How do you make a song yours, putting your magic and
unique touch on someone else’s composition?
Sometimes I’ll like most of a track, but not all of it. Or I think
it’s too leftfield to be effective in a club. If I think it’s worth my
time, I’ll make a custom edit / remix. That’s where those come
from. Then there’s the mash ups. I have a long list of songs
that remind me of other songs. They just jump out at me. But
when I remix a song I really have to focus on a theme or goal,
otherwise I would never finish. In any case, I often build a track
from front to back, like a DJ set. I think I generate the most
What distinguishes High Voltage from every other DJ?
I know the difference between what I like, and what other
people will probably like. I recognize that there’s sometimes
a difference between art and entertainment. But most of all, I
give a shit about what you want to hear. And I like to make an
Inspirations, interests outside of music?
None. Seriously though, I believe that laughter is the best
medicine, so comedy is a must. You can hear it in my sets, and
some of my productions. I love good food. If that makes me a
foodie then so be it. And science fiction. Because I'm not just a
music nerd. I'm all kinds of nerd!
How do you get a crowd going in a club, does it bug you
when people make requests?
Nostalgia is king. I like to play things that toy with everyone’s
collective memory. But I have to be careful not to insult those
memories! I actually like taking requests. Sometimes the
audience gives me a better idea than what I had in mind. But
I despise demands. There are always a few people who don’t
comprehend that there might be a certain theme for the night.
And there’s usually some jerk who will give me a lot of grief if I
Who is in your listening bag right now, anyone to watch out
for, exciting music trends?
There’s another revival in old rave sounds circa 1992-1994.
Part of it comes from hardcore artists who play at the Bang
Face parties in England like DJ Producer, Panacea and Luna
C. Part of it can be heard on new compilations from Intensive
Recordings. And still another part comes from the Future
Jungle movement by artists like DJ Fresh and 601.
If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be?
I would love to produce The Prodigy… and of course Depeche
Mode. Locally I’d love to play with Marty McFly because of my
love for breaks. Also Denise Benson, because of her open minds
/ open format policy. The only party we played together was
actually a Surlygrrrl party! But that was ages ago.
Tell people one thing that they may not know about Jarod?
I was married at an Italian villa on a cliff overlooking the Indian
Ocean, near a small jungle village named Takaungu. I know
it sounds fantastic, but it’s true. I was married in Kenya, but
am once again single. Best wedding I’ve ever been to though.