But as I reconnected with old friends and saw what they did to keep things going and evolving through the years I realized people still loved the things I did when I was younger. Being a busy mom of 3 boys took a lot of my time. In the mid 90’s until 2000s I took a bit of a break from the mod/scooter life to have a family. Sharing the music and subculture was a way to broaden the appeal locally increasing the fun. I always fell like promoting and growing the things I loved to build a larger community of like minded people was something important to me. We had a fanzine called Contact in the late 80’s where we we talked about anything that had to do with Mod our locals, travels, and definitely concerts and record reviews. We never thought of ourselves as DJ’s, we just thought we were sharing music we loved and hoped we would hook others into liking what we did. Also, my best friend Desiree Kiss and I would spin at the Artful Dodger. I had plenty of records, and was able to spin for tips for on Saturday nights to make up my shortfall. Circuits, a local Chicago bar which had a dance room needed a DJ. In 1987 I was $400 short of buying my first Vespa, a 1979 P200e. We created a scooter club called the Allez Cats Scooter Club and produced events at clubs and took the records we acquired out to bars to DJ. Many artist were touring and I would become friends with like minded people at concerts and clubs. Much of what I liked I would find in local records stores I would get my imports at Vintage Vinyl and dig for old soul at other record stores and thrift shops. Plus movies seeing like Quadrophenia, Absolute Beginners and the documentary Dance Craze hooked me. Being a young adult hanging out at Medusas Video room with DJ Leroy Fields playing a variety of music you didn’t hear in the mainstream I gravitated to the mod and ska genres. To be mod in the 80’s in Chicago, there were few examples of what Mod was. I have been a mod girl since I was 19 years old, I have loved Mod subculture related music like soul,60s, garage, power pop ,ska and reggae to name a few. How did you get into your industry / What motivated you? When not behind the turntables Debbie is a mom, and lover of all things vintage, especially clothing and scooters! It’s great to see such an exciting virtual connectivity through music and vinyl. We were introduced to this Chicago force by DJ Cher, who met and began Sister Cities Soul Club with Debbie and others during the pandemic. Rooted in the Chicago and the soul scene, Debbie highlights contributions made by the movement’s cultural icons. Be it Northern Soul, R&B, 60’s, 70’s,80’s Mod, Powerpop, Psychedelic, all waves of ska and reggae or any subculture of music, clothing, scooters or events, All Mod Chicago is the resource for it. Meet Debbie Benjamin-Koller, a Chicago Rare Soul DJ and the cofounder of All Mod Chicago, the place to find Mod subculture events in Chicago.
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