User:Paul Lehr/About you

Paul W. Lehr (DeJay Panekk)
Paul W. Lehr was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1974. The child of Michael and Debby Lehr (Debby Rountree). During his early childhood Paul showed signs of musical a interest. He and his younger brother Michael Fabre would set up pots and pans to create drum sets. Using wooden spoons as drum sticks they would act out concerts for anyone that would watch. It wouldn't be long before Paul would start his music career. At the young age of 12 with the purchase of a Tama drum set, Paul was able to demonstrate his musical abilities. Paul learned to play the drums in rapid time. By the time Paul was 14 years old he was already in a band called "CoreLord." "CoreLord" was doing performances at various events such as school dances. At 16 years old Paul joined the Band "Sexy Green Things." Although his time with S.G.T. was short, Paul learned a lot about how working groups run. After a few years of band hopping, Paul settled in with a group called "Requiem." Paul fit right in with the rest of the band members. The group was pretty successful, playing gigs all over Louisiana. "Requiem" also recorded their debut CD called “Suffering” at Dave Fortman’s (the guitarist from Ugly Kid Joe) studio. After 5 years of playing and recording with Requiem, Paul left the group.

Having a lot of time on his hands and being bored without music in his life, Paul began thinking of other ways to express himself through music. One night while attending a rave/underground event. Paul noticed the talented DJ in the corner of the room. He was focused on how this guy was able to guide the room of 2000-3000 people with the sounds coming from his records. Paul immediately became fixed on the culture and the music that would later be known as EDM. Before long Paul gave himself the label "DeJay Panekk" and he bought some turntables and records and he began to mix vinyl. It was only a couple of years before Paul began to produce and release his own techno tracks. Paul played around for awhile before he actually started to promote himself and get his first show. Paul felt he was ready and took it to the next level. Paul's earliest gigs as a DJ were all located in Louisiana. The first couple of shows were at night clubs such as Marley's, NiteLife, Mako's, The Shelter and Chevy's to name a couple. In 1993, after about a year of playing at house various parties and clubs, Paul decided to expand on his career.

In 1993 Paul started a label or group of DJ’s and gave it the name "Dizzy Records." The original DJ’s in the group were "Panekk, Mike Edwards, Stress, Roll and Lawrence Toups." Dizzy Records started to produce events like "Skool’s Out" at The University Commons, with crowds of 200 plus people. In 1999 the "Skool’s Out" event had a record 400 plus people in attendance. After a few years with Dizzy Records, Paul started a side group called Phatt House Productions (P.H.P.). P.H.P. produced events at Gate 7 called “Phatt Assed Patio Parties”. After a few months of these events, P.H.P. started another event at The Spanish Moon, called “Frequency”. Then in 2001, Phatt House Productions and Dizzy Records threw arguably Baton Rouge’s best party to date, called “Independence Day”. The venue, a beach, set the vibe for this event. The two production companies threw another party on the same location called “Phatt Beach Party”. To many, many people these are considered to be the best events ever in the Capitol City. After two more events and around Thanksgiving of 2002, there was a house fire that destroyed everything. Paul had just put together a live P.A. with roomate and fellow band member Heath H. They lost it all -- Groove Box, Groove Sampler, Electric Drums, Turntables and Records were all destroyed. After this, Paul decided he had enough and decided to retire from the music business all together.

Then on Jan. first, 2004, "Dizzy Records" along with "Club Fringe Productions" produced “Jack Off The New Year”. The event was a success. Paul decided that he would give it another go. On July 3rd, 2004, Dizzy Records along with "Club Fringe Productions" produced the event "Uncle Sam Slam."  "Uncle Sam Slam" was a huge milestone in Paul's DJ/Production career. It was held at "The State Palace Theater" in New Orleans, Louisiana. At that time the building was only being used by super producer "Donnie Estopinal (Disco Donnie)." At the conclusion of Uncle Sam Slam Paul went back to DJ at clubs. He played at several events a week. Events that span from west Texas all the way to east Florida. This continued through 2011 when Paul decided it was time to retire from the DJ business for good. In 2012 Paul open the club "Pure." "Pure" was in business for just under a year. After "Pure" closed it's doors in 2013 Paul started doing live mixes digitally over the internet. You can find Paul's live sets at various sites like "Mixify" "Mixlr" and "Dizzy Records"so be on the look out for Panekk's mixes on the net in the future. Paul was inspired and influenced by the musical greats Neil Peart, Mickey Dee, Ozzy Osborne, Lars Ulrich, Kimball Collins, Rabbit in the Moon, Paul Oakenfold, DJ Hardware, Christopher Lawrence, Paul Van Dyke, Carl Cox and many more. Paul describes his DJ sets as a means by which people from different places can be brought together to share a positive and common adventure. He is a complete embodiment of the live dance experience, as his sets stream a current of energy through the ear.