A
VERY SPECIAL TANKS
To the international editors Paul Philips, Sandra Goriz,
Frank Samms, Wilfred De Baise, Emma Freilich, Pablo
Reyes, Stefan Trapp, Stefan Thomas, Jean Pierre Costeaux,
Christine and Toni Prince, all the international and
national journalists, the prestigious Network Press,
Magazin DJ, Mix Mag, DMC Magazine, Rotation DJ Magazine,
Der Patriot, Der Harz Echo, The New Musical Express,
The Melody Maker, Blitz, O Exito, O Sete, Tal e Qual,
A Capital, O Século Ilustrado, Correio da Manhã,
Revista Nova Gente, Holla, El Diario 16 de Madrid, Discotecas
y Disc-Jockeys, La Verdad de Valencia, Diario de Tenerife,
Diario de Avisos de Tenerife, Diário de Coimbra,
O Distrito de Setúbal, Jornal de Notícias,
Jornal da Madeira, Diário de Notícias,
Notícias da Madeira, Tribuna, Revista Saber,
Correio da Madeira, etc..
You allowed made my career, to be registered in History
...
Dj John Canada
_______________________________________________________________
Historic
Born in Madeira Island in 1959, John
decided to start his career, first on radio in 1972,
at the age of 13, (at that time he was the youngest
radio DJ in Portugal)...
In 1985 DJ John Canada won an important contest in West-Germany,
being the "Best Mix" DJ of GERMAY! In 1987
and 1990, John Canada wins Portuguese DJ Championships,
and represents Portugal in the WORLD DMC MIXING CHAMPIONSHIPS,
making a lot of top international friends (DJ''s and
artists) all over the World, meeting people such as
John "Jellybean" Benitez, Mantronix, Jazzy
B, Soul 2 Soul, Simon Harris, Rebel MC, Public Enemy,
Run DMC, Lisa Stansfield, James Brown, Richie Sambora,
Jon Bon Jovi, Falco, Sandra, Matt Bianco, Midge Ure,
Bob Sinclar, Michael Gray, Paul Oakenfold, Sash, Pete
Tong, Ben Liebrand, Sanny X, Toni Prince, Paul Dakeyne,
and many more…
1975 - Madeira
A friend of him called António who knew João's
radio popularity invited him to play music for young
people in "PICASSO" and later on, "INFINITY
Disco", at the Miramar Hotel, during saturday's
teenage session. At that time he used to mix Tina Charles
with Giorgio Moroder, K.C. and Sunshine Band, Supertramp
and lots of Rock 'n' Roll! This was the begining of
a long sucessful career.
1977 - Madeira INFINITY
At the age of 17, John signs his first professional
contract as DJ at Infinity Disco, leaving school behind,
and pursuing a totally professional musical career...
At that particular time João used to play Hot
Chocolat, Sister Sledge, Gloria Gaynor, Boney M, Sylvester,
Patrick Juvet, Chic, Village People, Bee Gees on Saturday
Night Fever, and still a lot of classic Rock 'n' Roll!
João Canada worked with the legendary
New York DJ Hector, that in 1976 was the 7th best disc-Jockey
of New York, at "INFINITY Disco".
With the same name and the same manager Richard Thomas
brought Hector to Madeira for the openning of a local
"INFINITY" disco. João Canada was the
first ever Madeira DJ to mix records in a perfect way,
with beat and tempo sincronized together, even before
the Technics Quartz SL-1200 arrived in to the DJ World!.
Due to his radio experience, João started entertaining
people with the microfone, which was unusual in Madeira,
for a DJ!. Talking about radio, during the seventies
John never stopped his radio programs, expanding them
from sports to different music areas.
1980 - Madeira BARBARELLA
In 1980 João is invited to open one of the most
important and historic discotheques of the Island, "BARBARELLA"!
A typical private club for local society, with a guaranteed
full house, every single night. Songs he used to play,
were "Enolagay"; "Echo Beach by Martha
and The Mufins"; "Another Brick The Wall by
Pink Floyd"; Lene Lovich, Kate Bush, Police, Bob
Marley, Earth Wind and Fire, Rolling Stones, Supertramp,
and so many more... During nine successful months João
had no time to breathe, adding the sportive practice
with the radio programs and the job in the discotheque,
without a day off, he headed for a nervous breakdown...
After he decided to leave the discotheque,"BARBARELLA"
was never the same again... Hiring several Dee Jays
to replace John's popularity and professionalism, the
clients noticed big changes in the music orientation,
and quickly "BARBARELLA" start a process of
downfall...
1981 - Madeira - Matur/Atlantis ZARCO
Away from the noise and pollution for a while, João
recovers from his nervous breakdown keeping the radio
projects on Radio Madeira and decides to accept a fantastic
contract in (at that time) the luxurious Matur –
Atlantis Holiday Inn, Resort 5 star hotel, in Madeira.
His mission, replacing the musicians of a band, that
used to play at local "ZARCO'S BAR" with no
clients inside... and creating a Disco with a new atmosphere,
a new era of dancing and entertainment that quickly
started making a name, all over the Island... During
1981 and 1982, João saw lots of Funchal residents
having repeated weekends at the Matur-Atlantis Holiday
Inn Resort, with several night parties and full house,
playing tracks as "Tainted Love"; "Billie
Jean"; "Sweet Dreams are Made of This";
"Down Under"; "Abracadabra"; "Der
Komissar"; "Red Red Wine"; "Do You
Really Want to Hurt Me" and bands such as Human
League, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, and many more.
1983 - Tenerife, Canary Islands
STRESS
In August 1983, João Canada declines an invitation
to work as DJ in Madeira's Palácio club, another
of Madeira's 5 star Hotels! The main reason being that
he had to move to Tenerife, where he started an astounding
international career! João got an invitation
from Santa Cruz Tenerife's popular radio DJ named Jose
Carlos Rodriguez that had a radio program called "A
Todo el Ritmo" and had seen João Canada
performing several times, when he had visited Madeira.
João was invited to open Jose Carlos Rodriguez
new discotheque named "STRESS", in the heart
of Santa Cruz, capital of Tenerife.
The local newspapers and radio stations, spent two weeks
advertising the opening of the Disco, with its original
dancefloor with more than 400 lights, and an International
DJ, called João Canada... At "STRESS DISCO"
he played songs like "You're a Danger" by
Gary Low; "Where is My Love Tonight" by Lime;
"Don't Go" Yazoo; "Wanna Be Start Something"
by Michael Jackson; "No Controles" by Ole,
Ole; "El Hombre Lobo" La Union, Mecano, other
spanish groups... and once again, a lot of Rock 'n'
Roll...
John was also a radio man and started
some collaborations with a Tenerife local radio. Having
signed a contract for two years, and being registered
in Comarca Municipal to have legal residence and a work
permit in Spain, João worked in "STRESS
DISCO" only three months, because in December 1983
he got another invitation to move to south of Tenerife,
Playa de Las Americas, the entertainment capital, where
the best discotheques and tourists, used to be. He's
new manager heard so much about João playing
in the capital of Tenerife, that imediatly offered him
an amazing contract for that time, paying him monthly
150.000 pesetas, twice the amount he was getting at
the "STRESS DISCO"! .
1983 - Playa Las Americas, Tenerife
VERONICA
In Playa Las Americas, a new DJ was born... John Canada!
His fantastic mixing techniques and microfone show's
for the tourists, made him at that time, and until now...
one of the best DJ's to ever work in Tenerife!!! Lionel
Richie's "All Night Long" was perfectly mixed
with Shanon's "Let The Music Play" and the
break dance mania mixed together with Curtis Blow instrumental
track, adding his own voice, singing the rap part and
mixing together with top hits, as "Last Night a
DJ Saved My Life" by Indeep, and many others.
John Canada's reputation was growing
each week, helping his manager make a lot of money with
a full house, that "PRISMAS" discotheque,
a very chic and rival Disco in the same Playa Las Americas,
immediately started sending their personal staff, to
try to contract the portuguese Disc-Jockey! John resists
to the several offers made by Mr.Pascual, a very rich
man, owner of an important empire of Discos and restaurants
all over Spain, including Barcelona, Palma Mallorca,
Madrid, Tenerife, etc...
1984 - Playa Las Americas, Tenerife
PRISMAS DISCO
One day, in March 1984 the rich guys from Prismas made
one last propersition, to make the popular DJ move to
the Pascual Group!
