Wally Callerio

Wally Callerio is an American house producer who has built up a solid discography over many years. He has done so on great labels like DFTD, Modern Revival and many others and is also the boss of his own Dufflebag Recordings. He now returns to that label with a new album that is filled with timeless house sounds from across a broad spectrum. Entitled The Love Safari, and coming four years after the first volume, it shows off his classically rooted style. Here we speak to him about this, about his love of Chicago house, and much more.  

 
Words by Rob Chadwick
Introduce yourself of those that don’t know… 
I’m Wally Callerio been Djing since 1987, professionally since 1995 and Producing since 1997. I live an hour south of Los Angeles in Huntington Beach but LA was my main stomping ground during the late 80s and 90s.Was part of an event in the 90s called “LOVE”in LA.  I am mostly known for my Label Dufflebag Recordings which I started in 1998.  I have had releases on over 40 labels worldwide including Defected, Cajual, and Classic to name a few of the more exciting ones. 
 
What is Chicago house to you, what makes it the best sound in the world?
What makes Chicago house the best is the fact that there are no limits. You are not in a box of playing 1 specific style. Chicago house is every style of house music put over a 4/4 beat weaved into a story. It seems like everyone wants to think that it’s a style when in actuality its every style.  It’s the best because it encompasses all of it. Any other thinking is 1 note.   
 
Who are some of your favourite Chicago DJs and labels and producers?
I think they are all pretty much the usual suspects when it comes to Chicago. Derrick Carter, Cashmere, Mark Farina, Gene Farris, Diz and iz, Heather, Colette. Labels Cajual of course! 
 
What’s the party scene like in Los Angeles? Is is as diverse and mixed as it once was?
The party scene in Los Angeles has changed a lot in the last 20 something years.. There are lots of out of towners that have taken our scene over not that it’s a bad thing but it def sent ripples thru the main core of LAs scene which is now broken into lots of smaller segments. I think LA has always had a pretty diverse underground scene and depending on the club you go to. There is definitely diversity but just like any big city you get a little of everything from underground to cheese but overall LA has always been one of my favorite towns to play. And it has no shortages of party’s, you can usually always find something to do in that city. 
 
What is the scene in American like generally? Is EDM fading away? Will rock take its place once more as the most popular sound?
The scene in America is definitely reshaping itself at the moment. This is nothing but a good thing in my opinion it has to die down again before the next chapter starts because it never really dies out just takes some naps. A Phoenix Rising and such. I have seen it many times in the last 30 years. I been waiting for years for these EDM dudes to move on with their music and hype attitudes and gimmicks, so we could get back to giving people real music again and not just inflated egos and personalities.. Back to the basics.  
 
What inspired or influenced your latest EP, where and when was it written?
I wanted to get back to basics and that’s why I decided to make it a Vol 2 from an album I did in 2003. I wanted to get back to creating music for the right reasons and that was art. People get way too caught up with what other people will buy and that keeps them from taken risks. When you don’t take risk you will never do something new or innovative. So my main priority was to get back to my basics. What I like in house music, which is a wide range of stuff. I primarily wrote this album in my home studio from around October until around mid-February. It was a really fun and sometimes intense process. I’m really digging the album process and mindset again because it Keeps me motivated and working. 
 
There are some collab tracks on it – how did you do those and why work with those people?
Yes I collaborated with a couple of longtime friends and well respected house music connoisseurs Chuck Daniels and Jason Hodges. These guys are my Family have been for a while. This album was about basics and roots I didn’t want to reach out to producers just to get their names on it. I wanted this to be special and these guys are special to me in many ways so it was a no brainer. 
How has the scene changed since the 90s when you first started, what have been the biggest developments?
This could actually end up being a book so let me boil this down to a few points.  When I first started putting out music there were maybe 20 new records on the wall to choose from a week… now there are over 3000 per sub genre… per week… you are looking at over 20 or 30k released every week.. I would say that’s a huge development. Also when you went to a party in the 90s the crowd was much more diverse from age to style of clothes. You would have a lot more of the 30 and 40 somethings partying with you back then. And the crowd was a mixture of punk, emo, hip hop, nerd, prep it was everyone. Now it seems like everyone is dressed exactly the same and you feel out of place if you are not 20 something at one of these large parties which 20 years ago would never happen. The music is much more 1 note with these dj’s they don’t tell stories, they play tracks from a sub genre. I really feel like the lessons were lost somewhere in the last decade somewhere around 2004 the wrong people started to train the next gen and it went wrong. Now it feels like its starting to right itself again after a miss turn from its roots. 
How has your own style or taste changed since then, if at all?
I really don’t know if it has much other than the choices available and quality available has been raised. I feel like there is so much music that you can actually be an individual again as a dj. I doubt any 2 people could choose the same playlist as anyone these days. Even if you gave me the same playlist I will play it in a completely different mannor because of my life experiences.  I like what I like.. I never follow trends I buy and play music I personally think will make people dance that never changes.  
What are you working on/have you got coming up?
Only the biggest project of my life hahahah… Always wanted to say that but for real though this new project is my pride and joy… I am currently working on another Album for Fall with new group we started called “dirty/sexy” with my good friend and R&B Legend Jon. B which represents dirty underground/Sexy Soul a combination of where we both root from. We are currently working on a 9 track Album of Radio oriented music inspired by the 70s and 80s funk/disco likes of Earth, Wind and Fire, Michael Jackson, Prince as well as a few cross pollinated house tracks.There are a couple clips rolling on my Instagram or on the dirtysexy facebook page.  We wanted to pay respects to our roots and stuff we grew up on but modernizing it. This is a project of a lifetime, a project that’s not limited to just the dance community. I have been so blessed to work alongside Jon on this project. He is so amazingly talented in so many ways.. Vocally.. Musically.. Creatively… It has been an organic thing and just came together so naturally. Our emotions and intentions as musicians come thru plain as day on this one. Can’t to begin to explain the excitement for this one so keep a look out for that soon as well! 
The Love Safari Vol. 2 is out now…