Several Bay area DJs have made worldwide names for themselves over the past decade or so, while a ton more continue to raise their own profile amid the region's still-thriving club scene. This year, you selected a triumvirate of winners and, as always, we can't find out a damn thing about one of 'em. Monk, of course, helped put Florida on the global rave-scene map as a founding member of Rabbit in the Moon, sought-after remix artist and head Hallucination honcho; the guy's a legend, but still completely relevant. Local house/techno impresario Brian Busto made a name for himself a few years back at his own Silver Meteor parties. He's spun at trendy nightspots like Rain Lounge, and is currently helping to make the Serious Saturdays events at Malio's in Tampa a must-attend scene. And as for Sam the Pickle, that's the vinyl-spinning alter ego of one Sam Nagatani, whom you might know a bit better as the drummer for amazing, indefinable Pinellas post-rock quartet The Boats.
This article appears in Sep 25 – Oct 1, 2003.