Interviews
Dutch DJ Tiesto builds us following
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LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Tiësto, the world's pre-eminent DJ, performed for a worldwide audience of billions during the opening ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. He played in front of 200,000 fans at Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro in January, and closed the second night of southern California's Coachella festival in May, following Red Hot Chili Peppers on the main stage.

On August 11, the Dutch DJ performed a 5 1/2-hour set in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 15,000 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. It was the largest-ever single-DJ show in North American history, featuring full-production and arena-scale theatrics the likes of which the dance community has never seen.

While the DJ culture in America is firmly entrenched in the underground, Tiësto is capitalizing on his worldwide stature to not only bubble into the American mainstream but create an American mainstream. As major labels renew their interest in acts influenced by electronic and dance music and the DJ culture becomes more prominent among the jet set, dance music is poised to break through in America as it has around the world. Tiësto recently talked about not only his music but the emerging scene he exists within.

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER: YOU ARE THE BIGGEST DJ IN THE WORLD IN TERMS OF AUDIENCE AND COMMERCIAL EXPOSURE. DOES YOUR SUCCESS WORLDWIDE MAKE IT EASIER TO FOCUS ON AMERICA, WHERE DJS STILL OCCUPY AN UNDERGROUND SCENE?

Tiësto: I think it helps, yes, but I never looked at America as one of my targets. I look at America as my little playground. What I like about America is that I can be famous when I go into a club, but I can walk here on Sunset (Boulevard in Los Angeles) and nobody knows who I am. I'd like to get bigger, of course, and make more people aware, but this is a very difficult place to achieve that.

THR: DO YOU THINK THE REPUTATIONS AND PERCEPTIONS OF THE DJ AND DANCE SCENES CONTRIBUTE TO THAT?

Tiësto: Yes, I think that there is a lot of damage to the scene from back in the day.

THR: HOW DO YOU HOPE TO CHANGE THAT?

Tiësto: We need to get people to the shows . . . my shows. I am the living proof that dance music has evolved, and that it's not just about drugs anymore. People are really into the music. Look at the people on the Internet; look at my MySpace page, I have numbers that are better than the most 'credible' artists. I think we need to draw more people to the shows because that's how it will grow. I've noticed that there are more people coming out, too -- people are curious.

THR: DESCRIBE THE IMPACT COACHELLA HAD FOR YOU THIS YEAR, CLOSING THE MAIN STAGE AFTER THE CHILI PEPPERS.

Tiësto: It was big. Not only did people stay after the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but they enjoyed themselves, and many of those people didn't know who I was. Even the owner of Coachella was impressed that there were like 75,000 people in the open field. But we're not there yet. A lot of the big-time reporters didn't even give it the chance. 'Oh, the Chili Peppers are finished, we can go home now.' But the people who stayed and saw the show, they were impressed. The buzz after the show was amazing, and now we're doing more festivals, as well, like Voodoo (Music Experience, October 27 in New Orleans). Coachella even wants me again.

THR: MANY OF THE WORLD'S BIGGEST DJS DON'T MAKE AN EFFORT TO TOUR AMERICA. IS IT BECAUSE THEY'RE TREATED LIKE SUPERSTARS OVERSEAS AND DON'T GET THE SAME NOTORIETY HERE?

Tiësto: I think it's really got to do with their own attitudes. In the beginning, the first time I came to America, I played for 400 people and got $500. But I loved it, and the crowd was inspiring because it's not as developed as it is in Europe. It was refreshing to have the superstar status over there, then come here and play for less people in smaller clubs. That was in 2000. I started in 1998, and it was in 2002 that I got big in Europe... I've still got a couple years left. (Laughs.) You can definitely feel it growing here.

THR: WITHOUT THE COMMERCIAL FOUNDATION AND INDUSTRY SUPPORT IN AMERICA, HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT DEVELOPING AS AN ARTIST?

Tiësto: I think I'm just very lucky to have the Internet. American culture is dominated by a small group of people that decide everything; the same people own all the radio stations, the magazines and the record companies, so they decide what people are going to like. But I think that's changing now -- rapidly. Young bands are popping up because of places like MySpace, and music is less controllable now.

