For the Record is a conversation series where we speak with all manner of music heads — DJs, music journos, indie label captains, record shop owners, listening bar kingpins, et al — about their stories + the music that makes them.

As a bassist in the band Moot back in early-’80s NYC, Bruce Tantum’s formative years were spent soaking up club culture in such hallowed halls as Mudd Club, Pyramid and Danceteria. Later in the decade, his time spent in those downtown dance dens, and those that that followed, inspired him to get step into the DJ booth — and over the ensuing years, he's played at pretty much any club willing to have him, as well as at more dingy basement parties than he can remember.

For over two decades, Bruce has served as a music journalist, toiling for Time Out NY (where he served as the longtime Clubs editor), Resident Advisor, Red Bull Music Academy, XLR8R, Mixmag and more. He currently holds it down as North American editor of DJ Mag, while still heeding the call of the decks for the occasional night of record-spinning fun.

Explore more of this conversation and others:

https://www.greymatter.fm/community/ftr006-bruce-tantum