Interview with Markus Schulz

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Grandest welcome on Trance Hub, Markus! We might have caught you amidst your heavy touring. Would you like to share something memorable about any of your recent gigs?

Great to be here guys! Well its always pretty hectic and the start of this year has been no different. I played 17 gigs in the first month of this year and February is looking just as busy! Something memorable: well in and amongst a lot of things that spring to mind, The Gallery (my Ministry Of Sound residency) was pretty incredible. 3,000 people queuing to get in on a rainy London night and then proceeding to go ballistico, non-stop for the 3 hours of my set was great to see. I’ve also been in South America a fair bit throughout the month. That always has its fair share of thrills and spills, but the Global DJ Broadcast World Tour night at Sirena in Sao Paulo was electric!

As the Electronic Dance Music spectrum is bursting, its bits are converting into interesting new genres. For starters, which is the sub-genre of EDM you relate your new music to?

I’m not sure I have an absolutely pure genre, per se. I think what I do is actually a deeper sound of trance. I’ve never really been into the super, over-the-top sound, I’ve always been into the darker, groovier, almost house grooves but I like more melodies so my sound has always been housey grooves with trancey melodies. If you combine that with big dark dirty bass lines, there you go, that’s it, the Markus Schulz sound.

The New Year begins, and we are on a watch out for your geographically inspired compilation. This time, we all are flying to Las Vegas. So, what made Las Vegas your choice for 2010?

Las Vegas is a place that I’ve been to a great deal over the last 18 months. I’ve been conscious for a while now just how much of a sizable part it has started to play on the US clubbing scene as a whole. The casinos have played a very smart hand indeed. They spotted 5 or 6 years back that for a place renowned – purpose-built even – for entertainment, that they was nothing tying them to slots and blackjack tables. They’ve evolved the city into a new US clubbing capital. Heck, what says clubbing more that millions of flashing lights, right! The track-list, well that ties directly in. Every city responds in slightly different ways to different tracks. As a DJ it’s your job to spot which tracks make which floors work all harder. Many of the tracks on Las Vegas are tunes that I’ve had well ahead of their promo dates and had the luxury of trying out there. Based on those intrinsic sounds & styles that you can then look for the tracks that are about to come through that really fit the profile to complete the picture.

Going through the track list of ‘Las Vegas ’10′, we know that another set of highly influencing tunes are on their way. What are the top 3 tunes for you from this album? And, why?

You know what, to actually pick my top 3 would be impossible! I was asked recently to do a run through a few of tracks from the album and explain a bit more about who’s behind them and maybe why those in particular found their way onto Las Vegas ’10. So picking three at random of these might suffice!?

Mike Foyle pres. Statica – Deadly Nightshade (Phynn Remix) [Coldharbour Recordings]
Phynn’s work really caught my attention during last summer with his production "Spacewalk". When I played at the St. Petersburg edition of Global Gathering in August, I got a little carried away with the fist pumping and smashed my headphones into the table! I invited him to work his magic on "Deadly Nightshade", and his remix has completely blown up at the gigs and the radio show. The original melody is so dark and moody, but he really turned up the voltage with his remix.

Max Graham feat. Neev Kennedy – Sun In The Winter (Original Mix) [Coldharbour Recordings]
Like Rex Mundi, Max is one of the most versatile producers out there, and no matter what style he dips into, the results are always outstanding. The fans have really taken to this track very quickly. It’s one of those feel good records that makes us reflect on the dark and cold nights of the winter, and the changing of the seasons to spring. The piano in the break in particular is amazing.

Robert Burian feat. Zdenka Predna – You (Club Mix) [Forza Music]
If you are a regular listener to Global DJ Broadcast, you will know that this has been a huge anthem on the show for the past 6 months. The vocals really stand out to me – they are moody and confrontational, and I guess it is a great example of describing the tension in my live sets. I just had to include it on this compilation, because I’ll look back on it in a few years and remember how huge the track was back then.

We would love to know about your Dakota doppelganger, which has definitely given us the taste from Coldharbour, yet it hints to a very clever and newer side of music!

I had been making music in the studio that was a bit more of an experimental thing for me. When I really sat down and looked at what I had, I felt it was something that would work well with the Dakota name. It had been such a long time since I had done any Dakota tracks and thought these tracks would be a great Dakota album. I wasn’t sure really what to expect from the trance fans when it came to their reaction. I was very surprised that they responded in such a positive way. Now that I’ve finished the new Markus Schulz album, I’m getting ready to start a new Dakota album.

