deadmau5. Photo Credit: Drew Ressler.
Article/Interview By: Lisa Occhino
In October, world-renowned electronic music producer/performer deadmau5 (pronounced “dead mouse”) brought his Meowingtons Hax tour to the House of Blues in Boston for a special four-night stand. The evenings featured deadmau5 along with several of his mau5trap label artists, including Tommy Lee & DJ Aero, Excision, and SOFI, plus supporting acts Feed Me and Baltimoroder.
Named after his cat Professor Meowingtons, deadmau5’s Meowingtons Hax show debuted at Lollapalooza in Chicago where SPIN.com hailed it as the #1 set at the festival. It features incredible production—a menagerie of lights and LED (check out this clip from Lolla)—which complements deadmau5’s live repertoire of hits, classic cuts, and brand new music.
On a personal note, deadmau5 live at the House of Blues was easily the most epic concert I’ve ever been to, and quite possibly one of the best experiences of my life. Even if you’re just a casual electronica fan like I am, this is definitely something you should add to your bucket list. Deadmau5 is performing around the world throughout December, so check out his tour dates and see if you can make any of the shows.
deadmau5 at the House of Blues, Boston.
Although Motley Crue fans may not realize it, drummer Tommy Lee has always been a “closet dance music fan.” Lee and turntablist DJ Aero have been collaborating together since 2000, and have played electro sets at festivals and clubs around the globe.
A week before they opened for deadmau5 in Boston, I got to chat with Tommy Lee and DJ Aero about their music, tour, and their feelings about the music industry today:
Berklee Groove: How would you describe your music?
Tommy Lee: Hard and dirty.
BG: Do you consider DJing to be sort of a side thing, or is that what you mostly do now?
TL: It’s never really been a side thing. It’s been a long transition because everyone knows my background as a rock guy, but we’ve been making some new music now and we’re getting on the right tours, playing the right places, in front of the right people. Yes, it’s a lot of fun, and we really enjoy doing what we do, but it’s something Aero and I take really seriously.
BG: Have you always been into electronic music?
TL: I’m a drummer, so I’ve been into pretty much anything with electronic beats for forever it seems like. Professionally, I met Aero in 2000, and in 2004 we started going out as a team and doing what we do.
BG: Tell me about the deadmau5 tour. What can people expect?
TL: Aero and I are a team, so you got two guys up there that are bringing all of it live. We’re not just your ‘press play’ DJs. A lot of the stuff is getting mixed on the fly with live drumbeats and live visuals. It’s not your typical DJ set.
Aero: And since we’re playing so many nights in a row, it will be different every night, so that’s something that we take pride in, that we’re able to switch it up on the fly and not have the same set.
BG: What’s your best advice for aspiring artists and musicians?
TL: Someone asked me this about DJing the other day, and I was like, you know what? Don’t play what everybody else f***ing plays. There’s something to be said for playing what moves you, and if you have a good barometer of what moves people, then you’re probably on the right track. Don’t play what everyone else plays because it’s ‘cool.’
Aero: We call it the crutch song. Don’t play the crutch song.
TL: Yeah, just be yourself – everyone else is taken. I like to use that phrase a lot.
BG: Yeah, especially on the radio today, I feel like everyone is just copying what’s already out there, and there’s not much originality anymore.
TL: You know, that’s so true. I mean just listening to electronic music, man, it’s all starting to sound the same, because everyone’s using the same synthesizers, and the same drum sounds –
Aero: Yeah, [electronic artists] need to start using some different stuff, man. Just because that was cool last week doesn’t mean it’s gonna be cool next year. You know, it’s like it’s cool, but let’s keep it moving.
BG: What’s the biggest lesson the music industry has taught you?
TL: That there’s a lot of shady f***ing people in the music business. [laughs]
Aero: I don’t even think it’s business anymore, to be honest. It’s really weird now. You don’t get a big advance to record a big record in a big studio anymore. I don’t know, it’s very low-key nowadays.
TL: The days of record companies nurturing new artists are long gone. If you’re not a success in 45 minutes, you’re f***kin’ out of here. So many things are changing, so I guess some of the lessons would be to just be very aware, and be conscious. Look around and listen and learn, because there are some people out there doing it on their own and they’re doing it right, so take notes.
BG: What’s next for you?
TL: We’re about to set up a studio and work on some new stuff in the near future. And a lot more touring in late January and February. So that’s coming up next.
BG: What about in 3-5 years, where do you see yourself?
TL: Oh wow, I don’t look that far ahead.
Aero: That’s way too far away. We can’t even figure out what we’re gonna eat for dinner tonight. [laughs]
Tommy Lee & Aero have new singles out, “Static” and “LFO Tool,” which can be found on the Meowingtons Hax Tour Trax compilation on sale now via Beatport. The album also features new and exclusive tracks from deadmau5, as well as selections from new additions to the label that you can expect to hear a lot more from in the coming months: Skrillex, Feed Me, Excision & Datsik, Zedd, Moguai featuring SOFI, Al Bizzare and James Njie.