The offer was too good to turn down! Being one of the
most well paid DJ's in the Pascual Company, John start
working in April 1984 at "PRISMAS Disco",
now competing with his oldmanager.
"PRISMAS" was a classic and well seen club,
decorated with a lot of mirrors, tables and chic chairs.
Clients varied from, tourists, locals, government clients,
business men, and well known Tenerife people! Comercial
music was mixed in a perfect mood, that it almost sounded
like the same track... John's perfection of mixing,
made him study all the relevant elements to put together
"Get Down on a Saturday Night" Oliver Chateaw
with Madona's "Holiday", adding loops and
acapellas, of different tracks as "Caribean Queen"
by Billy Ocean with Wham "Wham Rap", Cindy
Lauper's "Girl's Just Wanna Have Fun", Pointer
Sister's "Jump" and many more...
It was one of the most interesting experiences
to John Canada, his way of working, and the way he entertained
people on the dance floor, made him, not only a Canary
Top DJ, but also a strong element in helping his manager
make business. Every single night "PRISMAS"
discotheque was always full of clients, and at the end
of the night, breaking all the money records.
1984 - Palma Mallorca, Arenal,
Spain GRAN JOY
Pascual saw in John Canada an important employee to
his company! Pascual decided to send the portuguese
DJ to one of the most famous and beautifull places for
night life, Palma Mallorca! Pascual Company had two
of the most prestigiuos and best Discos in Mallorca,
one in Arenal 6, "GRAN JOY", (one of the biggest
places at that time for 5.000 people), and a small totally
private club in the capital Palma, situated downstairs
in the World's Famous Tito's Palace, in front of Naval
Club Maritimo, a place for the local and international
Jet Set...
Mallorca had at that time 2.500 discotheques
registered in the Island. For many years "GRAN
JOY" was one of the most important Discotheques
during the summertime, in Europe. A kind of Ibiza nowadays,
but with commercial music in mind. John Canada was invited
to compete with the newly openned MacroDisco called
Riu's Palace. "GRAN JOY" finally had, a serious
and strong competitor...
The portuguese DJ arrived the island
with the status of a star DJ, getting a contract for
250.000 pesetas monthly, with food and apartement paid!
What a summer!!! At that time John Canada used to play
songs as "Relax" Frankie Goes To Hollywood;
"No Self Control" by Ralf; "Big in Japan"
Alphaville; "Where is My Man" by Eartha Kitt;
"Straight Ahead" Kool and The Gang; "Small
Town Boy and Why" by Bronski Beat, "My Mine"
by Hypnotic Tango; "Life is Life" by Opus
and so many more.
1984 - Palma City, Capital of
Mallorca VICTORIA CLUB
In September 1984 "GRAN JOY" closed, (this
type of Macrodiscos for more than 5.000 people are only
open during the summer), and Pascual and his administration
decided that John Canada should play at "VICTORIA
Club", the luxurious private club in the city of
Palma, where the local and international Jet Set used
to visit!
This was a problem for John because after a fantastic
and hard summer working at "GRAN JOY", John
wanted so much to recover with a small holiday, adding
some great work invitations from Paris and Germany,but
the show... must go on...
The nights at Palma "VICTORIA'S"
were done in a top mixing harmony, because this club
never saw a DJ speaking or even singing, as John used
to do, in his Gran Joy’s show's... John at that
time had to play slow songs in a sequence of 20 minutes,
each half hour of fast music... Songs as "Copacabana"
Barry Manilow; "New York, New York" from Frank
Sinatra, "I Will Survive" Gloria Gaynor and
other classic tracks mixed with Kool and The Gang, Prince,
James Brown and Tina Turner were in fashion at that
club, with those particular clients.
1984 - Paris, France LA SCALA
In the beginning of October 1984, John Canada was invited
to move to Paris, to play at Europe's biggest Discotheque,
"LA SCALA du PARIS"! "LA SCALA"
at that time, was the number one Disco in Europe! "LA
SCALA" was built on an old cinema and theatre,
and as famous Studio 54 in New York City, "LA SCALA"
became famous for it's unique conditions for more than
10.000 people. With three floors, a restaurant, a VIP
room, and lots of small and a big dance floors, "LA
SCALA" received every weekend as a Macrodiscotheque,
thousands and thousands of clients from all over, including
France, Belgium, Holland, England and Germany... The
night with John Canada in the capital of the Light,
Paris, was incredibly good.
1984 - Paris, France DISCOM
John spent his holiday working in this major Disco,
and being invited to be present at Discom, the 5th International
Congress of Discotheques and DJ's, at Palais du Versailles!
1984 - Tenerife, Canary Islands
As usual during the winter, John Canada fly's to the
Canary Islands. Once again, waiting for him, "PRISMAS",
the best disco in Tenerife!
This was a special winter season, because "PRISMAS"
was full of people almost every night, and John's experience
at this point in his career, made it possible for his
managers. The dream of beating all the money record's
in the history of the discotheque, come true! The nights
at "PRISMAS" were the best parties around
the island, with people arriving from everywhere, including
from Santa Cruz Tenerife the capital, and also from
Puerto Rico in the North of the island, joining the
tousands of tourists in Playa Las Americas. During that
winter John played all the Mallorca summer hits, the
new winter music he had heard and bought in Paris and
a lot of Tears For Fears "Everybody Wants to Rule
the World"; Chaka Kan "Feel For You",
and so many more.
1985 - Sheraton Hotel, Madeira
O FAROL
For a very short period of time, John Canada returns
to Madeira to visit his parents, just before he started
his adventure on to Germany! John is invited to play
at a special Saturday night at Madeira's Sheraton Hotel,
Disco "O Farol", a small private club where
the local society used to go out. The place is full
of people watching John Canada's perfomance. One hour
of mixing, singing and scratching, was enough to entertain
the crowed!.
1985 - Germany
Finally John Canada moved to West Germany! In Summer
84, he got some invitations after his excellent work
in Mallorca, especially with the german people. Mallorca
during summer received lots of germans on holiday, and
some of the best German discotheque manager's, as they
do nowaday's with Ibiza, run there, to find and contract
new DJ's for their winter season. John had first to
brake his contract with the Pascual Spanish Group, which
was not easy. John wanted more, now that he had the
chance to work in the biggest clubs in Europe, and was
being offered to work in Germany which meant much more
money... In the 80's there weren't that many very good
mixer DJ's, and John Canada was one of them.
1985 - Lippstadt, Germany
In Germany he started working in the very famous "KU"!
(Remember KU Ibiza?..) They had incredible beautiful
discotheques, with restaurants inside... Big places,
for more than 5.000 people! John has very good memories
about the group "KU". They were very kind
to him and one of the manager's introduced him to people
of the music industry, and John started receiving everyweek
all the newest music, from the big Record Company's
for his show's. In "KU" Lipsstadt, he play's
for the first time Sandra's "Maria Madalena"
that soon became a hit all over Germany and Europe,
and many other records, with his touch of class in the
mixing techniques. His german DJ collegues were impressed,
because they never seen before, a DJ mixer like John.
With John playing as DJ at Lippstadt
"KU", this super Disco received the very famous
Pop Rock Music Hall, for Deutshe Television Chanel ZDF,
in a non stop two day show, with sush artists as Falco,
Matt Bianco, Robin Gibb from Bee Gees, Bobby Kimball
from Toto, Roger Daltrey, Joe Cocker Sandra, Peter Maffay,
Baltimora, Moti Special, Thompson Twins, Midge Ure,
OMD, Propaganda, Air Supply, Robert Plant, Jennifer
Rush, The Commodores, Foreigner, and many more.
1985 - Hannover, Germany
After two months in Lippstadt "KU", John was
invited to move to Hannover, where the same group had
another big "KU Discotheque". Hannover is
a big city, and it's people very fashionable. John moved
to one of the most fashionable discos in North of Germany,
in the area of Garbsen. This discotheque would play
videoclips whilst people were dancing to the music,
at that time this was in fashion and "KU"
Hannover was one of the first discotheque's to play
it! "KU" Hannover, the city of "The SCORPIONS"
that very often spent some free nights there dancing
with friends, also had a stage, where some of the Top
Euro Artists were invited to perform there! John Canada
remembers Falco, Sandra, Bad Boy's Blue, and British
bands or artists, such as Princess, that at that time
had a number one hit in UK, "Say I'm Your Number
One"... The clients and especially his german DJ
colleague and friend, were delighted with John Canada
show.
