Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Kopkowski.
Hi Kevin, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
How I Got Here
I always hate answering the “how did you get started DJing” question because honestly there was never really a starting line.
I grew up on the west side of Tucson moved away for school a couple times but always felt at home here. Eventually found my way into the underground scene. Desert parties, warehouses, tunnels, little DIY spots where somebody would throw a together a sound system.
I started digging into electronic music more and more. Always liked the multi-stage party because of the variety of genres, but my first love was Trance. Then came House, Drum & Bass, Dubstep, Psychedelic music and anything else that sounded weird enough to grab my attention. I’ve never really been good at staying in one lane. SPECIAL_K became the bass side of that world and Psyd Kwest became my house music side.
Over time DJing turned into way more than standing behind decks. I got involved with event production, booking, flyers, crews and helping the continued growth of the Tucson underground. I’ve been part of hundreds of events, spent three years as a resident at The Kava Bar, Co produced the Tunnel Renegade Raves and eventually found myself playing places like Sunbar, Gem and Jam and Burning Man. Honestly that’s never been the part that mattered most to me. I’m more interested in building experiences, creating weird little worlds and using music to take people somewhere they weren’t expecting to go.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Today’s social media based promotions and creating, maintaining & marketing of ones brand, the struggle is real. Not everybody is into the whole “me” first mindset, one must acquire to be an effective self promoter. If you do the wrong thing or ineffective/inconsistant postings can really hinder your reach not to mention shadow banning and Hackers taking your account or worse. Im embracing the change but far, far from mastering.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I DJ, produce events, Hound for ridiculous music and occasionally convince a dance floor that staying up until sunrise was a great idea.
I specialize in bass, psychedelic sounds and funky disco house, but honestly I specialize in refusing to pick a lane. My sets can get weird, heavy, funky, emotional or all four before you realize what happened.
I’m known for being part of the underground , deep low end bass, and treating the DJ booth less like a job and more like a laboratory with speakers.
What I’m most proud of is helping build the Tucson scene I came up through, from The original Wook n Jam, Burner events, Tunnel Raves, & House party’s.
What sets me apart?
I don’t just play music.
I read the room, fuck with the timeline and try to leave people with a story instead of just a setlist.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Probably that I’m way more of a nerd than I look. People know me as the guy behind the decks, the bass, the chaos and the questionable decisions at 4 AM. What they might not know is how obsessive I am about the details. I can spend hours digging through music, studying a room, building a set or obsessing over some tiny piece of a visual that most people will never notice.
The funny part is I make it look like It’s easy and stress free
It’s usually not. I’m just really good at maintaining my poker face despite the crippling anxieties and the brain melting constant over thinking that’s always on-time and consistently present.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/special_kbass?igsi=MW52ZWt6MDc1Z2VwYw==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Cts3VMKhw/
- Twitter: https://x.com/Hotnickels520
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@special_Kbass
- SoundCloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/nDiLhwWq0cHRzzGbe0
