The
WiZ...grew up listening to everything from The Beatles to Marvin
Gaye, Dizzy Gillespie to Bach.
Edd 'The WiZ' Scorpio became involved in the music industry in the
early 70's working as a "Roadie" learning sound & light setup and
operation; also learned the other side of the gig by writing
contracts, riders and reviewing new music (worked with many groups
such as The Stampeders,
Teenage Head, Chris Ward and many others).
About
1980 took formal training in a recording studio to learn the art of
mixing, editing, producing and programming - graduated with honours. Started spinning in a small bar that was quickly changed from
roughneck to dance club - went on to spin in some of the funkiest
clubs in the Toronto area - 5444, The Floating World, Jacqui's
(frequented by the famous, like Kool & The Gang founder Robert "Kool"
Bell)...later on included the gay community at Togethers, The
Barn/The Stables & Score 100.
The WiZ was also a prolific dancer and appeared in many dance
clubs as a feature dancer, as well as being the first dancer invited
to
CITY TV's original
"Electric Circus" where he was a regular feature (and brought in
many of the other regulars - including "WARP 1" his brother
in...feet). He also wrote, produced and performed the theme song for
Electric Circus, "The EC Rap".
(Click here for a "stinger"
). He was
also MC/Promoter for the "Dance Kraze"roadshow
featuring a number of the EC dancers.
Graduated with honours from Humber College's Radio Broadcasting
program (and later returned to teach Announcing & Production) and
became the producer for
CFNY FM (and sister station CKMW AM), the
only station in Canada to really break new music - famous for
bringing many new artists to North American audiences (and later the
wold via Satellite)...also famous for their staff headed by the
flamboyant David (The Marsbar) Marsden and including legendary
DJs/Announcers "Deadly" Hedley Jones, Don "Dr. Trance" Burns, Alan
Cross ("The History Of New Music"), Ivar Hamilton (the king of
Import recordings), Liz Janik & Peter Goodwin (still strong
supporters of Indie Artists), The Live Earl Jive & Beverly Hills,
Daddy Cool (Rhythm & Blues), Pete & Geets insane/award winning
morning show, the ever smiling Scot Turner...and so many more. After
CFNY was sold out to Selkirk Communications (and most of the staff
left), he continued in radio for a while - including producing a
talk show for controversial host Larry Solway (now found in the
Straight Goods CyberForum) and managing the charts and writing
music reviews at RPM
Magazine (where he also met Graeme Boyce of Raw Energy Records
fame).
Returned to the former 5444 when it was redesigned as "Images"
and mixed vinyl with video through a professional VHS Hi-Fi mixing system
supplied by Matsushita - the first system of it's kind to include a
computer (C64) with a graphics tablet projected onto a 10 ft.
screen!
The only DJ/MC/Programmer in the world to spin an entire 24 hour
Dance-A-Thon, solo (5444) - and then follow it up the next year
(Images) by spinning 23 1/2 hours with one hand (after surgery to
reattach two fingers on the other hand)! Some $20,000.00 was raised
between the two events to aid Easter Seals.
The WiZ has also...had a stint as Stage Manager and Technical
Director for the Showcase Theatre, produced an ambient soundtrack
for the "Fantasy Forest" installation at the CNE, produced a
customized (including vocals) aerobic series for "Super Fitness" and
assisted in re-choreographing their classes to match, produced
remixes for Canada's #1 Punk label, Raw Energy Records
(see below), worked with Current/Rammit
Records, RPM Magazine (charts/reviews), produced/edited/written for
The Bridge DJ Magazine...and a few more things along the way which
he's conveniently forgotten!
The WiZ, always a tech-head, is now a
photographer, website designer and
computer tech. He still spins by request and can sometimes be found
playing tribal drums & Didgeridoo with the spiritual warriors of
Tribal Thunder.
About
1980 took formal training in a recording studio to learn the art of
mixing, editing, producing and programming - graduated with honours. Started spinning in a small bar that was quickly changed from
roughneck to dance club - went on to spin in some of the funkiest
clubs in the Toronto area - 5444, The Floating World, Jacqui's
(frequented by the famous, like Kool & The Gang founder Robert "Kool"
Bell)...later on included the gay community at Togethers, The
Barn/The Stables & Score 100.
CITY TV's original
