There is no shortage of culture when talking with DJ Dirty Ish whose family has held the title of Baron in Hungary since the 1600’s. Istvan Burgyan, (AKA Dirty Ish,) learned to speak Hungarian from his great grandmother and was taught to play piano at five years old. Surrounded by a family of musicians, it’s understandable why Dirty Ish is so passionate about music. “Everyone in my family played a musical instrument,” recalls Ish. His mother played the violin, his father played the guitar and his brother played several instruments. Dirty Ish admits his grandfather, who was a self-taught pianist and composer was one of his biggest musical influences.
Born in Norfolk, Virginia, Dirty Ish later moved to Houston, Texas and began performing as a singer in a punk band as a young kid. Eventually realizing his calling as a DJ at the age of 21, Dirty Ish bought a pair of Technique 1200 turntables and taught himself how to beat mix. “I learned on vinyl and I made a lot of my friends ears hurt in the process,” laughs Dirty Ish. His friend Travis, who was a Hip Hop turntablist, (a DJ who uses scratching, looping and effects) was one of his early mentors.
A few short years into his DJ career, Dirty Ish went to a show and saw well know DJ Mark Farina performing. Farina was playing on 3 turn tables mixing in all types of classic oldies to a house beat. It was then Dirty ish began to realize he could create his own sound. Anyone can play the bangers or most popular tracks but it’s his unique mixing style and ability to take listeners on a musical journey that separates Dirty Ish from most other DJs. “Any clown can play top 40 and so can my iPod. Yes, matching a beat is easy, but mixing a set to keep the crowd guessing is an art,” emphasizes Dirty Ish. When he’s playing a show, Dirty Ish lets his emotions take over and feeds off the energy of the crowd.
His DJ resume is impressive, playing in top venues throughout North America from Seattle to Miami; Dirty Ish has also been the featured artist for Flawless Recordings, Sobel Nation, and UK House Music Podcast. Besides getting paid to play music, Dirty Ish has a software company which has landed him in the Coachella Valley for now where he lives with his wife who is a former playmate and their four year old son. You can usually catch Dirty Ish performing at promoter BB Ingle’s parties or various venues around the desert. If you would like to contact Dirty Ish you can e-mail him at: dirtyish@hotmail.com or you can find him on Facebook: www.facebook.com/dirtyish.
Written by: Craig Michaels
Musical Affair Entertainment
(760) 880-3848
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