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>> DJ Iz (of Iz & Diz) gets quizzed on the biz

By KRISTA

What's in a name? The question can be a little more complex than it seems. For instance, take the DJ/production team of Iz and Diz. Iz is from the Bay Area. Iz was known as Iz before he met Diz and vice-versa, but then the two met, developed a friendship and decided to work together and now their names are synonymous, to say nothing of the fact that they rhyme. But Iz is also known in the production world as Circulation, which doesn't rhyme with Diz or have anything to do with him, but is the same name as somebody in England, which is making some waves.

Mirror: When I spoke to your agent earlier this afternoon she said to ask you about the article in Muzik magazine and to make to sure that I was clear about your other production names. Why?

Iz: Well, the thing is, I produce under the name Circulation, and there's a label in the U.K. called Circulation who started to release records under that name now, too. I just told them that they couldn't really put stuff out under that name because I'd already released stuff in the U.K. under the same name (on the Global Underground label) and it was going to get confusing for people.

M: I take it they weren't so receptive?

Iz: No! (laughs) They got all kind of pissy about it and wrote this letter to Muzik kind of dissing me. Something to the effect of "There's this guy named Joshua in the States who keeps calling our office and telling us we stole his production name." They mentioned this tune that I had done called "Back in Circulation," which they thought was a dig at them because of the title, and then they printed their whole discography, which starts in 1998, to try and prove that they were around first. But I did that "Back in Circulation" tune in 1997, and I released stuff over here even before that.

M: So the Circulation label guys never bothered to go to Global and verify your story about your artist name or anything?

Iz: No. I guess they just thought that I was some kid trying to get press, and using them to do it. The funny thing is, the tune that I did on Global ["The Way, The Deep"] under the Circulation name was the Muzik mag Single of the Week back when it came out. The whole thing kind of reeks of bad journalism, wouldn't you say?

M: Well, us journalists can be pretty bad at times. And you know how people love controversy. Have you managed to resolve any of this?

Iz: Well, I can't use the name now 'cause they're using it, and they're really not being very nice about it. It sucks! (laughing) I don't want to call them assholes or anything, but they must think they're pretty important to write to Muzik mag and say that I put out that "Back in Circulation" track just to spite them. Like I have the cash to go around putting out records to prove a point. :

At Stereo this Friday, January 21, 2am, $20 at the door