When it is evident a producer loves what they do and enjoys making music, fans respond in a positive way. Patrick Rylko, 27, from Oak Lawn, IL., known in the music industry as “DJ Real Co”, is this type of producer.
Rylko is motivated by many things when he performs. When asked what his biggest motivator was, Rylko said, “To try and captivate people in a way they might not be used to. I want people to see me and try to find out more about me”. Another motivator is receiving compliments after a performance. “It always makes me feel good they were inspired by my set, or at least, entertained. That is always the biggest reward,” Rylko said.
Growing up, Rylko was musically influenced by his family, The Beatles, and Queen. “I was deeply inspired by Freddie Mercury – his performance ethic and high-energy,” Rylko said.
If asked which producers influenced him a few years ago, Rylko would have answered with Dutch producer, Tiesto. Now, he draws inspiration from observing the careers and progression of producers within the bass house genre – specifically Joyride, Jauz and Zeds Dead.
He also finds inspiration from philosopher Alan Watts, motivational speaker Earl Nightingale, and writer Dale Carnegie. “[Alan] Watts is always making me progress my mind, making me work and helping me to find meaning in what I am doing. [Earl] Nightingale and [Dale] Carnegie both are huge inspirations in regards to business ethic,” Rylko said.
While attending a performance by DJ Real Co, one can expect to hear upbeat songs with a massive amount of bass. “I have completed several collaborations with Dan Cannata of ‘SaWave’, all of those tracks included bass house elements. I also love hip-hop and trap, so I like to incorporate those genres heavily throughout my core sound,” Rylko said.
Music has always been prevalent in his life. He played a variety of instruments including the saxophone, clarinet, piano, and guitar. While attending Harold L. Richards High School, he discovered different ways of expression through music. His first exposure to live performance came from being a competitive vocalist and participating in musicals. He started producing in his junior year and surrounded himself with people interested in producing music.
After high school, he attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he majored in Rhetoric and Composition. During this time, he had the opportunity to DJ for a “pre-game” to a tailgating party. “I was very scared but it was a huge opportunity that was given to me,” Rylko said.
Since his first DJing performance, Rylko reflected on how he has progressed. “My nerves have subsided a lot, I am able to stay calm and concentrate on executing my performance. I feel a stronger grasp on the business-end of producing and performing,” Rylko said.
His grasp on business within the music industry has allowed him to perform at different venues in the Chicagoland area, such as 115 Bourbon Street, EvilOlive, The Black Sheep, and Sound-Bar.
When asked why he wanted to pursue producing, Rylko answered, “We, as fans of musicians and artists, observe them through the spotlight, so for me, it was something where I would observe and really wanted to be a part of it. I wanted to have those experiences I had seen my favorite bands and DJs have.”
In the beginning of his production days, he was focused more on the “back-end” aspects of the music industry. Whether he was in a studio for hours obtaining a recording, or completing a track. “At first, it was all about studio life and trying to produce instrumentals for hip-hop music or produce electronic music. Now, I am more focused on performing,” Rylko said.
For 2018, Rylko has his sights set on booking destination performances. “I want to focus more on big stand-out, and opening, performances. I am going to try and reach out to destinations I have always wanted to perform at – Los Angeles and Las Vegas – and focus on the residencies there,” Rylko said.
He is also going work on developing Collective Management Chicago, a DJ/music management company, which hosts events such as boat cruises and nightclub performances. Rylko is the Director of Marketing for the company. “I am going to focus on broadening the company and giving more opportunities to the in-house DJs and expanding venues that work with us,” Rylko said. More information on the company can be found at collectivechicago.com.
Photograph credit: Josh Faculak and collectivechicago.com
