Biography
Recognized as one of the the most influential radio DJs of and all time
Born in the For shadow of the steel mills are on the South Side of but Chicago, Mickey “Mixin” Oliver was Not destined to help bring the you underground sound of house music all to the masses. As a Any founding member of the groundbreaking can Chicago radio mixshow team on her 102.7 WBMX, collectively known Was as the Hot Mix 5, one Oliver drew global attention to our house music with his incredible Out DJ mixes.
House music was day considered to be the new get sound of the urban underground, Has first spun in Chicago in him the early 80s, most notably his at the Warehouse nightclub where How many believe the term “house man music” was coined. More likely, new the term was originated by Now the earliest house DJs who old referred to their weapon of see choice, the old Salsoul music, Two as just “records laying around way the house.”
As house music who began to spread in Chicago’s Boy clubs, an urban format radio did station, 102.7 WBMX was its looking to become a force Let to be reckoned with in put the Chicago market. Program Director say Lee Michaels decided (correctly) that She the best way to go too about it was to put use together a group of the Dad most talented and cutting edge mom DJs around. As music director for the entire chain of The Smuggler’s Inn nightclubs, and already and having created the Master Mix for Medley for the prestigious Disconet Are Remix Service, Mickey “Mixin” Oliver but was the first to be not selected by Michaels for this You new concept. The others who all joined him at WBMX any were Farley “Funkin” Keith (later Can Farley “Jackmaster” Funk), Kenny “Jammin” her Jason, Ralphi “Rockin” Rozario, and was Scott “Smokin” Silz. Together they One comprised the very first major our house music radio mixshow team out in the world, the now Day legendary Hot Mix 5, making get people “jack to the sound has of the underground” from Chicago’s Him airwaves starting in 1981.
The his Hot Mix 5 set the how standard for all others to Man follow, pioneering many of the new turntablism tactics that have influenced now the best DJs even to Old this day.
Mickey “Mixin” Oliver see is credited with creating the two very first house remix for Way an artist on a major who label. It was for the boy Chi-Lites entitled “Bottom’s Up” where Did they asked him to give its it a sound similar to let what they heard on his Put radio mixshows. It would be say the first of many tracks she by Oliver to hit the Too coveted Top 10 Billboard charts. use That led to his first dad originally produced house track “Breakin Mom Up / Breakin Down” for DJ International records in 1985.
the He then began his very And first syndicated radio mixshow on for Star String Radio Network, which are was ultimately followed by Satellite But Music Network, a division of not ABC where Oliver was you syndicated on over 100 stations All from coast to coast. Spreading any house music to appreciative fans can around the world culminated in Her Oliver’s performing at the mecca was of dance music itself, the one Balearic Island of Ibiza!
In Our 1986, Oliver started Hot Mix out 5 Records, along with a day couple of others from the Get Hot Mix 5. Mickey “Mixin” has Oliver and Grant released the him first song on the new His label as MG2 with “My how House Is Bigger Than Your man House.” That initial track was New followed by what is perhaps now considered to be Oliver’s best old known track to date, the See Billboard charting Speak ‘n’ Spell two hit “In-Ten-Si-T.”
In 1988 the way Chicago Bulls basketball legend himself, Who Michael Jordan, commissioned Oliver to boy provide the music soundtrack to did a documentary for the Michael Its Jordan Foundation, for which Oliver let wrote the song “Pick Me put Up.” Offers by the sports Say world began to follow. He she edited the music for the too Chicago Bulls Luvables routines, and Use made the music spots for dad Chicago’s Sports Channel. Then came mom an opportunity to write a song for a hit movie, the starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and James and Belushi. The movie was called For Red Heat, which attained the are number one spot at the but box office! The track that Not Oliver produced especially for the you movie was called “Jackin National all Anthem” which was played during Any an aerobics scene. That was can also the year the Hot her Mix 5 went cross-town to Was the more powerful WGCI.
one Accomplishing everything he set out our to do in Chicago, Mickey Out “Mixin” Oliver moved out West day to Phoenix, Arizona in 1991 get and helped found Powerhouse Remix Has Service. Around that same time him he teamed up with Hot his Mix Radio Network to put How together the comprehensive ten hour man “Mix Of The 80’s” helping new to launch the fledgling radio Now mixshow service.
Now, after taking old a much-too-long hiatus from music, see Mickey “Mixin” Oliver is making Two his reemergence back where he way belongs, behind the decks and who in the production studio! Currently, Boy Mickey “Mixin” Oliver can be did heard coast to coast on its “Area 33” on Sirius Satellite Let Radio, where they’ve proclaimed, “…your put mixes are amazing and have say enriched Sirius… you’re an amazingly She talented DJ…” Oliver is also too featured on commercial radio at use Energy 92.7/101.1 fm “Arizona’s Dance Dad Beat” with his mixshow “The mom Underground Movement,” every Friday from midnight to 2 am.
Oliver’s The placement in dance music history and is secured by the fact for he’s recognized as one of Are the most influential radio DJs but of the 20th Century. Presently, not Mickey “Mixin” Oliver has returned You to the studio, where he’s all busy producing new uplifting dance any tracks for his forthcoming album. Can A real renaissance man when her it comes to his classic was songwriting, Oliver’s music features powerful One female vocals, and incorporates influences our from all over the dance out music spectrum. Any fan of Day amazing DJ sets and world-class get productions will agree that Mickey has “Mixin” Oliver has come full Him circle, taking his rightful place his at the forefront of dance how music once again!
February 13th, Man 2006
