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Atlanta's Godfather Of House Music: Ron Pullman
In the season finale of 'I Come Alive: Stories of Black Gay Atlanta Nightlife,' host DJ Sir Daniel interviews Ron Pullman - Atlanta’s godfather of house music. They explore Pullman's extensive career spanning four decades, his influence on the city's music scene, and the challenges and changes within Black gay nightlife over the years. Pullman reflects on the evolution of clubs, the impact of hip hop and digital media, and emphasizes the importance of community and respect in nightlife spaces.
I Come Alive: Stories of Black Gay Atlanta Nightlife strives to tell the stories of Atlanta's gay nightlife from the perspective of the people who lived it.
Check out all episodes from I Come Alive: Stories of Black Gay Atlanta Nightlife: https://qpnt.net/icaseries
Topics: #RonPullman #Atlanta #LGBTQIA+ #QueerCulture #BlackPodcasters #BlackMusic #MusicPodcast
A special thanks to the Counter Narrative Project Media Roundtable 2024.
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Transcript
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speaker's own and do not represent the views, thoughts, and opinions of cue points.
DJ Sir Daniel:Welcome to I come alive stories of black, gay Atlanta nightlife.
DJ Sir Daniel:I am your host, DJ Sir Daniel.
DJ Sir Daniel:This series strives to tell the stories of Atlanta's gay nightlife from the perspective of the people who lived it.
DJ Sir Daniel:Words can express my gratitude for your support.
DJ Sir Daniel:And we've come to the season finale of I come alive.
DJ Sir Daniel:And I cant think of a better way to put the exclamation point on this series than with a conversation with Atlanta's godfather of house music, DJ Ron Pullman.
DJ Sir Daniel: Since: DJ Sir Daniel:He has also cultivated a community that continues to hold space for the divine vibration we call house music.
DJ Sir Daniel:Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Ron Pullman.
DJ Sir Daniel:While I was fixing the stuff to get in here, I had a quick recollection.
DJ Sir Daniel:I want to say that brother Jamal or Stan Stanley, the music man, somebody put it in my ear that I needed to go while you were playing and go up to the booth and introduce myself to you and, like, observe you playing.
DJ Sir Daniel:And I remember doing that one time at the eagle when it was on Ponce, the old Kodak factory.
DJ Sir Daniel:And it just came back to me like, oh, yeah, first of all, that's why that somebody would suggest that I come and, like, introduce myself while a dj is at work, because that doesn't always go over well necessarily.
DJ Ron Pullman:That is the truth.
DJ Sir Daniel:But you were very gracious to me.
DJ Sir Daniel:You just pointed out a couple things about how things work at that particular venue, like what you were using, because I believe it was some cdjs and the mixer and whatnot.
DJ Sir Daniel:And I was just like, listen, I appreciate that.
DJ Sir Daniel:I'm just going to step back and watch you for a minute because we all know as a DJ, you just don't.
DJ Sir Daniel:It's cool to have somebody observing, but you don't want somebody observing and asking a whole bunch of questions at the same time because that's interrupting the flow.
DJ Ron Pullman:You know very well.
DJ Sir Daniel:So before we go into this conversation about Atlanta history, I want the listeners to know more about your history and just tell us a little bit about the Pullman soul movement.
DJ Ron Pullman:Well, um, I've actually been djing for four decades.
DJ Ron Pullman:Uh, it's been over 40 years, to be honest with you.
DJ Ron Pullman:Uh, so it would be 30 something years for Atlanta.
DJ Ron Pullman:I didn't start.
DJ Ron Pullman:I'm originally from the Midwest, born in St.
DJ Ron Pullman:Louis, went to high school in Denver, and shockingly, out of all places, that's where I started and learned to dj is in Denver, Colorado.
DJ Ron Pullman:And so.
DJ Ron Pullman:But my music background and influence come from my dad.
DJ Ron Pullman:My dad was a singer musician, mostly gospel music.
DJ Ron Pullman:So growing up as a kid around the house, I'm constantly hithing, being influenced by him, practicing, singing and so on and so forth.
DJ Ron Pullman:And one of my siblings, my oldest brother, was into music.
DJ Ron Pullman:So between them two, those were my earlier or first influence is in the music, getting into music, because I said, denver is where I started doing private parties, gigs and so on and so forth.
DJ Ron Pullman: It wasn't until: DJ Ron Pullman:It was called the catch one.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was actually a sister club of the catch one in LA.
DJ Sir Daniel:In LA.
DJ Ron Pullman:Okay, yes, original catch one is LA, but they had another club in Houston, Texas.
DJ Ron Pullman: I did my first big club key,: DJ Ron Pullman:And so it wasn't until 86 that I moved to Atlanta and started spanning and connected with.
DJ Ron Pullman:If you know, the club later became, well, it was tracks.
DJ Ron Pullman:But prior to tracks, I connected.
DJ Ron Pullman:How I got connected in the Atlanta scene was through the late David Hampton and his partner Philip Boone, who's still around.
DJ Ron Pullman:Those guys we were doing, they were doing parties called the Ritz Boys, late night parties, underground parties here in Atlanta.
DJ Ron Pullman:I moved here around the spring of 86.
DJ Ron Pullman:And two weeks after I moved here, I started plan for those guys is how I got started.
DJ Ron Pullman:And that's what kicked off my dj history career here in Atlanta.
DJ Ron Pullman:But answer your question, I'll respond.
DJ Ron Pullman:About the Pullman soul.
DJ Ron Pullman: you, until the late nineties: DJ Ron Pullman:And a good friend actually thought it would be a good catchy name for me.
DJ Ron Pullman: ,: DJ Ron Pullman:But yeah, so it's a lot of history I can give you about.
DJ Ron Pullman:If you want me to expand on that, I will.
DJ Ron Pullman:But yeah, as I said, 86 is when I started with the Ritz boys.
DJ Ron Pullman:Did that for a couple years.
DJ Ron Pullman:We then by 89 we, uh, that's when tracks opened up.
DJ Ron Pullman:And, um.
DJ Ron Pullman:On Marietta street.
DJ Ron Pullman:Yeah, on, it was on.
DJ Ron Pullman:Initially you would enter in on Marietta street, then they changed it to Lucky street.
DJ Ron Pullman:Depending on the night, you can enter in either, either street entrance.
DJ Ron Pullman:And so, um, yeah, that's what started that, uh, the uh, playing the tracks.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was the resident dj's were Stuart Gardner and myself.
DJ Ron Pullman:And we did that for a couple years and then both left and went on to some other club ventures.
DJ Ron Pullman:So people entitled or called me Atlanta's Godfather house.
DJ Ron Pullman:And that's very appreciative.
DJ Ron Pullman:I'm honored and flattered to, and I embraced that.
DJ Ron Pullman:However, I surely do not claim to be the first, the longest or whatever.
