Article by Plan B (Vice 1997)

A Trak: Scratchin’ his way through Grade 10
Article by: Plan B

1997

Let me tell you about my man Alain Maklovich, because the guy has some serious problems that I’d like to bring to your attention. First of all, there’s his phone; it will not stop ringing. Despite specific instructions of “no calls after ten o’clock,” the family switchboard is buggin’ with calls from industry types and the like who all want a piece of my man. Not to mention getting booked for gigs where, based on a slight age issue, he actually has to wait outside of the venue until showtime, and then leave immediately following his set. Then there’s the secret society of jealous scratch DJs who’ve been mumbling about him since he won the Canadian DJ Mixing Championship in Montreal a couple of weeks back. “There’s a lot of people who say I only won because I’m fifteen, but I don’t have time to worry about talk like that. Everybody has their own opinion, but it’s still me who has to represent Canada in three weeks.” This month at the DMC finals in Rimini Italy, Alain, aka DJ ATRAK will be turning a lot of heads, and not because he’s fifteen. A-TRAK is a modest, articulate guy who would rather be known for destroying the decks wherever he goes, than as that “little French DJ Kid.”

“I want to elevate the art of DJing to the next level, “ he says, “You know leave my mark.” You only have to talk to Alain for five minutes to know that he takes the opportunities that lie ahead of him very seriously. There’s enough DJs out there who want the same things, but all skills aside, A-TRAK is working at a mental level far beyond his years. He’s also got a lot of support from his older brother David, who provides everything from advice and critcism, to make sure the girls don’t go too crazy when Alain walks into McDonalds. These Guys are like Batman and Robin. Dave-One; classically trained musician, radio personality, and hip hop producer, is the older, wiser mentor. A-TRAK; the quick thinking, acrobatic, circus orphan/superstar DJ is without a doubt, the boy wonder. Watch for this team in the future in the form of Obscure Disorder, in which Alain DJs, and Dave does the production, topped by lyrical doses from Eclipse, Science, and Logic.

Tags: Djing, Montreal, Obscure Disorder, Turntablism