Kelly Reverb on the Starck Club, Lone Star Records & Getting Sober (Part 2) | A DJ's Journey Ep. 20

DJ history you haven't heard: Kelly Reverb returns to A DJ's Journey — our first-ever two-time guest — for a deep dive into 1980s and '90s Dallas dance music. From the legendary Starck Club (designed by Philippe Starck, "ground zero" for MDMA before it was criminalized) to Lizard Lounge, the original Hard Rock, and the night Jerry Jones turned up on his dance floor, Kelly maps a scene the history books skip. He tells the DIY origin of the iconic red-white-and-blue Lone Star Records, the hand-stamped "Fuck You We're From Texas" white label, and how his track "Go Get On It" (as Southside Reverb) landed on the soundtrack to Blade. Then the conversation turns: the MP3 crash, the open-format grind, the alcoholism it bred, and five years of sobriety that sparked a creative renaissance with co-writer Chad LeMans. Part 2 picks up where Episode 3 left off. The oral history of dance music, told by those who created it. Subscribe to The Crate Letter at adjsjourney.beehiiv.com. CHAPTERS 00:00 The Dallas Club Scene: A Historical Overview 03:04 The Starck Club and Acid House 05:58 The Rise of DJ Culture in Dallas 09:07 Influences from the UK and Chicago House 12:05 Radio and the Dallas Music Scene 14:59 From DJing to Producing 18:10 Renegade Soundwave and Local Artists 20:56 The Shifting Dallas Scene 27:07 Turning Point: The Aha Moment 28:52 DIY: Starting My Own Label 30:30 Collaborations and Early Productions 33:32 From Idea to Reality: The First Record 35:20 From Local Gigs to Touring 39:32 Reflections on Career Choices 40:43 White Labels and Remixes 42:43 The Music Industry: Challenges and Luck 48:40 The Rise of Lizard Lounge 52:08 The Decline of the Record Business 55:12 Adapting: The Shift in DJing 58:05 The Struggles of the Entertainment Industry 01:01:50 Rediscovering Passion and Creativity 01:05:50 The Journey to Sobriety and Music 01:09:42 The Evolution of Music Promotion 01:13:22 Legacy and Impact of Music 01:17:22 Adapt or Get Off My Lawn