Degrassi DJs at the Head of the Class

Zit Remedy 2.0

Degrassi vets tour behind their turntables

Published March 19, 2009 by Christine Leonard

Amanda Stepto played Spike in Degrassi Junior High. Now she's a DJ!?

Spike and Caitlyn from nigh-legendary Canadian TV series Degrassi Junior High are once again making waves, this time as record-spinning divas. Known in their civilian lives as Amanda Stepto and Stacie Mistysyn, the two actresses cut their DJ teeth a year ago when they started appearing at In Between Days, a monthly ’80s-themed night at The Annex Wreckroom in Toronto. Under the tutelage of the club’s veteran scratch-master Shawn MacDonald, DJs Demanda (Stepto) and Mistycious (Mistysyn) have honed their skills at the turntables and cultivated a passion for sharing their enduring affection for the songs that made up the soundtrack of their youth, even if there’s still a certain amount of on-the-job learning.

“I think when some people see the poster for our DJ nights they don’t realize that Stacie and I are actually using the equipment,” says Stepto. “I mean, it’s not exactly what we’re known for. The technical aspect of the DJ booth is definitely not my forte. The “real DJs” we perform with take it all in stride when something goes wrong, but when I screw up, I practically have a panic attack! Sometimes I get really nervous about performing for a live crowd. When you pick out a set, it kind of tells a little story about you. If people don’t like your songs, it’s kind of like they’re saying they don’t like you.”

Once she’s gotten over those initial butterflies, though, Stepto relishes the opportunity to connect with her audience. Schmoozing with fans in between their 30-minute sets, the ’80s queens hold court as they rotate their MC duties with the more experienced DJ Shawn and special guest Djorge. Balancing the need to keep things moving on the dance floor while catering to the expectations of a public that adores them for their TV roles, Stepto acknowledges that the duo’s musical tastes are often set aside. Still, you’ll be relieved to hear that the rebel icon still remains true to her punk rock roots — according to Stepto, her record collection contains the same music she has always identified with.

“If I played a set of just my kind of music, I would probably clear the dance floor,” she chuckles. “Personally, I still listen to all the bands I’ve always loved: Sick of it All, NOFX, Social Distortion. I still have all my old cassettes. I like to keep everything.”

“I try to tailor my set to fit the setting and mood of the evening,” she continues. “In the winter, I might play more Goth-y stuff like Sisters of Mercy and The Cure, but when it’s the college crowd, you know they’ll want to hear Poison. We get so many requests when we’re DJing that we can hardly keep up. It’s funny, because some people get downright belligerent when you don’t play their song. I’ve come to realize you can’t please everyone. It’s like, we’ve got 300 requests and only three hours to play them in. You do the math!”

Tripping the light fantastic and whisking their audience back to a happier place in time, DJs Spike and Caitlyn make it OK to like Martha and the Muffins again, even if it is just for one evening. Proving that they’re indeed more than one-trick ponies cashing in on a nostalgic trend, Stepto and Mistysyn are also currently labouring to launch their own TV comedy show called OverXposed. Until it airs, if you’re looking for an instant dose of nostalgia, you can always enjoy old episodes of the original Degrassi Junior High on DVD.

Degrassi Jr. High Spring Fling with DJ sets by In Between Days (Spike & Caitlin) and DJ Big Daddy Deyotte at Broken City March 21, 2009