DJ Ron Pullman:There was several, several dj's who were doing things here, such as a guy named Al Tolber, Rod Cole, Stuart Gardner, as I just mentioned.
DJ Ron Pullman:So daz, right, DJ Smash, all those guys, it was.
DJ Ron Pullman:And a lot of people I'm probably missing.
DJ Ron Pullman:So unfortunately, those guys, some are no longer here, some just were smart enough and got out of the business earlier, no longer doing it.
DJ Ron Pullman:So if I'm rallying on, just cut me off anytime.
DJ Ron Pullman:But I'm giving you the history I think you're asking just leading up to how I got into it and how, how I'm still doing it 40 years later.
DJ Ron Pullman:And so, yeah, I, we did tracks, as I said, and then for a couple years, like 91, I think I started doing just other than I started doing radio mixes for Atlanta's V 103.
DJ Ron Pullman:I was doing parties in the college scene, so I was doing both straight and gay clubs at that time.
DJ Ron Pullman:I was like, and working a full time job at Atlanta public schools and work and djing three, four nights a week.
DJ Sir Daniel:So, yeah, that's heavy.
DJ Sir Daniel:I mean, a lot of people do that these days, but I, I don't think like your average dj that's coming up today, they don't understand that at that time, you carry your library was in crates and that could took a truck or a lot of manpower to take with you everywhere.
DJ Sir Daniel:So that's a lot of manpower.
DJ Sir Daniel:Whereas today, you know, you fold up your laptop and you pack your hard drive and you're good to go.
DJ Ron Pullman:That's true.
DJ Sir Daniel:So I don't think a lot of people have an appreciation for how much work it took for you to rock a party back then.
DJ Sir Daniel:So you're saying from 86 and we've gone, you mentioned working the full time job and spinning three to four times a week doing mixes on for v 103, which was, is still considered, it's still considered the largest urban radio station in the city of Atlanta.
DJ Sir Daniel:It's now a heritage station, in my opinion, because it's been around for so long.
DJ Sir Daniel:And I actually worked there at one point myself.
DJ Sir Daniel:Yeah, in the early two thousands.
DJ Sir Daniel:But back to, I guess, the paint a picture for the average listener right now that wants to know in those late, the mid to late eighties, early nineties, if I wanted to go out, how would I have found out about the Ritz boys or tracks.
DJ Sir Daniel:If I say I'm completely new to Atlanta, there's no Internet.
DJ Sir Daniel:I don't know if the flyers were being circulated at that time, but if I wanted to be, to find out where I could go party with my community, how did I find that?
DJ Sir Daniel:How did, how did I find that out?
DJ Sir Daniel:How did I get that kind of information and know where to hear Ron Pullman and those other dj's spinning?
DJ Ron Pullman:Well, it definitely was a heavy, heavy flyers during that era, in time, flyers were definitely essential.
DJ Ron Pullman:So at that time, Atlanta had, I think, a decent amount, still do, a decent amount of gay clubs and just immense.
DJ Ron Pullman:So I would say the promoters, how you could find out.
DJ Ron Pullman:The promoters were very diligent, very good about just putting up posters or putting up, putting flyers on cars or, or in the barbershops or the whatever businesses.
DJ Ron Pullman:They were very big about putting up posters or even flyers and places that they knew perhaps the family would go and would pick up flyers.
DJ Ron Pullman:But the biggest thing that always worked in business still to this day, word of mouth, if you got something hot that's going on and people know if the word is on the street, they talk, connect and talk to the right people, or just happen to bump into a person that, and if they just say, hey, I'm new in town and this is what I'm looking, I'm looking for underground house music, party or so on.
DJ Ron Pullman:If it's hot and the word is on the street, they'll, they will, people will let you know.
DJ Ron Pullman:But like I say, during that era in time, just like you say how it was so true what you say about what the DJ's, the music we have to carry and the work we put in.
DJ Ron Pullman:But even the promoters were.
DJ Ron Pullman:So they were to the streets or I had a street team.
DJ Ron Pullman:So, yeah, everything now, of course, is digital or social media, but yeah, during that area of time, you did your work.
DJ Sir Daniel:So I want to tell you a funny story that happened one time.
DJ Sir Daniel:I was given a flyer at one point that said this was a hip hop party at the warehouse.
DJ Sir Daniel:Cause they were calling tracks both.
DJ Sir Daniel:They were calling it the warehouse on certain nights and they were calling it tracks on other nights.
DJ Ron Pullman:And they would change that depending on which entrance you would go through as well.
DJ Sir Daniel:Exactly.
DJ Sir Daniel:So imagine my surprise when I got there thinking this was going to be a hip hop night and I was clearly at the wrong night.
DJ Ron Pullman:Yeah, but see, that's what you're talking about.
DJ Ron Pullman:Came along after it initially opened.
DJ Ron Pullman:But the first two, maybe two and a half years surely three.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was straight up underground black eight club.
DJ Ron Pullman:Yeah.
DJ Sir Daniel:So what I know about you, Ron, is that you have a history with a landmark of a record store here in Atlanta called Earwax.
DJ Sir Daniel: last year, late last year in: DJ Sir Daniel:And there was a museum type exhibit created to mimic what Earwax looked like in the nineties.
DJ Sir Daniel:And of course, I saw the pictures and there's Ron Pullman alongside JC, Applejack, Kemeta, all of those brothers.
DJ Sir Daniel:And so I'm wondering, as DJ's in the community, like, and you are already doing your thing, when you're making your rounds and making your name for yourself around the city, does the conversation about playing at gay clubs come up with your peers, with your DJ peers?
DJ Ron Pullman:Well, most of them knew.
DJ Ron Pullman:Most of them knew that I played.
DJ Ron Pullman:I mean, and they would.
DJ Ron Pullman:And a good amount would come.
DJ Ron Pullman:Let me.
DJ Ron Pullman:I don't know if I should tell this story.
DJ Ron Pullman:No.
DJ Ron Pullman:But anyway, I mean, we have the name out.
DJ Ron Pullman:Yeah.
DJ Ron Pullman:I'm gonna.
DJ Ron Pullman:I'm gonna describe this in a way that people could probably figure it out.
DJ Sir Daniel:Okay.
DJ Ron Pullman:Is a popular producer, I mean, who's doing extremely well, at least for years.
DJ Ron Pullman:He did, who used to dj with me at one of the gay clubs.
DJ Ron Pullman:I mean, he just would just.
DJ Ron Pullman:And he would just come and just watch and so on and so forth.
DJ Ron Pullman:I mean, it was, for some reason, it seemed like it wasn't a big deal or a big thing.
DJ Ron Pullman:These guys, they, you know, for whatever reason, they.
DJ Ron Pullman:I don't know if they just wanted me to mentor or they just actually enjoyed coming to hear me play, and it was great.
DJ Ron Pullman:But they didn't have.
DJ Ron Pullman:They would come and hang out in the booth most of the time.
