NiteTalk: The Emotional Side of DJing With Carol Sharks

PART I.Carol Sharks is a girl who loves to party and has been doing it on the New York scene for more than a year. Alongside fellow DJ and boyfirend Joshua Wildman, these two crank up the heat in the Lower East Side. Next time you're feeling cool, just ask yourself whether or not you've partied with Bill Murray or bummed cigarettes from Chloe Sevigny at a young age. If the answer is no, then you're not as cool as the maiden of Thursday nights at Darkroom, the dirtiest dance party in town -- in the best sort of way.

NiteSIde caught up with DJ Carol Sharks about her band, what she misses about the NYC party scene and how Lindsay Lohan can ruin a great venue with just one visit.

What did you last night and what are you doing tonight? Last night was the Lit Lounge eight-year anniversary. It was mayhem, completely nuts -- so crowded and high energy! It was great to see so many faces I like in one place. I wore a silver sequined dress with black sequined leggings. I was a walking disco ball -- loved it! Tonight is time to recoup. My friend is Fashion Director of Oakagazine and I'm sorry to miss their issue 4 launch party, but I sent her a congrats and good times text.

What got you into the DJ scene? I love The Party, partying and throwing parties -- I've been doing it since I moved to New York in 2000. I find that as a musician it's obvious to DJ also. When it comes to getting paid to perform, bands really get the s--- end. ...Every musician I know DJs to compensate, it's a better paying gig and not so emotional -- I always leave the party feeling good about it. It's not easy though, anyone that discredits DJing saying anybody with an iPod can do it -- which i hear all the time -- really would crash and burn. You can't force music onto a crowd that's trying to have a good time. They wanna hear something they can dance to and [that's] gonna let them go a bit brain dead and get awesome. I want people to be happy and feel cool. Everyone deserves a good time

How do you feel the nightlife scene has changed since you moved here in 2000? Anything you miss/wish would dissappear? Old Marquee Wednesdays with Paul Sevigny, Happy Valley with Amanda Lepore, Ruff Club with Sophia Lamar, MisShapes on Leroy Street, Beatrice, Avenue w/ Josh Wildman -- all of it! I started out doing a weekly at Rififi with my best friend Malachi [from Langhorn Slim]. We had comedy Sundays before burlesque then partied all night. I had my friends Ivan Sunshine [of Vietman and Ghost Exits], Chris Bear and Christ Taylor [from Grizzly Bear] DJ. Lots of comedians started out at that night -- The Whitest Kids You Know, Greg Johnson, Eugene Mirman, Reggie Watts and others would perform and then we'd party all night. Then I booked bands at ABC Lounge on Avenue C for a while. I love my birthday. My 21st birthday was done in a loft in Bushwick and we had six bands perform, included all the above mentioned and Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson. We were a deep crew! Later I got my own loft on Avenue A and it became quite the after-hours party house for years. The entire loft is now covered in NY graffiti (mostly Iraq crew) -- sometimes I think I should sell the walls to Deitch.

The nightlife scene evolves. Things get cool and they burn out. Doesn't mean I don't miss all the good parties. I liked MisShapes on Leroy and never went to it once it moved venues. I like Sway but then a few years ago once Lindsay Lohan showed up one night and it became too packed of weird kids. I really do miss Happy Valley -- that was my favorite gay/dragqueen/clubkid scene. Funny thing [is that] at all these old parties I didn't drink for free or get paid. They were just that fun I wanted to be there every week.

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