This is the feature piece from The Orlando Magazine's 'Music Issue' they did on a bunch of 'movers and shakers'
including... yours truly! The title of the article is "LEATHER AND STACE".
"Stace Bass wants to be the first DJ in outer space. With her multi-colored fingernails and leopard-print
wardrobe, Bass (born Stacey Howen) makes her presence known, whether she's promoting local bands or hyping a new live music
venue. "You know how they play music every morning as a wake-up call for the space shuttle?" she asks. "That's what I want
to do." The Cleveland native hit Orlando's music scene in 1988 by running lights (and EFX) at the legendary Beacham Theatre
on Orange Avenue (now Tabu) and creating the underground nightclub scene's "AAHZ" dance parties (with DJz Kimball Collins
and Dave Cannalte). By spreading the news about downtown O-town, the thrithysomething Bass helped transform the fledgling
club scene into what Rolling Stone dubbed "Orlando Sound". "Actually, by the time Rolling Stone discovered us," she says,
"The Orlando Sound" had already become world famous and was in its decline." In 1996, she attended a CD release party for
swingmeister Michael Andrew's first swing record. Inspired by Andrew's family entertainment slant, Bass offered to help manage
Andrew's growing mailing list of fans. Now, among other projects, she handles press and publicity for his band, Swingerhead.
"It's worth all the paper cuts and stamp licking," she says.
When she's not schmoozing on behalf of Swingerhead, Bass is promoting local music - including funk band
Big Shirley - and coordinating other musical happenings in town. "The Bassline," her weekly phoneline of local events, gets
more than 400 calls each month. (Tel: 407 262 1000)
So what's in store for the woman who jump-started Orlando's burgeoning music roots a decade ago? Just about
everything, including translating her formidable networking talents into a yet-unnamed film about the local music scene.
But perhaps best of all, she'll continue boosting Orlando. "I have the faith," she says. "Orlando has the biggest pool of
music talent in the country".
Meeee-yow!
ORLANDO MAGAZINE
Writer-Joe Hayes, Photographer-Riku