1985 - Trinity, Germany
The popularity of John Canada was crossing the north
area of West Germany, that one day John is visited by
one of the most prestigious DJ's in Europe, the Dutch
DJ, Producer and Remixer, Ben Liebrand! Ben became famous
for his long megamixing CD's, especially at Holland
Radio with the very popular program "in the mix..."
During many years Ben Liebrand worked and remixed for
big star's, such as Hot Chocolat "Sexy Thing";
Tavares "Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel";
John Paul Young "Love is in the air"; Phil
Collin "In The Air Tonight"; Peter Gabriel
"Sledgehammer"; Prince "Kiss" and
many others... Towards the end of 1985, John Canada
meets Ben Liebrand as president of the jury, in his
German DJ Championships.
John Canada is crowned the king of the German DJ's,
with his incredible way of mixing records!.
One day, nearly two months before John
Canada presents his show at the Final Competition in
Germany, John is visited by a spanish owner of a well
know discotheque, called "TRINITY". The spanish
manager wants the portuguese DJ to move to his own discotheque
and John accepted his important offer.
1985 - John Canada, Champion
of Germany
John Canada's art of mixing was always recognized, by
friends, clients, people from different cultures and
countries, but John wanted to show himself, that he
could do it better, without any fear of the German DJ's!
John was born to mix records, that special hearing...
and this was his strongest hope. In the 80's there weren't
many who could mix as perfectly, like John Canada in
Europe! The competition took place at the end of 1985,
in Duisburg's "TA TUE", a private club Disco
twenty kilometres near to the cosmopolitan of Dusseldorf.
John Canada accepted in January 1987 an invitation to
be resident DJ of "TA TUE" staying there,
till the beginning of summer. The competition was incredibly
well known, not only because Ben Liebrand was there,
but also, because all the media and the best German
Dee Jay's, were there! DJ's from Hamburg were there,
DJ's from Frankfurt were there, even a lot of DJ's started
arriving in big cars, crossing Germany from south to
north in direction Dusseldorf/Duisburg.
Ali, was a top Turkish DJ working in Munich, that was
beat in the first round by John Canada, with lot's of
points of difference...
In the second round on the 26 of November, John Canada
beat a Dutch DJ working in Germany, in a super Disco
in Bochum called "Theatre de Tao"! Edwin Dehaas,
couldn't achieve more than 112 points, while John Canada
wins with 130 points... The DJ Magazine/Net Work Press,
official organ of Deutsh Disco Mix Club, wrote in its
pages..."The number nine competitor Jean Kanada
from Lipsstadt, started with a small error on Oliver
Cheatham, but after this, an interesting fireworks of
short mixes together with parts of Axel F, the Theme
from Rocky and other instrumentals mixed very very fast,
with cut's and chops always very creative and in perfect
compass and rythm, made the night sound musicly. "Eine
Spitzenleistung"!
1986 - All Over Germany
In 1986 John Canada started the year playing at different
clubs, defending and showing his new status of German
Champion, travelling to different cities. In some cases
John had to take the train to make long journies, and
he started getting tired of it, so he decided to accept
a good work invitation in Bierdorf, a city with a small
portuguese community.
1986 - Bierdorf, Germany EINBECKER BIERDORF
He worked with a very good American Dee Jay in Bierdorf
in a place called "EINBECKER BIERDORF". Both
were playing together for two months, but the german
girls and clients of the disco, always went crazy when
the portuguese D.J. arrived to the cabin, to play and
mix records! John mixed belly instrumentals of Madona's
"In to the Groove", with other vocal tracks,
making live remixing show's on the floor! John was very
professional, and it happened that some girls got mad
with him, because he never went out with any girl...
His mission, however, was mixing, mixing, remixing and
mixing records...
1986 - Herford, Seseen, Germany
GO GO PARK
1986 was definitly a very good year for the new German
Champion with several invitations. John told me that
some of his fans from Sweden that he met in Palma Mallorca,
made a long trip from Scandinavia to watch John's new
perfomances in Germany!
After hearing the sucess of this boy, a Macrodisco with
three dance floors in Herford called "GO GO PARK"
for 10.000 people, made a contract with the German Champion.
What a crowd!!! What a public!!! What a Show!!! "GO
GO PARK" was a really Big Park Discotheque! It
had always been a dream of João Canadas to work
in such discotheques, and his astouning and sensational
career allowed him to play at the best Europe Clubs!
Several times in Germany, John Canada was mentioned
and presented as number one mixing DJ in the World,
just because in some parts of Germany, they had never
seen anyone like him.
1986 - SPAIN and PORTUGAL
John Canadas popularity was crossing Europe and he arrives
in Spain again! A new Macrodisco in Benidorm is built
with german technology, german laser, the sound equipment,
etc. The owner's needed a star DJ for the Spanish Group
Star, at their new discotheque "STAR GARDEN"
in Benidorm! The Champion of Germany had to be in Benidorm
at the beginning of May to open this incredible new
Macrodisco "STAR GARDEN", which became very
famous for many reasons. Before John moves again to
Spain, he flys to Madeira to rest a little and recover
his energy for the big summertime in Benidorm!
1986 - Madeira VESPAS
Meanwhile in the Island, John is invited to play one
night at "VESPAS", Madeiras top discotheque
during many years, and this is a chance for the local
people to admire John Canadas qualities, special after
his Spanish, Frensh and German experience, and his glorious
title of German Champion! John told me that playing
there is something special, because it is a chance to
work with his own people, the Island where he started
his career! The place was full of people and John started
playing for the first time in the Island what became
very popular all over the World in 1986, a kind of J.M
Silck and Steve Hurley House music, that during the
summertime he often played.It was a non stop perfect
beat one hour mixing show, perfectly mixed with commercial
tracks, and acapellas!
1986 - Benidorm, Spain STAR GARDEN
After his week holiday, John moved to Spain where he
had to open at 30 of May, one of the most beautiful
and Giant Discos of Europe! "STAR GARDEN"
was built on a visionary optic, a really futurist place
to entertain the people on summer holiday. The Macrodisco
had a ceiling with sofisticated lights, a laser, the
best and latest sound equipment, and a DJ cabin with
Formula Sound Mixer's and Jet Technology... Outside
a garden!.. A garden with a swimming pool and a bridge
crossing the pool where the clients could enjoy a swim
with beach toys!
This incredible super Disco, had a real helicopter on
a giant UFO as part of the decoration, and also, little
restaurantes, pizzaria, gambling rooms, ice cream shop,
merchandise, etc... The strongest point of "STAR
GARDEN" was the entertainment team, with different
theme parties everynight. The entertainment staff wore
fashionable clothes! This was a typical fashionable
discotheque, and clients used to wear futuristic clothes,
as for example at Le Palace de Paris! John Canada's
music selection at this place, made him mix A-Ha with
U2; Simple Minds, Morrissey; The Cure; Sister of Mercey;
Anne Clark, New Order,The Mission, Tears For Fears,
Sigue Sigue Sputnik, etc.
Miss Spain 86
"STAR GARDEN" quickly became famous for its
nice people who arrived from Barcelona, Madrid and other
parts of Spain, Italy, Germany, etc.
The Macrodisco receives at the end of the season, the
official competition of MISS SPAIN 86! John Canada plays
the music totally live, for this great Contest! The
event is presented by Spanish popular TV presenter José
Luis Urribarri and TVE is covering the night. Marbella's
Jet Set Princess Gunilla Von Bismark is there and made
part of the mediatic Juri also Rafael Peralta, Pepe
Barroso, Laura Valenzuela, José Luis Dibildos,
Rocío Martin... Remedios Cervantes from Malaga,
is the new Miss Spain at "STAR GARDEN"!.
1986 - Benidorm, Spain NUMBER
ONE
After one month of working at "STAR GARDEN"
John Canada is invited to re-open one of the most beautiful
discotheques of the same Group Star, in Benidorm. For
years "NUMBER ONE" was really one of the best
valencian discotheques, but after Group Star opened
"STAR LIGHT" in 1983, the "NUMBER ONE"
super Disco had to close its doors, because everybody
was going to the new "STAR LIGHT". John had
a top status DJ, earning monthly in Group Star nearly
350.000 pesetas with food and apartment paid. He accepted
a move to the new "NUMBER ONE" adding a percentage
at the end of the night to his salary, and he knew that
he could make a fortune there, because he was always
sucessful.
