So Ive seen a few big DJs talk about music/festivals/underground/mainstream, so its my turn to offer up a less published version from a less famous DJ. Im not into a lot of types of dance music, but the whole its all about the music thing is simply false, no matter how underground the music is, nor how many bare concrete walls the venue has. Lets move on from that myth. KISS was initially never taken seriously musically, but their on stage antics and theatrical performance drew people in and theyve just recently been inducted into the most coveted society within their genre. Gwar spewed blood onto crowds of people who couldnt name a single piece of music they wrote, yet the death of one of the band members was widely mourned by the music community. The list goes on and on. Theatrics ARE important. We listen to music to be entertained. The same people who get mad at Steve Aoki for stage diving and throwing cakes, also snub DJs who stoically stare at a laptop screen. Hands in the air break downs are off limits now too, according to the purists. Pretty soon sweating on the dance floor wont be acceptable. Do you want a party or a library? Sometimes I think the music we all love has such a snooty and pretentious fan base, its no wonder people show no interest in starting to listen to it. The first rave I went to was at a ski slope in Indiana called Paoli Peaks. When I walked in, Mark Farina was playing. Who is Mark Farina to me now? An absolute legend. Who was he to me then? Background music. The first thing I noticed at the party wasnt the efforts of the DJ, but the people in the crowd who were so welcoming to me. I didnt fit the part, and I think in todays terms, I would be lumped into the Jock category, since I derived most of my joy from playing Soccer (cough cough, back when it was underground). I was accepted by people who saw and knew that I stuck out like a sore thumb, and were excited that I was interested enough to show up to hear music that I didnt know shit about. No one laughed at me for having AND 1 basketball shorts on at a rave, and no one cared that I was actively listening to Dave Matthews Band that summer. (Wow, I feel vulnerable!) There have been many clubs of today that Ive played that would have probably turned me away because I was dressed too normal. Whether it would be in Miami for not being dressed nice enough, or Berlin for not being hipster enough...these things wear me out. It breaks my heart that the music I got into because of how inclusive it was has become so damn exclusive that it would possibly never let me in. I struggle with all this too, with sometimes thinking Im more deserving of this music because I discovered it before person x, y, or z. I DONT. Ive probably been asked if I play EDM about 10 times from people in the US just this week upon finding out that I DJ. Sometimes I get annoyed, and sometimes Im awfully judgmental in my head about these people. But then I think, Thank God they didnt turn me away at my first rave because I was listening to La Bouche, Real McCoy, and 2 Unlimited. I learned a really interesting trick for dealing with music I dont like. I dont listen to it. Lets have a great weekend in Detroit celebrating the music and the DJs we LOVE. Not talking about the ones we dont. See you Sunday!
Posted on: Sun, 25 May 2014 00:58:26 +0000