At age 17, Arnold made a move to Brighton. “When I discovered the clubs in Brighton my life took on a whole new meaning. I would be out dancing every night.” JD’s love of dancing once again cleared the path to the booth. “My favorite club was an after-hours club called Binny’s, but their DJ was not great. After giving my opinion to the owner he told me to give it a try. I did and the rest is history!”

Holding his own as a self-taught DJ at age 19, JD was a natural. But he began his career at a time when spinning was hardly considered an art form. “In the early days, we blended music together because the turntables did not have pitch controls. Beat mixing was fairly easy for me to pick up, I knew instinctively the structure of tracks having worked with music for so long.”

From Binny’s in Brighton, John David sharpened his skills and set his sights on bigger venues. In the midst of the disco era, JD took the musical helm at “Heaven” in London. Eventually tiring of the London scene, Arnold moved on to various dance clubs throughout Holland & Germany.

In the early 80’s Arnold came to the States, starting out in NYC, but opting for the less hectic pace of Houston. “It was here in Houston than spinning became my passion. Playing after-hours at Babylon and The Parade, sometimes until midday Sunday.

Those residencies gave me a following and a job satisfaction that took it to a whole new level.” During the summer of 1983, Houston saw the grand opening of Rich’s, a now legendary gay club in midtown. The club opened during a time when being gay was something to be ashamed of, hidden from the public eye. Rich’s unapologetically flaunted its amazing set up, full of cutting edge technology, openly celebrating the gay nightlife. JD climbed on board to be a part of Houston’s history. “Rich’s opened up with a huge video screen. We became the first club in the country to beat mix in and out of videos. I would work from 9pm till 8am, much more rewarding than a 2 hour guest spot.”

JD’s sets are more of an experience than a simple night at a dance club. He fills the dance floor with an energy that radiates from the booth and bounces off the crowd. “It has a lot to do with experience. Having done this all my adult life I think I have developed an ear for hearing a good groove or recognizing a club anthem.” One would think after being in the business for over 20 years, the job would get a bit boring. But, like any true artist, JD lives for the power of music. “Taking the crowd on a trip and then feeling their energy when they get into the journey,” he admits, is his favorite aspect of spinning. “Of course I get burnt out on records long before the punters do. But if you give them what they want, they are more likely to follow you into new territory. It is a matter of building trust.”

His power over dance floor has been recognized nationally. For the past ten years JD has passed his play list to the bible of music, Billboard Magazine, to assist in calculating their “Top 50 Dance Tracks” chart. JD currently throws down the tracks at Richs both Thursday and Saturday nights. For the past 2 years he has also taken his style to the airwaves, broadcasting a live show on KRTX, 100.7 Friday nights from 2-5am. JD posts his plays lists from these sets, as well as his upcoming gigs, on his website, www.jdarnold.com

JD’s own words sum up his musical experiences best, “For me it is about a passion for the music, and an addiction to the energy given back by the crowd. Dance music is constantly changing. I thrive on helping create those changes. It is my life elixir!”

A: PAST - When I arrived here the first time in 1981 Houston was still deep into disco. I decided to lead in the new direction of alternative dance music featuring the then-radical sounds of UK bands like Human League, Visage, Soft Cell, etc, and we all know how big that became! (in fact, Houston hates to let it go) It was a time of video in the clubs and when Rich's opened in 1983 with the huge video screen, I had the perfect club to push that type of music to the Houston scene.
PRESENT - On my return to Houston, after living in New York for a year (in the late 80's), House was beginning to appear and I welcomed it with open arms. Houston was slow to accept house music and it's derivatives, but Hedonism (Houston's first House night!) gave it the necessary kick!
FUTURE - As for the future, DJs rule and Houston is no exception. We have some great DJs in this city and I look forward to their rise to power! The Houston scene is about to skyrocket with innovative new clubs that realize it's all about the DJ. I believe the Houston scene will soon become respected around the country, just like Miami and New York are now. I also expect to see more big name DJs doing regular spots in Houston.

Q: The Godfather Question.

A: I guess the answer to that question has to be longevity!!! Also, keeping in touch with what's happening in the other major club scenes around the world. Maybe because I brought House to Houston.

Q: Most memorable time as a DJ.

A: Another tough one. Probably at a Gay Pride Rally at Spots Park, Houston, when I played Randy Crawford's version of "Imagine" and about 4000 revelers joined hands above their heads in unity as the fireworks exploded overhead. It was truly an empowering experienece.

Q: Just who is JD Arnold?

A: The music says it all!!!

For about ten years, he has been a billboard DJ, and has worked at many other clubs around town, and he also had a radio show for two years on KISS 98.5.

Today, Arnold enjoys the nightlife at two well-known clubs. On Thursday and Saturday night, he's mixing his music at Rich's, located at 2401 San Jacinto. Arnold said his music at Rich's on Thursday night is based on the New York house scene and the music on Saturday night is more "Euro."

The crowd's response and the adrenaline rush are two things Arnold likes most about being a DJ. "To get a great response from the crowd is amazing."

Besides pumping out great music every weekend for club-hopping fans, one of his biggest priorities is working on remixes for record labels. The record companies send him the radio music and vocals for their songs, and Arnold, along with his partner and musician Kat Jones, create a new dance version of the song.

"We had a hit for Blondie's Maria and we're working on a couple of things now," he said, adding that he's been working with Jones for about four years.

Aside from music, Arnold finds time to pursue his other career as a massage therapist. "It's my balance and an opposite to the crazy world of night life." He also schedules a trip to Europe every year. "I have to have my dose of Europe to check out what's going on," he said. "My favorite city is Amsterdam without a doubt - I love the people there and the atmosphere." He has been to every European country. Arnold, who's been a DJ at clubs in Holland, England and Germany, said the biggest difference in Europe and the United States is the mixture of young and older people who go to the clubs and listen to house music.

"In Europe, if you go to a club, you see people of all ages, from 18 to 45 - it's not all 18 year olds," he said. "It seems here house music is a phase people go through. Over there it's a culture - if you're into house, you're into it forever." Arnold also attends annual music conferences to check out what other DJs are doing. His favorite DJ and remixer is Danny Tenaglia. JD Arnold is a well-known and well-admired DJ, and he has thrilled the Houston clubs with his talents. Being a notorious DJ and an ambitious musician has led him to achieve one important goal, among many others. "I believe a DJ can educate his crowd and I have done that over the years."