THR: HOW DID YOU GET STARTED AS A DJ?

Tiësto: I was really a music lover. My first music love was heavy metal -- Metallica, and I'm a big Iron Maiden fan. I made rock tapes in the beginning, then later on I made dance tapes. I would mix sounds and cut them up on tape decks. I would take tracks from Iron Maiden and make it like I was at their live concerts, with the audience, leads and the reverb, and I'd play them for my brother and tell him that I had exclusive Iron Maiden concerts. That's how I started! (Laughs.) But I like all music -- if somebody is good, they're good. Like the 'Lovestoned' (Justin Timberlake) song that I just remixed, that's just a really good song.

THR: MASH-UPS AND REMIXES ARE THE RAGE TODAY, ESPECIALLY IN CELEBRITY PARTY CIRCLES. DOES THE MEDIA FOCUS ON THE DIFFERENT STYLES OF DJS WHO AREN'T TRANCE HELP OR HURT YOUR SCENE?

Tiësto: At the moment, I think everything helps, because there's nothing. I was at Area, a club here in L.A., and they played like four or five dance songs -- at least that's something. I feel like it's getting there. In Europe, hip-hop is getting stronger because we never had that culture, but it's been here since the '90s, the '80s even. People are more tired of it here, I think, and dance is becoming more popular. It attracts nice crowds, beautiful women, models... You see it in Vegas, dance is getting big. The crowds are changing because the people are. You have so many immigrants from Latin America and Europe, and they grew up with dance music, so that helps as well. They draw each other in.

THR: YOUR FULL PRODUCTION IS VERY AMBITIOUS, AND WHERE YOU CAN PERFORM LATE ENOUGH, YOUR SETS ARE MORE THAN FIVE HOURS LONG. THAT'S QUITE THE UNDERTAKING.

Tiësto: Well, that's why I did it -- because it was difficult to do! (Laughs.) I used to play two-hour sets, and then the commercial, mainstream crowds who listened to the radio and stuff, they weren't happy because I only played four or five of my own tunes, and the core fans weren't happy, either, because they don't want to hear those tracks anymore. They want to hear new stuff and deeper stuff... I'm caught between being a DJ and an artist, so the first 2 1/2 hours I present the new album ('Elements of Life' on Ultra Records), you have the four elements that are the theme of the tour, then I have the one hour that I call the power mix: all the biggest Tiësto tunes and everything is synched -- the visuals, lights, effects, pyrotechnics, everything. The last portion is Tiësto the DJ, an old-school-type set with trance records and big dance anthems.

THR: IN TRYING TO JUGGLE THE MAINSTREAM CROWDS WITH MORE UNDERGROUND FANS, DO YOU WORRY ABOUT ALIENATING PEOPLE?

Tiësto: That is a good question. It's really hard to say because of course you want the credibility from everybody, but you can't make everybody happy. I think I always stayed loyal to my true fans. I was playing techno music not really to be mainstream, but it became mainstream. That's why I'm so convinced that if people come to this show and give it a chance, they'll see that it's not a rave, and that dance has evolved and that it is a very professional performance.

THR: DO YOU FEEL OPTIMISTIC THAT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A SCENE TO EMERGE IN AMERICA?

Tiësto: Yes. I think dance music has got to blow up here; it's just a matter of time. It needs to professionalize a lot more, and that's the thing that hasn't happened yet. We started with nothing in the '90s, and the new people coming up now, even the DJs, are evolving. The responses to the shows in America have been phenomenal, and I think I'll come back next year and do a proper tour everywhere, with the full production. If I can take it to the level I'm thinking of, then I definitely think it will blow up.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
 
Interview with DJ Tiesto @ Clubplanet.com
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In Search of Sunrise 5 is the latest double cd from Tiesto. Disc One feels like you're on top of a swank hotel, kicking it with the beautiful people at the rooftop pool. The mix blends together like a well made margarita, with world class tracks instead of gold label tequila. The beats and melodies hearken to sunsets and the coming of night. By the end of the disc, It starts to get the blood pumping. It's more of a house music mix, with the heavier beats only coming in at the end. 

