i was thinking of who were some of the dj's that really influenced me in the early years of my dj career....

Farley
Scott Smokin Silz
Ralphie Rosario
Kenny Jammin' Jason
Mickey Mixing Oliver
All of these guys are from the Chicago based Hot Mix 5.
Later on it was Steve Silk Hurley and Julian Jumpin Perez

I used to tape their mixes every weekend on 102.7 FM WBMX

Then I got into MAW, Little Louie Vega, Frankie Knuckles, AJ Mora

Who I enjoy now is Jay-J, Alix Alvarez and Mr. V, Trattner + Galvan, Soul Oasis-Sammy Rock, Tiesto...just to name a few

ok...your turn

Musically,  I can say guys like Fatboy Slim,  Tony De Vit (TDV was a HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE influence on me),  Thomas Bangalter....

I think honestly though,  my influences have REALLY been people close to me.  People that I have talked to on a regular basis,  played with many times,  and generally know well....People like Shiloh,  Jeff Belfi,  and Kenneth Thomas recently....And then in the formative stages of my DJ career,  guys like Gene Carbonnell,  Ralph Lindstrom,  Alex Calver,  Kid Dynamite,  and Matt K.  Those are the guys I really grew up with.  

Nobody taught me how to mix...I learned that on my own....But Gene Carbonnell taught me how to approach DJing mentally...Always believe that you ARE a superstar.  Gene also helped me get through the most difficult night of DJing in my life,  and that's the night I was playing at Eleven50 in Atlanta,  and I found out that my father was dying of cancer.

Ralph Lindstrom,  better known as the guy that supplied the sound at Cornerstone,  is a more recent formative influence.  Ralph believed in me and helped me regain the confidence i needed to perform again after taking off a significant amount of time.

Alex Calver introduced me to the international scene.  There's many thing I've done that I would not have been able to do if it weren't for Alex helping me along.

Kid Dynamite...He's personally responsible for the underground Atlanta EDM scene.  Had he not started Playground,  none of it would exist.  He was also a moving factor within n10sive Kare unit,  the group that helped me get started in Atlanta.

Matt K and I have tagged together more than I could remember.  He also played a set with me the first time I ever played in Birmingham.  He's my brother in Hard Dance,  and still rocks it around the world to this day.

I've been quite blessed when it comes to DJing...I've always found myself in the right place with the right people.  I'm trying to be an influence on people as well.  I'm not always the perfect role model,  but I do what I can.

I really do believe it's those close to you that are the REAL influence.

growing up in LA it was all local dj's
Doran
Thomas Michael
Christopher Lawrence
Sandra Collins
Thee-o
Aldo Bender
Eli Star but the 2 i really look up to are Josh Wink & DocMartin







what¿?

As a producers... (and not in any order)

Depeche Mode
Fluke
Steve Lawler
Oakenfold
Nick Warren
BT
Scott Blackwell
Wil Foster
Jamey Wright
Stryke
Chicane
Lovesky
Lustral
Zero
Mortal
Prodigal Sons
and... a few others.

I haven't had much experiences in the clubs themselves so hanging out or seeing specific DJs perform was never something I was really able to experience... I had a bad club experience when I was 16 and never really felt like going back... but anyways.... my influences from listening to mixes and buying cds would be :

Paul Van Dyk's older stuff from like 2000-2003
Fatboy Slim's Better Living Through Chemistry
Moby's Play and earlier stuff but really dug the sampled goodness of tracks like why does my heart feel so bad? and natural blues...

and just random dj mixes I would find in random trance irc channels... 

My more recent big influences would be Andy Hunter and Stryke their style and seeing their crowd control has really just taught me a lot.

I grew up in the midwest saw most shows in Detroit and Chicago areas so my list of most influential DJ's would be:

Richie Hawtin
John Aquaviva
Paul Johnson
Hyperactive
Jeff Mills - best I have seen on two decks, insane, rocks three well, but two is crazy
Juan Atkins
Derrick Carter
Surgeon
Claude Young
Kikoman

Yeah he usually rolled up with his records and a 909, and it was Chicago house time!

Dan Smith of Liquid People
Inland Knights
Ally Boss
Brian Tappert
Full Intention
Fat Boy Slim (until I worked out it was all show)

And I'll chuck some more up when i can remember who they were.........