Spike — from ‘Degrassi’ to DJ booth

By Hans Ongsansoy, Canwest News ServiceJune 20, 2009

Amanda Stepto is best-known as Spike, the unwed teenage mother on the classic Canadian 1980s drama Degrassi Junior High.

And while the birth of a new career as a touring DJ might not result in a popularity, um, spike to rival that of her teen years, it’s obvious that Stepto is nevertheless having a ball with this new gig.

“I just found 100 hits of the ’80s for $11.99,” exclaims Stepto, on the phone from her home base of Toronto, where’s she’s surfing the iTunes store as we do this interview.

“Excited as sh-t!”

The comment elicits another round of laughter from Stepto’s good friend and DJing partner, Stacie Mistysyn, who is also on the conference call and who is best-known as Caitlin from, that’s right, Degrassi Junior High.

No need to tune into TVtropolis’s Whatever Happened To?, these ladies are happening right now. And bringing their 1980s dance party, In Between Days (a reference to the Cure song), to a dance floor near you.

The idea came courtesy of the third member of their crew, Toronto DJ Shawn MacD, who tours with the pair and backs them up on the decks, which frees them to “be more interactive with the crowd.”

“We let it be known that we’re available for pictures, that we’re available for (the crowd) to just come say hi and hang out between our sets. We just want to be accessible,” says Mistysyn.

No doubt during these times the duo gets asked about what they’ve been doing since Degrassi. The recently engaged Mistysyn spent 11 years living in L.A., took up writing, moved back, and got involved with the new Degrassi series. Stepto, meanwhile, who’s single, auditioned for roles post-Degrassi but felt she didn’t get them because she was pigeonholed. She lived in Japan for a bit, moved back, and also worked on the new Degrassi series. She reveals that she and Mistysyn are now also working on their own series.

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’80s style

We asked Amanda Stepto and Stacie Mistysyn what comes to mind when they think of the 1980s. Here’s what they said:

Stepto:

1) Morrissey

2) Matt Dillon

3) Sid Vicious

4) Mike Ness of Social Distortion

5) Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys

Stacie Mistysyn:

1) Tears for Fears

2) Depeche Mode

3) Harrison Ford

4) Cowboy boots

5) Tapered pants (safety pinned, not hemmed!)

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