It’s fitting Frizzle works in Indianapolis, which has been home to the likes of Peyton Manning, long viewed as a player-coach for his football IQ with the Indianapolis Colts; and Norman Dale, the fictional coach of the state-title-winning team in the movie “Hoosiers” played by Gene Hackman.
Solomon Frizzle sees himself as a football or basketball coach, except his sideline is the DJ booth. And the athletes he’s surveying? Entertainers, which Frizzle calls the “stars of the show.”
“The DJ sets the mood for the club and creates an environment where customers feel welcomed,” Frizzle says. “Every club I’ve ever been hired at, I was brought in to fill shifts and increase revenue for the club. To me, that’s music.”
ED: When and where did you start working as an adult club DJ? What brought you into the industry initially, and what made you decide to stay once you got there?
FRIZZLE: I started at the Louisville Gold Club (Louisville, Kentucky) in September of 2005. The goal was always to become a DJ, doing so in an adult club gave me the freedom to branch out to other areas of DJing.
ED: Where are you working as a DJ currently, and how long have you worked there?
FRIZZLE: Dancers Showclub since April of 2012
ED: Talk about the market where your club is located. How competitive is it, and how does your club maintain its popularity in a competitive market?
FRIZZLE: There are about 18 clubs in Indianapolis. I would say the market is competitive amongst the largest clubs. Dancers maintains popularity by the class we exhibit to our customers. I also feel that location plays a role in a club’s success. Our club is located eight minutes from Indianapolis International Airport and 20 minutes from downtown.
ED: How hard is it, as a DJ, to play music to a diverse crowd of customers—as well as the entertainers—and keep everyone happy? What’s your strategy when it comes to this juggling act?
FRIZZLE: It can be difficult at times but it forces me to be more creative. One thing that helps me is that I mix like a DJ does in a regular nightclub. Earlier in the evening, I tend to play both newer and older music depending on the crowd.
“Every club I’ve ever been hired at, I was brought in to fill shifts and increase revenue for the club. To me, that’s music.” — Solomon Frizzle
ED: If you could change one thing about the strip club industry, what would it be?
FRIZZLE: This is very difficult to answer but given the circumstances of current world events, I think the pay structure of people that work in the industry from staff to entertainers should change for the better. I think entertainers should have the option to be on the payroll.
ED: What is your favorite music to play on a busy Saturday night at the club? Conversely, when you’re not in the club, what music do you prefer to listen to?
FRIZZLE: My favorite music to play on a busy Saturday night (which happens to be a night I work often) is EDM (Electronic Dance Music). There’s a lot of remixes in several genres I play on a regular basis that my audience knows and helps me build energy through the night.
ED: If you could see any concert or lineup of artists, living or deceased, who would it be and why?
FRIZZLE: For me, that would be a DJ festival with some of my favorite DJs. I like going to Dj concerts/festivals nowadays because I feel it’s very relatable to my profession. My festival lineup would include Carl Cox, Laidback Luke, Paul Oakenfold, Guiseppe Ottaviani, and Deadmau5. All of them are DJs as well as producers, which is the direction my career is headed.
Current Club: Dancers Showclub (2012-Present)
Years employed at club: 8 Years
Years in the industry: 15 Years
Favorite recording artist: Deadmau5
Favorite DJ or industry pro: Greg Ingle, longtime friend and DJ at Brad’s Gold Showclub 1998-2011
Favorite feature entertainer: Plenty Uptopp
Industry Hero: Kenny Burns, Brad’s Brass Flamingo DJ/manager
Favorite part of your work night: After 11 pm when all the entertainers have checked in for the evening
Pet working peeve: People who are rude about requests for music.
Advice for fellow club DJs: DJs are tastemakers. We set the standard for music by playing different artists and reading the crowd. Make the entertainers and the staff apart of that experience.
Check out Frizzle’s personalized Spotify playlist right here, courtesy of StripJointsMusic.com!