DJ Ron Pullman:And they were just all, like I say, are.
DJ Ron Pullman:Some of them would come and spin, I'll let them open up for me, and so on.
DJ Ron Pullman:So, again.
DJ Ron Pullman:But most of them knew from everybody I worked with at beer wax to, like I say, JC, Kevin, all the guys knew that I played tracks or most of the popular black gay underground clubs in the city.
DJ Ron Pullman:And, you know, they all just.
DJ Ron Pullman:It's just, they're like, hey, you know what?
DJ Ron Pullman:You do your thing.
DJ Ron Pullman:And it was just mad respect.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was no biggie.
DJ Ron Pullman:And if they felt like coming out that particular night or weekend on planet, they would.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was no biggie.
DJ Ron Pullman:And I love them guys appreciate them because that just speaks in volume about who they are and confident in who they are.
DJ Ron Pullman:And more importantly, it's about the music.
DJ Ron Pullman:You're not worried about being.
DJ Ron Pullman:You shouldn't be uncomfortable if you know who you are.
DJ Ron Pullman:And so, yeah, it was.
DJ Ron Pullman:Yeah, but they.
DJ Ron Pullman:Yeah, I mean, everybody, pretty much any and everybody, surely everybody I worked with at Earwax knew that the gay clubs is where I was known for and planned and, yeah, it was just.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was just.
DJ Ron Pullman:Just mad respect and support.
DJ Ron Pullman:And like I said, I love.
DJ Ron Pullman:I still have some of these guys that I've known for years that may come out, come to the eagle, and I'll.
DJ Ron Pullman:They'll come.
DJ Ron Pullman:And some of them, I feel like they can rock the crowd at the eagle.
DJ Ron Pullman:I'll allow them to play, but I'm very, very protective of my eagle crowd.
DJ Ron Pullman:I don't just let anybody play that.
DJ Ron Pullman:Straight or gay, straight up gay.
DJ Ron Pullman:They gotta come with it.
DJ Sir Daniel:They gotta come with it.
DJ Sir Daniel:And I'm so glad you said that, that you're very protective of your crowd because I always feel like the relationship between the DJ and the party and party people is a reciprocal one.
DJ Sir Daniel:And, like, after now 40 years of doing it, do you feel as if the audiences are still giving you what you need as a dj?
DJ Ron Pullman:Yes, I would say yes, for the most part.
DJ Ron Pullman:The reason why I hesitate, because since the new eagle location, the dynamics of the crowd has changed, but it's dead.
DJ Ron Pullman:As you know, coming to the older eagle, you come in on first Fridays, it was just the.
DJ Ron Pullman:Just the energy and the vibe was.
DJ Ron Pullman:I mean, it was.
DJ Ron Pullman:You see, I'm not trying to brag about, but it was something to be reckoned, you know, you just.
DJ Sir Daniel:Absolutely.
DJ Sir Daniel:No, no, please, please brag.
DJ Sir Daniel:Because you listen, everybody that's listening to this podcast or watching a clip or whatever has to know the name Ron Pullman is synonymous with, like, not just house music, but superior parties and having people still actually dance at parties.
DJ Sir Daniel:So please, please do not hold back.
DJ Ron Pullman:I'm 65 words.
DJ Ron Pullman:As a matter of fact, I may be hiring you as my agent.
DJ Ron Pullman:Please let you.
DJ Ron Pullman:Absolutely.
DJ Sir Daniel:I can say that as somebody, as a DJ and somebody that's attended, I could say that you completely have a grip on the crowd like other and other dj's come to witness it, to Tracy Levine, all, you know, all people like that that are here in the city, that are, especially the house heads, know they will follow you wherever you go.
DJ Sir Daniel:And that's a testament to what you do.
DJ Sir Daniel:But you were saying, you were talking about audiences still giving back to you what you need from them.
DJ Sir Daniel:Because we feed off of them as much as they feed off of us.
DJ Ron Pullman:Absolutely.
DJ Ron Pullman:So, yes, to answer your question, yes, I referenced the old eagle because it was just.
DJ Ron Pullman:I mean, it took a little time to build what we've been doing.
DJ Ron Pullman:The eagle, as far as me being affiliated with the eagle, it's been about 14 years now.
DJ Sir Daniel:Okay.
DJ Ron Pullman:To answer your question about if the crowd has given me what I need, it's just a little different because the dynamic is different at the new location.
DJ Ron Pullman:The new crowd is much younger and is a little bit more diverse.
DJ Ron Pullman:First Friday was probably 90% african american or black, and now it may be 70% where it's more young, more younger people, which is great, because we need younger people to keep this vibe going.
DJ Ron Pullman:I embrace, but it's a catch to it.
DJ Ron Pullman:It's sort of a catch 22 situation.
DJ Ron Pullman:So due to the new location and its popularity, the new eagle location, the older heads is feeling like it's taken away.
DJ Ron Pullman:It's taken.
DJ Ron Pullman:They're not able to dance like they.
DJ Ron Pullman:With the freedom or the space, like they're accustomed to.
DJ Ron Pullman:Like, of course, it's losing some of its undergroundness, I guess, if that's how one wants to put it, we should embrace growth if it's the right growth in technology.
DJ Ron Pullman:But you don't want to lose.
DJ Ron Pullman:You don't want to lose the substance or whatever it was that made you popular.
DJ Ron Pullman:So it can be a little tricky keeping that balance.
DJ Ron Pullman:So, fortunately, a good amount of people still come, but some of the heads don't come.
DJ Ron Pullman:So, which I can.
DJ Ron Pullman:When I'm looking out into the crowd, people are dancing and moving, but it's not that energy that the old eagle had.
DJ Ron Pullman:They will go in hard at the old eagle.
DJ Ron Pullman:The energy and the vibe of the older location, it was.
DJ Ron Pullman:It just had become.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was just a spot you can go to and you can release.
DJ Ron Pullman:It may not have the energy completely as the previous.
DJ Ron Pullman:I hope that answers your question, man.
DJ Sir Daniel:Yeah, it does.
DJ Sir Daniel:And I'll say this as somebody who's been there.
DJ Sir Daniel:I think the difference.
DJ Sir Daniel:One of the differences at the.
DJ Sir Daniel:We'll say the Kodak, the old eagle was, you were there.
DJ Sir Daniel:I could literally reach out and touch you, like, in that space at the eagle.
DJ Sir Daniel:And there was enough, like you said, there was enough room for everybody to dance that you could see the bar from the booth.
DJ Sir Daniel:So vice versa, we could still see you at the new location because you are centered upstairs.
DJ Ron Pullman:Right, right.
DJ Ron Pullman:I'm upstairs.
DJ Sir Daniel:Upstairs.
DJ Sir Daniel:And I think.
DJ Sir Daniel:And because there are different levels, there's also the outdoor patio.
DJ Sir Daniel:I think.
