Gold Spun from Vinyl

By Paul Luke, Vancouver
The Province
February 10, 2002

AMY ROZIER. a.k.a DJ Veronica
House music DJ Age 25

Her first job - Delivering the Vancouver Sun in Port Coquitlam at age 11. She kept the route about a month.

"I couldn't believe that adults were trying to rip me off. People at the door would say 'I dont have the seven dollars right here, and I'd say 'are you sure?'"

Other pre-teen jobs - Rozier quit the paper route to take up a job as tutor. A French immersion veteran, she began tutoring three children of a local family. Her twice-weekly class expanded to six people, bringing her hourly earnings to as much as $50.

"It was actually really hard work. I would plan ahead and do lessons schedules and give them quizzes." When she turned 12. Rozier began operating what she calls "a babysitting ring." By networking like crazy, she lined up a healthy roster of clients.

She kept the nicest kids or the highest paying jobs for herself and subcontracted the others - without taking a cut for herself.

Adult work experiences - While majoring in Criminology and Sociology at Simon Fraser University, Rozier ran a special events floral business from home called "Flowers With Flair." As a student, she also worked part time as an ICBC claims adjuster.

Working life as a house music DJ - Rozier began DJ-ing in 1999 after hearing house music over her car radio. "It made the hairs on my arms stand on end and my eyes water." she said. Three years later, she has played in clubs around the world: Hong Kong, New York City, Spain and Australia. Rozier named herself DJ Veronica -her website is djveronica.com -after Veronica Electronica, pop star Madonna's DJ-promo-only albums.

In the house universe, she's modestly famous. When she plays in Spain she gets asked for her autograph. In Vancouver, she plays weekends at warehouse parties and at clubs such as Sonar, Purple Onion Cabaret and Richards On Richards. In Vancouver, Rozier's minimum fee is $200.

Tools of the trade - Two, sometimes three turntables, mixing board, monitor speaker and one or two CD mixers. And lots of vinyl records -- - up to 20 for each hour she plays. "I used to be the biggest clothes junkie whereas now I've got a record habit."

Strengths as a DJ - Rozier says she's good at reading crowds and knowing what kinds of sounds will please them and keep them dancing.

Her technical skills at mixing records are strong and improving, she says. Rozier can spin two records at once, make sure the beats match and fade back and forth between them.

She can also forge sonic effects by adding or subtracting various elements of the songs.

"You can kill a dance floor with one song and that happens to everybody," she said. "It really humbles you."

Why she loves the job - "I'd be going out dancing anyway." she said. "It's nice to go to a club and come home with money."

pluke@pacpress.southam.ca