The big Skanker destined to be a monster summer bounce
Interview by Dan Prince
Dude a huge welcome back to DMCWORLD…where in the world are you right now?
Hey Dan! thanks for this HUGE welcome! I’m currently in my hometown Amsterdam, locked in my studio…trying to make as much music as possible…getting ready for a busy summer!
What was the first piece of music you heard this morning after rolling out of bed?
It was a new remix project that I’m currently working on for Virgin records…checking if it sounded that good as last night in the studio! LOL
A real spring in your step right now thanks to another piece of musical genius…your ‘Skank’ track swinging our way on Tiesto’s Musical Freedom imprint. Please talk us through the sound and history of the track…
I was chilling on the couch one evening, trying to produce different types of styles and combined them with club orientated productions which I used to make when I started off. So I mixed heavy basslines, a garage groove, some Jamaica punch and deep soul organs and the demo test of Skank was born. Played the rough demo to my management and they went mental!
‘Skank’ has been heavily supported by the likes of Avicii, Fatboy Slim, Tiesto, Hardwell, Martin Garrix and Calvin Harris. Not bad! Who though are the producer’s name you look for to see if they have supported your new music when released?
Yes actually the support is already so amazing…almost every name in the industry is supporting Skank! But the names above are always on the lucky wish list for support.
On completion – did you know you were sitting on a really big tune?
It took some time honestly…..hahahahah! I first realized it when I had to send a 1 minute concept to my management….after 2 seconds I received an App: SKANK!!!! Finish it now!!!!!! And I can tell you…they know when it’s ok or outstanding!
The second moment. After a month I read an article about Tiësto on the Billboard website…and I suddenly saw my name in that article…he said that I had created a new sub genre and that every big DJ was asking Tijs (Tiësto) which track he played – when he played Skank…and that I was the “Next Big Thing” for 2015. At that point it was already signed to Musical Freedom….but you never expect those great words from such an icon artist!.
The third moment. Another sign was that Mistajam was playing SKANK for months on BBC…like almost every day on his show…and he didn’t even know who the artist was. Some people told me it was the biggest kept secret in BBC radio history?…hahaha….Of course he had the privilege to announce the BIG reveal on his show last month!
https://soundcloud.com/musical-freedom/skank-mistajam-bbc-radio-1xtra
We all love a skank on the dancefloor, but the dictionary definition of the word is…dirt, grime, smut, muck and slime. Which of these words can you most relate to?
Well obviously first and foremost to me it’s an old school type of dance related to the Ska genre…on the dancefloor skank skanking away like woah! Or some female human beings in particular…LOL!
What are the 5 big tunes in your box this weekend…please give us a few words on each track…
– Skank
It’s just great to be able to spin your own production and get a massive response from the crowd!
– California by Kaleena Zanders and Chris Lake on the Remix!
Playing this tune every weekend! Of course it’s familiar because everybody knows the lyrics…but that drop! OMG!!
– Bullet by Danny Howard
Pumpy Groovy Stuff with a monotoom hook always works…great song!
– House Every Weekend by David Zowie
When I play this tune…the females are running to the dancefloor…it’s in my “Pussy Magnet” playlist…had to share this with y’all…
– Take Me Away feat Rae by DJ SKT
Perfect tune to do a proper warm up set…love how it sounds!
True or false : Your parents used to turn your music off when you were a child if you played it too loud?
TRUE!! My parents always supported me during my “bedroom” DJ career…but sometimes as a 15 year old kid you also need to eat properly…and if both parents are shouting to come downstairs to eat and you don’t hear them because your music is too loud, they sometimes they switch the power off! Hahahha! It was necessary.
We love a great story regarding how a DJ first started playing, your career began with a trip up into your parents attic when you stumbled onto some equipment that was going to change your life…
Yes my dad had some old dusty turntables (belt drive) and a big record catalogue of his favorite tunes…Jimi Hendrix, a whole Motown collection, some pretty cool stuff that sounded so familiar because some of those records had been used in hip hop tunes that I was listening to at that time. So I first started to listen to those records and searching for those samples I knew. After that an old friend of mine was bragging about his DJ cousin from New Jersey that entered “DJ Battles” and he had video tapes to show me…after watching those tapes…I was hooked! I wanted to know which turntables those guys had, what mixer, what kinda tricks they did etc.… I had to work two jobs after school to buy my first very own Technics SL1200!
So, your DJing began entering Battles – and winning. What was the concept behind these Battles?
It’s so funny you ask me this. Because my first DJ battle was actually one from DMC in the Netherlands!
Why do you think I asked!!!!
Hahaha. Well back in the days we had a big youth event in the Netherlands called The MegaFestatie – and there was a big IDP/DMC DJ stand for those who wanted to showcase their skills! I had 5 minutes to show my skills to the audience and a couple of big “HipHop” DJ judges were in the jury…I remember DJ Chainsaw, Orlando Voorn and DJ Ca$h Money had to judge me! I was so freakin’ nervous! Well first elimination round I won…second I won…and…I won the Grand Final!! I was the winner placing myself into the Dutch Elimination Round, which I also won…and later that year I was one of the DJs at the Dutch DMC DJ battles! Never made it to the World Finals though…wasn’t as good as DJ Roc Raida, DJ Craze abd DJ A-Trak ..because those guys where truly my inspiration!
Love it. Who are your fellow country producers who you think are ahead of the pack at the moment?
I’m really fan of the boys from Chocolate Puma, loving their productions and it’s always something fresh, new and different! Also Zonderling is coming with fresh tunes lately and offcourse Olivier Heldens keep coming with great tunes that I love!
What are the 3 bucket list adventures you would like to do in your lifetime?
Of course the obvious music related things: playing Mainstage on the biggest festivals around the world and studio sessions with A-list artists. But also the non musical things…
I really want to Flyboard! It looks amazing! Also watching a front row Champions League final and catching those big mavericks waves on a surfboard.
A festival you cannot wait for this summer…
Tomorrowland! For sure. It’s the first time I’m going to play there this year…really excited for this one!
Your early residency Zu Hause at The Jimmy Woo club in Amsterdam brought together art and music together – what was the story there?
We combined the new/upcoming house DJs with creative art talent to showcase their skills. Body painted sexy models walking on the dancefloor…graffiti artists doing their thing. Combined with the trendsetting in crowd of Amsterdam and the freshest upcoming DJs of that period! We had artists playing like Hardwell, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, R3hab…just to name a few…
The last GREAT studio toy you bought yourself?
Ableton Push…really like the workflow possibilities!
A DJ pal you love getting drunk with…
Hahaha! This is a hard one! Because there are too many!! But I would love to see some DJs drunk who don’t drink…maybe this is a better question for after the summer period? LOL!
The best live gig you’ve seen recently…
An epic 3d hologram show by Eric Prydz…AMAZING!!!
An up and coming producer to watch out for…
The second rise of Don Diablo and Chris Lake, these guys just reinvented themselves.
And finally, what is coming out next from the studio in 2015…?
I am working on some possible collabs and a new track I personal think will work called Full Fill.
Thank you dude.
No thanks Dan, always a pleasure.
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