Lewis loved Bobby Darin. I got turned onto this track through him.

"Adore" reminds me of seeing Prince with Lewis at MSG in 2011. We were both in slack-jawed awe of the Purple One.

Saw Chuck Berry at BB King's in Times Square around 2007 or 2008 and even though Chuck was way past his day, it was still Chuck Berry, the man for whom if he hadn't happened, we would be living in a very different world.

X is a quintessential L.A. band, and this is probably my favorite track of theirs. Lewis was an L.A. native...had to put this on.

Lewis and I saw Bruce together several times. This is Bruce's greatest song about friendship, and one of my favorite late-era versions, recorded in 2016 two nights after Bruce's friend, Prince, died. Given our love of both Springsteen and Prince, this version felt like the right one to put in.

A great little track by the "should be much more famous" Nick Lowe.

My favorite Oasis song and now one that will forever remind me of my departed friend.

One of the best tracks off of the Stones' greatest album. Shine a light, Lewis.

An end of year/beginning of a new year collection of music that begins in some tech house, moves into some nu disco, runs back through more tech house and lands in some hymn-like progressive house as a prayer for 2022. 

Wishing you all a new year filled with love, beauty magic, joy and fulfillment. 

And a lot of dancing.

Track Listing:

Viva Voce - John Summit
What's Your Name - Joyce Muniz, Demitrius
You're So Just Just - Rework
Watch That Tongue - Cloverdale
Purple Brain (Frechbax Remix) - Breger, Frechbax
Free Your Body - Chris Lake, Solardo
Beware Of The Dog (Kevin McKay Remix) - Peter Brown, Kevin McKay
Magic Carpet - Kyle Watson
I Promise You - Max Styler, LA Riots
You've Done Enough (Terrance Dub remix) - Gorgon City, DRAMA
Nobody Else - Ashibah, Jean Bacarreza
ALL DAY/ALLNIGHT - DON'T BLINK
Look @ Me - Korky Buchek
Stimulate - John Summit
If Everything Went My Way (Earth n Days remix)- Roog, Earth n Days
Always Gonna Be Love - Sam Sonder
Out Of Me - Luttrell
Morning Dew - Nora En Pure

Greetings From Reno, Nevada (Volume Two: December 2021)

Greetings From Reno, Nevada (Volume Two: December, 2021)

RikkiRain - Magic Town - 12.31.22

Volume Two of "Songs For Modern Lovers," a sequel to last year's Volume One. This is a sprawling mix filled with the ups and downs, highs and lows and the pleasures and pains of love.  Happy Valentine's Day to one and all, with love from The Acidic Rabbi. ❤️❤️❤️

1. Erotic Soul - 2020 Rework by Gorge
2. Harvest Moon - Original Mix by Dear Humans
3. Run to You (feat. Claudia Kane) - Edit by Maya Jane Coles, Claudia Kane
4. Love You So - Original Mix by Maickel Telussa, Lissat, Block & Crown
5. Name of Love (feat. SPNCR) [Torren Foot Remix] by Lee Foss, Franky Wah, Torren Foot, SPNCR
6. Sun Is Hot by Nala
7. tu tienes mi corazón by dj poolboi
8. Out of My Mind by Luxe Agoris, Jesse Ian
9. If I Can't Have You by Block & Crown, Paul Parsons
10. Warm Disco by Lee Foss, Anabel Englund
11. All 4 Love (feat. Tasty Lopez) by Mark Knight, Rene Amesz, Tasty Lopez
12. All over Again - Original Mix by Block & Crown
13. Can't Hide Love - Index Remix - Radio Edit by The Moleskins, Index
14. Un rêve à deux by Jean Tonique, Bleu Platine
15. Can't Take My Eyes off You by Craymer, AIIVAWN
16. Hot Hands by Darius
17. Lost In You (Falling In Love) - Estiva Remix by Dezza, Estiva
18. Cold as Ice - Original Mix by Block & Crown
19. Tearing Me Up by Bob Moses
20. Enfants by Julien Pastel
21. Greatest Day by Double Touch, Reigan
22. I'll Wait - Le Youth Remix by Lane 8, Channy Leaneagh, Le Youth
23. Mon Cheri - LP Giobbi Remix by Sofi Tukker, Amadou & Mariam, LP Giobbi
24. Sunlight (feat. Years and Years) - Radio Edit by The Magician, Years & Years
25. Everything - Original Mix by Lonely Boy
26. Ready For Your Love by Gorgon City, MNEK
27. How Deep Is Your Luv - Extended Mix by GhostMasters
28. You've Got The Love by Florence + The Machine
29. Love - Ultimate Mix by John Lennon