On the other hand, the administration of the Group Star
were extremely happy with John Canadas work! With John
Canada there, "NUMBER ONE" worked with a lot
of scandinavians, spanish and other tourist groups,
even portuguese, opening and closing doors full of people
every single night! John remember's the big parties
he made at "NUMBER ONE" with the portuguese
clients,"they were young supporter's of a portuguese
football team, Juventude Leonina from Sporting Lisbon,
and every night of August they were there, singing loud
music's like "Sunday Bloody Sunday" by U2,
"Final Countdown" by sweedish groupe Europe,
"Lessons in Love" by Level 42, "Alive
and Kickin" by Simple Minds and "Holiday Rap"
by Ben Liebrand. At that time Ben's Liebrand "Holiday
Rap" easily filled the dance floor and even the
Italo Disco that we used to play, to the scandinavian
people"... John Canada started also an international
collaboration on Radio Benidorm after an interview about
his career... At the end of the season, "NUMBER
ONE" receives the pre-final of MISS SPAIN 86! John
Canada plays the music tottaly live for this Great Contest
at 04/10/86 and 24 hours after, he moves to "STAR
GARDEN" with all the organization and the girls,
to play again tottaly live, the Great Final!.. "Everything
went perfect, but we had to repeat several times the
same number before the real show started...but wasn't
difficult at all" said John, "because, I was
looking to all this beautiful spanish girls, smiling
to me".
1986 - Madrid, Spain
John then invested a lot of his money in musical instruments.
He wanted to build his own studio, and he was looking
at equipment in Madrid like a child with a new toy!
John has a sound formation by Centro de Estudos de Sonido
e Imagen, Madrid.The new technology, the multitracker
systems that allowed him to mix in studio, allowed him
to start domestic project's of mixing, megamixing and
remixing.
1986 - A Discoteque in Alvalade,
Football Stadium
After the season, John is invited to go to a Lisbon
meeting with João Rocha, an old president of
Sporting Lisbon football team!
"They wanted to know more about night life and
discotheques, because his sons Gonçalo and João
Rocha Jr. were fanatics of night life and discos. They
even had a beautiful home discotheque where they were
the DJ's for the family and friends parties" said
John! "I met João and Gonçalo in
Benidorm at Summer's 86, 87 and 88 and we became good
friends. Remember that in 87 was the year that Tó
Pereira, DJ VIBE spent his holiday in front of my cabin,
at "STAR LIGHT"... "They wanted build
a new discotheque in Lisbon and they invited me to a
meeting with their father, after my season in Spain".
John arrived Lisbon and after calling the boys, they
took him to a very chic very private club in Lapa, near
of them palace! "I was very impressed with the
club, a very chic area in Lisbon. Before the business
meeting, they took me to "THE STONES" a Jet
Set private club 50 metres from their house, and then,
I met Mr João Rocha a very dynamic president
of the portuguese football team Sporting. Our meeting
was to ask me, what were the possibilities of sucess
for a discoteque downstairs Alvalade Football Station"...
They didn't open there, but they built "KREMLIN",
a top Disco in the portuguese capital for artists and
good clients, where John Canada was playing in 89 for
a night show, invited by his friend, the resident DJ
VIBE! Some years later, the Rocha brother's opened in
Lisbon one of the most elegant and finest discotheques,
"KAPITAL"!
About this, John said to me when I was writting his
career memories "I feel that I had inspired João
and Gonçalo Rocha, especially after our meeting
at their house, with their father. I'm very happy about
it! When I go to Lisbon I'm very welcome to "KAPITAL
"I know that in their mind, is a part of me, for
the inspiration and motivation probably started in Benidorm"
said John.
1986 - Sheraton Hotel, Madeira
O FAROL
John returns to his Island, and now it's time to rest
after a long summer period of working. In his country,
one afternoon of November he receives a phone call from
Sheraton Hotel, requesting his DJ services! John refuses
the offer because he wants to build his own studio productions,
and also because he had to return to Germany, where
he should start working at beginning of the year, at
"TA TUE" the club where he was crowned "Best
German Mixing DJ in 85"! The manager's of Sheraton
had a big problem with their private DJ at "FAROL",
and needed urgently a good DJ, and December was knocking
at the door... After several calls from Sheraton to
John, he decides to accept the invitation, with a condition,
that he only works there in December. John also had
to teach a new DJ, that would keep the job in January,
while John Canada had to move to Germany.
1987 - Duisburg, Germany TA TUE
Returned to Germany, John started working as arranged,
at "TA TUE" a typical german club, in the
city of Duisburg, twenty kilometres of Dusseldorf. Ben
Liebrand and his sister DJ Rita Liebrand played there
also! "TA TUE" was a typical classic club
with very good music, and excellent mixing DJ's! Oran
Juice Jones "The Rain", Kool and The Gang,
Midnight Star and other funk tracks, were played there
by John Canada. Okke Van Bergen from Holland, also worked
together with John Canada. About Okke, John says "Okke
was the type of international DJ, that everybody wants
to have mixing records. It was wonderful to hear his
mixing techniques. Okke was from the old Ben Liebrand's
school, and a very close friend of Ben, so for me it
was natural that he had such precise techniques! I most
say, I most confess, I learnt so much with Okke Van
Bergen, and I was always inspired by Ben Liebrand's
mixing and megamixing techniques, a kind of inspiration..."
1987 - Amesterdam , Holland
As usual John returns to the hot summer of Spain!
The guys in Spain were desperately waiting for John,
who was delayed one month in his return to Benidorm...
His german manager, a good Italian man called Giovanni,
told him to fly to Spain because in Winter he should
open a new super discotheque in Krefeld, and needed
John with a new musical spirit. Giovanni knew that the
mixing techniques of John Canada were first class, but
he should change his musical direction for the new Big
Club in Krefeld, returning to Germany with Spanish and
summer spirit!!! Leaving "TA TUE'S" funk music
behind, John took the train to travel from Koln, Germany
to Amesterdam, Holland, where he bought the best american
house, funk and hip hop music at Attalos, the best record
shop in Europe for that kind of music... Once in Holland,
John is invited to visit Bios and Ascape, two of the
nicest and famous places in Amesterdam. Bios had the
visit of Prince, Alexander O'Neal and many top artists,
and was a typical house that used to play only black
music, from funk to hip hop and soul! Ascape was at
that time the number one discotheque in Holland, owned
by the famous Sky Company...
1987 - Benidorm, Spain STAR LIGHT
Finally John arrives at Spain summer season 87, bringing
a lot of new Holland Funk, American Hip Hop and House
music, that he mixed with commercial tracks! John was
a top professional, that knew to have sucess with Dutch
people even on holiday in Spain, he should play the
fresh music he bought in Atallos, Amsterdam. He played
in the summer, RUN DMC, BSMV, Denny's Edwards, Alexander
O'Neal, S. Express, Yazz, Terence Trend D 'Arby, Whitney
Houston, Candido and so many more... "STAR LIGHT"
was a beautifull Light Disco with 90% of Dutch clients!
When John arrived to "STAR LIGHT" to start
working on the second week of June, World top star DJ
Sanny X was there playing the music with a BeatBreaker
Sampler, using this machine to make live mixing and
remixing show's! Both DJ's, John Canada and Sanny X
were there working together a couple of nights more,
until July, when Sanny X moved to "STAR GARDEN",
to keep his show's at the Super Spanish Disco, that
John opened in 1986. The year of 87, definitely was
the best summer of "STAR LIGHT" with a full
house every night, and a lot of beautiful faces around...
But not everyone arrives to "STAR LIGHT" to
dance and enjoy! During August a young portuguese boy
spent every night in front of John Canada's DJ cabin,
watching him, taking notes and writing the name of each
single record John Canada mixed and played... This little
guy, that in August 87 spent all his nights looking
into the cabin of John Canada... is today one of the
most popular and important DJ's and Producers of the
World... His name, DJ VIBE!!!
1987 - Saragoza, Spain RUDOLFO
VALENTINO
After the summer season John Canada moves to Saragoza
to play one night at Club "RUDOLFO VALENTINO",
a small club with a young manager, son of a Spanish
tenor that saw Johns performances in Benidorm at "NUMBER
ONE" in 86, and in "STAR LIGHT" in this
Summer 87! The invitation was done, and the second time
John accepted... "I really didn't want to move
there, I was tired of playing music! At the end of a
season, you just want a holiday, but this boy was a
gentleman, a calm person and extremely educated. All
the time, he was trying to convince me to move to Saragoza.
