United States 
Interview: Nicky Siano Talks Hallelujah Disco and the Dance Music Gospel
9 years ago
Junior Vasquez is a pioneering American DJ, record producer, and remixer who has significantly shaped the global dance music and clubbing scene for over two decades.
Junior Vasquez worked with DJ and pop remixer/producer Shep Pettibone. Together, they co-produced and edited numerous singles for artists like Madonna, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, MC Hammer, Prince, and Pet Shop Boys.
Dolce & Gabbana custom-designed the suspended DJ booth for Junior Vasquez during his residency at ArenA (held at the Palladium) from 1996 to 1997.
Junior Vasquez produced club-friendly remixes for C+C Music Factory, attracting these artists to his Sunday morning events at Sound Factory.
Junior Vasquez produced club-friendly remixes for David Morales, attracting these artists to his Sunday morning events at Sound Factory.
Junior Vasquez produced club-friendly remixes for Björk, attracting these artists to his Sunday morning events at Sound Factory. He also remixed her song 'I Miss You'.
Junior Vasquez produced club-friendly remixes for Marilyn Manson, attracting these artists to his Sunday morning events at Sound Factory.
Junior Vasquez produced club-friendly remixes for Madonna, attracting her to his Sunday morning events at Sound Factory. He co-produced and edited numerous singles with Madonna and remixed several of her songs including 'Bedtime Story', 'Hollywood', 'Rescue Me', and 'Secret'.
Junior Vasquez has co-produced albums for John Mellencamp and remixed his song 'Key West Intermezzo'.
Junior Vasquez has co-produced albums for For Real.
Junior Vasquez has co-produced albums for Lisa Lisa and remixed her songs 'Acid Rain' and 'If This Is Real'.
Junior Vasquez has co-produced albums for Cyndi Lauper and remixed her songs 'Come On Home' and 'Hey Now (Girls Just Wanna Have Fun)'.
Junior Vasquez worked on individual LP tracks for Cher and remixed her songs 'Love and Understanding' and 'One by One'.
Junior Vasquez worked on individual LP tracks for Wild Orchid and remixed their song 'Talk to Me'.
Junior Vasquez worked on individual LP tracks for Kristine W and remixed her songs 'Feel What You Want' and 'Stronger'.
Junior Vasquez is known for introducing new artists, including Vernessa Mitchell, to the dance/pop music scene and remixed her song 'Reap (What You Sow)'.
Junior Vasquez is known for introducing new artists, including Jason Walker, to the dance/pop music scene.
Junior Vasquez is known for introducing new artists, including Casey Stratton, to the dance/pop music scene and remixed his song 'House of Jupiter'.
Junior Vasquez is known for introducing new artists, including Quentin Elias, to the dance/pop music scene.
Junior Vasquez is known for introducing new artists, including Vivian Green, to the dance/pop music scene.
Junior Vasquez is known for introducing new artists, including Sam Harris, to the dance/pop music scene.
Indicated as one of the labels Junior Vasquez has worked with.
Indicated as one of the labels Junior Vasquez has worked with.
Indicated as one of the labels Junior Vasquez has worked with.
Indicated as one of the labels Junior Vasquez has worked with.
Junior Vasquez performed as part of a two-club split event (along with Cream) during the largest single artist DJ event in UK history.
Junior Vasquez performed as part of a two-club split event (along with Ministry of Sound) during the largest single artist DJ event in UK history.
Junior Vasquez remixed Mary J. Blige's song 'Your Child'.
Junior Vasquez remixed Whitney Houston's songs 'I Learned From The Best', 'Greatest Love of All', 'How Will I Know', 'I Didn't Know My Own Strength', 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)', 'Million Dollar Bill', 'Step by Step', and 'Fine'. He also co-produced and edited numerous singles with her.
Junior Vasquez remixed Toni Braxton's song 'He Wasn't Man Enough' and 'Unbreak My Heart'.
Junior Vasquez remixed Bruce Roberts and Donna Summer's duet 'Whenever There Is Love'.
Junior Vasquez remixed Donna Summer's songs 'I'm a Rainbow', 'Melody of Love (Wanna Be Loved)', 'My Life', and her duet with Bruce Roberts 'Whenever There Is Love'.
Junior Vasquez remixed songs for Diana Ross.
