Cowboy Mike, aka Michael Burtt, is an electronica DJ with a big hat and lots of fans.
The trance music aficionado moved to San Diego from Detroit about six years ago, and he's become a fixture in the local club scene, as well as a rising star in the dance music world.
He'll perform Friday at Dub Crawl.
So far, Cowboy Mike has produced two tracks, "Clutch" and "Fractured" (you can hear them both at www.myspace.com/djcowboymike). Last year, internationally popular DJ Ferry Corsten regularly featured "Clutch" on his radio show.
Burtt has recently made several trips to Tucson to spin at the dance club Level.
He talked to Caliente by phone about music, moving to California and more.
Why did you leave Detroit?
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"I was just over Detroit. I loved the club scene there, but the Southern California lifestyle is great. I always wanted to be a part of it. I don't see myself going anywhere else soon."
How does the San Diego club scene differ from the Detroit scene?
"Detroit had a lot of raves. Which was cool because it's where techno was, like, founded. My first experiences were all there. Raves are all pretty much gone now. But the club scene in San Diego is similar to Detroit's."
Do you do a lot of touring?
"Not a whole lot yet. Really it's been L.A., Orange County, San Diego. Arizona as well."
How did you get started spinning?
"Really, I just picked it up as a hobby. Got a couple of Technics 1200s — they're industry standard turntables — and started spinning vinyl. Before I knew it, a lot of main club promoters were coming over and asking me to play at their clubs."
What kind of electronic music do you prefer?
"I was a big trance-head when I first started. Overall, I still play trance the most. I used to be into the big euphoric, epic trance. With euphoric trance there's always the moment, a breakdown where your beat will come to almost a stop, and then there's a big climax. Now I'm more into progressive trance, which is more steady and groovy and has a slower b.p.m. (beats per minute)."
What appeals to you about progressive trance?
"You can't have a climax every single time. You gotta save your moments. It's a lot more effective if you only have a few of those big moments."
What other kinds of music do you listen to besides trance?
"I'm a huge U2 fan, huge Depeche Mode fan. I didn't really get into trance or techno until 2000. I was listening to Paul Oakenfold's mix 'Tranceport,' and I heard a Paul Van Dyk-produced track called 'Words' and that kind of turned the light bulb on in my head."
How do the crowds in Tucson compare to those in San Diego?
"The last gig, opening for Christopher Lawrence, was great. The crowd was awesome. It's a little bit of a smaller scale, but as far as the vibe goes it's great. Everyone out there was going off."