Songs For Modern Lovers, Volume Two

https://variety.com/2023/music/news/lewis-largent-mtv-120-minutes-kroq-dead-dies-1235549497/

My friend and former colleague Lewis Largent died in February and as the shock of his death moved through me, I knew I had to make a mix in tribute to him. 

I met Lewis when we were doing A&R for the Island Def Jam Music Group in the early aughts. Before I met him at IDJ, Lewis was already famous in the biz, having been the Program Director at KROQ in Los Angeles, the country’s most influential alternative station and then the host of MTV’s 120 minutes in the early to mid 90’s, just as Alternative was going mainstream in the wake of Nirvana. 

Lewis and I were kindred spirts with a lot of musical overlap—Soul music, old school Country, Springsteen, Jazz, the Stones, 50's rock, 70's punk and the (kind of corny) AM hits of the 70’s that we both grew up on and a whole lot more that is reflected in this mix. Lewis had a huge passion for Britpop and British post-punk, some of which I loved and some of which we argued about. He also loved the Clash even more than me—Joe Strummer especially. And there was Oasis, who he swore by and who I dismissed when they emerged in the mid-90’s. I never became a full convert, but I’ll swear by the three songs I’ve included here. 

One of my rules for this mix was that the songs included had to be either songs I know Lewis loved (he had wonderfully deep and eclectic taste) or they had to be tracks that he gave me when we would raid each other's music hard drive. Thousands upon thousands of songs…reflecting his love of 80's alternative/punk hits; early Reggae/Ska/Rock Steady; AM hits of the 70's; Britpop; pop vocalists of the 50’s and a whole lot more. Going through my hard drive to find tracks for this brought him back vividly--a lot of recollections of him saying, "Oh Dude, you need this album!"

I hope the mix does this beautiful soul the justice he deserves. 


1. Booker T. & the M.G.'s - Meditation
2. Elton John - Funeral for a Friend (Love Lies Bleeding)
3. Stone Roses - I Wanna Be Adored
4. Oasis - Live Forever
5. Leon Russell - Stranger In A Strange Land
6. The Beach Boys - I Just Wasn't Made For These Times
7. The Rolling Stones - Worried About You
8. Johnny Cash - Redemption Song (with Joe Strummer)
9. The Church - Under The Milky Way
10. The Heptones - Our Day Will Come
11. Jimmy London - Bridge Over Troubled Waters
12. Babybird - You're Gorgeous
13. The Sundays - Here's Where The Story Ends
14. Oasis - Acquiesce
15. Dean Martin - You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You
16. Dolly Parton - Here You Come Again
17. Looking Glass - Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)
18. Joya Landis - Angel (Of The Morning)
19. Patti Smith - Everybody Wants To Rule The World
20. Nick Lowe - When I Write The Book
21. New Order - Temptation
22. Charles Bradley, The Budos Band - Changes
23. Ozzy Osbourne - Mama, I'm Coming Home
24. Bruce Springsteen - Wreck On The Highway
25. Neil Sedaka - Love Will Keep Us Together
26. Meat Loaf - You Took The Word Right Out Of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)
27. Bryan Adams - Cuts Like A Knife
28. Hank Williams - I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive
29. George Jones - Tarnished Angel
30. Elvis Costello & the Attractions  - A Good Year For The Roses
31. Joni Mitchell - California
32. Donny Hathaway - I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know
33. Bobby Darin - I Guess I'm Good for Nothing but the Blues
34. Stanley Turrentine - God Bless The Child
35. Billie Holiday - I'll Be Around
36. Prince - Adore
37. Chuck Berry - Promised Land
38. X - 4th Of July
39. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Silver and Gold
40. Jimmy Cliff - Sitting In Limbo
41. Bruce Springsteen - Backstreets
42. Creedence Clearwater Revival - The Midnight Special
43. Marvin Gaye - One For My Baby (And One For The Road)
44. Oasis - Champagne Supernova
45. The Rolling Stones - Shine A Light
46. Frank Sinatra - Put Your Dreams Away