Disc Two starts off where disc one leaves off- Progressive, deep beats flow like waves at the beach. This is a slight departure from some of Tiesto's more trance-like tracks. With Disc Two's compulsive beats, you'll get speeding tickets if you listen to it while driving. 

While gearing up for this summer's gigs, Tiesto took some time to answer questions about life, the universe, and "in Search Of Summer 5."

And yes, we actually asked the world's best DJ if he plays weddings. 

Wolfie: You’re very personable in your website. There used to be a level of separation from famous people and their fans that added mystique. It seems that nowadays, people want to be intimate with their rock stars. Can you comment on your relationship with your fan base, and how you approach them?

Tiesto: My fans are really important to me. I try to do as much as possible for them, such as special parties where only the members from my website can attend. During my sets, I’m sometimes more busy with giving autograph than DJ-ing.

Wolfie: What do you love about your life--something that has nothing to do with the music scene? 

Tiesto: The thing I love about my life is that I get to see a lot of the beautiful places all around the world. It’s a gift that everywhere I come, people put me in fancy hotels and take me to the most special places of a country.

Wolfie: I love how upfront you are when a show works, or doesn’t work. You don’t hype things out of proportion, and it adds so much value to your blog. Can you tell me a short bit about tanking in Japan? Was there anything amusing in it? Any spinal tap moments? 

Tiesto: This year in March 20th was the first time I had a great gig in Japan. I’ve been there the year before and I played somewhere upstairs for like 20 people. They didn’t promote the show at all and the production was wack too. It wasn’t that amusing, flying all the way to Japan noticing that the promoter didn’t care. But this year finally I had an excellent Japan gig.

Wolfie: How do you stay sane, and not let things get to your head? Could you share how you handle fame, and still come off as the cool guy next door? Do you have a public persona that is different from your private persona?

Tiesto: I don’t feel famous. I’ve always been a popular guy at school because people like me as a person. And that’s how I still feel. People love me for my music not for anything else. Tiësto and me are one. I am very very grateful to everything that is happening to me. I just don’t understand why it has to go to your head when you achieve something.

Wolfie: You come across as completely humble in the press. I have heard you praise fellow DJs for their mixing, and it's common for you to refer to other DJs as better than you in certain areas. Could you comment on your view of yourself, and your fellow DJs? Who do you think has the best mixing skills in the world? 

Tiesto: I am a great mixer, super tight but when I am in the sound field of a club or venue I can’t mix that well because I have to put the monitors too loud. I refuse to do that because my ears are sacred to me. I rather mix less good and save my ears then bang the monitors so loud that I am deaf after one hour. Best mixing skill has James Zabiela without a doubt. This guy is amazing technically.

Wolfie: You are invited to a secret laboratory. A well funded company has decided to invent the next best piece of DJ gear, and have the technology and power to make it happen. All they need to know from you is, what should this piece of gear do?

Tiesto: Great in ears so DJ’s can mix without monitors but still hear the crowd going off so they feel the crowd's reaction.

Wolfie: Love Parade is back. What are your feelings about the event as a whole? Do feel it stays true to its roots as a parade about love, or has it gotten lost in the "let's party" atmosphere?

Tiesto: I am very proud to be part of the Love Parade in Berlin this year and that it’s back. It’s still about love.

Wolfie: what do you think the next logical evolution of DJs will be? More and more genres are switching to cd. It started with psy trance, now I go to gigs where the mixer is in the middle, then there are 2 cd decks on either side, and the turntables are shoved out to the edge of the table. It's only a matter of time before cds take over completely. After cds, what do you envision DJs using? Are we all going to be doing live laptop performances? 

Tiesto: Mixing with a laptop takes away a lot of the soul of DJing. Cds are fine, since you still touch the track and put it on. With a laptop mix you could check your e-mail while you are spinning, boring to watch from the crowd unless you do something completely different with it like live remixing tracks and stuff.

Wolfie: Your closest friend in the world has a child who just turned 18. The kid is absolutely set on becoming a DJ. You're at dinner, and have no choice but to give this young person advice on how to proceed. What do you tell them? 

