The three men gathered this sunny Memorial Day afternoon on a patio in Los Angeles could not, in some ways, be more different. Steve Angello Releases Mesmerizing Remix of Jean-Michel Jarre & M83’s ‘Glory’
One criticism of EDM is that too much of the music sounds similar, and that DJs overly rely on a handful of hits.
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Angello: Something has to change. It has to. When Radiohead’s done with a tour, what do they do? They go back to the studio, lock the door for two years and come out with a new album that sounds totally different and a new show, and they tour it. Nobody’s going to f—ing remember these same-sounding dance records, because they aren’t evergreen.
Has leaving Swedish House Mafia given you more freedom in terms of how you put together a show?
Angello: Definitely. When I do a big show I want to shock everybody. I don’t play any songs I’ve played at any other show.
Garrix: Three years ago I was in the crowd at Ultra. Last year I had a daytime slot, and I played a lot of tracks by others that were already hits, because I was a little afraid. This year I got a nighttime slot and my set was 100 percent music I produced or co-produced myself.
Scooter, your big inspiration is David Geffen. What do you take from his example that still applies in 2015?
Braun: He went into music, film, art, Broadway. The year [2014] we put out our first Martin Garrix record was the year we had our first country No. 1 [Dan & Shay’s Where It All Began, which led Top Country Albums] and Ariana Grande’s My Everything go No. 1 [on the Billboard 200]. Martin’s age group, they’re genreless. The people who came out onstage at Ultra [including Bieber, Grande and Usher] this year, five years ago fans might have freaked. Now people are open to the fact that genres are crossing over.
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Is that the thinking behind putting Bieber with Jack U?
Braun: Sure. Justin laid down that vocal in the studio on a piano, and I didn’t know what to do with it. I saw Diplo in a club and he told me he and Skrillex were working on this Jack U album. Those guys ran with it, and now they have this huge record all around the world. There was a nice moment backstage at Ultra: Martin pulled Justin aside and said, “Listen, man, I don’t know what’s going to happen out there on that stage, but I’m really glad you’re doing this.”
Garrix: Having Justin onstage had so much impact.
Braun: It’s like Bob Dylan: He pissed people off, but whenever he switched, he reinvented himself in a way that made him who he is today.
What’s special about dance now that it’s become so huge?
Angello: There’s no fashion, no classism, no racism. We don’t have fights, we don’t have people shooting each other. Because we’re having fun.
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Steve and Martin, you spend your nights at big wild parties. Does that take a toll?
Angello: I partied for 15 years! (Laughs.) In Vegas on Halloween three years ago, I partied all night and had a meeting with [casino magnate] Steve Wynn in the morning. I went to bed at 8 a.m.; my meeting was a quarter past 10. Had the conference, felt like shit the whole day, took the jet home. When I got there, my oldest daughter came running up and said, “Daddy stinks!” That second I was like, “OK, I’m done.”
Martin, do you take advantage of the opportunities that come with your job?
Garrix: Of course I party, but I pick when. If I have a weekend full of important shows, I’m not going to do it.
Angello: (To Garrix.) When I was your age I was managed by a drug dealer. You’re managed by Scooter. My tour manager was selling blow off the street corner. We’ve come far! We’re in good hands now.