He wanted me there, in his place, for his clients, at
least for a one night show! It's people like this, that
make you move in life... so, he was my best fan"...said
John.
1987 - Tolouse, Nice, Monte Carlo
FRANCE
With the objective of buying new material for his new
studio, that he was at this time ready to build, John
moves at the end of the season to France, searching
for the same technology that Sanny X used during the
summer. The Beat Breaker Computer made by a French engineer
and it's technology wasn't on the market anymore...
John wanted to buy Sanny X's technology, but Sanny needed
his to Mix's and Remix's, so John Canada decided to
move thousands of kilometres to find an equal system,
knocking at the door of the french engineer responsable
for that project, and requesting one similar for him...
John had, not only a new system for his live and studio
mixing sessions, but also added two great BPM counters,
at that time the first ever made for Disc-Jockey's.
With those BPM little box's, he could mix directly with
a small chip to the SL - 1200 MK Technics, with a perfect
sincronization of BPM's! For the studio work, these
machines were essential.
1987 - Madeira Island STUDIO
PRODUCTIONS
Having returned to his country again, John started building
his own studio! With the material that he bought during
part of his career, John designed and built with his
own hands every millimetre of his old bedroom, now transformed
into a small "Home Studio Productions"! I
remember particularly John telling me in a 80's DJ Magazine,
an interview about it, "My first studio was located
in my old bedroom. One day I told my mum, I'm gonna
throw away my bed, everything in my bed room, I don't
even know where I'm gonna sleep, but I will build here,
my own studio"... "My mother was shocked...
but she finally understood the importance of it for
me, because I was spending more than 12 hours a day,
in that little room, and so many times, even more, with
a non stop mixing and editing music".
1987 - Sheraton Hotel, Madeira
O FAROL
With John Canada on his Island at this time not for
a short period, he decided also to compete at the Portugal's
DJ CHAMPIONSHIPS!
The objective, represent Portugal in DMC World Finals
of 1988! For that, John needs to stay and work in Portugal
and the Sheraton Hotel offer him a contract for the
next months! Building his studio, working at night on
"FAROL Club", and preparing his participation
on DJ CHAMPIONSHIPS, John Canada receives the visit
of the local people and international clients at Sheraton
Hotel, and at the end of 1987 won the Regional DMC Contest,
beating all the local colleagues easily, and being the
first DJ Champion, in the history of Madeira Discotheque!...
1987 - John
Canada, Champion of Madeira MADEIRA
The Madeira CHAMPIONSHIPS took place at "BARBARELLA"
Disco in December 87, a place that John remember as
being his first Madeira home, when in 1977 signed his
first professional contract at the age of 17, and in
1980 openned doors, with the name of "BARBARELLA"!
John Canada mixed only commercial music, with very fast
live phasings, delays and echos (without any help from
machines, only with the two authorized turntables, and
doubled vinyl's)... One of the best parts was when the
Champion DJ used an open mixage "fly mix"
of "Electric Salsa" by OFF (only in the melody
part), in the middle of the 12" vinyl, with other
instrumentals. It sounds like a computer mix and not
a human being... The president of the jury arrived from
Lisbon for this competition, two days later told a Madeiran
newspaper that "John Canada without doubt, had
great chances, not only to take the crown in Porto's
Portuguese Final, but also, to be the first portuguese
DJ to have an honour classification, in the World Finals".
1988 - John Canada, Champion
of Portugal PORTO
After his victory at Regional Competition, John Canada
went back to work every afternoon preparing a live show
for the Portuguese Finals.
The final competition took place at "NUMBER ONE",
an old and big Disco of O'Porto City. John stayed at
Porto's Sheraton Hotel for two day's, waiting for his
Final! As usual he was a perfectionist and requested
the help of the Sheraton Administration, to give him
a place in the hotel where he could put his turntables
and mixer, and practice his number... John didn't want
to miss any ability technique in his last 48 hours,
being out of his natural DJ habitat...
From Madeira 50 fans didn't want to miss the Final Competition,
and flew to Porto. During his career John made friends
all over Europe. At that night before the Final, John
receives a telegram from his Italian girlfriend wishing
him good luck... "It was very important because
I was very stressed, I wanted so much to win this competition
and that cause me so much stress, not good for the competition"...
There are DJ's from Lisbon, Algarve,
Coimbra, Porto and Madeira's representant John Canada,
who took the crown beating in the final, João
Gonçalves the Portuguese DJ Champion of the year
before, and so many more... In 5 of February 1988, John
Canada is the new Portuguese DJ CHAMPION! John Canada
was the second DJ playing that night, a ten minute show
that was remarkable, because of his way of using his
mixing techniques, together with other very "heavy"
additional tricks, such as a saw to scratch his music...
this was just incredible... and unbelieveble...
The day after, John spended all day in
his room."I was recovering there my energies from
the stress. I gave order to the reception, to cut all
the phone calls to my room. I was sleeping all day.
I requested to the room service to have my lanch time
there, and the only moment I went out of that Sheraton
room, it was to have a long and nice relaxing massage
in the SPA, backing again to my room"... About
his Italian girlfriend, John said "it was an artistic
relationship! We were living in different places and
we were travelling a lot into different directions,
special after my Portuguese title. Her lovely telegram
helped me to face the stress of the competition"...
1988 - John Canada, London DMC
FINALS - ENGLAND
On the 7and 8 of March of 1988 at Astoria Theatre and
Royal Albert Hall in London, started the Finals of Worlds
DJ Competition, with more than 5.000 DJ's from everywhere...
In John's Canada Final the following countries were
present and battled: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Hong Kong, Israel,
Italy, Norway, Portugal (John Canada), Singapore, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdon and USA! John used
the technique of cut mix, using the crossfader (he had
some problems with the crossfader) for the necessary
Back Spins, a great technique that in 1988, only the
best DJ's of the World were able to use! It starts very
well with Curtis Blow "Clap Your Hands Together"
mixed/cut or even better backed/spined with Rolling
Stones "Start Me Up" receiving strong aplauses
from the audience.
The end of the show wasn't so spectacular, because John
had a crossfader problem... One of the main reasons
for this to happen, was that John was mixing with a
new and different Mixer, (built for these Finals) that
he didn't even warm up that night...
At the end of the night, John told me "the Finalists
were all very good, and the american Cash Money is a
DJ from another World. Nobody will beat him tomorrow,
believe me Paul" ...
At the end of the night John Canada meets
John "Jellybean" Benitez, the Worlds Famou's
DJ, that arrived exclusivily from New York City, to
Royal Albert Hall, where american DJ Cash Money is considered
"The Best in The World"! Other important artists
were also there! John Canada had the chance to meet
top artists as The Godfather of Soul music James Brown,
Alexander O'Neal, The Pebbles, Hazell Dean, Wee Papa
Girl rappers, Derek B, RUN DMC, Public Enemy, LLCool
J, Bomb the Bass, Taja Sevelle, Maxi Priest, Keith Sweat
and Boy George, just to mention the most famous. John
told me for the Magazine interview "It was an unforgetable
night, my most magnificent night, where I had the chance
to meet the best DJ's of the World, and also a lot of
very famous World Artists like James Brown who I interviewed
for my rádio. Benitez and Tony Prince were the
people that I felt more excited in meeting at Royal
Albert Hall. I want to thank Christina and Tony Prince
who made this night, the night of my life"...
1988 - John Canada, Champion Tour PORTUGAL
A portuguese DJ Champion Tour is made by John Canada,
crossing Portugal during two months from north to south,
and John explains in an 80's interview for the Magazine
DJ the meaning of this tour. "It was very good
for me because I had never worked in Portugal, and there
were people in Portugal that had heard about me, so
this was a chance for me, to show them, how to work
live with three turntables"... John in his tour
visited Guimarães "PENHA", S. João
da Madeira "TEENEAGERS", Santarém "O
CASTELO", Sines "BAG D'AGUA", Coimbra
"BROADWAY", Leiria "VIEIRA Club",
Algarve "KISS", Praia das Maçãs,
Amarante, Estoril, Lisboa, Porto, Alcobaça and
many other cities!Before John returned to Benidorm summer
season 88, he stayed in Coimbra for two months, and
accepted an invitation from a local club, working also
in a local radio station, and also being invited for
an interview by the students at Universitys Radio. One
morning, John receives a fax in Club Portugues DJ from
Radio Madeira interested in having another radio program
with him! John is invited to fly to the Island to prepare
all the contract details, and the jingles for it. John
had never really been separeted from his first love,
the Radio! At the age of 13, John started his radio
experience...
