by Jason BirchmeierDJ Micro became one of North Americas most popular after relentlessly touring the States and recording mix albums for Moonshine. His ascendance began on the East Coast, where in 1991 Micro helped form the Caffeine Records collective in New York. During this time, Caffeine was more than just another record label. Beginning as a weekly club night, it embodied the eras burgeoning rave scene, hosting many parties and selling goods — in essence, building a brand. Micro spun at many of Caffeines parties, specializing in acid breakbeat. He recorded two mix albums for Roadrunner in the late 90s — Coast to Coast (1997) and Caffeine: The Natural Stimulant (1998) — but, more importantly, hooked up with Moonshine in 1998. This Los Angeles-based label dominated the CD market in the States, releasing more DJ mix albums than any other U.S. label. Micros first release for Moonshine, Micro-Tech Mix (1998), would be followed by a large succession of mix albums, usually one released annually and each increasingly popular. Micro slightly changed his style with each album and moved toward trance without forsaking his breakbeat roots. By the end of the 90s, he had become one of the most popular DJs on the East Coast, considered in the same class of superstar DJs as Frankie Bones and Scott Henry. Like his superstar peers, Micro toured often, particularly on the East Coast. His popularity spanned the States, though. For instance, DJ Times magazine put Micro on the cover of its 1999 Winter Music Conference edition, surely a testament to his reputation as one of North Americas largest draws.