Multiple projects and various stage handles seem to be the norm in DJ culture. Take, for instance, Beau Lamontagne, known both locally and internationally as DJ Kid Nasty and/or Mr. Blend; and DJ Jon Baker (a.k.a. Walker) of BrokenBeat.com. They have formed a duo called Frik and Frak.

Beau describes this project as "Laptop vs. vinyl. Walker links his laptop into the mixer that I'm DJing on, and we layer song segments on top of each other to create new ones. It's still in its development stage. Kind of dubby plus experimental sounding, but with an electro-breakbeat so people can dance to it. We've done a couple of shows at [Club] Kadan that have been moderately successful."

His other project, the Parallel Mechanics, is a trio of sound with DJ SIX8 and a flute player named Tim, a.k.a. Treelow Onyalawn. "We've played at various spots around town: Onyx Room/Thin, Chive, the W, the Casbah, Kava Lounge [formerly Pirate's Den], and Bar Dynamite, and a bunch of others. Our motto for the style of hip-hop/Afrobeat fusion that we play is 'Music that you never knew existed but always wanted to hear.' We also as of late have been coming out in costume on these Saturday nights: Full-on lab goggles, mechanic jumpsuits, and hard hats. Just to give people a little bit more of a show."

TRICKIEST TECHNICAL PROBLEM AT LIVE SHOWS?

Beau "No matter how much you try to prepare, when something goes wrong during sound check, there's never the right combination of backup audio cables that you need. ('RCA to quarter-inch, dammit!')"

Walker "BrokenBeat hosting the Schematic Tour 2004 at the Hollywood Star. Having to use all my personal gear -- Mackie, turntables, and every cable I have -- to set up the sound last-minute for the artists on tour: Richard Devine, Otto Von Schirach, and Nick Forte. People have already paid and are in the club. Otto needed a special connection for his Vocoder, and we did not have it. The show worked, it went on, but not without Otto throwing his veggie burrito at the crowd in frustration."

WEIRDEST GIG?

Beau "Probably at a Halloween party at the Pirate's Den. A few years back, when a full-on gorilla kicked me off the decks. Not sure if he escaped from the zoo or what, but the first record he played was the Sugarhill 'Rapper's Delight' song, and everyone in the club went absolutely nuts for him. I, on the other hand, sulked in the corner in disbelief that I was upstaged by a gorilla."

Walker "True Headz party in Los Angeles at the Smell with DJ Swamp. The bathrooms broke hours before the show. We did not have enough time to have it fixed or to look into renting one. A crew of friends got together and carried a very disgusting Porta Potti several city blocks to the entrance of the Smell. The name of the club that night was very appropriate."

WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR DREAMS ABOUT GIGGING?

Beau "People are dancing and having a good time, but in reverse -- both the dancing and the music. And there's not one girl coming up to the DJ booth to request 'The Birthday Song.' I guess because it's a dream, I'm probably just DJing in my underwear."

Walker "In my dreams I am usually playing on different planets, and the sound is not made from instruments but purely from thought. Cyndi Lauper is there too, as well as Alf and Mr. T."

TOP FIVE END-OF-THE-WORLD CDs?

Beau "Getz/Gilberto, Kind of Blue [Miles Davis], The K+D Sessions, Ritual de lo Habitual [Jane's Addiction], The Low End Theory [A Tribe Called Quest]."

Walker "Skinny Puppy's VIVISect VI, Mr. Bungle's California, Crunch's Crunch 2, Chris De Luca and Peabird's Deadly Wiz Da Disko, and Earth Circuit's Big Bang!"