1988 - Benidorm, Spain STAR LIGHT
The Summer season starts in Benidorm, at this time with
a World DJ Finalist, the Portuguese Champion John Canada!
His colleagues and everyone who knew John, were really
happy for him and "STAR LIGHT" had the possibility
to watch a lot of new techniques that John learned at
Royal Albert Hall Finals!
As usual "STAR LIGHT" is a big discotheque
that receives thousands of people from different parts
of Europe, but 90% of the clients are Dutch! The music
that these people are used to listening to in Holland
is a combination of Hip Hop with funk and soul music,
mixed with commercial and danceball american House tracks.
But no doubt that Hip Hop in 88, was growing and was
very much appreciated by the Dutch clients of "STAR
LIGHT".
John Canada played there Derek B, Eric and The Rackim,
Run DMC, Mantronix, etc. John met his new girlfriend
a beautiful Dutch girl from Amesterdam, here at "STAR
LIGHT", who was his company for the next years...
"She was special! A very good friend and person...
but the distance between Holland and Madeira in the
coming years, split us apart" John told me.
1988 - International Radio, Benidorm RADIO SOLMAR
During this summer of 88, John Canada started a colaborating
with Madeira's pirate radio SOLMAR, a well known radio
station on the Island! His weekly program was recorded
in Benidorm, and every week John sent a tape to the
radio with a lot of fresh music and a Remix made by
John Canada, at the end of the show! The Radio program
called "MUSIC ACTION" was a tremendous sucess
in Madeira, especially with the young people!
Every week on Fridays at eleven 11 a.m. everybody wanted
to hear the new music that John was laying in Benidorm.
1988 - Live Gigs Portugal
After his return to Portugal John started doing live
show's, live and open discotheques for 5.000 people
and at times more. This was totally unusual at that
time! Everybody wanted see the portuguese DJ Champion,
and John was still on tour.
When he finally came back to Madeira, he's invited to
perform live discotheques at some well know popular
festivals. He was a pioneer in this live entertainment...
1989 - Carnival, Sines BAG D'AGUA
John return's to Sines "BAG D'AGUA" to the
Carnival 1989. He was playing at this club in 88 Portuguese
DJ Champion Tour!
Sines has a great tradition on during its Carnival,
inviting top artists from Brasil, etc. John enjoyed
the people of Sines, as the guests that arrived from
different parts of Portugal to the 89 Carnival, playing
at the most popular club of the city.
1989 - Lisboa KREMLIN
With John's popularity in Portugal growing everyday,
he was invited to play at one of the most important
houses in his country "TRIGONOMETRIA". The
night before he moved to the Algarve, John Canada played
at "KREMLIN", a super Disco in Lisbon. His
friend Tó Pereira, nowaday's world famous as
DJ VIBE, invited him to play for one hour at "KREMLIN"!
"It was a good experience" said John!
"They don't have a dance floor for 5.000 people
or 10.000 as I've played before, but they had a very
special clients, including the best public of Lisbon
night life"...
1989 - Quinta do Lago, Algarve TRIGONOMETRIA
John was preparing his visa passport at the Lisbon Spanish
Embassy, when he got an invitation to work as resident
DJ to the one of the most well known and high class
discotheques in Portugal, Quinta do Lago, Algarve "TRIGONOMETRIA"!
A great summer Disco made for the younger generation
and the number one discotheque in the Algarve. "TRIGONOMETRIA"
was built in a 5 star Resort called Quinta do Lago,
with a notorious public. Next to this great Disco there's
a small private club called "T. CLUB" where
many politicians, portuguese and international Jet Set
used to dine and dance, whilst their kids enjoyed the
"TRIGONOMETRIA discotheque " next door. At
"T. CLUB" Marie Helène Giscard D'Estaing,
Arlet Mitterrand, Robert Mitterrand, Condess de Lesseps,
Condess Joy de Rohan Chabot, D. Duarte de Bragança
and other Very Important People there. John Canada said
about it... "Quinta do Lago TRIGONOMETRIA, was
a very fashionable discotheque, where you could only
meet nice people, nice faces, with the nicest clothes
and most expensive cars and bikes. So you can imagine
the type of movement every night there. I really enjoyed
it, those were the best days of my life. These people
had a great respect for me which allowed me to make
friends, at the same time, I was enjoying the sun on
Quinta do Lago beach... with my lovely girlfriend. It's
something I will never forget"... John bought a
bike and part of the day was spent on the beach, the
other he was travelling around with his Dutch girlfriend
Daniele. "At the club we had the best night parties
in the Algarve, and one day I saw Futre, the Atletic
Madrid football player trying to get into the "T.CLUB",
but was refused. Just to see how strictly the private
club was"... said John. "TRIGONOMETRIA"
was visited by The Blitz journalists (portuguese number
one music newspaper) that in their pages in a summer
report about the Algarve's night life, wrote about John
Canada, "the music at this place is commercial,
but the DJ has a very well worked technique. High Class
DJ!"
In 1989 John Canada whilst at "TRIGONOMETRIA",
was the most well paid DJ in Portugal...
1989 - Madeira RADIO DJ
John told me in a recent interview for this site, that
he was very tired of travelling a lot each season from
one place to another. He told me that after working
in the Algarve with his own public, he realised that
he had accomplished what he had set out to do. He had
managed an amazing international career as well as becoming
the number one DJ in Portugal. After his sucess he chose
not continue travelling around Europe as he wished to
remain close to his family, even though this meant being
far away from his Dutch girlfriend. "The only negative
thing I saw at that time in not going back to Europe
in the winter, was being apart with Daniele, especially
after our lovely summer season... she had to keep studying
and I wanted to continue my Studio Productions in Madeira"...
"For me, money wasn't the most important thing,
so I decided to start a new life and accept na invitation
from Ricardo Portela for Radio Madeira, this wasn't
strange for me, because in all the places where I had
worked, I was always involved with radio programs"...
John Canada started at Radio Madeira (96.0 FM) on November
89! "I started making the Jingles for my new radio
show, and Dance Music was on air, every night"...
The program was very sucessful in Madeira with John
Canada using his technical studio tricks, mixing, megamixing
and remixing all dance commercial tracks. "Dance
Music, Party Time" at that time was one of the
most popular radio programs with Madeiran young FM Listeners,
and even today it is still remembered. "I really
enjoyed doing this show, because I had great interviews
with big stars like Lisa Stansfield, Simon Harris, James
Brown, Paul Oakenfold, Ben Liebrand, etc"... said
John. More about radio...radio...
1990 - International DMC Convention, London
HIPPODROME
In March 1990, John is invited to be at Hippodrome International
Convention organized by DMC! As Member of DMC, John
flys to London's Plaza Hotel where he meets his Dutch
girlfriend, that had flown in from Amsterdam to join
him. I introduced John to several friends who were in
the British music industry and while I was talking with
Daniele, I noticed she was very proud of him, and very
surprised with the Hippodrome atmosphere. While John
was in the VIP room interviewing some top artists, I
was outside talking with his girlfriend and had found
that both wanted to live together after a two years
living apart. After a while, John arrives with a big
smile on his face, he just had met some of his heroes
Pete Tong (Capitol Radio top DJ), Simon Harris (Bass
How Low Can You Go)... and his old friend Ben Liebrand.
His "Dance Music" Radio program in Madeira,
now would have these international star's...
1990 - Presenting Show's and playing at Beauty Contest
MADEIRA
In summer 90 John was invited to present some live show's
at the beach. He perfomed at some very popular events.
Take a look to the Press...
1990 - John Canada, Champion of Portugal II
ALGARVE
With his radio show "ON AIR", John receives
in 1990 a phone call from a Radio Station called "Antena
Miróbriga". They had organized the 1990
PORTUGAL DJ CHAMPIOSHIPS and they wanted John Canada
to participate with his mixes! John wasn't interested
in doing that again, and there were also many unfriendly
DJ's that wanted him to participate in order to take
his crown. John decides not to accept, but some of the
DJ's started a negative campaign against him, saying
he was affraid of the competion... Meanwhile the organization
reserved a contract with a record company for the winner,
and John finally decides to accept!!! The first part
of the competition was done with a megamixing studio
tape made by the candidats, and all DJ mixes were broadcasted...