DJ Sir Daniel:I'm wondering if that separation kind of has something to do with it, because I know that I've.
DJ Sir Daniel:I play places where, if I'm if I'm separated from the people and I don't see them, I'm just, I'm just playing music.
DJ Sir Daniel:I'm not really vibing off of them and vice versa.
DJ Sir Daniel:So I think so I feel what you're saying and I think that might have something to do with the dynamic.
DJ Sir Daniel:And it's interesting that you bring up the two different venues now and the different places and the different, all the different venues that have been come and gone in the city of Atlanta.
DJ Sir Daniel:Do DJ's, specifically Black DJ's, do we have to have a responsibility to take a stand against venues that benefit from black dollars but don't necessarily respect the patrons?
DJ Ron Pullman:Yeah, absolutely.
DJ Ron Pullman:We should take a stand.
DJ Ron Pullman:I can say I have been, I have been through the phase of being unappreciated and feel like people are taking advantage.
DJ Ron Pullman:As much as people may consider me a dj, if I, if I go into an establishment, start a residency or monthly or whatever, it is important to me.
DJ Ron Pullman:I don't just show up just to play music and get paid and leave.
DJ Ron Pullman:It is important to me that my supporters, crowd, family is treated right.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was a club that I was doing a monthly at several years ago.
DJ Ron Pullman:They didn't even have the air conditioning working and I told them, you will this crowd come here and they make you a lot of money if you don't get this air conditioned fixed.
DJ Ron Pullman:I believe it.
DJ Ron Pullman:It's important to me that you're not going to treat my crowd and my people less than if it was another crowd.
DJ Ron Pullman:No, we bring you a lot of money.
DJ Ron Pullman:Our dollars is very important.
DJ Ron Pullman:Going into a place and I'm just playing and I'm just getting paid.
DJ Ron Pullman:No, I want.
DJ Ron Pullman:The sound has to be right.
DJ Ron Pullman:People are.
DJ Ron Pullman:I'm known for being a jerk if the sound is not right for me because I can't do my job properly, I'm like, if people coming up, my crowd, people that support me mostly come out and they want to dance, they want to hear, they want to know that I'm not perfect.
DJ Ron Pullman:I have my off nights, but they want to know that if I'm, if the sound is right, if I'm doing, doing whatever, because they've had a rough day, week or whatever, or they coming out, they want to release.
DJ Ron Pullman:So.
DJ Ron Pullman:So, yeah, me going into barge club, vineyards, whatever, it is important.
DJ Ron Pullman:There's so many things.
DJ Ron Pullman:There's quite a few things that I want to be right.
DJ Ron Pullman:Nothing's going to be perfect.
DJ Ron Pullman:I want to be right and my people to be treated right.
DJ Ron Pullman:So, yes, I will say this what I love about the owner of the eagle.
DJ Ron Pullman:He has been very, very accommodating.
DJ Ron Pullman:He is truly about the community.
DJ Ron Pullman:Black, white, latin, whatever.
DJ Ron Pullman:He is truly, for my years of dealing with him, he is truly about the community.
DJ Ron Pullman:And he understand the importance and he don't take for granted what we have accomplished at first Friday.
DJ Ron Pullman:So I would say pretty much if there's an issue or something I need or whatever, he is very accommodating.
DJ Ron Pullman:And that's important to me.
DJ Ron Pullman:Like I said, it's not all about me.
DJ Ron Pullman:Yes, I want the things, whatever it takes for me to do my job or my gig properly, but I also want my people to be treated right, properly.
DJ Ron Pullman:That is very important to me.
DJ Ron Pullman:I had another club in the city not too far from the eagle, wanted me to do a night, and I declined because I didn't like the way particularly my people would be treated there.
DJ Ron Pullman:That's important to me.
DJ Ron Pullman:And so all money ain't good money.
DJ Sir Daniel:So that's what they say.
DJ Sir Daniel:And I'm so happy to hear you say that.
DJ Sir Daniel:And because I believe.
DJ Sir Daniel:I'm gonna use an I statement.
DJ Sir Daniel:I believe the city of Atlanta, the city of Atlanta owes its appeal, its economic growth.
DJ Sir Daniel:I think it owes a lot of that to its black queer citizens.
DJ Sir Daniel:Because if you've lived here for a certain amount of time, you know that after every holiday weekend, and you know, the black gay community, we love a holiday weekend because that's.
DJ Sir Daniel:People are going to come in from out of town and we know that we're going to be entertained, whether it be specifically dj's that are coming to town to play or the DJ's that are residents here, there might be performance, etcetera.
DJ Sir Daniel:So you've got all the holidays, Labor Day weekend, which has become Atlanta black gay pride weekend.
DJ Sir Daniel:After each of those milestones every year, I know that there has been tremendous population growth in the city of Atlanta, and that brings economic growth as well.
DJ Ron Pullman:Absolutely.
DJ Sir Daniel:So I'm thinking to myself, is there something, and I'm wondering out loud, is there something that the city of Atlanta could do economically to empower ownership of spaces created for the black gay community?
DJ Sir Daniel:Because I hear what, I hear a lot, what people are saying, well, the reason why the clubs are disappearing is because nobody owns the building.
DJ Sir Daniel:You know, we don't own these properties.
DJ Sir Daniel:We don't own these buildings.
DJ Sir Daniel:Well, is there something maybe the city of Atlanta could do to say, look, this is.
DJ Sir Daniel:We, I don't know, through some type of movement or some type of, you know, thing that they put in place we have empowered this black promoter, this black group of people, to get some type of economic stimulus so that they can have this building, so that we could point at it and say, this here is a landmark.
DJ Sir Daniel:This is for, this is a place where the black community has gathered for the past 20 plus years as a place, as a space.
DJ Sir Daniel:Is there something that the city of Atlanta could do, you think?
DJ Sir Daniel:Almost like a reparations, you know?
DJ Sir Daniel:Yeah, it sounds like reparations.
DJ Ron Pullman:No.
DJ Ron Pullman:I mean, no.
DJ Ron Pullman:The black gay community definitely has made a strong impact and definitely need to be acknowledged.
DJ Ron Pullman:Without a doubt.
DJ Ron Pullman:I.
DJ Ron Pullman:Yes.
DJ Ron Pullman:If you've been around for the past decade or few or so long, yes, it is.
DJ Ron Pullman:You will see what the black kid community has provided for the city of Atlanta.
DJ Ron Pullman:You're right.
DJ Ron Pullman:That's what bring a lot of people, if not move here, surely come here on a regular basis.
DJ Ron Pullman:Uh, you know, I mean, it's so funny.
DJ Ron Pullman:I want to get a sidetrack because I'm gonna get back to your point, but to, to sort of a piggyback off what you saying is just, just the people coming here and they, they come here whether for a weekend or.
