Spinning 12 Inches of Pure Pleasure. Meet Rouchos, Toronto's Vinyl Only Techno DJ.

Toronto, Canada, April 20, 2017 --(PR.com)-- Andreas Marouchos, DJ name Rouchos, is by no means a stranger to the Toronto scene, since establishing himself to nightlife as a Radio DJ on 105.1 FM in 2006, building a reputation as a standout DJ. His sound plays outside the boundaries of conventional club tracks, and his unique brand of scintillating Techno and Tough House set him apart from the city's large pool of DJ's. “Anybody can be a DJ now and everybody is a DJ,” he says. “This makes the job of DJing harder.” In an electronic music scene that is constantly changing, Rouchos has quite stubbornly stuck to vinyl when it comes to any of his performances. “I am in love with vinyl spinning. The feeling of touching music is something special.”

Andreas career can be traced back to the late 90s and the island of Cyprus where he played some of his first gigs in Ayia Napa and Protaras, the island's primary tourist destinations. Through the years, he held residencies at many nightclubs on the island. In 2001, he started his career in radio, with a weekly 4 hour program on Saturday nights on Radio Deejay, a European Radio Syndication Network. “I grew up listening to radio and I understood that it was more important to have underground music played on the radio than in the clubs,” he says. “It opens up a communication for new artists and new listeners.”

Moving back to his native Canada in 2003 to continue his studies, Andreas moved to the border town of Windsor Ontario to continue his studies. Being both a Canadian and an Immigrant he admits his early days upon returning to Canada were both complicated and satisfying. “You have two homes, speak many languages and become an expert in long distance friendships. But there's always a feeling of not belonging to one place or another while being culture shocked in both.” Soon after starting his new life in Windsor, Andreas landed on his feet, in FM Radio once more. He began a 4 hour weekly program on CJAM 91.5, the University's campus/community radio station. “A very good way to learn about DJing is to play long sets. These nights teach you a lot about the full range of DJing. How to start a night, how to build it up, how to keep the energy going. But its the unexpected that really grows your skills and experience isn't it?”.

Outside of radio, Andreas showboated his “cut-n-paste” mixing style at events in the Windsor and Detroit area, including official events for DEMF 2004 and 2005. “I think it was in fall 2004 and I was playing a set at the art gallery,” he recalls. “Mike Banks was standing in front of me. He drove me home afterwards and we sat down and had a couple of beers while listening to some releases on Underground Resistance. A couple of weeks later I visited him in Detroit. It was quite an experience for a young adult to meet an artist who helped shape you, and learn that they admire your skills as a DJ.”

After graduating from University with a degree in Communications Studies, Andreas moved back to Toronto and started working in FM Radio. He is best known for his show “Fight Club,” which broadcast on 105.1, CHOQ FM in Toronto for just over three years. “A friend of mine described it as a techno-cartoon,” he says as he laughs. “While the focus of the show was definitely to present highly selective tracks to my audience, I did go on these monologues more often than not. I'm very sarcastic so I would use forceful language, talking about anything bothering me that week. From how to make a meatball to public transit policy.”

While gigs have been few and far between in the years after radio, Andreas remains a committed vinyl DJ. “About 80% of the music I find and love these days is vinyl only. With so many Djs out there nowadays, many, sounding painfully alike, I think the exclusivity that comes with vinyl give my mixes a special feel. At the end of the day, it's always good to have a physical piece of your music.” But as clubs in Toronto struggle to keep up with vinyl's remarkable revival, Andreas remains positively upbeat. “When the digital craze took over the scene years ago, I had already been playing vinyl records for nine or ten years,” he says. “I always knew, though, that it was going to come back around, so I stuck with vinyl while holding out on any temptations to go digital. This big discussion that digital music kills vinyl, is all over. Vinyl is not going anywhere.”

For the time being, you can catch “Rouchos” DJ sets through his monthly residency at CTRL ROOM, or follow his weekly podcast on mixcloud, or visit his website at www.rouchos.com