Rant On! Part 1

I know I said I wasn't going to address all the negativity, but I can't help myself. It bothers me to no end!

So I saw this article Rolling Stone wrote about Swedish House Mafia: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/the-secret-of-swedish-house-mafias-success-20120612
And then I saw this tweet from DJ Sneak

I have yet to see his submission to Rolling Stone, but this article came out instead: http://www.meoko.net/interviews/dj-sneak-defining-house-music There is some major bias going on in this article. The source basically allows him to be the one to define House music. Ridiculous, it is his opinion, not fact. It is so completely ridiculous how he goes after "the mainstream" as if they came out of nowhere and became commercial all of a sudden. I could go on and on about how this article is so flawed, but what is the point? Its the same drivel we've ben hearing from Sneak since March.


I've seen a couple of rants from DJs. Its part of that whole "defending themselves against the backlash" bit. Take a gander:

From Dutch producer Sander Kleinenberg

After a Twitter troll was harassing Steve Angello about being fake, he said this:

From Kaskade defending his Freaks of Nature tour where apparently he is showcasing his production work rather than playing a DJ set:

Kaskade is an artist, so to me, I think this was a bit unnecessary only because he should be able to do what he wants. I suppose he felt he owed it to his fans to explain the direction of his latest tour. Less of a rant and more of a distinction between a typical DJ set featuring other artists' records versus his own. It is lost on most that producer is not  equivalent to DJ, but in the electronic scene, a lot of producers also DJ and vice versa.

From American producer Sandy Rivera, who releases quite a bit on the UK label Defected:

Never to shy away from a good ol' fashion rant, DJ Sneak weighed in:

I tweeted to Sandy Rivera about whether crowds can distinguish how records are mixed (CDJ vs being synched on something like Traktor) but he didn't reply. It was a legitimate question, because I doubt I would know the difference. I also mentioned in the tweet that it is important the DJ make the right song selection in order for the night to be successful. Song selection is a huge part of what a DJ does, isn't it? If a DJ has a preference to pop songs versus one that likes techno, and people want to go to a techno night, then that is something I'm sure audiences look for.
French producer Sebastien Leger, one who always likes to insult the mainstream/commercial, wanted to make this distinction:

What I feel is that it seems purist DJs that spin records almost wish this software like Traktor was not created. I don't understand this resistance to the evolution of technology. Technology is supposed to make things easier, right? How else would manufacturers of said technology be able to market their products otherwise? TV specs have been improved, phones have been improved, movie theatres have been improved...there are countless examples of how technology has been developed to ease the experience. From the ENIAC computer to my MacBookPro, countless efforts have been made to make products that bring simplicity.

I'm sorry he misses the old school days, but maybe DJs who used to rely on spinning and beat matching need to realize that evolution is constant. Its like if doctors were replaced by robots: doctors would then have to adapt to figure out a way to provide skills that the robot could not. ADAPT! I don't see DMC Champion A-Trak whining about this, cause he has adapted! Taking up production skills, and putting on a show, rather than crying about how he misses the old school days.

So for the old school thinkers who resent the new technology that allows more people to enter the game of DJing and production, I think the best thing to say is, better get those creative juices flowing, or you will become phased out!

An article came out basically attributing the "downfall" of dance music to the rise of it in America.  http://www.inthemix.com.au/features/53105/Is_America_killing_dance_music
I can't say I agree with everything stated in this article, but it is one of the rare ones that acknowledges the presence, or rather emergence of the mainstream from the underground. I don't think it is America that is killing dance music, but rather its the trends that are popping up that are. Its the niche market of places like Vegas, but there are still some deep grounded roots in America that keep dance music healthy and alive. I know a lot of American producers/DJs were offended, and you have to take this article with a grain of salt when someone outside of America is basically trying to blame America. My favorite quote from the article was "Wall St Journal, we didn't know you cared." Haha! Exactly! http://jackhadagroove.blogspot.ca/2012/06/edm-on-wall-st.html
The article also acknowledges sentiments made by King Unique and David Guetta. What I took from it is that the underground wants to keep its sound to itself, and stay forever 'cool' but will bash the sound that ultimately emerged from it and became popular. If you do not think what Guetta, Avicii, SHM and Afrojack play emerged from the old school dance scene, you are living in denial.