A Passion for Playing Music

“I’ve had a passion for music since I was a kid. I remember getting my first record player for Christmas, when I was eight,” says Brent Faddies, known to dance floor audiences as DJ BFAD. “I used to sit for hours and just play records, and bring it in for show and tell in school.” Brent’s passion for music flourished as he grew up, fuelling his success as one of the Lower Mainland’s best DJs.

“Music was always my thing, I was always known for music,” Brent says. “It was just a natural progression to turn it into a career.” After moving to London to chase the music dream, Brent spent years working in a record store. It’s where he built his vast and comprehensive musical tastes and knowledge. When he moved back to Canada Brent decided it was time for DJ BFAD to take over.

“So many huge DJs used to come into the record store, I’d see what they were buying, hear their tricks,” he says, “and I knew I had to do it.”

Getting the Party Started

“My main goal is that everyone has fun, enjoys themselves and the music,” says Brent. “That gives me pleasure, it gives me enjoyment. Otherwise, I’d be doing something else.”

For the most part DJ BFAD’s job is to keep the dance floor moving, but he can also provide the perfect backdrop for social conversation, or create that perfect spark to turn a corporate event into a memorable occasion, depending on the clients’ needs, and the direction the night takes.

“I definitely have my own tastes. I hate the cheesy wedding songs,” Brent admits. “It’s lost me a few gigs, but gained me way more once the referrals start coming in.” Attendees and organizers alike have enjoyed DJ BFAD’s selections, and trust him to provide the soundtrack for whatever event they might host next.

“There are moments in certain music that everyone gets, that just get in your gut,” says Brent. “I love finding those ones.”

Music Taste you can Trust

“Some of the bigger DJ companies, you don’t know who you’re getting for the event," says Brent. "When clients hire me, they get me. They can relax because they know exactly who and what they’re going to get, day of the event.” DJ BFAD’s strong reputation is built on attention to detail and a determination to be prepared for every event and eventuality.

“I really get to know whoever’s throwing the event. I really try to get to know what they want, really dig down,” Brent says. “When I show up, it feels like I’ve already done the event in my head.” DJ BFAD ensures every event goes off smoothly and memorably, and that above all else, everyone has fun.

“Putting something out there that people enjoy, to help them have a good time,” he says. “That’s my priority.”

brent and emma wedding cuba 600

Brent & Emma Wedding Day, 2003

Vancouver DJ BFAD Top 5 Dancefloor Songs For Every Genre (Mostly)...

Compiled from request lists, dance floors from across Vancouver and a some of my personal favourites.

Top 5 Classic Rock
1.    Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’
2.    Queen – Somebody To Love
3.    The Rolling Stones – Honky Tonk Women
4.    Led Zeppelin – Ramble On
5.    The Doors – Roadhouse Blues

Top 5 R&B Soul
1.    Sam & Dave – Hold On I’m Coming
2.    Wilson Pickett – Mustang Sally
3.    Otis Redding – (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay
4.    Aretha Franklin - Respect
5.    Jackie Wilson – Higher & Higher

Top 5 Funk
1.    James Brown – Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag
2.    Kool & The Gang – Jungle Boogie
3.    Parliament – Tear The Roof Off The Sucker
4.    Rick James – Superfreak
5.    Zapp - More Bounce To The Ounce

Top 5 Motown
1.    The Contours - Do You Love Me
2.    Jackson 5 – I Want You Back
3.    Isley Brothers – This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You)
4.    Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell – Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
5.    The Temptations – Ain’t Too Proud To Beg

Top 5 Disco
1.    Earth, Wind & Fire – September
2.    Rose Royce – Car Wash
3.    Chic – Le Freak
4.    Donna Summer – Bad Girls/Hot Stuff
5.    KC & The Sunshine Band – That’s The Way (I Like It)

Top 5 Indie Dance Grooves
1.    Phoenix - Lisztomania
2.    Cut Copy – Hearts On Fire
3.    The Killers – Human
4.    Jamiroquai – Little L
5.    Peter, Bjorn & John – Young Folks

Top 5 Club House
1.    Swedish House Mafia – One
2.    Yolanda Be Cool – We No Speak Americano
3.    Calvin Harris – You Used To Hold Me
4.    Eric Prydz – Call On Me
5.    Avicii - Levels