They received lots of tapes from all over Portugal,
and John had booked a place in the second round, that
he wins again... The third and the last round reunite
the 6th best DJ's of Portugal with the Finals taking
place at "TRIGONOMETRIA", Algarve.
All the DJ's had a 20 minute live show, where they could
mix at least 20 records, and use the microfone in a
free style...
All the eyes were focused on John Canadas performance,
that once again made a fenomenal live mix, playing 23
records in a 4 minutes supersonic openning, with cuts,
loopings, reverbs, live echoes, etc. John Canada was
voted unanimously "THE BEST DJ OF PORTUGAL"
by all members of the Jury, and for the second time
he receives Portugal's DJ Champion Trophy!!!
1990 - Writting Music Articles, Madeira REVISTA
DIÁRIO NOTÍCIAS
After his second victory in Portugal's DJ Championships,
John Canada is invited by a local newspaper to write
weekly during the next two years an international music
article. Due to his experience and contacts, he would
present a lot of valuable information.
John called me at the BRIT AWARDS 93, to help him with
some information he needed about the event. He published
also a very interesting article with Freddy Mercury,
QUEEN!
1990 - Playing for Students at Gala's Finalist
MADEIRA
John Canada was then invited to play at several Gala's
to different school's. The students just wanna have
the Portuguese DJ Champion at them Gala's Night... John
presented some live mixing tricks, for an eufhoric young
audience.
1991 - International DMC Convention, London
HIPPODROME
In March 1991, John is invited to be once again at Hippodrome
World DJ Convention! At this time John met Paul Oakenfold
(Happy Monday's Producer), his old friend Sanny X, Tina
Charles, some Top producers and Radio DJ's and later
that night, John had a long chat with Lisa Stansfield
(All Around The World), Rebel MC's and his old friend
from Holland, Ben Liebrand.
1991 - John Canada in Studio, London HIT FACTORY
After the International Convention, John decides to
stay in London for a couple days more, visiting an old
friend Louis Jardim, a very popular musician in the
British record industry. John began to visit different
places of the music industry like record and instrument
music shops, etc... John told me "Every time Louis
go to Madeira on holiday (he was born in Madeira) he
or his brother calls me, and I'm invited by Louis to
visit his studio here in London, so that's what I did"....
Louis worked at HIT FACTORY STUDIOS, and spent his entire
life working with artists like his very good friend
Sir Paul McCartney, Bryan Ferry, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner,
Mick Jagger, Annie Lennox, Tears For Fears, Steve Winwood,
and so many more... "Louis as a matter of fact
has worked with the big names of the record industry.
I was very proud not only to be his friend, but also
having been given the opportunity to step into a historic
Studio, at the HIT FACTORY, where many Hits were done,
and many of this Top Artists were there, whilst Louis
played tracks for them"... said John.
1991 - John Canada met Jazzy B, London SOUL
2 SOUL
After his visit at the world famous HIT FACTORY, John
is surprised by an invitation to visit the private studio
of Jazzy B!!!
Jazzy B, at that time, was very popular all over the
world because of his big sucess "Back to Life"
with his band Soul 2 Soul!
"I was at Louis's house visiting his home studio
and learning more about the music production, when Louis
took me to his Jeep and said... I have to visit a friend
of mine that you met yesterday, come with me John"...
"I had no idea about who he pretended to visit.
When we arrived, in a big garage there was another recording
studio! Immediatly I reconized the man behind the computer.
I was standing in Jazzy B's Studio Productions and face
to face for the second time, with this incredible top
World producer and singer"... John was looking
for new material for his home studio, "this visit
was very important for me, having a better knowledge
with the new digital Steinberg and C-Lab recording system,
then I interviewed Jazzy for my "Dance Music"
radio show and after that, we went to a Soho Square
Music Shop, where I bought a second hand Roland MC-500
Micro Composer, that helped me a lot in my midi recordings"...
1991 - First Portugal Rap Contest D. PEDRO, Machico
John Canada returns to Madeira with a lot of new material
for his radio productions! In his studio he composes
new Jingles and works with the interviews that he previously
had from London...
Due to his experience, John Canada organized in Madeira,
the first ever "Rap Contest" realized in Portugal!
With a lot of young boys and girls interested in this
original Contest, the Finals were held in the Hotel
D.Pedro, in a club named "Picadilly" where
15 participants performed together whether they were
individual, duo or even a group. John still remembers
after all these years the enormous enthusiasm that the
young people had during this competition... "I
wasn't expecting so many participants, you see, not
everyone can pick up a microfone, make music for it,
and start rapping in a country where the rap culture
is miles away...
I'm glad that my spirit of mobilization worked... I
had to help the majority of the competitors organize
their music in my own private studio, the tracks for
the show. I remember that I used my old Roland S-50
Sampler Keyboard, to build only instrumental loop parts
of Vanilla Ice, "Ice Ice Baby" and Snap, "Mary
Had a Little Boy"..." "For these young
people, this Contest was a real party, and I'm glad
for them"... said John.
1991 - Casino, Madeira Island BACCARA
One day of 1991 John Canada receives a telephone call
from Madeira Casino! They were building a new Disco
there, that should open before summer. It was a big
project and the first Madeira Laser Discotheque with
a futuristic design...
John would be one of the two DJ's they had in mind for
the openning, but the negociations weren't easy. John
Canada's International DJ status and experience, was
important for the Casino project, but the salary demanded
by John almost aborted the negotiations... At the end
both sides were happy, with John being Madeira's well
payed artist! John Canada stayed there for two years!
"BACCARA" was a revolutionary chic discotheque
in the early days. John told me, he had to leave the
Radio to focus 100% on his new job! "Being DJ at
Casino during the time I was there, wasn't easy because
the place was built with a futuristic projection for
young people, artists deco, and most of the good clients
were in their 40's or even older... but this cultural
mix of clients and ages, was healthy for the club"...
said John. "When the managers told me what they
wanted for "BACCARA", and they were very optimistic
and ambicious, because they wanted to build the best
Disco in Portugal at the Casino, I told them... listen,
I now exactly what you want, I have to go to Madrid
and to Belgium, to buy the best music a DJ can find
for this place"...
1991 - Lisbon, Madrid, Antwerp BUYING RECORDS
"I took the plane to Lisbon with my cabin pal Ricardo,
and we were looking and buying the new records for "BACCARA"!
Then we travelled to Madrid by train and we were looking
again in the professional DJ shops for all the new stuff,
the american versions, the eurobeat, etc. I knew all
the places because when I was a DJ in Spain, I was there
in Madrid. Outside in the streets, it was 40 degrees,
we went to some friends of mine in CBS, SONY, BMG, ARIOLA,
me and my colleague, we couldn't move anymore, with
a lot of new records in our hands"...
John remember's how hard it was move in the street with
so many records... "When we arrived at the Lisbon
train station, we took more than half an hour to walk
only 500 metros with our full Mail Box Records, we just
couldn't move our feet. Then Ricardo went to "BI-MOTOR"
to bring the rest of the music to the Airport, the music
we had bought in Lisbon before we moved to Madrid, and
then he flew to Madeira and I took another plane to
Brussels, with the ideia of travelling to Antwerp the
capital of techno, and buy another amount of new music"...said
John. "This was a really totally professional experience"...
John tells me.
1991 - The Opening, Madeira BACCARA
What a great night! Only people that were invited, were
there... (and the waiters, of course)...
John gave me some newspaper cuttings and photos to write
this article for his site, and I have seen one of the
nicest entertainment places of my life. For the first
time Madeira had a Laser Discotheque, and this was something
new for the Island. The way "BACCARA" was
designed, with a lot of lights and surprises, even a
stage for live perfomances, made this place the coolest.
John Canada played at "BACCARA" techno music
mixed with "Unbelieveble" by EMF, "Free"
by Soup Dragons, Depeche Mode, 2 Unlimited, INXS, Billy
Idol and many more... John told me that they dressed
as artists, because they were in a matter of fact, artists...
"I told Ricardo, listen pal, you have to bring
your best artistic clothes every night, and don't worry
about what the crowd should say"... "We used
to paint our faces", and the show must go on, "with
the lasers, our techno music, and our hands in the air"...
