Michele Sainte is an American drum and bass DJ and former techno DJ.[3][4][5][6][7][8]

Michele Sainte
Background information
Birth nameMichele Ann Wickel
Also known as
  • Sainte Michele
  • Techstep Selectoress[1]
  • The Sainte[2]
Born29 September 1968
OriginUnited States
GenresDrum and bass, breakbeat hardcore, jungle, (early) techno, techstep, Witchstep
InstrumentsDJ mixer, turntables
Years active1986–present

1990–present: Clubs and raves

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Sainte is a former breakbeat hardcore and techno DJ[9] that is also "widely regarded as one of the States' premiere female drumandbass DJs" according to Dieselboy.[10][11] She is known for mixing the techstep subgenre of drum and bass.[12][13]

She has DJed throughout North America at clubs and raves as a breakbeat and techno DJ on a regular basis beginning in 1990, dedicating herself exclusively to the Drum&Bass genre by 1995[14][15][16][17][18] and performing alongside artists such as 808 State,[19] Joey Beltram,[20] Meat Beat Manifesto.[21]

She became a frequent guest DJ at music venues including City Gardens[22] in Trenton, New Jersey, Guernica[23][24][25] (formerly Save the Robots) in Manhattan, The Shelter (New York City), and The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Also, she was asked to be a resident DJ at Club Zadar in New Hope, Pennsylvania, in January 1990, introducing techno to the new wave venue. In addition, she became a resident DJ at several venues in Philadelphia including Evolution[26] and Skyline.[27] She is considered one of the first female techno DJs from North America and has been cited as "the original East Coast female drum and bass DJ".[28]

Sainte has acknowledged the support of DJ Lenny Dee.[29] Dieselboy has also been known to support her.[30] She also convinced Rhys Fulber, after he met her in the “early nineties” when she worked as a Techno DJ, to eventually produce Techno and use his German name as opposed to an alias.[31]

1986-1999: Radio

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Sainte became licensed by the FCC in 1986, whilst still a high school student and went on to do her first radio show that same year at WCVH in New Jersey. At WCVH, she exclusively played Industrial, New Wave, and Punk.[32] She also worked at WFMU (named the “best radio station in the nation” by Rolling Stone magazine from 1991 through 1994[33]) and WPRB at Princeton University.[34][35][36] In 1995, she created and DJed on a program with live mixing at WPRB that she called Bassquake. Bassquake aired every Friday for five years. It was the United States's first drum and bass/jungle program to air on a commercial FM radio station.[37][38][39][40]

Discography

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DJ mixes

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  • Fluid Sessions - at Fluid nightclub in Philadelphia, Bioforce Recordings, 1998
  • Badlands (1996)
  • Pitch Black (1996)
  • The Unseen (1997)
  • Retribution with 1.8.7 (1999)
  • Dreammaker with Rhys Fulber (2008)
  • Diamonds from Your Eyes (2021)
  • Deadlock (2024)
  • Skyclad (2024)
  • Roberta Sparrow (2024)
  • Killer in the Home (remix) (2024)
  • Like Cockatoos (remix) (2024)

Personal life

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Sainte is a vegan, regularly advocating for veganism on her social media. She is also Wiccan, having trained in California in person with Zsuzsanna Budapest.[41] She is related to musician Duncan Wickel of Rising Appalachia, Harrison Wickel, amd Ralph James Wickel.

References

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  1. ^ Arena One, The Junglist Assault (lineup) at the Winter Music Conference. Miami Beach. 1997.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. ^ Diesel boy (1996), DrumAndBass Selection USA (album credits)
  3. ^ The North Will Rise Again – Manchester Music City 1976–1996, pages 339,340 ISBN 978-1-84513-534-8 OCLC Number: 1103638874 Aurum Press, London, July 2010
  4. ^ Lisa Gerson for Project X Magazine, issue 37 (1995). "The Gospel According To DJ Michele Sainte" (Interview). New York. p. 10.{{cite interview}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Michelle Lolli for Urb (magazine), issue 43 (June 1995). "States Of Trance". Los Angeles. p. 19.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ The DNB Vault (April 15, 2015). "ON GUARD: IMPERIAL (PHILADELPHIA) (Imperial Promoter's top 5 Favorite memories or milestones)".
  7. ^ Sean O’Neal for Philadelphia City Paper (November 8–15, 2001). "Spinning Scents".
  8. ^ Jeff "Ikon" Boyle & Geoffrey "GeoffE" Colon, The True History Of The Freight Yard In Commemoration Of The 17th Anniversary
  9. ^ 808state.com (1993). "808 State Live Tour Archive".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ 50\50 Productions (September 2006), C A M O U F L A G E{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ Steel City Jungle, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1997{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  12. ^ KC Bajai for Audiogliphix (magazine) Issue 20, Volume 4, Number 2 (1999). "DJ Class Of 1998" (Interview). Philadelphia. p. 16,17.{{cite interview}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ Rebel Bass (lineup), East Broadway, New York
  14. ^ 12 Step Program (lineup), Philadelphia
  15. ^ 50\50 Productions (September 2006), C A M O U F L A G E{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ Nocturnal Trip, Chicago
  17. ^ Camouflage at Sin Sin, New York, October 2007{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  18. ^ Nebulae at Club 1415, Philadelphia
  19. ^ 808state.com (1993). "808 State Live Tour Archive".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ Believe 3 (lineup), Newark, New Jersey, 2015{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  21. ^ City Gardens (lineup), Trenton, New Jersey, 1993{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  22. ^ City Gardens (lineup), Trenton, New Jersey, 1993{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  23. ^ Camouflage at Guernica, May 2004
  24. ^ Camouflage at Guernica, February 2004
  25. ^ Camouflage at Guernica, August 2004
  26. ^ Resident DJs at Evolution, Philadelphia
  27. ^ Next Step's Final Step (at Club Skyline), Philadelphia, August 1998{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  28. ^ Platinum. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
  29. ^ Lisa Gerson for Project X Magazine, issue 37 (1995). "The Gospel According To DJ Michele Sainte" (PDF) (Interview). New York. p. 10.{{cite interview}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  30. ^ Dieselboy (1996), DrumAndBass Selection USA (album credits)
  31. ^ "SOUND AND STRUCTURE 12 : RHYS FULBER" (Interview).
  32. ^ 50\50 Productions (September 2006), C A M O U F L A G E{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  33. ^ WFMU in Fund-Raising Drive., Pristin, Terry. The New York Times. March 13, 1996.
  34. ^ Princeton Broadcasting Service. WPRB Program Guide – 1996. Princeton, New Jersey. p. 14,15.
  35. ^ method-one.com (June 1997), Method One live on WPRB - Bassquake "hosted (and narrated by) the lovely and talented Michelle Sainte" (audio available), Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  36. ^ Konkrete Jungle (lineup featuring Michele Sainte of WPRB). Philadelphia. April 1997.
  37. ^ Princeton Broadcasting Service. WPRB Program Guide – 1996. Princeton, New Jersey. p. 14,15.
  38. ^ "Drum&Bass Arena asks SDS about his entry point into the D&B genre" (Interview). December 2016.
  39. ^ Velocity (live interview and set), New York, August 1999{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  40. ^ Drum Skool 215 (May 1997). “Trace stopping by Michelle Sainte's infamous Bassquake radio show on Princeton University's 103.3 WPRB”. Princeton, New Jersey, United States.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  41. ^ "About Michele Sainte". Facebook.