Mark Kamins is out in the world DJing, creating, staying relevant, growing with the music, changing with the times and not retiring. In the conversation I had with him via Skype (see part one of our interview) he told me of DJs in Parisian clubs making peanuts as the world economy tanks. Still, the circuit DJs keep pulling in big bucks. The Haves and Have-Nots concept I apply to clubs in a recession seems to apply to DJs as well. Mark refers to Danceteria and mentions how poor everyone was; in the pre-bottle-service era, clubbies spent half of their energy on dancing and scrounging drink tickets. Danceteria gave birth, or at least a significant boost to legends, including Madonna, Run DMC, Russell Simmons, Chris Isaak, the Psychedelic Furs, and so many more -- a list of employees who would become stars. I still visit a website where old habitués of the joint chat about old and new.

Legend has it that Mark Kamins was bugging Sire Record’s Seymour Stein for a producing gig, and Stein told him to get his own act. That act turned out to be Kamins’ ex-girlfriend Madonna. Stein was so anxious to sign the material girl that she was rushed to his hospital bed to get it done. Mark’s production of her first single “Everybody” still bangs dance floors today. Kamins' production career includes work with the Talking Heads, Sinead O’Connor, the Beastie Boys, and my old friend and Danceteria bartender turned performance artist Karen Finley. When I was going through my wonderbread years in the nightclub world, I looked up to Mark and always felt privileged to have a few minutes of his time. I caught up with him via Skype as he is now living in Europe, and we chatted about the music and the rise of the International DJ.