"You Won’t See Me Cry" is obviously one of THE biggest tunes of your career. What would you like to say about it? We see a hive of emotions in this one!

"You Won’t See Me Cry" came out of a very difficult time in my career. The vocalist I was working with at the time, Deidre Radford, and I really got into the music and lyrics on this one. It’s not that the track was expressing my feelings toward any particular person, but more at the place I was and Deidre was in our respective careers at the time. To this day, I still get emails from people telling me how much that song means to them. I am really glad that I was able to be a part of it.

One a funnier note, can all DJs dance? We’ve seen you hammering your hands in the air while spinning, probably a great way to vibe up with the crowd and respond to your monstrous bass lines. How important is it for a DJ to move physically while spinning? (We really want to know that!)

I have always thought that it is a massively important part of what a DJ does. If you’re not moving with the crowd, how can they tell that you’re enjoying it as much as they are?! I was break dancing before I was a DJ and the love for it has never left me. If someone told me to stand still behind a pair of turntables whilst I was DJing I just don’t think I’d be able to. I have to do it! As regards "can all DJs dance"? Well dancing is a subjective thing! What’s dancing to one man isn’t necessarily to the next! I think we have to leave it down to the ladies to call that one – they’re by far the most qualified judges!

So which producers are you putting your fingers on for 2010?

Rex Mundi is my next big thing. I did a track "The Space Perspective" which used his track "Perspective" and the vocals of "The Space We Are" and that has been one of the biggest tracks for the last few years. People still request that all the time. So I think yes, Rex Mundi is still my pick for the next big thing.

And then, what is your opinion of Twitter / MySpace / Facebook. Every trance producer is using these social networking platforms to be heard. How does it play an important role for you?

I don’t think they’ve created a form of measurement that could calculate how important it’s been, and still is! I use them all. I find them not only really useful to tell people what I’m up to, but also, personally, a lot of fun too. It’s great the responses I get from the fans when I post something to my Twitter. I love the immediate response I get from people all over the world. And really great advice on where to find the closest Starbucks!

Today, with such a hectic life as a superstar DJ, what are the motivational things that keep you going and bombing those dance floors?

There are a number of things, but faces on the dance floor is probably #1. There is nothing that beats watching the human reaction to music being appreciated in a club. Hearing comments afterwards is tremendous as well but the reaction on a dance floor doesn’t lie!

Tell us something about your friendship with people from the EDM fraternity. People who have supported you and you are proud to call them friends.

I really haven’t found anyone I don’t like. We act as a bit of a support group when we see each other at gigs, festivals, on planes. We play each other’s tracks. I love my job. I love the people I work with and I really enjoy the other DJ / producers. I’ve got some great stories from flying on those little jets to gigs and festivals with some of the other guys.

Your album ‘Progression’ was a boon to the trance universe. "Daydream", "Spilled Cranberries", "Cause You Know" and other tunes are excellent and still serve the dance floors brilliantly. Why is that whatever you create is gold?

Well that’s a very nice thing to say – thanks! I think one of the keys is not flooding the scene with masses of music and being true to the music I create. ‘Take your time’ is my maxim! It took me some time but I found my own sound and I want to keep with it. Not exactly the same but I want it to evolve naturally, not do something forced or contrived because I think that’s what is popular. There are some artists that crank out new tunes every week. They get overexposed and the desire to hear their new stuff wears thin fast. Every time one of their tracks comes by you know already exactly what it is going to sound like. I don’t want to ever make disposable music. I want to take time and really be inspired and put feeling and heart into the tunes.

And finally, some quickies for a great read:

One word to describe your life as a DJ / Producer: Bueno!

The most wickedest tech gear for you: Pro Tools!

The city you love: Mighty Miami!

If not a DJ, you would today be: Wanting to be a DJ!

Message for your fans.

Many thanks for having me – and for coming up with some great questions. A big ‘what’s up!’ to all the Indian Trance Hub massive and the rest of your readers from around the world!

We are more than honoured to have your time for Trance Hub. We wish you the very best for your future and Thank You for this interview. It’s our prized possession!

For more info related to Markus Schulz check out the following links:
www.markusschulz.com
www.myspace.com/markusschulz
www.facebook.com/markusschulz
www.twitter.com/MarkusSchulz

Written by: Apoorv
Compiled by: Priyank

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