Tiesto: I don’t think you can actually teach somebody how to become a DJ. You are born a DJ or it's just ok. Passion, crowd reading, charisma are things you can’t learn. Everybody can mix records or produce a decent track. So only when you really believe in yourself you can make it.

Wolfie: To storm the world stage as thoroughly as you have, you must have an excellent team behind you. Could you briefly acknowledge them? Who are the people behind the throne, and what is special about them?

Tiesto: I have a team in every city I go. I work with promoters who are all great friends. We all have the same goal: give the crowd the best time!

Wolfie: If you could invent one new music genre in the world, what would it be? What would you call this new genre, and could you briefly describe it?

Tiesto: House music, because that’s how it all started. Our scene got too divided with all this substyles. We should call the whole electronica scene just house music!

Wolfie: How do you like to create your schedule? Days touring, and days in the studio? Or do you prefer months touring, months back in the studio? Do you work on tracks on the road? If so, how do you make this happen? Can you share briefly about the gear you use to create with in the studio? 

Tiesto: I make tracks on the road, work with Ableton for that and Nuendo. It’s just rough ideas though, nothing I could play out right away. I love touring, be away for a month and live the dream, then come home and take time off in my hometown Amsterdam.

Wolfie: What is the coolest thing a promoter has ever done for you at a gig?

Tiesto: So many different things. A special one was a promoter who brought me to the gig in a helicopter, dropped me off on a boat and then cruised me to the DJ booth.

Wolfie: Is there someone in the world for whom you would DJ their wedding? If so, who?

Tiesto: Haha weddings are boring to play at. The people on the wedding are so divided that it’s hard to please them all. Your audience is from 5 to 85!

Wolfie: You're inspired by Dance 4 life. It seems a very good program, I'm curious what inside you resonates with this cause.

Tiesto: For me personally I feel it gives my life more depth to be involved in this good cause. I am really excited about it and I will give myself completely to make it a success!

Wolfie: Random one. How many languages do you speak?

Tiesto: Dutch, German, English, a bit of France and nonsense.

Wolfie: what could the American electronic music scene do to make itself better? Are there movements or things other parts of the world do that make for a better scene? 

Tiesto: You need radio and television support, then it will blow up big time!

Wolfie: Spirituality and music. Is there a part of your spiritual being that is fired up by music? What is your overall feeling about spirituality and religion? 

Tiesto: I am spiritual but not religious. Religion is the basic of a lot of wars in the world. I wish everybody could be just spiritual instead of religious and the world would be so much better.

Wolfie: Do you listen to any bands? If so, what live acts do you put on the iPod? 

Tiesto: I listen to lots of stuff, from Radiohead to Daft Punk and everything in between.

Wolfie: How many times do you listen to a mix after recording it, until you release it to the public? For instance, you put the headphones down after recording ISOS 5. how many times will you "check the mix" before you release it to the world?

Tiesto: I am not checking it, I just know when the feeling is good. The feel of the mix and the timing of the tunes is very important to me.

Wolfie: Were there any special tracks you absolutely wanted but couldn’t get licensed for ISOS 5? 

Tiesto: Haha, back in the days yes! Now, with a compilation selling over 500.000 copies everybody wants to be on it!

Wolfie: When you were mixing ISOS 5, what did you imagine? Were you seeing a sunrise on a beach, or were you simply thinking " , four, five, six, seven, eight DROP new track, two, three four five six...."

Tiesto: I think about beaches, pool parties, beautiful nights in exotic places and partying hard until the sun rises…

Wolfie: ISOS 5. So, what, you didn’t get it right the first four times, had to do a fifth one? Or are you just tired of thinking up new album names?

Tiesto: I like the concept behind the series and the fifth one for me is the best one. It’s representing Tiësto 2006 and proving I am still up there.

Wolfie: what’s the next big project brewing right now for you? Obviously the tours for ISOS 5, and all, but what’s in the planning stage after all that?

Tiesto: I am working on lots of new stuff, exciting! Wait and see, Tiësto’s best has yet to come.
 
