DJ David Blank

One of my earliest musical memories is getting Donna Summer’s Bad Girls in middle school. By high school, I was collecting 12-inch singles from New Order, Depeche Mode and Pet Shop Boys, along with releases from labels like Wax Trax! and Nettwerk. In 1990, with my friend Chuck Steward and others, I helped put on Sanctuary, Birmingham’s first rave. That led to residencies at The Rage, Club 21, The Quest and The Station, three years DJing Rites of Spring, and co-owning The Bad Seed, a Southside store specializing in electronic and club music. Healthcare eventually became my career, but I never completely stopped DJing. Now I’m making new mixes and digitizing old ones for friends to enjoy. Unless noted, everything here is mixed live with no re-edits. I’ve always had the greatest respect for DJs who can hold a floor for hours without a preplanned set—reading the crowd, feeding off its energy, taking chances, and occasionally making a mistake.