DJ Ron Pullman:But I talk to guys who come to the eagle now, even at the old location, who come in from DC or New York, they come into the city once a month, maybe not always for the eagle, but they do come in for once a month to come party and hang out because they not getting Atlanta need to stand up and be proud.
DJ Ron Pullman:There's things that this city is giving the black gay community.
DJ Ron Pullman:You don't even get in other major cities like LA, you don't even get stuff in.
DJ Ron Pullman:And then.
DJ Ron Pullman:I'm not trying to put these cities down.
DJ Ron Pullman:I'm just saying that we offer, that we offer so much for the block gay community in the city.
DJ Ron Pullman:Yeah.
DJ Ron Pullman:Atlanta, city of Atlanta should just be to definitely recognize and be proud.
DJ Ron Pullman:The proud, you know, back to your point, what the city could do.
DJ Ron Pullman:And if I think, if I think some.
DJ Ron Pullman:What you're, what you're asking also, you was, you were mentioning something about a black owned.
DJ Sir Daniel:Business, black owned spaces or, you know, because that's, that's the, the common thread is the reason why these spaces, these safe spaces are disappearing is because there's no ownership, no real ownership in the community.
DJ Ron Pullman:Well, I don't know if it's necessarily because black is why they disappearing.
DJ Ron Pullman:Because I've known people who have had black, who are black owners have had black Chris spaces and they were lucky to last a year or two.
DJ Ron Pullman:Let's just be honest, like I said, people come here, and this is on the same token.
DJ Ron Pullman:So it's two things that I see why.
DJ Ron Pullman:Why the spaces are maybe even more, but two particular, why things don't sustain.
DJ Ron Pullman:One, with the younger crowd, things are trendy.
DJ Ron Pullman:If something is hot six months, it may not be hot a year from now.
DJ Ron Pullman:And the other thing with my age group, particularly once a month, seems to, substance, seems to work for them.
DJ Ron Pullman:If I was to buy and do a club, I would be afraid that.
DJ Ron Pullman:I would be afraid that I would be able to sustain, because people in my age group, maybe a little younger, some even a little older, they don't come out every week.
DJ Ron Pullman:And so I would have to resort to some other crowds to keep me afloat.
DJ Ron Pullman:And then if that crowd is dead, who they don't like, let's say a hip hop crowd, a young hip hop crowd, they'd be like, okay, Ron is catering to these folks, and I'm not going back to his.
DJ Ron Pullman:So, you know, you, those are the things that, the challenges you have being a club owner, and if you don't have the resources to sustain, and, you know, a lot of things closed down during COVID the COVID era period that was not able to sustain black or white, it didn't matter if you were not being supported.
DJ Ron Pullman:You just lost out.
DJ Ron Pullman:But again, I just think the challenge with Atlanta is, particularly with the younger crowd, is trending.
DJ Ron Pullman:Like I say, whatever is hot to this six month, it may be something different six months or a year from now.
DJ Ron Pullman:And so you didn't invest it, your savings, a lot of money, and you'll be sol a year or two from later.
DJ Ron Pullman:And, yeah, I, you know, so, I mean, you know, people have asked me all the time, you know, why don't you get your own club?
DJ Ron Pullman:You know, I've thought about it many times, but I'm like, do I want to take that chance, a risk and not be supported, you know?
DJ Ron Pullman:Yeah, people come out once a month.
DJ Ron Pullman:They hear me play, like I say, my age group mostly, who comes out once a month.
DJ Ron Pullman:That's all they need.
DJ Ron Pullman:That's all they feel like.
DJ Ron Pullman:That's all they need or they want.
DJ Ron Pullman:And so again, back to your point about the city recognizing black and stuff.
DJ Ron Pullman:There's definitely need to be some black spaces that need to be to acknowledge and so on and so forth.
DJ Ron Pullman:I don't know of any black, particularly black clubs establishment that are exclusively black owned or ran right now.
DJ Ron Pullman:Maybe there are.
DJ Ron Pullman:And I'm just, I just can't think of it.
DJ Ron Pullman:You know, I don't want to keep referencing the eagle, but I will say again, the relationship that I have had with the owner, he has been a very accommodating to me.
DJ Ron Pullman:And if I have an issue or something that I address and that's particularly pertaining to the block gay car, he's been very accommodating.
DJ Ron Pullman:Yes.
DJ Ron Pullman:I wish we.
DJ Ron Pullman:I'm sorry to be rambling on, but yes, I wish that we had our own and we were supported.
DJ Ron Pullman:If we have our own and we support it, I'm down for it.
DJ Ron Pullman:Let's make it happen.
DJ Ron Pullman:But it's a challenge or it's a risk.
DJ Ron Pullman:I don't have that kind of money to square to take that risk.
DJ Ron Pullman:But I do plan to do some things that hopefully that will.
DJ Ron Pullman:That will.
DJ Ron Pullman:That would help out.
DJ Ron Pullman:I have some things.
DJ Sir Daniel:All right, well, that's.
DJ Sir Daniel:That's hopeful.
DJ Sir Daniel:That's, you know, I like hearing that.
DJ Sir Daniel:And I'm glad you brought up that perspective of.
DJ Sir Daniel:Because I fall into that crowd as well, where my friends and I, you know, first Friday is.
DJ Sir Daniel:First Friday is a thing, and that's okay because you're absolutely right.
DJ Sir Daniel:We're not in that space anymore of, you know, back in the days, it was Monday nights at tracks for the Monday night show.
DJ Sir Daniel:Tuesday night, dug that.
DJ Sir Daniel: Tuesday at: DJ Sir Daniel:Wednesday, bible study.
DJ Sir Daniel:Thursday, you back it.
DJ Sir Daniel: You're at: DJ Sir Daniel:And then Friday and Saturday is the Marquette.
DJ Sir Daniel:This tracks.
DJ Sir Daniel:And then Sunday you're in church.
DJ Sir Daniel:There was a time where we literally, we'd be going out every single day of the week.
DJ Sir Daniel:But as you get older, you're absolutely right.
DJ Sir Daniel:We can't sustain that at our big ages, and our bodies are not allowing us to do that anymore.
DJ Ron Pullman:But I'm sorry, let me just say this before we go to the next point.
DJ Ron Pullman:And another thing, we also.
DJ Ron Pullman:That sort of, I want to use my words correctly, I won't say ruined, but change the dynamics of clubs being supportive.
DJ Ron Pullman:Let's just be honest.
DJ Ron Pullman:People are online, on social media.
DJ Ron Pullman:They get, they fix and they hook up online that they feel like they don't have to go out to the club.
DJ Ron Pullman:They get door service these days.
DJ Sir Daniel:Let's call a thing.
DJ Sir Daniel:Let's call a thing.
DJ Sir Daniel:A thing is, you're absolutely right.
DJ Sir Daniel:I was laughing with another friend the other day.
DJ Sir Daniel:We were laughing about those, the phone chat lines before because, of course, we didn't have.