"One day I saw a client there, a famous Madeira
psychiatrist looking serious to our painted faces, and
probably thinking we were nuts"...
1991 - First Portugal, DJ Convention
MADEIRA
John Canada with his experience, is invitaded by INATEL
to organize the first DJ Convention in Portugal, that
was held between 31 of August and 1 of September 91,
in Madeira!
He invites people from different areas of society like
socioligists, doctors, arquitects, stylists a record
company representants, sound technicians, the president
of Portuguese Disc-Jockey Club, a representant of Madeira
Tourism, and people envolved in night life including
employees, etc...
This was a very helpful experience, showing the different
sides of the night, and trying to learn new concepts
for the future, protecting the clients and the professionals
from the loud noise, smoke, etc...
1991 - John Canadas Band COSMIC GIRLS on TV
In December 1991 John Canada presents his own band,
THE COSMIC GIRLS on a TV Show! An interesting musical
project directed by John Canada, a kind of Jean Michelle
Jarre sound. John was programing the midi control and
playing the synthesizers. The three Girls in the Band,
THE COSMIC GIRLS, arrived from another Galaxy...
1992 - John Canada again at Radio MADEIRA
In March 1992 John Canada returned again to the radio,
broadcasting his dinamic show on a new local radio station.
He told me he was missing it, so much, that's why he
accepted an invitation to start as a Producer, a new
Radio career. "I started my musical career on radio,
30 years ago, at the young age of 13, this was in 1973,
and for years I was involved in radio projects in different
cities, as a music man or DJ"!.. "In 1992
I was invitated by a good media company to be part of
their team. They had a very good start in 1989 and 1990,
but I don't know why in 1992 they had one of the lowest
shared audiences on the market, and several times, his
manager asked me if I wanted to move to a youth radio
station, that was desperatly looking for innovation"...
"I helped build a very sucesseful young radio project
there, for years"... said John.
More about Radio John Canadas career, go to...radio.
1992 - Second Portugal, Club and Radio DJ's Convention
MADEIRA
In 1992 John Canada also organizes his Second Convention
for DJ's, this year it was open to Radio DJ's as well!
He invites two portuguese famous producers and Radio
DJ's at the time. Luís Filipe Barros from Antena
1, Lisbon, Miguel Quintão from Radio Energy,
Lisbon, and all the top club artists as DJ VIBE from
"KREMLIN", Lisbon and DJ CORTEZ, the Spanish
DJ Champion,
from Madrid!
1993 - John Canada leaves BACCARA
A place that he helped to build, a place with a history
in Madeira is left behind by John Canada, with the purpose
to concentrate completly on his radio projects. John
is having a tremendous sucess with his juvenil radio
programs, and he's getting tired of working at the Disco.
"Like a true Sagitarius, I need changes in life"
he explained... "and that change was great, because
it made me incredibly popular working with students,
with my very professional radio projects, during the
90's"... In 1993 "BACCARA" receives the
visit of the international Holywood Star BIRGIT NIELSEN,
having her aniversary in this Madeiras Casino Discotheque.
In July of 1993 John Canada leaves the beautiful "BACCARA"
at Madeiras Casino, but after his move, the discotheque
experienced many problems...
1994 - John Canada played at
Benidorm Easter, Spain PENELOPE
In the Easter 94 John Canada was invited to travel to
Benidorm and play in a Portugal's Fiesta at "PENELOPE"
Disco in Benidorm for more than 1000 students from different
portuguese schools, including Madeira. It was the biggest
portuguese party made in Benidorm, and "PENELOPE"
open doors to a well known DJ, that during the 80's
made such a great popularity in Benidorm, working at
STAR GARDEN", "NUMBER ONE" and "STAR
LIGHT".
John was extremely happy remembering that night "I
played all the portuguese groups as Xutos y Pontapés,
Radio Macau, Rui Veloso, Malhão and everybody
was screaming and shouting. We made a glourious night
at "PENELOPE" that it's manager payed me 100.000
pesetas for one hour of music. I have very good souvenirs
of Benidorm".
1994 - John Canada at Porto Santo Island PORAO
DISCO
1994 was an amazing year to John Canada for many reasons,
one of them probably the most important, the year he
met for the first time, his future wive, Sara.
He was working at his afternoon very popular radio program
"FM JOVEM" at Porto Santo Beach during the
summer season, and he was invited to help Discotheque
"O PORAO" in having some special nights. John
knew exactly what to do, to make people arrives every
night to that place. In that summertime "O PORAO"
beated all years money records! Full of people every
single night,
"O PORAO" had a different party every night,
as told me John."After I started making some Spanish
Parties there, the Disco becamed very popular, and in
the other Island, Madeira, the young people just wanted
to move to Porto Santo Island to be at that Summer in
"PORAO". There were people that returned to
Porto Santo 3 and 4 times more in a very short period
of two months, just to be in "PORAO" that
year 94. It was sensacional and unbelieveble" said
John. "I will never forget those party nights at
Porto Santo Island.
With a bright light in his eyes, John proud of himself
tod me "at those days, wherever I was, people arrived
from anywhere to see me. I will never forget that"...
1995 - Carlton Hotel FAROL
In 1995 John is invitaded to play music on Fridays and
Saturdays at the very old "FAROL", at Carlton
Hotel, in the 80's Sheraton Hotel!
John is working a lot at the radio where he's coordinating
the production department, and having enormous sucess
with the young people, and the students, but this invitation
is impossible to refuse, and he would play there, only
at weekends...
"When I arrived for the first time at the club
after this invitation, on a Saturday night at 1:30 am
there were only 40 people inside, and after 3 weeks
we had to turn away clients as the house was full, with
more than 400 people every single week for many years"...
said John. This gave him great job satisfation playing
oldies like "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor,
"Love to Love" Tina Charles, "Life is
Life" Opus, "Love is in the Air" by John
Paul Young, "Born to Be Alive" Patrick Hernandez,
"Staying Alive" by Bee Gees, "September"
by Earth, Wind & Fire, "Dancing Queen"
Abba, and so many more...
John stayed at "FAROL" during the next eight
years facing full houses, working only at weekends and
having his DJ Radio job on FM!
1998 - DJ at 'VINDIMAS' Tourism Callendar MADEIRA
John Canada was invited to play at prestigious "VINDIMAS
MADEIRA" Program, bringing to Madeira Island many
turists.
About that, John said "We were promoting Madeira
Wine on the stage, and in a certain part of my show,
I had to drink a little glass of Madeira Wine in the
begin of each record... and you don't have an idea about
how many records I played that night"!
"I remember mixing without headphones and played
at that party "I Have a Dream" by ABBA, "Pretty
Woman" by Roy Orbison, "Have You Ever Seen
the Rain" by Credence Clearwater Revival, The Twist,
and I saw many old turists dancing kindly and enjoying
the party. It was a great idea"...
1999 - DJ at Madeira Tourism
Official Carnival MADEIRA
John Canada was also invited to play at Madeiras Carnival
99, organized by the local Tourism Office! "It
was the first discotheque made on the street for the
Carnival. People were dancing and enjoying brasilian
music. We had nice people there in a open discotheque,
with the turists dancing as well some of my oldies"
remember John...
1999 - Music Super Festival MADEIRA
John organizes the "Super Festival 99" for
the 10th aniversary of his radio station... A fantastic
show is held with a lot of radical sports, a big stage
for top national musical groups and three live discoteques
for live DJ's! The "Super Festival" receives
more than 5.000 people...
1977 / 2002 - 25 years DJ Career MADEIRA
John Canada, the DJ of 4 decades!
On 7 July of 2002 "O FAROL" closed its doors
with one of the most beautiful nights! A 25 year party
for its Historic DJ!
Working for people in the 70's, 80's, 90's and during
the new Millenium, after 25 years playing more than
30.000 hours of music in his entire DJ life, John had
wonderful end to his career.
A lot of friends showed up to thank him for playing
all those years, and remembered some of the songs he
played for them many years ago... "I want to thank
all of them. I was visited tonight by all my fans, and
I was glad to see that I had fans in all areas of society,
including some very, very important people of the city,
that were here to say, congratulations"...
Paul Philips, DJ MAGAZINE
.jpg){kind=small}
%20and%20BEN%20LIEBRAND%20(I.jpg){kind=small}
