They say that legends are made, not born. And after years of making the beats, playing the clubs (gay, straight, mixed), and producing the names that have kept club-goers partying for years, Junior Vasquez can easily count himself a legend.

But that doesn’t mean it’s time to count him out. Twenty years after he started his meteoric rise to international fame and invented the notion of the superstar DJ, papa’s got a brand new bag of tricks up his vinyl sleeve. He’s parted ways with old management, choosing for the first time to manage every aspect of his career, direction, and image on his own; he’s established a new residency with Cielo Night Club (NYC), kicking off on April 13 2008; and he’s preparing for the future of the music industry by prepping his skills for a multimedia assault on the senses, weighing production, songwriting, remixing, artist development, fashion design, art, and television options in a way that will totally redefine the nature of the DJ personality.

“When I look back at my discography, I can see that it’s pretty impressive,” admits Junior with a laugh. Indeed, he’s always balanced a list of pedigree past clients (Madonna, Whitney Houston, Cher) with current remixes that are climbing the charts as we speak (like his holy Britney trinity: “Gimme More,” “Piece of Me” and “Break the Ice”). But Vasquez doesn’t believe in resting on his considerable laurels. “My personality is always in the present,” he says. “I don’t even think of yesterday. Life is like DJing: the crowd doesn’t know what I’m playing next, because I’m not living in the moment of the song. I’m already thinking about how to fuck with their heads with the next one.”

This month, Vasquez will bring his trademark sound - that divergent blend of genre-smashing, pulsing hooks – to his new residency at Cielo Night Club in NYC.

Previously, Vasquez established his seminal reputation at behemoth superclubs, founding the pioneering Sound Factory and holding high profile residencies at Tunnel, ArenA and Twilo. But now, Junior remains at the forefront of club trends by acknowledging that the industry has changed: the days of the warehouse-style mega club is gone, and it’s all about the birth of the boutique venue. “I can tailor to the pure fans,” says Vasquez of the benefits. He can also bring a wealth of experience to the DJ booth, mixing cutting-edge anthems with classic styles – styles he invented, by the way – that even the youngest generation of club goers has been raised on. “There are all these kids in the club who want music that’s reminiscent of the beginning of House,” says Vasquez. “I was at the forefront of that. It’s my stronghold, and they give me props for it.”
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