If you’ve been following along our journey to meet Camp OG, we have arrived at Part 3! Read on and get to know a few more treasured OG’s as we continue our mission to get these awesome artists some well-deserved love.
If you missed them, here’s PART 1 & PART 2 so you can catch up!
J. SPLAT
For the past 3 decades (2023 marks his 30th anniversary), veteran scene-ster Jason Splat has impacted many facets of underground dance music culture- first as a raver, then as DJ, Graphic Designer, Promoter, and event Producer.
Jason got his start in the heyday of the formative early ’90s Los Angeles rave scene, where he fell in love with the intense music and blossoming vibrant culture. ‘Splat’ was initially the name of the rave fashion brand that he produced with his Pops, James, back then; doing mail-orders and setting up booths at events. A few years later, his creative focus shifted to DJing and designing event flyers by the name ‘Splat’, and it just stuck. Jason began collecting records and in 1993 and got his first break to DJ at Insomniac, when it was a weekly club. He also designed an iconic cartoon style flyer for them at that time- it was one of their first flyers and before computer graphics were a thing.
Jason has gone on to work as DJ and flyer designer with many notable event companies such as: Fresh Entertainment, Motive, Outta Our Heads (Denver), Tonic Nightclub (Santa Barbara), Future Forces (Chicago), Socal Selectress, Krave and Magic Ent.; Jason also had an 8 year run as a resident DJ and designer for the legendary Addicted Events in L.A. that ended up doing over 30 events. Jason also designs for indie record labels Hypnotic, Cleopatra, Life Music and Bassex.
In the 2000’s, J.Splat created Phunked Up Records with then- DJ partner Danny Cosmo and legendary LA pioneer DJ Eli Star. Together they produced 9 vinyl EP releases to date. The multi-genre label features tracks by Angel Alanis (Chicago), Josh the Funky 1 (Chicago), Chris Anderson (Texas), The Floorfillerz, DJ Vitamin D (Denver), R.A.W. (LA, Jungle), and ESP Woody Mcbride (East coast techno), along with many more. Selected tracks are available for download on Bandcamp.
Jason Splat was one of the first DJs to pioneer the bass-heavy UK-sound of Speed Garage on the West Coast, and threw Drum N Bass events in LA as early as 1997. These days you can hear him spinning the bumping styles of Tech House, UK Garage, and Drum N Bass; sometimes teaming up with his wife and amazing B2B partner, Daemia, together as JS2. His decades of dedication to the underground can be experienced on every dance floor he performs for and connects with.
FOLLOW J. SPLAT –
BANDCAMP
SOUNDCLOUD
What does “Camp OG” mean to you? Describe your journey with Camp OG.
It has been a thing of beauty thing to watch the Camp OG Culture take root and blossom, along with the spike in the Insomniac camping community in general. I remember in 2015 when we had just a few tents in an area without a name yet, there were 10-15 of us hanging out there off and on. For me it was a “home-base” away from the intensity of the massive stages, and a place to catch up with long-lost friends.
In the following years, as rave-camping culture grew, Camp OG grew with it. Around that time, James (Camp OG’s ring leader) must have had a meeting with Pasquale , the creator of Insomniac Events, because the next year they worked out a section of camping at Nocturnal Wonderland that would be set aside for the ‘O.G.s’, originators of the SoCal scene; these are people that helped lay the groundwork for the early Insomniac events and others in the early ’90s. That year, P (Pasquale) “rolled out the red carpet” for us, and made us all feel welcome there! Insomniac allowed us to set up a sound system, staging, lights and props, and invited many DJs from that era to come and play.
Many O.G. DJs also began playing inside the festival on awesome art cars like the “Boom Box“. I’ve been blessed to participate in all of this along the way, and it has been nothing short of magical to see. I love that our presence there is adding some tactile history to the identity of these festivals, and the younger generations seem to agree!
Who are your top 3 favorite artists in Electronic Music?
For House, I’ve enjoyed following the career path of Doc Martin. I started going out back in the days when he still played Techno. Though it irked me at first, as a rowdy raver, when he switched to house. As I grew up in the scene and into the music, I realized how spiritual and amazing his sets are now. Some of his mixes like “Flammable Grooves” and “Sounds You Can Feel” are my all-time favorites.
For Drum N Bass, Ed Rush is my favorite. He is one of the early creators of Drum N Bass music, and his dark-apocalyptic style was prophetic. Seeing him recently in Tulum confirmed that he “never lost his hardcore,” his “Virus” records-label-style is still uncompromisingly intense; dark and physical and mental! Prophetic, even? Even thought-provoking and a bit scary at times. Everything great art should be.
For Techno and Breaks, I would have to go with Fester. Here’s a local LA legend that was brilliant in the proving grounds of the original techno clubs like What? and No Doz. Several DJs rose through the ranks of those proving grounds, but not many kept it so underground throughout their careers. 30 years later, and he’s still as underground as ever. A guy who will teach you about rave music as you listen to his sets.
How have festivals / music changed your life?
