Heather permitting

>> Will the Chi-town house heroine make it home for the holidays?

by KRISTA

Although she probably wouldn't admit it--she's as humble and chilled out as they come--in the past year or so Chicago's DJ Heather has emerged from the masses as one of the top (female) house DJs in the world. Currently on tour to support her first mix CD, Tangerine, Heather has been travelling the U.S. and Europe non-stop for longer than she'd care to remember. I caught up with her while she was hiding out in L.A., trying to take advantage of a few days off.

Mirror: So where are you off to next?

Heather: I have a few more dates here in the states for the CD tour and then I'm going back to London to play at [new super-club] Fabric.

M: Wow! That's the biggest club in the world, four floors on a city block, insane sound system--I have friends who tried to go but the bouncers told them they'd never get in--typical.

H: I know. I've never played there before so I'm pretty psyched. I heard they have speakers in the floor that make it feel like one big heart. Then, after that, I'm off to play in Acapulco for a three-day electronic music festival.

M: I guess with your increasingly heavy travel schedule it's hard to hold down any sort of residency in Chicago.

H: For sure. I have a monthly Saturday night at Smart Bar, called Sorted, that I do with [partner] J-Dub, and it works out well for us because that club has a good following. Most Saturdays that we're not playing, someone like Mark Farina, Luke Solomon or Miles Maeda is, so they draw a good regular crowd. But I'll be home around [American] Thanksgiving and staying pretty much through Christmas. It's nice to be home and have people come to you for a change. I don't know how some of those DJs maintain such a hectic schedule.

M: It's better to do it now while we have the energy. I interviewed someone the other day who said that the hectic travelling and crazy lifestyle is part of his 10-year plan and that he plans to be living on an island somewhere with his wife and kids by the time he's 40.

H: Hey, if you can do it, best to do it now. But I look at someone like Carl Cox, who's almost 40 and still caning it and I wonder how much longer he'll be able to keep it up. It's pretty amazing. DJing is so taxing to the body, even if you're not doing the party bit too and trying to take care of yourself.

M: Do you have a 10-year plan?

H: Yes, although it doesn't necessarily involve an island. I want to have a production company set up that multi-tasks with film, theatre and music. More hands-on stuff.

M: What's up for you in terms of production right now?

H: There's a new 12-inch on Seasons that I co-produced with the 2nd Shift boys called "Where You've Never Been," which is due out in December, and there are a couple more mix-CD projects in the works for next year. :

At at Jai's XX on Decks night, Thursday, Oct. 19, 10pm, $8