Known for booking some of the biggest acts for his illustrious Electric Daisy Carnival, Rotella wants to now put the kibosh on booking big names and promote unknown artists. Isn't that somewhat career suicide, considering it was the big names that made his festival known?
First he had to take down the stigma of drugs related to his events, then he was being implicated in an alleged indictment scandal for embezzlement, conflict of interest and conspiracy against the LA Coliseum. Now he wants to eliminate the names that helped create his American brand gain international recognition. When his personal scandal news broke in late March, so many top name DJs rallied behind him. If I were them, I would take this newest headline as a slap in the face. I understand wanting to promote new music, new artists, but don't turn your back on the people who helped make you successful.
Now everyone, commercial DJs, underground DJs...they're all trying to run away from the stigma that has emerged from the popularity of dance music. The underground continue to bash the commercial, and the commercial are trying to figure out how they can go back to a certain type of anonymity that made the electronic movement so special in the first place. You can see it in Kaskade's interview, when he drops the Martinez Brothers' name: http://blogs.ocweekly.com/heardmentality/2012/06/kaskade_talks_edc_and_freaks_o.php
I don't know any of these guys personally, but I doubt Guetta, SHM, Avicii, Afrojack et. al. ever set out to become a poster boy or sex symbol or manufactured image. They were "struggling artists" and found a way to be recognized. The way I see it is that they loved dance music, worked hard at making it, and in the cycle music goes through, it was a coincidence in timing that when people were seeking a new sound they were there to provide it. Has anyone seen the economy lately? People sought after feel good music, and these guys were the emerging artists making that.
I'm getting pretty tired of always trying to defend the commercial dance market members. This latest article has made the most recent headlines, and no doubt there will be a backlash from that too. Side note: I have to say, I was surprised to see Darude on there. Except for his album "Before the Storm" I didn't even know he was still making music! http://www.celebritynetworth.com/articles/entertainment-articles/30-richest-djs-world/
I saw this tweet from Karizma and I seriously threw my hands up in the air from frustration.
So since I started this blog, which stemmed from the comments DJ Sneak was making about Swedish House Mafia's music not being real house, I noticed that even the people around him can't form an opinion of their own. Maybe they agree, but maybe its just this alliance forming between old school and new school. Yesterday I noticed DJ Dan saying a lot of the same things Sneak was saying about SHM, and he also posted that horrible Wall St Journal article. This was our exchange:
A really good personal example I have is when the Black Eyed Peas came out with their album Elephunk. "Where is the Love" was the debut single, and featured the pop singer Justin Timberlake who managed to go from bubblegum boy band to respected solo pop act. Prior to Elephunk, BEP was considered to be underground hip-hop. Their track with Esthero called "Weekend' was played in hip hop clubs, but they were never regarded as pop at the time. When Elephunk first came out, I remember the indie kids I worked with at the music store loving the album. But then, things started to change. They started getting more popular, and Monkey Business took them from pleasing the hip hop indie crowd to an image that made them too silly (e.g. My Humps), and too recognized to be appreciated by the underground. Now, the BEP are hated by so many people. I equate indie with the underground naysayers of dance. And it is the exact same phenomenon that we are seeing.
If you are passionate about what you believe in, then you should put all your efforts to make it the biggest thing, not try to belittle the people who have made it big.
Check out what Murk man Oscar G said to Sneak:
Side note: why would a management company call themselves FAKE Artist Management? I just think its ironic that they represent Sneak...
I'm really fed up about all the hating going on in this industry. I'm going to try to start chronicling it less. I feel like I keep repeating myself. I know people will never see eye to eye on everything, but this culture of trying to bring others down in dance music is something I never imagined happening, and it is really sad. As DJ Craze would say: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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