Top 5 Tech House
1.    Fedde Le Grand - Put Your Hands Up 4 Detroit
2. Steve Aoki - I'm In The House
3.    Major Lazer - Pon De Floor
4. Benny Benassi - Time/Satisfaction
5.    Deadmau5 & Kaskade - Move For Me

Top 5 Funky Beats
1.    Bob Sinclar – World Hold On
2.    Daft Punk – One More Time
3.    Mylo – Drop The Pressure
4.    Spiller – Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love)
5.    Junior Jack – Da Hype

Top 5 80’s Hits
1.    Rick Springfield – Jessie’s Girl
2.    Depeche Mode – Just Can’t Get Enough
3.    George Michael – Faith
4.    Whitney Houston – I Wanna Dance With Somebody
5.    Dead Or Alive – You Spin Me Right Round

Top 5 90’s Dance
1.    Deee-Lite – Groove Is In The Heart
2.    Robin S – Show Me Love
3.    Snap! – Rhythm Is A Dancer
4.    Technotronic – Pump Up The Jam
5.    Madonna – Like A Prayer

Top 5 Top 40 (2011)
1.    LMFAO - Party Rock Anthem
2.    Pitbull ft. NeYo - Give Me Everything
3.    Cee-Lo Green - Forget You
4.    Maroon 5 - Moves Like Jagger
5.    Adele - Rolling In The Deep

Top 5 Top 40 (2010)
1.    Usher – OMG
2.    Taio Cruz – Break Your Heart
3.    Flo Rida ft. David Guetta – Club Can’t Handle Me
4.    Ke$ha – Take It Off
5.    Far East Movement - Like A G6

Top 5 Top 40 (2009)
1.    Lady Gaga – Bad Romance
2.    Black Eyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling
3.    Pit Bull – I Know You Want Me
4.    Jay Z – Empire State Of Mind
5.    David Guetta – Sexy Chick

Top 5 Top 40 (2008)
1.    Katy Perry – Hot N Cold
2.    Beyonce – Single Ladies
3.    Estelle – American Boy
4.    Chris Brown - Forever
5.    Rihanna - Disturbia

Top 5 1960’s Songs
1.    Dion – Runaround Sue
2.    Elvis Presley – All Shook Up
3.    Del Shannon – Runaway
4.    The McCoys – Hang On Sloopy
5.    Little Eva - Locomotion

Top 5 Oldies
1.    Neil Diamond – Sweet Caroline
2.    Van Morrison – Brown Eyed Girl
3.    The Foundations - Build Me Up Buttercup
4.    The Monkees – I’m A Believer
5.    Simon & Garfunkel - Cecilia

Top 5 Country
1.    Garth Brooks - Friends In Low Places
2.    Big & Rich - Save A Horse
3. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Fishin' In The Dark
4.    Toby Keith - Red Solo Cup
5.    Gretchen Wilson - Red Neck Woman

Top 5 Jazz/Lounge
1.    Nina Simone - My Baby Just Cares For Me
2. Dusty Springfield - The Look Of Love
3. Miles Davis - So What
4. Frank Sinatra - Come Fly With Me
5. Dave Brubeck Quartet - Take Five

Top 5 Wedding Reception/Dinner
1.    Feist - Mushaboom
2. Ray LaMontagne - You Are The Best Thing
3. Jack Johnson - If I Had Eyes
4. Etta James - Trust In Me
5. David Gray - Babylon

Top 5 Classical Wedding
1.    Pachelbel - Canon In D
2.    Bach - Air On G
3.    Vivaldi - Concerto Grosso In D Minor
4. Struass - Love Songs Op. 114
5. Adagio - Concerto For Oboe, String & Continuo In D Minor

Top 5 Hard Rock
1.    Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine
2. Bon Jovi – Livin’ On A Prayer
3.    Van Halen - Jump
4.    AC/DC – Highway To Hell/You Shook Me All Night Long
5.    Iron Maiden - Run To The Hills

Top 5 Brit Pop
1.    The Specials – A Message To You Rudy
2.    New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle
3.    The Kinks – You Really Got Me
4.    The Cure - Lovecats
5.    Oasis – Live Forever

Top 5 Punk Rock
1.    Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated
2.    The Clash - Should I Stay Or Should I Go
3.    Iggy Pop - Lust For Life
4.    NOFX - Linoleum
5.    Rancid - Timebomb/Sublime - What I Got