DJ Sir Daniel:Have cell phones and we didn't have the Internet point.
DJ Sir Daniel:But you're absolutely right.
DJ Sir Daniel:And to, to harken back a point we made earlier about you particularly creating a sense of community with your crowd.
DJ Sir Daniel:You know, you're able to go out and do parties at local parks and people will come follow you because you bring a great sound shout out to the people that provide sounds for you.
DJ Sir Daniel:One of them is my guy, Herbie, DJ.
DJ Sir Daniel:Herb does a lot of sound.
DJ Sir Daniel:You know, he and I used to work at v, so that's how I know him.
DJ Sir Daniel:And, you know, you always bring great sound and people will come to you wherever you are.
DJ Sir Daniel:And I think that's very important to say again, because you cultivated that kind of relationship.
DJ Sir Daniel:So I'm wondering, is it on the DJ's, do we, is it us?
DJ Sir Daniel:And not necessarily promoters or club owners, do we need to start cultivating these relationships with the community so that they feel like they have someplace trustworthy to go to and will be able to feel like they'll be protected, they'll be safe, they'll have, and they'll also be entertained with the music that they want to hear.
DJ Ron Pullman:I mean, absolutely, yeah, I absolutely believe the DJ.
DJ Ron Pullman:That's not a bad thing for most DJ's to do.
DJ Ron Pullman:I just know today DJ's wear more hats than you once were.
DJ Ron Pullman:You just don't show up like you did back in the day with a creative records or whatever.
DJ Ron Pullman:Obviously you show with flash drive and headphones, and if the establishment have what you need, you just show up.
DJ Ron Pullman:But no, but to your point, you should.
DJ Ron Pullman:I know for me, I wear more hats.
DJ Ron Pullman:It's important for me again to, again, like I said, having a relationship with the club, the sound people, the promotion aspect, all those things from, it's important to me.
DJ Ron Pullman:I think that's what has helped me have a successful run in this business.
DJ Ron Pullman:I've for quite some time, like I said, I wear a lot of hats, or several hats to make sure that my events, perhaps my night is successful overall.
DJ Ron Pullman:Because again, I'm a jerk when it comes to sound.
DJ Ron Pullman:That's important to me.
DJ Ron Pullman:But again, like I say, I want people to feel comfortable when they walk into the establishment.
DJ Ron Pullman:I walk from the staff greeting them and being polite to, to going to the bar, that they not being gouged, are they not being.
DJ Ron Pullman:All those things are important to me again.
DJ Ron Pullman:And of course, unless somebody bring it to my attention, but I'm playing, so I'm djing.
DJ Ron Pullman:I mean, I know what's going on with somebody being treated unfairly and whatever.
DJ Ron Pullman:Yeah, I'm getting sidetracked.
DJ Ron Pullman:But, um.
DJ Ron Pullman:But yes, it's not a bad idea for a dJDeh to be more involved and making sure and reaching out to people and making sure things are correct.
DJ Ron Pullman:I hope that answered your question.
DJ Ron Pullman:I may have gotten sidetracked.
DJ Sir Daniel:No, actually, I appreciate your answers to that question because I feel it as far as having to wear multiple hats and you got to promote yourself.
DJ Sir Daniel:What I do have a question of.
DJ Sir Daniel:A fun question.
DJ Sir Daniel:If you were able to bring back any venue in black, gay Atlanta, in that black, gay Atlanta pass of clubs, which club would that be?
DJ Ron Pullman:Oh, wow.
DJ Ron Pullman:Any black gay club.
DJ Ron Pullman:Um, I.
DJ Ron Pullman:Ooh, that's a tough one.
DJ Ron Pullman:I would say I wasn't involved with this, but I would say what I enjoyed when I moved here, maybe a year or two after I had been here.
DJ Ron Pullman:So there was this female promoter, woman named Gloria, and she had a, she had an organization called friends and friends that she did parties at different locations.
DJ Ron Pullman:She.
DJ Ron Pullman:But probably her longest venue or spot she used.
DJ Ron Pullman:So it was a club that was across from Loretta's.
DJ Ron Pullman:Used to be called 688.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was used to be called weekends.
DJ Ron Pullman:We.
DJ Ron Pullman:Weekend called weekends.
DJ Ron Pullman:688 Spring street.
DJ Ron Pullman:Yeah, it was like, okay, you know where the alleyway were?
DJ Ron Pullman:Apache if you were to the back entrance.
DJ Ron Pullman:That alleyway if you walked.
DJ Ron Pullman:Okay, you know, what's concentra now?
DJ Sir Daniel:Yes.
DJ Sir Daniel:Uh, the, this was actually a club.
DJ Ron Pullman:688 back in the day.
DJ Sir Daniel:Okay.
DJ Sir Daniel:Okay.
DJ Ron Pullman:And the back entrance was in the alley right behind Apache.
DJ Ron Pullman:And it was only a short period of time.
DJ Ron Pullman:And I think Loretta's was, might've been open at the same time, I think.
DJ Ron Pullman:And maybe Loretta's opened up shortly afterwards because Loretta's was a lot of fun.
DJ Ron Pullman:I mean, it's hard for me to say, but what resonated with me the most was that club.
DJ Ron Pullman:I.
DJ Ron Pullman:So Rod Cole was the DJ and.
DJ Ron Pullman:But it was, it was a lot of fun.
DJ Ron Pullman:It wasn't a huge club.
DJ Ron Pullman: and: DJ Ron Pullman:But I mean, it was just, the crowd was just great.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was just, the rod did an excellent job with music.
DJ Ron Pullman:The crowd was.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was, it was more mixed than it is today.
DJ Ron Pullman:You will see more.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was more mixed.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was predominantly black, but it was more mixed.
DJ Ron Pullman:Women and men, gay women and men.
DJ Ron Pullman:And we just don't get that too often here in Atlanta.
DJ Ron Pullman:And this was house music, particularly to me, is like the era I've come from and what I try to still make happen to this day, it's about, it's inclusive.
DJ Ron Pullman:Everybody is welcome.
DJ Ron Pullman:I want everybody to come.
DJ Ron Pullman:As long as you don't have a problem with anybody, just come and enjoy the music.
DJ Ron Pullman:But that's what I miss about weekend, I mean, the friends was at this club called weekends Weekend Warehouse.
DJ Ron Pullman:And so that's what wouldn't have come back.
DJ Ron Pullman:But I had great times at Loretta's.
DJ Ron Pullman:I had great times at tracks.
DJ Ron Pullman:I had even a decade before, several years before moving here.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was a club called in between.
DJ Ron Pullman:And that was, yeah, it was the early eighties and it was, that was, that was, that was nice.
DJ Ron Pullman:But Atlanta has had so many clubs.
DJ Ron Pullman:I mean, gosh, I probably draw black.
