Michael Woods

Raise your arms! A huge summer ahead for the man from Sin City

Interview : Dan Prince


Michael welcome back to DMCWORLD, where on planet dance are you today?

“Thank you, it’s good to be back. Today I am at my home in Las Vegas.”

An incredible new tune ‘In Your Arms’ spreading happiness around the world’s dancefloors right now. Talk us through the sound and history of the tune…

“It was very organic. I was in the studio in LA and I was playing around with some chord progressions. Usually I will play something and move on but when I started playing the chords for ‘In Your Arms’ my tour manager came running into the room and said “STOP, what was that?”. So from that reaction I started to develop the chords and experimenting with different sounds until I got it just how I wanted it. I then sent the track to Lauren Dyson who wrote the lyrics and recorded the vocal which everyone absolutely loved and the rest was history, ‘In Your Arms’ was born.” 


Big showing off of your BBQ on Facebook this week – do we take it you are a dab hand in the kitchen dude???

“Hmmmm…I do know my way around a kitchen. I can cook but I’m definitely big on a BBQ. It’s that summery smell of burning charcoal that does it for me.”

What was the last great record that stopped you in your tracks on first listen?

“Shiba San – ‘Okay’.”

The EDM scene in the States continues to go spiral. What though are your thoughts on the ever increasing amount of DJs who are changing their usual soundtracks such as trance, to fit in with the more mainstream sound of EDM in America…?

“I think there is to much emphasis on labels in music. I know some guys get irate at the term EDM, personally I don’t get it. Music is music and as an artist you want to create something you like. I don’t think anyone out there is changing their sound to fit in with anything, I just think their sound and tastes are developing and that is what they want to make. At the end of the day it is down to the listeners and the ravers to decide what is good and what is not. It’s up to us as DJ’s and producers to give them the options.”


The current top 10 you are smashing out…

Michael Woods – In Your Arms

Gary Beck – Say What (Adam Beyer Remix)

Chris Lake – Squeak

Calvin Harris – C.U.B.A

Shiba San – Okay

Michael Woods – Platinum Chains

The YellowHeads – Submerged

Michael Woods – Flash Hands

Junior Jack – Thrill Me (NEW_ID Remix)

Porter Robinson – Lionhearded (Arty Remix)

A vocalist dead or alive you would love to get into the studio with?

“Michael Jackson.”


A recent quote from a certain superstar DJ…“I believe true DJing is actually an art, but it’s a dying art, as everyone is pushing the sync button…it’s a real shame when you see a ‘DJ’ plug his laptop in and call this DJing. Music will always evolve but sometimes not in the best way.” What are your thoughts on that?

“This statement is quite brash. You can’t assume just because a DJ plugs his laptop in he’s actually sitting back and doing nothing.  I’ve seen DJ’s using laptops and working harder than someone else using the more traditional CDJs. The thing is with a laptop you can be so much more creative using loops/effects/visuals, pretty much the sky is the limit. I think these days its more about the music the DJ creates behind the scenes anyway and the energy he brings to a show, rather than the actual equipment he uses whilst performing.”

Most rocking club city in America right now?

“Las Vegas, especially as I now reside there.”

What can we find on a Michael Woods rider these days…?

“I can tell you exactly what my rider contains…

4 bottles of Champagne

2 bottles of either Patron on Don Julio Tequila

35 bottoles of Corona

Limitless Bottled Water

Pizza

Usually if it has not gone by the end of the show I will hand it out to the crowd (as long as they are over age) so we can all have a drink together.”


August 14th – you are coming to Ibiza for Cream!!!!! Why is Ibiza the best motherfuckingislandintheworld??

“Because everyone is there for one reason and one reason only…and you can feel that energy as soon as you step off the plane. It also helps that it’s a beautiful place! You can make Ibiza what ever you want it to be.”

What is the record that…

…reminds you of your childhood? 

Undercover – ‘Baker Street’.”

…always gets you dancing?

“Dimitri Vangelis & Wyman / Steve Angello – ‘Payback’.”

…you wish you would have made?

Deadmau5 – ‘Bot’.”

Best album you have heard this year?

“London Grammar – ‘If You Wait’.”


Worst request you have ever had from a clubber whilst DJing?

“When Justin Bieber stormed the DJ booth and asked me to play Hip Hop.” 

Best new studio toy you have bought recently…

“I recently bought the UAD Apollo Quad. It sounds fantastic!”

Some producers you are digging right now…

“Loving Deorro right now, also Secondcity and liking Tchami also.”

The most nervous you have ever been before a gig?

“Probably the first show I ever did which took place in sunny Scarborough in the North of the UK – I was spinning on vinyl and hadn’t had that much practice.”

And finally, what is coming out next from you studio wise?

“After ‘In Your Arms’ I have a few new vocal tracks I am working on and one really big collab that I’m hoping to release which I’m sure will be huge. But I can’t say too much about that right now, you will have to wait and see. I do however drop them into my live sets so make sure you come and catch one to get a sneak preview.”

Further info :
https://www.facebook.com/michaelwoodsonline
https://twitter.com/michael_woods
https://soundcloud.com/michaelwoods