Click logo for article link. The Passion of Joe DiPadova By Dann Dykas Excerpt From Editor's Notes: Joe DiPadova is also featured this month. For those unfamiliar, Joe is one of this city's most passionate promoters of House music. His weekly Friday night, O N E at Homme Lounge, has become a staple for those who want to escape into the world of ass-shaking dance. Joe's enthusiasm is contagious and his reputation has grown on a national level. If you happen to catch him at one of his out-of-town gigs, he will no doubt be wearing his patented "I Heart Phoenix" t-shirt. Despite being from New York, Joe has found a home in Phoenix, and it would be apropos to call him an adopted native son. -Robert Sentinery, Publisher Java Magazine Article: “The parties I throw are different. They’re a spiritual release with music and dance as the religion.” The heavy hand of sleep slowly lessens its grip on the mind. Limbs stir, knotted sheets wrestle and eyes flutter open. In these moments just after sleep, the mind toggles between dreams and reality. It’s these thoughts that first enter the mind, day after day, that drive us as humans: Passion. Webster Dictionary, circa 1940, defined passion: “(pash’un), noun, violent agitation of mind in anger; love; ardor.” While the world according to Mel Gibson defines passion as the suffering of Christ in his last agonies. Both definitions contain strong conviction and an emotional response. However, both are a little old, a little off, if you will. To Joe DiPadova, local House DJ, promoter and pretty much international man of mystery, passion is something that he spends every ounce of energy on. To him, music is passion. It’s a lover; it’s a job; it’s a way of life. “Every ounce of energy focused on something that isn’t what I want, is an ounce completely wasted.” Growing up in New York, Joe’s feelings for music started out as infatuation. It wasn’t until he began studying political science in Boston that this fledgling relationship blossomed into full-on psychotic love—Romeo-and-Juliet style, passion consumes. While in school, his mind continually wandered toward music. Whenever the temperamental will of love allowed him to enjoy a class, he went; but most of his time was spent working on music. “I was poli-sci, probably on my way to Harvard, and I just realized that I was totally in love with something else.” Reason told him to finish school and get a degree to fall back on, but DiPadova decided that just wasn’t the way he worked. He left college for good and jumped head-on into his soon-to-be all-consuming passion. And since that faithful day Joe DiPadova has created a name for himself and helped secure a place for a genre of music that was dangerously close to disappearing. House music entered the mainstream in the late ’80s and early ’90s but arguably has roots in funk and jazz as far back as the early ’60s. Originating in the Northeast, House music developed an intense following and evolved among many venues and music scenes. Much its popularity is credited to Larry Levan, from the Paradise Garage in New York. Levan was one of the first in club music to move the focus of attention onto the DJ. He modeled his club after another New York venue called The Loft. Ironically enough, The Loft is also the name of the venue in Tempe where DiPadova began his popular StraightNoChaser nights back in August of 2005. Despite the massive New York influence on House music, DiPadova is moving his music nights more in the direction of Chicago House by bringing it back to the gay clubs that made disco and House so popular in the Midwest and beyond. To Joe, it’s a lot easier to hold fun, successful nights in gay bars rather than straight ones anyway. There is a much better vibe. People are there to dance and have fun. The absence of the dude/bro attitude makes the venues more appealing to everyone. This universal feeling of acceptance and togetherness is the whole concept behind O N E at Homme Lounge. “The parties I throw are different. They’re a spiritual release with music and dance as the religion.” To many of those that frequent gay bars, straight bars or Scottsdale clubs on the weekend, the idea of going out for a spiritual release may seem as odd as Sunday Mass. But for Joe and the hordes of people that pack Homme Lounge every Friday night, it’s a sermon they look forward to all week. “There are moments that are indescribable,” Joe states. “I know it sounds pretentious, but if you talk to any of the heads that come out on the regular, they’ll tell you the same thing.” It’s this relentless passion for music that DiPadova puts into everything he does. Not only does he present O N E, but he has also put StraightNoChaser literally on the map. The weekly parties have gained such popularity, he is beginning to organize them all over Arizona and beyond. There are already StraightNoChasers in the works for LA, Portland, Denver and Tucson—even Flagstaff. With an all-star line up of both new and well-known DJs, SNC-LA has massive potential. Another venture that is gaining momentum is DiPadova’s music production. The single “Papago Morning,” which was released on the Tribal Winds label, is getting lots of play. Joe’s production techniques differ from many modern electronic or House producers. While he still uses computers to layer and sequence his beats, he records them all live, with the help of friends providing bass and vocals tracks. “Papago Morning” as well as his other jams, have a depth and warmth that only analog can bring. In the height of “Papago Morning’s” popularity, Joe has a second, full-length album in the works. The new title track, tentatively named “The Coming Storm,” has the same live feel but surpasses its predecessor in ambition. Aside from the title track, Joe has another 10 to 20 jams that could occupy the deep hills and valleys of this slated vinyl. With the release of his new album and the growth of SNC, a future SNC tour could be in the making. While running O N E every Friday night and the new Sunday lounge night Confession, along with friends and fellow House DJs Pete “Supermix” Salaz and Senbad, DiPadova still manages to travel extensively, spreading the love from San Diego to Denver, Omaha and even back to his roots in Chicago and Boston. Despite all the traveling, Phoenix will always be home for Joe and SNC. Rocking the “I Heart Phoenix” t-shirt at almost every out-of-town show, Joe’s pride for Phoenix is evident. “There is such an amazing music scene here.” He scoffs at those people who complain about lack of original music and having little to do in the Valley. He even says that there might be hope for Scottsdale. If you can’t make it to one of his out-of-town gigs, don’t fret, you can always follow him on the website at www.one-az.com. Here you can see show dates, listen to hundreds of hours of recorded live music, visit links to SNC guest DJs, read about the charities SNC is involved with and even get discounted cover to O N E every Friday night. What sultry plans await our mystery man this coming Valentine’s Day? For Joe, the approaching Hallmark Holiday is just another day. His passion for music doesn’t leave much room in his schedule for a special lady. In fact, he’s stopped looking. “She’d have to be very special to understand my work ethic,” he explains. Completely random sleep schedules and constant trips out of town for days or weeks are just a couple of the obstacles that the lil’ miss would have to overcome to snag the attention of this bachelor. “I just haven’t found anyone who fits the bill yet. I’m cool with that, though. I concentrate on me.” To fill those random hours when not producing, DJing and promoting, Joe is a fan of fine food and White Crane kung fu. Oh yes, kung fu. Joe also loves to frequent Batucada and any of the other growing House events around the Valley. He can often be found out and about at some party or great restaurant, chilling by himself or with his kung fu partner Pete Salaz. “I’m addicted,” he says about kung fu, “and I don’t even concentrate on it as much as I should.” But such are the ways of the driven. Sleep comes rarely, and dreams blossoms ideas, bringing forth the first thoughts of the day—passion.