Love you Forever, my friend. -- Swifty

Mixes

Tribute To Lew Large

Some hot and dirty beats to bump and grind to for the summer. 

1. Bass Uh - Extended Mix by Fuzzy Hair
2. Chachi by Bassani
3. Tina by Vintage Culture, Bhaskar, Meca, The Vic
4. This Track by Fab Massimo, Mike & Me
5. I Want Your Body by Dave Ruthwell, TOROK, Avilo
6. Poison by Hot Since 82
7. I'm A Freak by Viddsan, Terri-Anne
8. No Requests (Play Bad Bunny) by Landis, Grace Venes-Escaffi
9. Beats Up by Codes
10. RATATA by Skrillex, Missy Elliott, Mr. Oizo
11. Ride That Thang by Black V Neck, Craze
12. Drippin by Arnold & Lane
13. Metaphysical (feat. Bipolar Sunshine) by Ship Wrek, Bipolar Sunshine
14. You Need It - Extended Mix by James Haskell, Cari Golden
15. Know You Out There by Nicolau Marinho
16. We’re Burning Up by dEVOLVE
17. The Butcher by twoloud, Deeperlove, Lena Sue
18. Shake It by Deeper Purpose
19. All The Girls by J. Worra, Shift K3Y
20. I Like It by Luke Andy, Teknicoz
21. Want It by Black V Neck
22. Deeper Down by Waitz
23. Pretty Girls by Ranger Trucco
24. Beat Freak (ft. lau.ra) by Chris Lake, Riva Starr, lau.ra
25. No Panties - Original Mix by Kill Frenzy

Beats Up

Ironic Spin co-lead @rvh_sounds brought it big time to a vibin' dancefloor at 1AM on Friday night with his signature techno sound at Otherworld 2023. RVH was instrumental in the production of the stage this year, putting in a ton of work prior to, during, and afterwards!  

RVH, we salute you  🫡❤️

Otherworld 2023

RVH - Friday Night @ Ironic Spin 2023

The Point (Elinaland Festival)

Mid-winter (mostly) Tech house dance goodness to get things moving towards springtime.

Track Listing: 

1. Forget by Azzecca
2. Hot Sauce by SLATIN, Droxo, Aqeelion
3. House Rock by RUMPUS
4. Juice - Extended Mix by LEFTI, N2N
5. DANCE WITH YOU by DONT BLINK
6. Lights, Sound, Camera, Action by Genix, flowanastasia
7. Hey DJ by Riva Starr, Starr Traxx
8. When I See It (feat. The Vic) by Bhaskar, JADED, The Vic
9. I Can't Help It by Funkerman, SEM
10. Goodies by Kevin McKay
11. On Fire by Luxo, Tombz
12. Chrome by Luxo, PINEO & LOEB
13. Rhythm Machine by Westend, Max Styler
14. U Like The Bass - Radio Edit by Gabe Nelson
15. Grandmaster Flash by Ren Phillips, YINGYANG (UK)
16. I Got It - Radio Mix by Ben Fox
17. Lancelot - Original Mix by Antoine Davila
18. Burning in My Soul - Extended Mix by Fuzzy Hair
19. RIZZ by AYYBO
20. KEEP IT GOING - Radio Edit by DONT BLINK
21. Know How Bass - Bass ReWrk Mix by OnDaMiKe
22. Ghetto Work by divaDanielle
23. 77 by Honey & Badger
24. She Wants Music - Original Mix by Block & Crown, Lissat
25. Hot N Spicy by Green Velvet, DJ E-Clyps, Dajae

