Stefan Dabruck

The Frankfurt superstar smashing it with new tune ‘Mefasarys’

Interview by Dan Prince


Stefan welcome to DMCWORLD…where on earth are you today?

“Hey Dan, I´m in Frankfurt today. This evening I have to play in Germany, I’m going to the airport directly after the gig and will be flying around for one week for business meetings for my company in Milan, Los Angeles and New York.”

You smashed our Buzz Chart last week with ‘Mefasarys’ out on Armada Trice…please talk us through the sound and history of this track…

“I made this track one year ago and although we looked for a vocal, we never found one. I love melodies…I have been very surprised by the great feedback I have got so far for this one.”

When I told Buzz emperor Guy Garret that I was interviewing you today he shouted across the office, ‘we love Stefan, always have! Ask him if would he like to go back and enjoy the 2000’s again for a weekend or does the future excite him?

“Hahaha. Thank you for this great question! I have been in the industry for 17 years now and it has been a long journey, I have never been given any gifts on the way up or had any lucky breaks. Of course the end of the 90s and early 2000’s were an exciting time, everything was new for me. Myself and my wife lived in a 1 room apartment the size of a small garage, but when I landed my job as DJ/Promoter at Superstar Recordings…I was the happiest guy alive. Today is the same feeling for me. I love playing big festivals, love the traveling and don’t see my job as a job. More of a paid hobby!”

The last couple of months have seen you flying all over the world. Interested to know how a crowd on the dancefloor in 2014 is different say in New York compared to Luxembourg or even Beirut. Do you notice changed as you travel, does your set differ here and there or are we just one nation under groove…?

“More or less we are one nation. The Internet, Facebook etc. has changed a lot for us in the last 15 years. For instance it was different to play in places like China 15 years ago when they had no dancefloors in the clubs (just tables). But that´s what I like and that´s what will always will be the difference between  DJs with experience and newcomers. Most of the older guys like me played very small clubs, discotheques, bars etc. in their early days. You can still  see that they can read a crowd.. I would love to see one of these young superstar DJs who started their career on the mainstages of this world, playing a very small club with guests who don´t know them. I saw one of these kids backstage on a festival this year nearly crying, saying that he can´t play as the confetti machine wouldn´t work. But don´t get me wrong, there are great new talents out there, specially in productions.”

What are the big 5 records in your box this weekend…

Vijay & Sofia Slatko – Le Jardin (Stefan Dabruck Remix )…sorry for using this interview for free promo!

Robin Schulz & Lillwood – Prayer In C…also my remix

Tom Staar & AnSolo – Totem…still love it

Robin Schulz & Jasmin Thompson – Sun Goes Down (Kris Menace Remix )

Micha Moor & Tom Avaro – Kwango

We have tipped our hats in congratulations to all of our German DJ friends on their lucky win in the World Cup this summer. Where did you watch the Final?

“Watched it with my wife and my little boy at home and went one hour later to the airport and flew to Ibiza.” 

Festival moment of 2014?

“Nature one in Germany, mainstage.”

You signed to Paul van Dyk’s Vandit agency earlier this summer which must have been a great moment. True or false : ‘For An Angel’ was played at your wedding?

“True! On a beach in Mauritius…still one of my fave tracks of all times.”

Tell us about your ‘complicated’ remix of one of your favourite deep house tracks of the year coming at us soon…

“You know, I manage most of the big European deep house guys and they are signed to my label WePlay or the sub label Tonspiel. I had a crazy year with Faul and my boy Robin Schulz changed everything. We have had 3 international number hits, with ‘Changes’, ‘Waves’ and now with ‘Prayer In C’ (No. 1 in 50 different country’s) and the new single looks like a No. 1 again. So naturally this sound was not really something for me. But as I manage Robin Schulz, Flicflac, Teemid, Nico Pusch etc. I am more and more in this scene and to be honest I love doing remixes for these guys as it´s very song driven. There are 4 remixes coming in the next months that I did for my guys. And I can already tell that there are some serious deep house bombs coming from my boys like Robin Schulz, David K, Pingpong etc…”

Back in June you claimed that “I am not so proud of the Trance scene at the moment”, we sensed you felt the whole genre was maybe a little stagnant at the moment. Has your view changed since then?

