Boris

Boris is a world-renowned DJ celebrated by gay and straight communities around the world. On Friday, March 20, at 11 p.m. at XL, Boris will be spinning The Peep Show party.

Boris, how long have you been a DJ?
I’ve been a DJ for 20-plus years, almost 25 years.

What inspired you to become a DJ?
I was always into music. I was always going out. My first club I attended, I was 15 years old. It was actually The Tunnel, and I just got hooked. The music and the scene and everything else – I was just fascinated by the whole DJ thing. Ever since then, I was going out to different places, and back then it wasn’t how people are into music now.

You travel all over the country, all over the world, and you do a lot of big, crazy parties. Do you have a favorite party that you’ve done?
There’s a few: The Get Wet party in Miami for Miami Music Week; it’s coming up actually.  It’s going on our eleventh year in Miami. It’s always a big one. There’s so many different parties and clubs, it’s hard to pick one, but I’d have to say it’s The Get Wet party. It’s a legendary type of party.

Is there a DJ that you admire?
I don’t per say have a favorite. I’d say I have many guys that influenced me when I was coming up in the business. A lot of different guys from the Junior Vasquezes to just different types of guys growing up here in New York. I don’t really particularly have just one guy – there’s just too many to name.

You produce a lot I’ve noticed. Do you have original tracks that you write or produce?
Oh, absolutely. A lot of the stuff that I’m doing are some of the big techno labels like Sitech and Tronic as well as my own label, which is Transmit Recordings. So, yeah.

Do you have any new projects on the horizon?
Yeah, I have quite a few actually on my label Transmit Recordings. There’s a couple of different remixes coming out on Transmit Recordings and a slew of other projects. Tons of stuff.

You’re going to be at XL next week.
It’s Black Party weekend.

What can we expect from you at this party?
I always like to do a couple of gay parties a year, like Gay Pride.  We try to just make people dance, have a good time and enjoy themselves, and hopefully with them wanting more.

You’re from Russia, correct?
I am.

How old were you when you left Russia.
Two years old. I came here when I was two. I’m going to be 42 in a week.

Happy birthday.
Thanks.

What do you like most about being a DJ?
Obviously I love to make people dance and have a good time. There’s nothing like the energy and vibe of a dance floor, having an all out great time. Screaming and hands in the air…just screaming for more. That’s why we do it, for the love of music and for the love of the crowd.  Everything else is secondary. Obviously to make a living doing this is great. That just comes with the territory. Being a DJ, you never thought about doing this for a living. You do it for the love of music. You enjoy yourself. The realistic part of it is becoming a working, traveling DJ, it’s like almost one in a million. A famous, known, world-traveling DJ and making a living out of it is almost like being a professional actor. It’s a one-in-a-million shot.

I agree with you. So what do you like best about NYC?
There’s nothing like New York City. The crowd, the energy, the vibe. I play all over the world, but there’s nothing like playing for your home crowd. To me the home crowd is New York.  There’s nothing like it. Once you have it in the palm of your hand, it’s there, and the energy is there. There’s nothing like it.

You must know how to read the crowd.
Well as a DJ, I hope so. After 20-plus years, I would hope so.

Is there anything that you’d like to promote?
We have music conference coming up, a Transmit Recordings label party.  That’s coming up also in Miami.

Friday March 20,
at 11 p.m.
XL Nightclub
512 W. 42nd. St.
New York, NY