THICK DICK At Chicago's Hot Jams

Aug 1, 2002 12:00 PM, By Christine Hsieh

It takes patience and a reliable car to make it out to Hot Jams, but the long drive down the perpetually jam-packed Pulaski Road is worth the trouble. Eric Miller — known to rabid music fans as E Smoove, Praise Cats (his gospel house incarnation on Subliminal Soul) and the raunchy housemaster Thick Dick — shops here almost exclusively. No disrespect to Gramaphone Records, the store known worldwide as the place to spot famous DJs pawing through the crates, but Hot Jams is where Miller finds his tastes especially catered to. Located far from Clark Street's north-side vinyl gold mine, Hot Jams is buried deep in the southwest part of town, surrounded by taquerias and strip malls.

On this steaming hot Saturday afternoon, Miller braves the hour-long journey from his home in the suburbs (he lives a block away from Felix da Housecat) to catch up on the latest releases. He walks in and is immediately greeted with hugs and shouts from the clerks (both DJs in the Chicago club circuit) and Andre Lopez, the store owner. There's a good reason why this store, now in its fourteenth year, has become the regular stomping grounds of homegrown favorites such as Glenn Underground, Boo Williams and Paul Johnson: “I can find all the classics here,” says Miller as his eyes zoom over to the faded cover of Yello's Bostich (Stiff, 1982), a wide grin spreading over his face as he quickly snatches up the record. “Bostich is like the basis for anybody who wants to be somebody,” he says with glee. “It's probably on the basement floor of my mom's house somewhere. I've got a bunch of records, and if I don't feel like looking for them, I just end up buying them again. It's quicker just to buy it!”

At this point in his career, Miller must have better things to do than rummage around a musty basement looking for old records. Honing his craft since 1982, Miller still makes regular rounds on the international DJ circuit. And he has a schedule packed with reconstructing hits by Michael Jackson, Diana Ross and Sunshine Anderson (he earned a Grammy Award nomination for his remix of “Heard It All Before”); supervising the production of several artist albums and hip-hop projects; working on the film production company that he co-founded, Bronzeville Filmworks; and running his own production company, Focus Music Group. All of that leaves little time for browsing through the scores of records released each week, but that's where the Hot Jams staff comes in.

Shopping in this store seems more like an afternoon at a friend's house than anything else, with the clerks shouting out recommendations. Miller merely stands at ease by the record booth, listening intently and nodding his head in time as Lopez throws platter after platter onto the decks. He offers test pressings, promos, out-of-print copies and bootlegs. Everything from high-powered house to minimal, techy dub tracks gets a spin on the storewide system, and Miller is quick to acknowledge his favored tunes. Miller's relationship with the store owner goes back to 1987, when Lopez loaned Miller a drum machine for use on the first track he produced. “I've known Andre for years,” Miller says. “He used to have a stand at the flea market where he sold original house records from back in the day. He really helps me sift through all the new records that are coming out, something like 300 or 400 a week. It's very rare that you can get the owner of the shop dropping the needle on records for you.”

Miller is known for high-energy sets with plenty of sex appeal, but, today, he seems to be in a tough, minimal vocal-house mood. “I always try to play to the women as opposed to the guys, so it's very sexy and groovy but still pumpin' at the same time,” he explains. “But there's always a mixture of tribal, traditional, sing-along house and deeper jazzy-type grooves with some classics thrown in between.” After whipping through the records, Miller settles on 10, which he anticipates playing out in a handful of gigs he has lined up for his upcoming tour of England.

Mundo Azul

“Sereia” (Muschi Tunes)

The original club mix and the Tiefschwartz mix works for me. It's the Spanish vibe: It's always good for the ladies. The ladies always feel the Latin house thing. It gets them moving. It's one of those DJ staples!

Johnny Fiasco

“Reflex” remixes (Doubledown)

The first time around, I wasn't necessarily feelin' this, but the remixes are hot to me. It's kinda minimal, but it builds. I kinda like those types of records. It stays in a minimal vibe and finds a way to build without adding a bunch of shit on top of it. This would be building toward my peak hour, toward those records that people are going to go crazy over.

Gregory

“Tropical Soundclash” (Faya Combo)

The drums on “Tropical Soundclash” are just off-the-hook! The drums and the snares make this a “take-your-set-to-the-next-level” type of track. This would definitely go in the peak hour. It's got energy — it's very minimal, very concentrated, just something that takes the energy to the next level.

Groove Cartel

“Ultra Love” (Universal)

I like the Beat Biters remix. Again, it's one of those energetic records, but, still, it's got that familiar-sounding bass line. Andre just picked it, and I like it!

DJ D Presents the Hydraulic Dogs

“Shake It Baby” (Directions)

The Junior Jack 12-inch remix caught my ear. I missed it the first time around. There definitely is a vibe when I play it out, especially at the beginning of my set. It's kinda accessible for everybody. It brings the floor up. It's one of those opening records that just brings everybody out. Usually, my sets in the beginning are very familiar records, something that feels like you've heard it before. I think it takes a minute to get people open, and once they're open, you can hit 'em with this or hit 'em with that.

Shawn Escoffery

“Days Like This” (Oyster Music)

This has been out for a while, but this Deepah Dayz remix is hot. This has got the Carl Bean sample in it, and it's bangin'! It's got the energy you need, and the vocal is familiar. To me, the original version didn't have the energy I was looking for, for my set, but it's got a familiarity to people at the same time.

Chris Simmonds

“In My Soul”/“Carnival Beats” (Syntax)

Semi-white label. It's a real percussive record — just one of those transition records with lots of percussion. This is one that Andre picked.

Viola

“Little Girl” (Nervous)

This song has been out for a while. The Masters at Work mixes I think I knew, and the Vibe one is real cool — classic Masters at Work. Nervous has been doing some more circuity-type stuff, and I think they're having some success there — more pop-sounding records. It's good to see them getting back to the roots of the label.

Robbie Rivera's Grooves Featuring Shawnee Taylor

“Funk-a-Tron” (Directions)

“Funk-a-Tron” has been a big record for me over the months, and having Shawnee's vocal over it can only make it hotter! It's just one of those records you've got to have! It depends on the club or the crowd, but I would play it early on for some clubs, and in other clubs, this would be a peak-hour tune.

Mr. Scruff

“Get a Move On”/“Ug” (Ninja Tune)

A lot of times, because there are so many records out, you miss stuff. I'm not one to play the latest record that just came out, pre-promo. In my set, I might play something that nobody's going to get — something that I've done or one of my boys has done that's not going to get released or whatever. And at the same time, I might play the most overused, tired record for all the trainspotters or whatever. But to me, it's about entertaining and educating at the same time. A lot of times, people will want to hear their favorite record. They want to hear that record that brings back memories or is just like, “Man, that's my song. I just hope he plays my song.” So I'll buy a record that maybe I've had in my collection for a while, but I don't know where it is. A lot of times, I am rediscovering records that have been out for a while.

Hot Jams; 5012 S. Pulaski Rd., Chicago, IL 60632-4218; tel. (773) 581-5267

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