Music probably saved my life. As a hyper, and sometimes reckless, kid growing up in the punk/ hip hop/graffiti scenes of Los Angeles in the late ’80s- early ’90s, I found myself in trouble with the law (and the streets) constantly. It turns out the saying “The streets are not a playground” is actually true. Getting shot at and locked up forced me to make a change. Enter the rave scene, which was exploding around 1991; his was a place where you could *more safely* channel some of that wild energy into art and contribute to the “synergy” of the events. Though it was also not always legal and trouble-free, I found it was overall a safer outlet for my artistic expression.
And it’s taken me places- physically, like around the country! Fast forward 3 decades later – music also brought me my amazing DJ wife, Daemia, and we’ve built a lovely life DJing and going to exotic festivals together around the country and the world. We’ve played a couple of times at club LUztro in Warsaw (a very underground club), and been to Let It Roll twice in the Czech republic; a 5-stage Drum N Bass massive. Locus Festival in Tulum, which is held at 3 beautiful locations- one club is built around a massive cenote!
Any upcoming performances you’re excited about?
If you could give advice to newer ravers, what would it be?
DJ DAEMIA
DJ Daemia has been carving her own groove ever since she started DJing in May of 2003, but her love for underground culture was formed after attending her first event at Plaza del Sol in 1994. She specializes in Drum N Bass, ranging from Liquid Funk to Hard-Amens, and everything in between; including dancefloor bangers, Neurofunk, as well as dark and heavy Rollers. Her eclectic taste in music is apparent in genres outside of Drum n’ bass as well. She especially digs the “Maturofunk” vibe. Daemia also spins Breaks, Techno, and a wide range of House, including Bass House and upfront Underground music. She has played in Amsterdam, Las Vegas, Arizona, Poland, Alaska, Utah, Mexico, and all over California at events featuring some of DNB and Electronic music’s top talent.
Daemia also has been performing alongside her partner in grime, J.Splat, since 2009 as JS2. These two multi genre DJ’s have a blast rocking crowds as a dynamic duo spreading their message of love for the music and each other. Their high energy performances generally span a range of genres depending on the event and vibe of the crowd. The couple has remained quite active in their DJ careers and show no sign of slowing down anytime soon. Most recently they enjoyed playing at Nocturnal Wonderland on the Camp OG stage as well as on the Monarch Stage at Off the Grid Campout thrown by True Entertainment.
Along with producing parties, as the Founder of In Da Hoody and SoCal Selectress. She is also a prominent member of Monarch Metamorphosis, a crew that organizes quality productions both indoors and outdoors with added attention detail to art, stage design, and quality sound by Bomb Shelta Sound. This crew of friends has become her close family throughout the years and she is proud to represent alongside these talented individuals. She also proudly supports and represents Insomniac’s Camp OG family at renown events such as Nocturnal and EDC. Camp OG feels like home every time and the bonds in this crew run strong and are deeply rooted in rave history.
Daemia considers organizing events to be an art form and continues to elevate the party experience with a variety of collaborations, such as her most recent event; Alice in Neverland in San Diego with Luna Wave Collective. This event showcased female Drum n’ Bass and Breakbeat DJ’s, artists and vendors and included ‘Wednesday-inspired’ workouts led by talented dancers that moved the crowd in this thriller of a unique-themed night. She eagerly looks forward to more upcoming DJ performances both as Daemia and JS2, as well as producing events, investing more time into producing tracks and diving deeper into all aspects of the music industry. Her belief in bringing people together fuels her ambitions and she looks forward to working with like-minded people, building community and elevating the music platform.
FOLLOW DAEMIA –
SOUNDCLOUD
INSTAGRAM
FACEBOOK
What does “Camp OG” mean to you? Describe your journey with Camp OG.
Camp OG means family reunion time, especially to the love of my life J. Splat, but also it is an opportunity to rebuild memories from my earliest days of raving which started in 1994. Much of my involvement from participating in the earliest days was lost when my parents were moving back to Poland and I went off to college. I proudly kept all of my flyers I ever received from my outings, but unfortunately their existence was valued as pieces of paper rather than a record of my history by my parents. Through Camp OG, I have been able to connect the dots in ways I didn’t think was possible. Camp OG is a blessing on all fronts and has given me opportunities that I never thought imaginable in my fledgling experiences of yesteryears.
Who are your top 3 favorite artists in Electronic Music?
J. Splat, Ed Rush and Optical, Kyrist, Reid Speed, S.P.Y., Quadrant and Iris, Enei, A.M.C., Andy C, DJ Marky, Donald Glaude, Fester, EVA, Oscure, DJ Heather, Thee-O, DJ Dan, Doc Martin, Brandroid, Bartek, Green Velvet, Charlotte De Witte, Joe Pea, DJ Shortee, DJ Maggie, The Fungineers,- seriously, you want a multi-genre DJ to pick only 3? LOL
How have festivals / music changed your life?
Any upcoming performances you’re excited about?
This Saturday 12/16: Naughty Elf Invasion @ the Hole in the Wall: San Diego! Swing by and dance to some awesome tunes, check out talented vendors, and snap a shot in the themed photo booth! Costumes are highly encouraged!
Catch Daemia’s next curated event!!
SCORE YOUR TICKETS HERE
If you could give advice to newer ravers, what would it be?
