U:Move

DJ/producer Paul Beckwith, originally from Lincoln, Nebraska, stamped his name in KC’s old-school party scene as DJ Paul Wicked while attending UMKC, still in his teens.  Like so many rooted in Kansas City’s dance community, he fell in love with the soaring vocals and pumping energy of house music at the Red Barn parties.  Soon thereafter, Beckwith began making a serious stab at production and headed East to attend the esteemed Berklee College of Music in Boston.  There, he earned degrees in both music production and engineering, which show through in his super popped-out, big-room house bangers, all with a squeaky clean polish.  Currently stationed in NYC, Paul was kind enough to conduct an interview with umove wherein he reflected on his past in Kansas City and his current New York state of mind.  Today, Paul is banging out remixes for the likes of Nervo, Bloc Party, The Crookers and Justin Timberlake.  Not bad for a dude whose love for electronic music was literally born in a barn.

Chris Mills:  Tell us about where you’re from originally and how you got to where you’re at now, in Brooklyn, NY.

Paul Beckwith:  I was actually born in Lincoln, Nebraska, but came to Kansas City for college when I was 18 where I attended the UMKC Bloch School of Business.

That first year of school I went to a party at the Red Barn and fell in love with House Music. Almost immediately I bought my first pair of turntables and a mixer. I began spinning at parties soon after that around town and in St. Louis, even Chicago. Shortly after starting playing parties, I landed a residency at the Empire Room and spun there weekly for over 4 years.

It was then I decided that if I was ever going to take things to the next level, I needed to get in the production game. Around this time I had a really bad neck accident as well, which made me rethink a lot of things and kinda gave me a second lease on life, and an all or nothing attitude. Pretty much what it came down to is, I decided to pick the best school in the country to learn what I needed to learn, so I applied to Berklee in Boston. Three neck surgeries and a year later I was on a plane to three of the most stressful years of my life! After that I moved to NY to work in music and haven’t looked back.

CM:  Tell us more about the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where you attended.

PB:  Berklee was amazing. Never before had I been surrounded by so many musical people that had such high levels of talent. It really makes you step up your game when you’re basically in competition with so much talent on every project you do. I also met some of my really good friends there that I still do work with to this day - Andrew Bayer, Matt Lange, and Kerry Leva.

The professors at Berklee are also top notch. There are really too many names to mention of teachers that gave me absolutely invaluable advice and guidance in my learning process. These were teachers that challenge you and assist you at every corner. You get so much personal attention there because the classes in the majors are so small. I remember having a class of 10 people thinking, “Wow this is huge”.

CM:  How would you describe your sound to someone who’s been making music as long as you have or to someone who has similar credentials and background?

PB:  I’m a dyed-in-the-wool house head and I have a huge love for classic sounding records and huge vocals. I also love really great instrumental records as well. I like to work on records that have a legitimate underground foundation with really hooky melodies and soaring sounds. I feel that way you come up with a great blend of credibility and accessibility.

CM:  I understand you have an album you’re working on with Nervo. Could you tell us more about them? Are they vocalists?

PB:  I’ve actually been working with Nervo on some of their club records. They’re really amazingly talented songwriters and producers, as well as vocalists! Their biggest hit to date was “When Love Takes Over”, which they wrote for David Guetta and Kelly Rowland, and trust me they’ve got loads more to come. I recently did a remix for them as well of their smash “Irresistible”.

CM:  If you had to pick one, what would be your fondest memory of DJing or attending a show in Kansas City while you lived here?

PB:  That’s an easy one, but it’s tied for first place! Either when I played the mainstage of the Uptown Theatre for “Represent” with DJ Icey, DJ Rap, and Green Velvet, or when I played with Bad Boy Bill at the Beaumont Club. Both of those were such amazing events and really at the height of the old school underground scene in KC. It was great going to parties back in those days cause you just knew everybody and the parties were so great.

CM:  What’s one thing you miss about Kansas City and one thing you love about living in New York, currently?

PB:  Well there’s a couple things I miss about KC, I have some really good friends there (I lived there for 7 years) and my wife is from Kansas City originally, so I’m sure we’ll always stay pretty tied in with the city. And the other is of course the Bar-b-q! I know that’s probably the most standard answer to that question but it’s the truth. No place touches KC for BBQ!

About New York… Well, to me it’s the greatest city on Earth. There’s no place like it really. There’s so much diversity there, and the amount of different cultural experiences to be had all within the range of a 30 minute train ride is just unbelievable. Also the business is there, there and LA, and of the two I’d always pick NYC, so it’s where I gotta be. I’ll always have a soft spot for KC though… Kansas City to me will always be where I got my start in dance music, and I have so many fond memories. Playing places like Kabal, Jilly‘s, the Empire Room, KC Christmas, XO, Evo… All those old joints and parties!

Beckwith pages on:
Soundcloud
Beatport
Facebook