Top 5 Michael Jackson Songs
1.    Billie Jean
2.    Thriller
3.    Rock With You
4.    Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough
5.    P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)

Top 5 Stevie Wonder Songs
1.    Superstition
2.    I Wish/Sir Duke
3.    Signed, Sealed, Delivered
4. Boogie On Reggae Woman
5.    I Love Every Little Thing About You

Top 5 Reggae
1.    Toots & The Maytals - 54 46 Was My Number
2.    Bob Marley - Is This Love/Stir It Up
3.    Junior Murvin - Police And Thieves
4. John Holt - Stick By Me
5. KC White - No No No (You Don't Love Me)

Top 5 Hip Hop (Old School)
1.    Sugarhill Gang – Rapper’s Delight
2.    Run DMC – Peter Piper
3.    Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock – It Takes Two
4.    Naughty By Nature – O.P.P.
5.    House Of Pain – Jump Around

Top 5 Hip Hop (90's)
1. Dr. Dre - Nuthin' But A "G" Thang
2.    Snoop Doggy Dogg - What's My Name
3.    Notorious B.I.G. - Juicy
4.    Warren G - Regulate
5. A Tribe Called Quest - Award Tour

Top 5 Hip Hop (2000’s)
1.    Snoop Dogg - Drop It Like It’s Hot
2.    Jay Z – Izzo (Hova)
3.    Ol’ Dirty Bastard – Got Your Money
4.    Outkast – The Way You Move
5. Missy Elliott - Get Ur Freak On

Top 5 New Jack Swing
1.    Boyz II Men - Motownphilly
2.    Montell Jordan – This Is How We Do It
3.    Bel Biv Devoe - Poison
4.    Color Me Badd – I Wanna Sex You Up
5.    Bobby Brown – Every Little Step

Top 5 "Do Not Play" Songs
1.    Village People - YMCA
2.    Rednex - Cotten Eyed Joe
3. Los Del Rio - Macarena
4.    Celine Dion (any)
5.    The Chicken Dance

Top 5 "Your Songs"
1. _____ was the first song I ever bought with my own money.
2.    _____ was playing on the radio when I met my wife.
3.    When I was in University, _____ was also playing in the pub on Friday nights!
4. My dad always used to play _____ when I was a kid.
5.    The band _____ was the first concert I ever went to.

DESERT ISLAND DISCS

Some of my desert island discs include:

The Clash - London Calling * favourite album *
Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue, John Coltrane - Giant Steps, Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um
Stevie Wonder - Innervision/Songs In The Key Of Life (classic era Stevie!)
Motown Gold or Motown Hitsville U.S.A. (any of the classic Motown 60's singles)
The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays - Pills, Thrills N Bellyaches, The Specials first album
Prince - Parade/1999/Purple Rain (classic era 80's Prince!)
Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
The Rolling Stones - Exile On Main Street
In Yo' Face! The History Of Funk Vol. 1 - 5
Daft Punk - Homework, Chemical Brothers - Exit Planet Dust
Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
Michael Jackson - Thriller/Off The Wall, Madonna - Immaculate Collection, Duran Duran - Rio
David Bowie - Alladin Sane/Diamond Dogs/Ziggy Stardust (classic era Bowie!)
Bob Marley - Legend
Boyz II Men - Motownphilly, Bobby Brown - Don't Be Cruel
New Order - Substance, Massive Attack - Blue Lines
Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison, Elvis - #1's
Jamiroquai (most of the singles!)
Blur - Parklife, Pixies - Doolittle, Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy (or Honey's Dead)
Nina Simone - basically anything by Nina...
Dr. Dre - The Chronic, Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle, N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton
Sex Pistols - Nevermind The Bollocks
De La Soul - 3 Feet High & Rising, Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique/Check Your Head
A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory
Mark Ronson - Version, Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
St. Germain - Boulevard, Mylo - Destroy Rock And Roll, J Dilla - Donuts
AC/DC - Back In Black, Led Zeppelin - II, IV, Physical Graffiti, Pink Floyd - The Wall
Misfits - Anthology, Slayer - Reign In Blood
Beatles - (every album but mostly White Album/Abbey Road/Revolver)
Guns N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction, Metallica - Master Of Puppets