DJ TRADEMARK
To start from the beginning would mean a trip back to those hazy days of 88’, being a sweaty raver at Biology, Sunrise, Astoria, and Camden Palace, to DJ-ing in front of thirteen-thousand raver’s at World Party. Having been involved with the scene from its birth, Trademark has well and truly come up through the ranks.
His move onto the turntable’s came in 1990, when he was working at an Essex based recording studio with Bug Kann & the Plastic Jam. He was the driving force behind the classic Made in 2 Minutes. Illegal parties were rife, and he had the tunes going back to the good old days of Acid House. DJ-ing seemed a logical step and Trademark’s first big time rave was at the Wonderland Arena New Year’s Eve 1990. Bug Kann & the Plastic Jam were doing a live PA alongside Reel 2 Reel. The DJ ‘s performing were Jumping Jack Frost, Ellis D & DJ Flex (producer to Randall / Mac II Recordings).
Trademark performed under the name of Synchronome and the night was a huge success. As a result, he got the call to perform at the legendary World Party raves throughout 91’ and 92’. 93’ brought a brand new adventure, Los Angeles! During this time Trademark hooked up with MC Questionmark, who is now the leading MC in the U.S Drum N Bass Scene. With Trademark’s cutting edge Jungle / Drum n Bass sound, and the rolling style of MC Questionmark, together they gained a reputation second to none. They are now regarded as part of the founding members of the Californian Drum N Bass scene. They regularly perform at some of the biggest events held in Southern California, which includes Insomniac Events, who are one of the biggest Electronic Music event organizers in the world.
On returning to the UK, Trademark set about getting back into the local scene and was a regular at AWOL, Speed, Tempo, Movement and Metalheadz. He built up a good working relationship with many of the top UK DJ‘s and labels. He started to perform at Drum N Bass events and festivals in and around London, whilst also hosting his own podcasts and radio show.
Being a well-known figure within the Drum N Bass community, his unique rolling sound has carried him all over the globe. He has a love of the underground music scene and a unique ability to play eclectic sets covering a wide spectrum of dance music. His versatility to drop killer Drum N Bass right through to his 88’-89’ classic House sets has helped him gain a legion of fans. We haven’t even mentioned his now legendary old skool sets. Just ask the tens of thousands of raver’s who have attended Bugjam, USC, E-38, Big Bang & VW Action over the past sixteen years.
To summarize Trademark, we can only describe him as one thing; a talented DJ! What’s interesting to know, is that he achieved all this with an imperfection to his left ear. His passion to play music and to entertain has helped him overcome this. For him, it’s never been about fame and fortune, but for the love of Music!
FOLLOW DJ TRADEMARK –
SOUNDCLOUD
INSTAGRAM
YOUTUBE
What does “Camp OG” mean to you? Describe your journey with Camp OG.
It’s about being a part of a family. A family for me that stretches over the Atlantic. It reminds me and takes me back to a time and place that will forever be carried in my heart.
Who are your top 3 favorite artists in Electronic Music?
If you could give advice to newer ravers, what would it be?
THAT GUY JASON
That Guy Jason was born at a young age and is currently living his bio, some say he is a DJ’s DJ… Does anything else really matter other than how others feel from the music he plays????
Having played the Beyond Wonderland Afterparty: Jason took fans places they had no idea existed. One stated, “I have never seen anyone so passionate about the music he was playing. I have heard many a DJs play, but that night was one for the books.”
Online Mix feedback from a fan: “I don’t know how you have the ability to touch the deepest parts of my soul with the tracks you select. But I’ve just decided to not ponder it anymore and just go with it. No one else has ever had the ability to be so on point with my heart and soul and take me to that place where I want to cry (happy tears) because my secret hidden spot was reached. I’m amazed, and bewildered, and broken, all at once! It means so much to me. So, thank you, from the deepest part of my heart, thank you!”
FOLLOW THAT GUY JASON –
SOUNDCLOUD
MIXCLOUD
FACEBOOK
What does “Camp OG” mean to you? Describe your journey with Camp OG.
Camp OG means a bunch of different things to me all at once. The first is being Home with Family, you see the founding members of Camp OG I have known since the early 90’s, with that comes a certain amount of comfort and familiarity. I can be a little less than what most would consider “normal’ and that’s not going to be a surprise to the long-standing Camp OG Fam! Also means a certain amount of responsibility to preserve something near and dear to our hearts. By giving those that are new to the scene a taste of what we are about and how it feels the hope is that the torch will be passed, and the vibe and culture will continue.
Who are your top 3 favorite artists in Electronic Music?
How have festivals / music changed your life?
Music was my first love, it has counseled and comforted me through the darkest times and has also rewarded and gifted me in some of my greatest moments. I often remind myself how blessed I am to have something that isn’t dependent on others and doesn’t require any external input that fulfills me to my core.
Festivals are an opportunity to externally share and express that internal fulfillment. Whether it be through dance when the songs hits and you lock eyes just for a moment on the dancefloor with a total stranger giving you that “Bass Face”, or behind the decks being the vehicle to give others the same feeling the music gives me.