DJ Ron Pullman:There's been, I mean, you know, you think about the palace, you think about, gosh, there's just been so many clubs.
DJ Ron Pullman:Like the seven.
DJ Ron Pullman:Seven.
DJ Sir Daniel:Okay, back with street.
DJ Ron Pullman:Yeah.
DJ Ron Pullman:Backstreet, which was that a place called the Metro.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was a metro, I think, on Peach street.
DJ Ron Pullman:Yeah.
DJ Sir Daniel:Okay.
DJ Ron Pullman:And that was, I had only been a couple of times, but it was a little more like a little small bar from whatever.
DJ Ron Pullman:But also during the mid to late eighties, there was a.
DJ Ron Pullman:What was before Lorella's was fosters, and Fosters was on Peachtree right at 10th.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was right next to what's called the Margaret Mitchell house.
DJ Sir Daniel:Okay.
DJ Sir Daniel:Yes.
DJ Ron Pullman:Right next to that was fosters.
DJ Ron Pullman:And that was a fine, that was a real nice club bar that people attended.
DJ Ron Pullman:Well, the lady Loretta who owned it moved over to Spring street and opened up Loretta's.
DJ Sir Daniel:Okay.
DJ Sir Daniel:I have so a person I call my play mama who is here, who, you know, party here.
DJ Sir Daniel:Years before I was old enough to come, you know, relocated to Atlanta and start partying, start hanging out.
DJ Sir Daniel:He would tell me about a place called, was it the Pearl Garden?
DJ Ron Pullman:Pearl Garden.
DJ Sir Daniel:Okay.
DJ Sir Daniel:And was that pear garden.
DJ Sir Daniel:Okay, so it's paragard.
DJ Sir Daniel:Was that downtown?
DJ Sir Daniel:Because from what I understand, if I recall, like, vaguely, there was a place down by where the Georgia State Rialto Theater used to be.
DJ Sir Daniel:You know where on that.
DJ Sir Daniel:What street is that?
DJ Ron Pullman:Lucky three.
DJ Sir Daniel:No, it wasn't lucky.
DJ Sir Daniel:It's actually down to, down there where the realtor is now, that part of the Georgia state campus where that.
DJ Sir Daniel:Ooh, I'm losing my train of thought now, as far as the name of that street is concerned.
DJ Ron Pullman:But was it in a little, little alleyway or was it on the main.
DJ Sir Daniel:Street in that year where the broad street and I.
DJ Sir Daniel:That little one way street kind of section.
DJ Sir Daniel:I just remember there were a couple places, I wasn't even old enough to get into those places, but I heard about them.
DJ Sir Daniel:And when you said Ritz boys earlier, I remember there was a place called the Ritz.
DJ Sir Daniel:I think you had to go upstairs and it was, you could see literally, the Coca Cola sun, the old Coca Cola sign.
DJ Sir Daniel:Okay, so I'm not.
DJ Ron Pullman:Yeah, that came along later.
DJ Sir Daniel:Okay.
DJ Ron Pullman:Yeah, that.
DJ Ron Pullman:The Brits came along later.
DJ Ron Pullman:But it was the same guys.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was Philip and I, David and those guys that own it.
DJ Ron Pullman:But ironically, that's what you're.
DJ Ron Pullman:The area where you're describing is where I started with them.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was a little bitty street called.
DJ Sir Daniel:Poplar street and Poplar street.
DJ Sir Daniel:Yeah.
DJ Ron Pullman:Okay, so, yeah, I started off with them there.
DJ Ron Pullman:We do late night parties and.
DJ Ron Pullman:And, yeah, so, yeah, that was, that's why I started with them guys.
DJ Ron Pullman:And then, like I said, after we left there, we did actually, we did a club around the corner on, just a block over on Lucky street.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was called secrets.
DJ Ron Pullman:And we did that for probably about a year before we opened up tracks.
DJ Ron Pullman:And Sylvester actually came, performed there.
DJ Ron Pullman:And so, yeah, it was really a nice, nice, nice spot.
DJ Ron Pullman:And we did several things.
DJ Ron Pullman:Gosh, it was even a hotel right there on Lucky street called the Atlanta and hotel.
DJ Ron Pullman:We used to do parties on the rooftop there.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was quite a bit.
DJ Ron Pullman:Atlanta is fun and it's still a lot of things going on.
DJ Ron Pullman:But for you ask about clubs and the period that, the era they did it for me was when I moved here in 86, I would say up to the early nineties, Atlanta club scene was just, it was really a lot of fun.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was really a fun period of time.
DJ Ron Pullman:And Atlanta had definitely had its share of queer, queer clubs and even just a ton of black clubs during that time.
DJ Ron Pullman:And so to answer one particularly, I only use friends, the organization friends last weekends, because musically, that's what appealed to me.
DJ Ron Pullman:I enjoyed it pretty much every time, but I enjoyed going to several spaces.
DJ Ron Pullman:Like I said, it could have been Loretta's.
DJ Ron Pullman:I mean, obviously I was playing that tracks, maybe still playing tracks during that time, and.
DJ Ron Pullman:But it was just, it was just several.
DJ Ron Pullman:Several things.
DJ Ron Pullman:And it was just, if you didn't feel like being in a dance club, you could have went to the.
DJ Ron Pullman:To a little drink bar like the paragarden or, you know, and just several spaces throughout the city.
DJ Ron Pullman:And like you said, it could have been a metro, it could have been wherever, or you could have went to those places earlier and then you felt like dancing.
DJ Ron Pullman:You will come to Loretta's, or you will come to tracks or you will come to, you know, 688 a weekend or whatever, but.
DJ Sir Daniel:So, yeah, as we wrap up something, you were saying, this just made this pop up in my mind.
DJ Sir Daniel:Another memory was unlocked, I recall, and I believe I'm not going to say it was.
DJ Sir Daniel:I'm not directly quoting, but I believe it was.
DJ Sir Daniel:DJ Cedric once said that the biggest change, or the change, when he knew this, he knew that things had changed in Atlanta was when they moved the house DJ upstairs into the boom boom room, which was at the very top, and brought the hip hop downstairs to the main.
DJ Sir Daniel:To the main floor.
DJ Sir Daniel:And he marked that as a.
DJ Sir Daniel:A pivotal moment in, I guess, the culture and I guess, just the appreciation for house music and things changing as far as dancing is concerned.
DJ Sir Daniel:Would you agree to say, like, my generation, we came in, we started integrating hip hop into the party, and because hip hop had become the major culture, especially for us coming up, that's what we related to.
DJ Sir Daniel:And so, yes, we love some house music, but then we were also wanting to hear some biggie and some little Kim at the same time.
DJ Sir Daniel:What was your, what were your thoughts in around that era when things shifted?
DJ Ron Pullman:Well, I agree with Cedric.
DJ Ron Pullman:That was a very pivotal moment.
DJ Ron Pullman:And, you know, fortunately for me, I didn't.