Junior Vasquez remixed Michael Jackson's songs 'Off The Wall' and 'You Rock My World'.
Junior Vasquez co-produced and edited numerous singles for Janet Jackson and remixed her song 'Runaway'.
Junior Vasquez remixed k.d. lang's song 'If I Were You'.
Junior Vasquez co-produced and edited numerous singles for Pet Shop Boys and remixed their song 'Yesterday, When I Was Mad'.
Junior Vasquez remixed Elton John's song 'Made in England'.
Junior Vasquez remixed songs for Dolly Parton.
Junior Vasquez remixed songs for Luther Vandross.
Junior Vasquez remixed songs for The Beatles.
Junior Vasquez, along with Johnny Vicious, remixed Britney Spears' songs 'Gimme More', 'Piece of Me', and 'Womanizer'.
Junior Vasquez remixed Christina Aguilera's song 'Ain't No Other Man'.
Junior Vasquez remixed David Bowie's song 'Little Wonder'.
Junior Vasquez remixed Destiny's Child's song 'Girl'.
Junior Vasquez remixed Duran Duran featuring Grandmaster Flash's song 'White Lines'.
Junior Vasquez remixed Gloria Estefan's song 'Higher'.
Junior Vasquez remixed Justin Timberlake's song 'Rock Your Body'.
Junior Vasquez remixed Kylie Minogue's song 'Too Far'.
Junior Vasquez remixed Mariah Carey's songs 'Bringin' On the Heartbreak' and 'Heartbreaker/If You Should Ever Be Lonely'.
Junior Vasquez remixed Maroon 5's song 'This Love'.
Junior Vasquez remixed Moby's song 'Into The Blue'.
Junior Vasquez remixed Nelly Furtado's song 'I'm Like a Bird'.
Junior Vasquez remixed Pink's songs 'U + Ur Hand' and, with Dynamix, 'Stupid Girls'.
Junior Vasquez remixed Queen's song 'Bicycle Race'.
Junior Vasquez remixed Rob Thomas' song 'Lonely No More'.
Junior Vasquez remixed Spice Girls' song 'Wannabe'.
Born Donald Gregory Mattern on August 24, 1946, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Junior Vasquez moved to New York City at 22 in 1971 with aspirations in fashion design, briefly attending the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and working as a hairdresser. He soon found himself drawn to New York’s vibrant nightlife, particularly influenced by Larry Levan’s DJing at the Paradise Garage. Adopting the stage name “Junior Vasquez,” he began his career in music production in the 1980s. He co-produced and edited numerous singles alongside Shep Pettibone for major artists such as Madonna, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, MC Hammer, Prince, and the Pet Shop Boys. Vasquez also held a brief residency at Club Bassline, where he established his presence as a live DJ, laying the foundation for his future impact on the dance music world.
From 1989 to 1995, Vasquez was the resident DJ at the original Sound Factory, a club he co-founded with Richard Grant in Chelsea, New York City. His distinctive beat-driven house style led major record labels to solicit him for club-friendly remixes for their top artists. This era saw many prominent singers and musicians, including C+C Music Factory, David Morales, Björk, Marilyn Manson, and Madonna, frequenting his Sunday morning events. He developed a vast repertoire of exclusive “private collection” remixes, both authorized and unofficial, which made his live sets unique. In 1994, he released his significant single “Get Your Hands Off My Man” and was associated with the House of Xtravaganza, even sampling Danny Xtravaganza in his single “X.”
Following the closure of the Sound Factory in 1995, Vasquez held residencies at the Tunnel (1995–1996) and ArenA at the Palladium (1996–1997), where his DJ booth was custom-designed by Dolce & Gabbana. He returned to the former Sound Factory site, rebranded as Twilo, from 1997 to 2001, featuring a custom-designed booth and an advanced “Phazon” audio system. In 1997, he participated in the largest single-artist DJ event in UK history, organized by Ian Jenkinson and Inner Rhythm Artists Tribal Gathering. He has also produced albums for John Mellencamp, For Real, Lisa Lisa, and Cyndi Lauper, and individual tracks for Madonna, Cher, Wild Orchid, and Kristine W. On June 28, 2021, after nearly four decades in the industry, Junior Vasquez was inducted as a voting member into the Recording Academy (Grammys).
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