Tough as Steele
Billy Steele Pumps Hard Beats
By Max Jimenez

Billy Steele is the new prodigy of legendary house music DJ Junior Vasquez. Steele's debut at Circuit on Saturday, July 28th will be his first time to Chicago. He's excited and honored to have been asked to play the city he considers, "the original hotbed of house music."

What will you play for the boys in Chicago?
Nothing gets me off more than catching the attention of the boys on my floor as I build up the night into an explosion. It's more than playing hit after hit. It's about the individual and collective experience we all share. Junior Vasquez told me that Circuit has one of the best systems in the country and that it will be a perfect place to debut my new track, "What!?".

There's a lot of buzz around the new single.
I'm very proud of it. I tried to keep the track simple and uplifting, with steady rhythm to make people stomp their feet once it kicks in.

How did you come to be Junior's new prodigy?
I was playing some of the smaller rooms in New York and one night, Junior walked up to my booth and asked me if I would consider opening for him at New York Pride. Of course, I accepted on the spot.

Who are some of your mentors in the music biz?
As far as big room DJ's go, Ralphi Rosario, David Morales, and of course, Junior Vasquez.

Billy Steele debuts at Circuit Nightclub on July 28th.
For more information, visit www.djbillysteele.com

Billy Steele is a vital, magnetic young artist whose abundant talent and charisma are already well known in the Manhattan fashion and club-going scenes.

Billy grew up on Long Island, about two hours outside of Manhattan, always knowing he would one day make it big in the city.

He arrived in Manhattan at 20 and with his chiseled looks and physique, was swiftly recruited into New York's high-fashion modeling world. Behind the camera, he was all business. But when off the shoot and out of the lens, Billy Steele was all about the party.

The fashion and club-going scenes regularly inter-mingle so it wasn't a surprise that Billy would become a prominent member of each set. What was a surprise was that the rising model would eventually decide to leave the shutterbug industry - and his career behind the lens - to pursue DJ-ing and a career behind the turntables.

Billy's Top Ten
(1) Lustral, "Everytime" Funkagenda Remix (white label)
(2) Jason Walker, "Been There Done That" (JVM Unreleased)
(3) DJ Billy Steele, "What!?"? (JVM)
(4) Jaso, "Addicted" (TKC)
(5) Rihanna, "Umbrella" Jody den Broeder Destructive Remix (Island Def Jam)
(6) Alexander Pirella, "Pumping BITCH" Kaura Progressive Mix (?)
(7) DJ vs. Mindskap, "Black Rain" Mucho Drums (Stereo)
(8) Nelly Furtado, "Say It Right" Junior Vasquez (unreleased)
(9) Brian Gianfriddo, "In Love" Bubble Gum Mix (white label)
(10) Friscia & Lamboy, "Deep In Your Soul" Cube Boys Remix (Nervous white label)