Erick Morillo

Miami 2012 – Erick Morillo

It’s party time for Mr Subliminal

Erick Morillo

Welcome to DMCWORLD Erick. You’re in Australia at the moment having just flown in from Las Vegas, you are without doubt the hardest working DJ in the world – wherever you go, people expect that big room uplifting party vibe every time you appear. Tell me, are you not tired?

“Ha ha. No I’m cool Dan, I have the greatest crowds in front of me wherever I go who just lift me up every time I play that first record. I am very lucky.”

A massive Miami coming up for you, you are indeed Mr Miami. Let’s kick off with your Subliminal Sympho Nympho Compilation Party…

“I can’t wait for this one. It’s taking place on the Tuesday night down at Amnesia and it is going to be huge. All our residents for Subliminal at Pacha Ibiza 2012 are going to be appearing on the night, artists like Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, Chuckie, Jose Nunez, Harry Romero, Sympho Nympho, Norman Doray plus of course Danny Tenaglia.”

Will there be a live element as well?

“Sure. The voice of house music miss Shawnee Taylor will be on stage. Everybody has heard Shawnee’s vocals on many a dancefloor track in the past, but her track ‘Colours’ will be the first record under her own name. This is a departure for Shawnee, it’s a whole new sound and people are really going to be blown away it. You’re going to hear Shawnee like you’ve never heard her before.”

A few days later there is what you call the biggest event in everyone’s diary – your birthday party! Last year you had Diddy, will.i.am and Naomi Campbell grooving on your dancefloor. What have you got in store for us this year?

“As always, it’s going to be the best party of the year. We shall be announcing details very soon. Grab a ticket now!”

What are the big 3 records you are taking to Miami?

1. Shawnee Taylor featuring Sympho Nympho ‘Colors’
2. Carl Kennedy featuring Cheyenne ‘Once Upon A Time’
3. Sympho Nympho featuring Segarra ‘Beautiful Reality’

Is Miami still the most important date on the EDM calendar?

“I think so. It’s still the biggest week in dance music. The only time of the year that compares to it is the first week of August in Ibiza which is just crazy. I am so glad WMC and Ultra are collaborating again, last year proved a point that nobody wins when people go head to head.”

Have you noticed a big dip in industry folk not attending these last couple of years?

“Absolutely. There is really little business to be done in Miami in Conference week for sure. There is too much going on and labels to be frank, don’t want to waste their money sending their reps down there knowing full well work is the last thing on their agenda. It’s a full on party scene, people haven’t their thinking heads on and unless you do a meeting on day one, forget it. That Dan, is why I don’t do meetings in Miami!”

It surely helps that all of a sudden America has finally caught the dance music bug?

“It does, dance music has just exploded in the US which I am so happy about, America had to get there in the end.”

So why now?

“The way I see it, is that it has been a combination of the perfect storm. The internet is obviously the main reason this has all happened. People all of a sudden cannot be controlled musically, they can now find the music they love instead of being spoon fed by MTV and radio crap. Which, at the end of the day, has all been controlled by payola. The fat cats have been running it for far too long and now the rug has been pulled from underneath them.”

But it seems that America has been oblivious to the outside dancefloor world for such a long time?

“Absolutely. Look where is around the States; Canada, South America, Mexico – dance music has been going on in these places for what, 15-20 years? Eventually America had to happen. The country has finally woken up down to mainly the success of artists like David Guetta, Deadmau5 and Swedish House Mafia. They have put it on a plate for everyone to see what is possible.”

And it’s not just the cool kids who are jumping on the bandwagon…

“Have you seen the amount of celebrities who all of a sudden want a part of it? It’s crazy. I had Diddy on my album years ago and people were saying to me, fuck, what are you doing Erick? What was an underground sound in America has now gone completely overground and is now there for the masses. I really didn’t see it coming, I went to the UK back in the early 90s and thought this is what the US should be like, but to be honest with you, I gave up on it ever happening. This has been a dream of mine for so many years and it’s amazing. You can now go into any venue in America now and all you hear is dance music playing.”

What are your thoughts on the Dennis Ferrer ‘Mansion’ Miami club story – he was basically kicked off the decks for not playing commercial enough…

“I was shocked when I heard about this. I have heard Dennis play many times and he rocks. He knows how to work a room and how to turn it on. It’s all a bit weird really, I can’t make a judgement on it all until I know the full circumstances. I know so many disturbing stories of big name DJs who have been kicked off decks for one reason or another. I know of DJs who have been kicked off the decks in Las Vegas because some big money client wants to hear a big hip hop record, I know of DJs who accept gigs who just do it for the big pay check not caring how they will go down. They just go for the dollar and say fuck this, I’ll play anything for that amount of money.”

What are your thoughts on the IMS in Ibiza? Will you be attending?

“I think I will be there on the opening day. I attended in 2010 and really think that it is probably the most important two days for the music industry of the year. You have Midem in Cannes in January but that’s gone a bit off the boil these days and people seem to be there just to party and not do business like the old days.”

And finally, do you feel the spirit of house music is being lost to a crowd looking for that instant anthem hit?

“There is something for everyone out there in clubland. The reason things go wrong on a club night I feel is when DJs are put in the wrong club with the wrong crowd. It could be the agent’s fault, it could be the DJs fault accepting the show. I have never understood why some DJs cannot adapt to different scenarios. If I am booked for somewhere like LIV in Miami I know I am going to have to play vocals. If I am booked for an underground gig I know I am going to have to play dirty with maybe one vocal all night. But that’s my job, to DJ isn’t rocket science, it’s about working a crowd, summing up a crowd with a few glances around the dancefloor as you walk in to get a feel for who is in the house tonight. DJing is about having fun. Sure you can educate people, but our job is to entertain.”

www.erickmorillo.com
www.subliminalrecords.com