Ask Mike

[Matia]

Mike!

Ive seen in the various vlogs and clips around that you used to be super into DJing and still are pretty into it. I got into it maybe half a year ago and am getting quite good and also certain that I would like to pursue it as a hobby and start getting some gigs, and hopefully one day turn it into my career if it becomes feasible. I am also learning how to produce but it does have a much steeper learning curve so I’ve been putting most of my energy into learning how to mix and making sets right now. I currently am in a big house and tech house phase and its probably my favourite genre to mix and play with overall.

I wanted to ask you about your experience with it; how long you’ve been doing it, what got you into it, did you ever Dj at clubs or other venues, what kind of music you like to mix, who your top artists are now and over the years, and your thoughts on the modern state of electronic music, the big festivals and mainstream artists that are at the center of a lot of discourse as to wether electronic music is a force for good or bad, such as the darker ritual elements of some of the aforementioned “mainstream” events and festivals. Im also curious what you think of the hard techno more true “rave” scenes and what they entail as well as they do embody and worship a more chaotic and dark energy at times (which I admit I have gotten absorbed into during some of my experiences in the scene as a whole for better or worse).

I think the electronic scene as a whole is having a moment and seems to be expanding exponentially in its influence and scale (not that it ever wasn’t, but I think you can say that the last few years its reach has expanded massively with lots of new and innovative artists popping up left and right bringing some great music and experiences to the table, a lot of genre-bending and mixing). I certainly have noticed a lot more involvement and exposure to the scene and more niche zones of the scene from “normies” who generally were not as in the as loop in the past.

We have similar backgrounds as well it seems, I am currently a design student getting into the UX and web development industry (along with motion graphics/video media and print media) which I have also heard you mention in some alfacast episodes.

No specific question here, all very open ended.

Matia D.

• This discussion was modified 3 months, 2 weeks ago by  Matia.

Discussion

[Mike]

Hey Matia! Very cool you are into this form of musical expression! I have been a professional DJ for 25 years and am still playing out at freedom festivals (I am in fact playing tomorrow night here in North Carolina to close out this ‘Sustain Me’ event). DJing is maybe my favorite thing to do for others and it has taken me a long time to really get to this place where I feel confident that I can deliver a great dancefloor experience every time I play. I am eclectic in taste but prefer the deeper, groovier melodic beats of house music. However, I can play anything thanks to my years of experience playing bars and clubs in LA and Santa Barbara.

I would recommend getting your feet wet by playing gigs whenever you can, no matter the size or pay. I started in college playing free house parties and underground full moon mountain raves. That scene in the late 90s was totally different from today. It was super raw and non-commercialized whereas now, the entire scene has been co-opted into manistream corporate commercialism. But there is still ample opportunity to find your community that is authentic and there for the right reason. I have been stoked to find them through Music & Sky and love playing these events where people are healthy and tapped into their heart without the need for psychedelics or party drugs. If this is something that attracts you, let me know and I can see about setting you up with a scene by you.

You can hear more of my mixes on my Soundcloud here!
https://soundcloud.com/dj-winner

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