“Oh when did I say that? Was I drunk? Mmm, hard to say…I´m a trance guy, I started with trance and most of my top 10 tracks of all time would be trance tracks. I still love melodies. I am not really in the trance scene any more since 2002. But I don´t like genres anyway. There is good music and bad music, good DJs and bad DJs – and then the one’s who use more fireworks than music on stage. Not forgetting the ones with the ‘are you ready and put your fuckin’ hands up vocals every 30 seconds…”

The record of the summer…

“Robin Schulz – ‘Prayer In C’.”

When I saw you in Ibiza a couple of years ago you told me a funny story about your limited use of the Spanish language. You bumped into the owner of Pacha and after a few attempts of impressing him with your Spanish skills, he replied in perfect German!! So… es el español mejor ahora?

“Dos cervezas y un sándwich de queso y jamón por favor…!”

It is that time of year again, the DJ Top100 Poll. There is a sense that new wonder kid Martin Garrix is going to overthrown Hardwell this year…what is your view on the whole EDM movement and these teenage superstars the scene keeps producing?

“You know I don´t really want to say anything bad about these kids. It´s like it is. As I am part of the music business as well (as a manager and a label owner), I have to say that these big companies did the right investing. Their business plan seems to work…of course what has happened in the last 5 years has made me sad, really sad. If it does happen and he is the new No. 1, then I have to say that they went too far. But I wish everyone good luck in the Dutch Promo Championship, DJ Mag Top100, whatever you call it…”

Most exciting new place you DJ’d at in 2014?

“Beirut.”

The Forbes DJ Rich List – with the likes of Calvin and Guetta earning more tan $20m a year. Good luck to them or the world has gone crazy?

“Of course this is right. Guetta and Calvin sell more than most of the big pop stars these days.. Why should they get paid less? A guy like Calvin Harris or Axwell are some of the biggest talents on whole music business in the last 20 years, of course they have to be paid like a popstar…nobody is saying anything if a Rihanna or a Beyonce make this money. You now I just did a joint venture with my label and warner music, so we are part of Warner now. I had the chance to work with David Guetta on a project and I am working close with some guys of his team at Warner. There is nobody working harder in the biz like him. 100% professional with everything he does. Yes all these guys deserve to get paid well…

An up and coming producer we should be checking out in 2015?

“David K, PingPong, Heyhey…” 

What is the record that…

…reminds you of your childhood?

“Honestly, the first record I bought was Modern Talking ‘You´re My Heart You’re My Soul’…and I am not proud of that…”

…always get you dancing?

“I never dance. I am 1.96 meters tall and weigh 120 kg. I look like an ice skating bear when I dance. My theory is that 50% of all old skool DJs can´t dance and the other 50% look so ugly that they are not allowed to go into the club…that´s the reason they became DJs…of course it´s different today. Today the DJs are all good looking, sweet, great dancers (or great jumpers on stage and very good in throwing in acapellas like ‘put your fucking hands up’) every 30 seconds…”

…reminds you of being broken hearted?

“All Martin Garrix and Dimtri Vegas and Like Mike records…” 

…you wish you would have made?

“Sometimes I wish I would have even gone more far with my DJ career. But as I always had 4 jobs – DJ, producer, manager and the label, it was never easy to get everything done in a week. But I am happy with what I am doing and see my next 3-4 years as my personal “one last tour”. I will always DJ as this is what I really love but my Job as a manager is getting more and more the number 1 priority. And I want to see my family more. Besides this, I don´t have big extravagant wishes like a gold watch, always flying first class, a sports car, a new house, more No. 1 hits and of course world peace and health. Of course I am joking, I already have a gold watch!!”

Thank you dude, great interview.

“Thanks a lot Dan. Oh…and put your fucking hands up and muchas gracias. That was to prove that my Spanish is still great! X”