DJ Ron Pullman:I didn't go through it, per se, because I left Atlanta for a few years.
DJ Ron Pullman:So that was that mid nineties era when that occurred.
DJ Ron Pullman:And you're right.
DJ Ron Pullman:And I.
DJ Ron Pullman:But I would come back here or wherever I am, I would.
DJ Ron Pullman:I could see that happening.
DJ Ron Pullman:And what you stated is so true.
DJ Ron Pullman:And it was.
DJ Ron Pullman:I want to use more words, it was.
DJ Ron Pullman:I don't want to say disheartening, but it was, it was, it was.
DJ Ron Pullman:I know, again, we progressed with times and we would go with things that, and in most cases, go with things that are happening during that era in time.
DJ Ron Pullman:So, you know, we can't always be stuck in the past, if you will.
DJ Ron Pullman:But I knew that that was the hip hop thing when it became popular and it had integrated into the black gay club particularly, it was because, obviously, you know, I'm a.
DJ Ron Pullman:I'm a househead to the day I die, right?
DJ Ron Pullman:But, I mean, I have an appreciation for hip hop and all that because obviously, I worked in a record store, so I know various forms of music, and so I appreciate them.
DJ Ron Pullman:But to see that culture integrated into the black gay club, it was a, it was a little sad for me because the black gay clubs and black Latin and the gay clubs have always were known for the trendsetters.
DJ Ron Pullman:We didn't follow what was mainstream.
DJ Ron Pullman:We didn't follow what was on radio, this and that.
DJ Ron Pullman:We set the tone for fashion, for music, for whatever was hot and this and that, and to see that the black gay club particularly wanted to follow radio and the videos on tv and stuff, it changed the dynamic.
DJ Ron Pullman:So, yeah, that's.
DJ Ron Pullman:He makes a very valid point.
DJ Ron Pullman:And so by it becoming that we lost the house, I think, I just think that I'm trying to say this without being negative or coming across a fence.
DJ Ron Pullman:I'm sure not every club that integrated hip hop was, was a bad or negative experience, but I just think when it became that, it changed the dynamic and even the mentality, if you will, of how gay men carried himself, you know, trying to emulate what they seeing, perhaps on video or listening to music.
DJ Ron Pullman:It was just, it was just shockingly mind blowing to me.
DJ Ron Pullman:So.
DJ Ron Pullman:So, yeah, he's right.
DJ Ron Pullman:And so when I moved back to the city, which was around the Olympics time and stuff, I saw djing again, but I started playing most on straight clubs and then eventually got back to playing both.
DJ Ron Pullman:Now play pretty much exclusively black, a club or crowd.
DJ Ron Pullman:And so it's been refreshing to me to see over the past decade that it's been an appreciation or resurgence, if you will, for what started off, even though it's once a month or twice a month now what I do.
DJ Ron Pullman:But to see, again, back to the point you were making earlier, to see get back to the house and what I do and the younger crowd is really embracing it.
DJ Ron Pullman:That's what.
DJ Ron Pullman:So I feel good.
DJ Ron Pullman:But yeah, during that era, in time, it changed the 90 ish, it changed that when, when that, when the crowd embraced hip hop, it changed the dynamic of the club.
DJ Ron Pullman:So he said, you gets right.
DJ Ron Pullman:It did change.
DJ Ron Pullman:And again, to your point about establishment, I know business has to do what's in their best interest to make money, but again, all money.
DJ Ron Pullman:It may not.
DJ Ron Pullman:If it's something that you're doing and you changing the dynamic, it may be successful for six months or a year, but if you don't stick to what who's been supporting you and man and being consistent, you're going to probably lose out in the long run.
DJ Ron Pullman:I know I got to your question, but I just making me think about all of that.
DJ Sir Daniel:No, but no, I want you to express that because I think those are all the things that go into a sentiment that is being felt, but nobody knows how to put it into words specifically about what has happened to the landscape, into the atmosphere of the places that we're going to and that we're frequenting.
DJ Sir Daniel:But I am happy that I've had this opportunity to speak with you and to revisit those days, but also to, to give people an idea of what it really takes.
DJ Sir Daniel:Like community is, it's like what people say about the church.
DJ Sir Daniel:Church isn't, isn't a building.
DJ Sir Daniel:Church is wherever you know you are, they say where two or more are gathered.
DJ Sir Daniel:And that's a sentiment that I think we can take with us and explore.
DJ Sir Daniel:But please, Ron, I'm so appreciative of your time, but please let the people know how they can, where they can find you online and how they can, you know, if they're not already a part of your flock, how they can, you know, become a part of their flock and make sure that they keep up with you whether you're in Atlanta or wherever you're, you know, you tour.
DJ Sir Daniel:Please let them know how they can keep up with you.
DJ Ron Pullman:Well, social media is going to be the best way to follow me right now or to stay with what I'm doing.
DJ Ron Pullman:Of course, I am on Facebook as Ron Pullman Soule.
DJ Ron Pullman:Pullman Soul being one word.
DJ Ron Pullman:You can reach me on Facebook and on IG, Instagram, Pullman soul.
DJ Ron Pullman:And usually on both of my accounts or pages, I keep the latest flyers or I keep a schedule of events that I'm doing.
DJ Ron Pullman:So you can just hit, just hit me up on those and that will be the best way to contact me as well.
DJ Ron Pullman:Stand up on the events that I'm doing.
DJ Ron Pullman:It's again, my social media pages and, but also, if you're in the Atlanta area, you can catch me first and third Fridays at the Atlanta Eagle.
DJ Ron Pullman:That's the Atlanta Eagle.
DJ Sir Daniel:Ross.
DJ Sir Daniel:Homie, once again, thank you.
DJ Sir Daniel:Thank you so much.
DJ Sir Daniel:Not just for spending this time with me and doing this, this interview for the podcast, but for what you've done, period.
DJ Sir Daniel:Like for the building blocks that you laid down for not just the party people, but also for people who come in behind you who want to DJ, who have this ambition of becoming a DJDeh.
DJ Sir Daniel:Not necessarily a house DJ, but knowing that there's some foundational things that we all as DJ's need to practice and the community that you created, I think is a long lasting testament to all the work that you've done.
DJ Sir Daniel:So thank you.
DJ Sir Daniel:I appreciate you.
DJ Sir Daniel:Ron Pullman.
DJ Ron Pullman:Well, no, thank you.
DJ Ron Pullman:I appreciate you reaching out to me and allowing giving me this platform to express myself.
DJ Ron Pullman:And I'm grateful to you and Jay for making this happen.
DJ Sir Daniel:Thank you for listening to I come alive stories of black gay Atlanta nightlife, brought to you by Q Points Productions.
DJ Sir Daniel: the Counter Narrative Project: DJ Sir Daniel:Make sure you become a cue point subscriber so that you don't miss the next episode of I come alive.
