RADIO STATION DISC JOCKEY, DIGITAL SOUND ENGINEER AND PRODUCER In the world of the night club DJ and the music industry, people come and go more often than one might think. It takes perseverance, persistence and talent in order to become a mainstay in the ever morphing world of the music industry. Fortunately, for Jose “Animal” Diaz, these are all traits which he possesses. As a result, they have helped him stay at the top of his game. Jose “Animal” Diaz has been on the music scene for over 2 decades. He is versatile both in the studio as he is in front of the turntables and he approaches both with the same ferociousness of a savage animal, hence his moniker; Animal. “He needs no verbal calling card. All you had to do was listen for a wolf’s howl and you knew who was on; the inimitable Jose “Animal” Diaz.” – In The Music Magazine. Raised in Queens, New York, Animal was constantly surrounded by music. “My mother was an opera singer and was always singing. I wanted to do something related to music so I chose to take up the guitar”, he says. However, years later his passion would shift gears when he was in his late teens. At the insistence of a friend who was spinning at a local club, Animal decided to try to see what would happen if he took over the one and twos. To his surprise the crowd’s response was an adrenaline rush. He was hooked and at the same time, found himself a new passion. With that DJ Jose “Animal” Diaz began his assent into DJing. The gigs offered to him at that point were small, but Animal accepted them and every time felt the same exhilaration he felt the first night he stepped behind the turntables. Animal’s skills could not be denied. He possessed an undeniable ability to read a crowd and discern what would send them running, frenzied, onto the dance floor, screaming, for the entire night. Word spread quickly and Animal soon found himself spinning for capacity crowds at many of New York City’s world renowned night spots, including The Kit Kat Club, Club Expo, the legendary Palladium, Visage and China Club, just to name a few. The demand for DJ Animal was so great; he was soon fielding offers to play his sets live on the radio, an opportunity garnered only by the best NYC DJ’s. As a result, DJ Animal’s sets were heard live to thousands of listeners on top New York City radio stations such as, WKTU - 103.5, WHTZ - Z100 and WQHT - Hot 97.1. With his popularity soaring, DJ Animal was content, however, he was now ready to advance to the next phase of his career. Always one to push himself further, the only logical progression for DJ Animal was to venture into the recording studio. The list of entertainers he has worked with is extensive. His resume boasts remix work for the likes of Madonna, Cyre and Lime. In addition, his production credits include Brenda K. Starr, Joey Rolon, Susan Clark and the list goes on. Animal has even produced several CD’s for various record labels, including Tommy Boy Records’ greatest hits compilation “Take It to the Max” and Brass Construction’s “The Perfect Beats”. In 2000, Animal was tapped to spin at Nagoya Dome in Japan for their Millennium Party. The part was a rousing success. He even touched down in Turkey, where he was asked to tour the country and appear on national television shows like Sabah Starlari, 7 Tepeden, 100 PCT Erkece and Rengarenk. His tour of Turkey also included live radio broadcasts on stations such as, Power 95 and Power 86. As always, the same wild frenzy experienced by club goers in the states was experienced by Turks and Europeans alike, as DJ Animal took to the turntables and concocted feats of techno-wizardry in clubs from Istanbul to Eskisehir. His success has made him a sought after commodity not only in the US, but all over Europe. Things do not show signs of slowing down for the genius. With dates already confirmed in the US and in Europe, DJ Animal could not be happier with his career. It is evident that whether he is winning over crowds around the world with his ferocious live sets or if he is solidifying his status as a remix/producing virtuoso, DJ Animal loves the challenges that comes with both. He says, “I can always count on the fact that when I am playing, I will have a great time and enjoy myself at a great party.” If that is what it takes for Animal to keep turning things out the way he has, I say keep having a good time. Hopefully, the party will not end anytime soon. "Animal's set is superhot..." - DiscoNet DJ News "...he needed no verbal calling card. All you had to do was listen for a wolf's howl and you knew who was on. The inimitable Jose 'Animal' Diaz." - In the Music Magazine PERFORMED LIVE AT NOGOYA DORM IN JAPAN FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY FOR YEAR 2000 WITH PARTICIPANTS OVER TEN THOUSAND PEOPLE Radio: 103 (WKTU) September 1997 - September 1998 DJ for Special Programs Z-100 (WHTZ) January 1991 - April 1995 Special Feature DJ; Digitally remixed & edited songs for radio play; Highlighted DJ in 100th Anniversary Special. HOT 97 (WQHT) December 1987 - June 1990 Exclusive DJ for Live Broadcasts from "The Underground" night club; Responsible for new music selection for on-air programming; DJ for annual "Hot Night" radio station event. HOT 103 (WQHT) June 1986 - September 1987 Director of New Music and Special Programming; Featured DJ for Friday nights and weekly "Lunch Break" shows. 92 KTU (WKTU) February 1979 - June 1982 Featured DJ for daily Lunch Beak 92 show; Reviewed and selected new music for on-air play; Remixed songs for radio play; Received Gold Record in the "Battle of the DJs - NYC" contest. Night Clubs: Kit Kat Club, Club Expo, Palladium, China Club, 1018, The Underground, 4D, Visage, The Saint, Studio 54, Club Elegante and, Club Passion. Producer* & Engineer: Cyre, "Last Chance" / Soul Sonic Force, "Planet Rock" / Joey Rolon, "Body to Body", "Mi Merengue", "New York, New York" / Susan Clark, "Kissing You" / Brenda K. Starr, "Turn the Beat Around" / Madonna Medley Remix LP / Tommy Boy's, "Greatest Hits" Album ("Take it to the Max" & "Salsa Smurph") / Timber Records, "The Perfect Beats" compilation CD ("Cybertron") / Brass Construction Y2K records' Trance / House album