Induce: From Outback Busboy To DJ To... Pop Star?
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His website lists him as "rapper, singer, DJer, bike rider, beat maker, record breaker, picture taker," but at the moment, Induce is just a pop recording artist with a slick and remarkably upbeat new album under the name The Wonderful Sound of Induce!, Halfway Between Me And You, fresh on the market. The Miami musician's blue-eyed soul is part ode to classic '80s artists like Michael Jackson and Prince, part contemporary pop banger, filled with overtly sexy songs with titles like "Pretty," "Cover Girl" and "Love Letter 2 U" that are destined to be on the playlists of hopeful Romeos and the gals that love 'em for years to come.
I knew Induce first as my favorite DJ in Miami, a guy who'd segue from LCD Soundsystem to the Beatles and maybe throw in a Marvin Gaye track just to change things up — a stark contrast to the usual hip-pop mash-ups you'd hear at most clubs in South Beach. Turns out, this DJ has a serious set of pipes and an excellent soul sensibility, as evidenced on Halfway Between Me And You. Pick up a copy today, and make sure he never has to go back to bussing dirty dishes at the Outback Steakhouse, a job he tells us about in the latest edition of Good Food, Rocks.
Congrats on the new album. How was the transition from DJ to singer/recording artist?
Well, I started making music very soon after I started DJing, so it was very natural. It seems like many musicians these days start out as a DJ, and I think you can hear the influence in the music and how songs are arranged.
Tell us about your experience in the food industry before you became a full-time musician.
Yes! It's the craziest lifestyle! I couldn't keep up with the pace in a kitchen. My first real job was at Steak & Ale, bussing tables and refreshing the salad bar. That dammed salad bar! With the ice all around! The Worst! Then I worked at Outback for a while, still bussing tables, and later doing backline prep. I know what's in that secret sauce! No, but I was horrible at it. They slowly just started taking me off the schedule, which I was hyped on (more days off for me!). Until a couple weeks later my name was just completely off the scedule and I finally asked when I would get more days and the GM was like, "They didn't tell you? They let you go!" I didn't get the memo.
I remember that you used to have famous dinner parties in Miami. Did you cook?
Actually, that was my roommate at the time. We would have dinners and have friends over and stuff. My current roommate is even better and cooks for me constantly. He should really be a professional chef. I'm more of a restaurant person. I like to find new places people haven't discovered yet. I introduced Yakko San to most of my friends and whenever I go on a road trip, I try to find cool places in the middle of nowhere. I found a great little hot dog place around Valdosta, Georgia that also sells records. PERFECT!
Where else have you found out on the road that you'd recommend?
When I'm in LA I always have to go to Canter's and get a pound of rugalach with my bud Sven Barth. They have the best rugalach ever! It's also become a tradition to hit Wurstkuche in Downtown LA. I love my hot dogs! It's also become tradition while I'm in New York to hit up Di Fara's in Brooklyn, one of the best pizzas I've ever had.
OK, one last music question: What made you go all funk/pop/soul on this record? I've seen you spin all sorts of crazy sets, so I know you're into a lot of different types of music, from My Bloody Valentine to James Brown.
I think it's just coincidence. I work on three or four different projects at once, and something will happen to push one project further into becoming a finished product and I just go with it. Also, when I work on something and finish it, I have a tendency to make a full 180 and go a completely opposite way on my next project. So this record had come off a joke rap project and I wanted this new record to be fun and accessible to everyone. And now that this is out, my next project is a creepy weirdo folk-rock album that has 20 songs in the span of about 20 minutes!
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