Mike Doran is one of Pawtucket's first DJs. He was member of The Playboy Rockers and played with Paris Fisher's band, Prospectors On A Mission.
Listen to Mike’s story.
Follow our interview notes to go explore his story more deeply.
First time he heard hip hop [0:00]
- 91.3 WDOM (Providence College’s radio station)
Where he got the love for hip hop music and DJing [0:36]
- Mark Fisher/Paris Fisher (RI Hip Hop)
- Practicing
- Had no equipment
Met Mark and Paris Fisher in 1976 [1:25]
- Grew up in Prospect Heights
The weirdest gig Mike ever had [2:03]
- Slater Park, Pawtucket.
B-Boy battling [2:47]
- New Bedford, Mass.
- The Playboy Rockers.
- The Perfect Beat (local deejay group).
NYC radio stations [4:05]
- Drove to NY to listen and record shows on tape
Current radio [4:41]
- loved hip hop “back then” “pure, raw” untouched
- Now about guns and violence, not fun
Favorite artists [5:28 ]
Doing graffiti first [5:43]
- Wasn’t good enough as an artist
Pawtucket’s first DJ [6:27]
Favorite music [7:09]
How to keep everybody on the floor when DJing [7:28]
- If you don’t play the right types of songs, people will leave
Inspiration and learning how to deejay [8:44]
- DJ Red Alert (Wikipedia)
- DJ Buck (RI Hip Hop)
Mike’s style [9:29]
Getting chased with his crew in Woonsocket [10:03]
Parents’ view of hip hop [11:07]
- They encouraged it for Mike
- Hip Hop is his saviour
Playboy Rockers [12:02]
- Fight in Worcester, MA
Skills all DJs need [13:24]
- Need to be able to mix, hold a party
Comparing hip hop then and now [13:53]
Big Pawtucket warehouse party [14:18]