Artist Tags: 

#Lazar #azzecca #slatin #droxo #aqeelion #rumpus #lefti #n2n #dontblink #genix #flowanastasia #rivastarr #starrtraxx #bhaskar #jaded #thevic #funkerman #sem #kevinmckay #luxo #tombz #pineo&loeb #westend #maxstyler #gabenelson #renphillips #yingyang(uk) #benfox #antoinedavila #fuzzyhair #ayybo #ondamike #block&crown #lissat #divadanielle #honey&badger #greenvelvet #dje-clyps #dajae

Hot N Spicy

4am is such a delicate timeslot; it crucially requiring engagement from a crowd growing tired, yet us also sensitive to overstimulation. This is a taste of how we do 4am. For this set, our vision adjectives were Tough, Techy, & Tickling.  I used a crop of older stuff from my coffer, Dao brought the new funk, and it turned into a fun time!  

Natema - It’s All Right
Flatless - Inside Out
Objekt - Theme From Q
Dennis Cruz - Shake It
Dennis Ferrer - Red Room (Obj Voc rmx)
German Brigante - Hey What’s Up?
Jeff Swiff - B Funk
Dakar - Woobly
Jens Lewandowski - Bone Shaker
The Glitz - Snow Maker
Nikola Gala - Get Down 
Ven Lochenhoer - Get Down to This
Flatless - Mirror Artist
Tigerskin - Full of Acid
Style of Eye - Hide
Mat.Joe - Positivity ft Fiona 
Rigopolar - Start From Beginning
Holtoug - Stay In Love (Acid Pauli's Bone Drone rmx)

Dao & Pwny - 4am Mysteries

2017 marked my 15th year on playa, so the we all celebrated with a buck-wild quinceañera party! #VivaLaMisfits

Live At Mystikal Misfits: Panda's Quinceañera

This is a disco house mix that I've been working on for months. I wanted to create a sound that was fun without being monotonous, surprising and funny. I'm really happy with how it turned out.

Tracks:
Different Folks (Original Mix) - J Paul Getto
Fresh (Charles J Remix) - Frank Caro, Crazibiza, Alemany
Flamin' Phunk (Original) - Luca Debonaire
Up & Down (Original Mix) - Giman
Bumpin' (Original Mix) - Louis Lennon
You Started This Fire (Original Mix) - Block & Crown
Lets Dance (Original Mix) - Funkstar
Heat It (Original Mix) - Jay Vegas
Drop A Beat (Original Mix) - Block & Crown
Chunka Funk (Original Mix) - DJ Dan
Do I Believe In God? (Original Mix) - Ron Carroll, R.O.N.N., Emilio Hernandez
Wanna Do (Original Mix)- Sonny Fodera
This Groove (Original Mix) - DJ Dan, Mike Balance
Over Me (Original Mix) - South Of Roosevelt
I'm A Man (Original Mix) - DJ Dan, Gallo, Alaia
Misirlou (Original Mix) - Matt Petrone, Yan Kings
Ride Like The Wind (Joey Negro Extended Disco Mix) - Christopher Cross

Orange Plaid Bellbottoms

LAZAR spins a full spectrum of sound and rhythm to get you into your dancing groove, taking it down and through a kaleidoscope of genres—from House, Soul, Hip-Hop, Jazz, Disco, R&B and Blues--bringing it all alongside of Progressive, Deep House, New Orleans influenced funk, some occasional sprinkles of classic rock and much more. 

It's all about frequency and it's all connected. 

One Love.

Pro photographer, videographer, writer, DJ and native New Yorker, currently residing in Reno, Nevada. Former A&R man for the Island Def Jam Music Group, Elektra Records and EMI Records in the 90's and 00's. (It's been quite a journey.) For gigs and events, email: ben@benlazar.com. 

If you enjoy what you hear, please like and repost! Thank you!

"There are simply two kinds of music. Good music, and the other kind." -- Duke Ellington

Tribute To Lew Large

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