Steve Aoki: "You just have to release few songs that translate to a global audience" - Is he right?

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Quoted from the Fuse (Via Mixmag) interview with Steve Aoki:

"The great thing about the dance/EDM world is it's not like you need an album every year. You just have to release few songs that translate to a global audience. And that’s why some of the best, most popular DJs don’t even have an album out. Avicii doesn't have an album out but his music translates across cultures and languages to people all over the world."

This statement above applies to only a handful of DJs/Producers like Steve Aoki. The reason why Steve Aoki is able to pull it off is because he's one of the only bona fide DJ rock stars in the business.

Avicii managed to rocket to the top because Levels was such a monster hit that allowed him to have such a huge first half of 2012. Whether he maintains his status in 2013 still remains to be seen.

It's very rare when an artist stays at the top of the EDM world for an extended period amount of time. Just look at the DJ Mag top 100 poll results from a decade back and you'll see what I mean.

Read the rest of the interview if you're interested in his thoughts on the power of social media in EDM.

Derrick May talks to RA about why he's releasing his 2 disc compilation album in Japan first

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From RA's interview (VIA Fact Mag):

"Because Japan right now is the only place in the world that appreciates the music. There's a lot of places in the world where people like to go to the music... But there is nowhere in the world right now where people are actually being consumers. In Japan, you can still sell 10,000-15,000 records, be it vinyl, CD, whatever the format you can sell product. It's one of the last markets in the world where people are paying attention, and all of the world has turned their backs not just on dance music but on any format of music."

Sad reality of the music business in the 21st century.

You should check out the rest of the interview at RA just so you can read the crazy story about one of the artists off the compilation and how Derrick May convinced him to get back into making music.

Slipknot frontman wants to create a 'dance album'

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Quoted from NME:

"Taylor said: "I want to do... something funny and sarcastic, and I'm not talking '70s dance (and) not that tired fucking dubstep bullshit. I want to make it something that's got that old school feel to it but with a modern twinge. Just get ridiculous with it. I've already got a name for myself - the Boogie Knight. And I want to call the first album 'The Boogie Knight Rises'."

A dance album with an "old school feel but with a modern twinge"...So it will be a techno/house album with Trap elements added in? Taylor should just sit down and work with Bassnectar if he's serious about this project.

Annie Mac follows around Tiesto for a few days (Video)

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From Youtube (Via Inthemix):

*Update* Seems like the video was taken down. Sorry to those who didn't get to see it. But honestly if you wanted to see something similar with the same production value go check out 'in the booth' series. The link is below.

*Update #2* Here's a new link to the video.

Didn't learn too much about Tiesto himself because most of these bases were already covered in the 'In the Booth' series but I did learn a few things about Annie Mac. For one, this encounter was the first time Annie Mac had met Tiesto, and number two, it was also her first time to Las Vegas.

Ghostwriting in EDM

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I've been reading rumours about famous DJs using ghostwriters for a long time now and this article from Mixmag is one of the first I've read describing how widespread the activity has become. 

..."some [DJs] are much less knowledgeable and just bring the Beatport or RA Top 10 and a sample of an old record and say, ‘I want one like that using this sample’ and let me get on with it, stopping occasionally to refer back to the reference tracks to make sure I’m going in the right direction."

Unfortunately with the bottom falling out of record sales, some sound engineers have no choice but to ghostwrite in order to pay their bills. What's shameful are the DJs using these services and taking full credit for works that they paid for.

The author of the article is named Ben Gomori, and his personal blog can be found here.

(Source: Mixmag)