Interview with DJ Tiesto @ Higherfrequency 20-03-2006
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This interview has been done with HigherFrequency ( http://www.higher-frequency.com ) at 20 March 2006

HigherFrequency (HRFQ) : It's good to have you here and thank you very much for your time.

Tiesto : You're welcome. 

HRFQ : Past visits to Japan, you've been here before and you've probably received a lot of gifts from a lot of fans. Where would you say is the place with the most die hard fan contingent from all the places in the world you have been?

Tiesto : In the world? That's hard to say, to name one country. There are a lot of countries who have die hard fans. Almost every country in the world like Hungary, Holland of course, England, South America and North America. For me it is very difficult to choose just one country because there are a lot of people from all over the place. 

HRFQ : So it's a general die hard contingent everywhere.

Tiesto : Yeah, well every country has a couple of hundred really really die hard fans and the rest are just good fans. But there are ones with whole bedrooms full of Tiesto sounds.

HRFQ : Obviously with an artist of your popularity you have a huge fan base but the flip side of that is the critical side. How do you cope with criticism of your sets, does it energize you or does it bring you down a little bit? How do you react to it?

Tiesto : I have only one saying, 'Criticism only hurts when it's true'. So, that's how I feel. If someone criticizes me I only take notice if it is grounded or true. I know exactly where I am as a DJ so it doesn't really affect me. 

HRFQ : It is an endearing philosophy. So, you play at huge venues, this is Ageha probably the biggest club in Japan. Do you ever get the chance to play for more intimate crowds, more intimate venues?

Tiesto : Yeah, sometimes because sometimes I do two nights in a row at a club. Like in Argentina last week I played on the Friday night at the opening of a new club which was very intimate and small and then on the Saturday night it was a bigger one. I a lot like that actually. I did an Eastern Europe tour last year where the night after I played in a small club for like 500 people and the night before for 10,000. 

HRFQ : Which one do you prefer?

Tiesto : Well, it depends because it's a totally different vibe. On the big shows I can just play all the big tunes and people love it, and it's a great energy. So, I think I prefer that. On the small shows you can play whatever you want and you can experiment a bit more. 

HRFQ : Last year in Ibiza you were playing every Thursday but this year you'll just be playing one gig. What influenced that decision?

Tiesto : Well I've been to Ibiza for seven years in a row playing every week. I get so many demands from people wanting me to play on all the islands in Europe. All the islands in Greece, Turkey, Spain and a lot of other islands so I thought for just one year I'd do only one gig in Ibiza and try to do all the other places as well. It is important because people have been asking for years for me to come and I just don't have time. So I want to make sure I have enough time for everyone.

HRFQ : Let's talk about Paul van Dyk, you know each other from Amnesia (Ibiza), and for the past three years running you've both been either number one or two on the DJ Mag Top 100. What's going on there, what is the magic with you guys? How are you are getting this popularity?

Tiesto : How are we getting this popularity? I don't know, we just DJ. I think we both have our own sounds, he plays a little bit harder than me. So on the nights [Amnesia] it works really well. I opened starting a little bit slower and then he starts at 145bpm. So it's a perfect to fit together on the night. I think we are just both very professional DJs. We both like the music and we go for it and that's why people like us.

HRFQ : You had the Olympic games, that was a huge event in Athens 2004 and obviously you've had DJ Mag's no. 1 three years running. What would you say has been your greatest achievement, the one you are happiest with?

Tiesto : Well the achievement I am happiest with is that wherever I go in the world, the club always sells out or the venue always sells out. There is such a big response from people and that is the biggest achievement for me. That is the most important thing. Like last night I played in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and it was like 20,000 people there. And it was amazing and I've only been to Malaysia once before. So to have that response is my biggest achievement in life. 

HRFQ : Brilliant. Now, you've had a lot of different jobs in the music industry; you produce, you obviously DJ. Again your most rewarding aspect within the industry, what is the most fulfilling side of it for you? 

Tiesto : The most fulfilling side in general? Well I just answered that question I think. I can share the music I'm very passioned about. The tracks I make, I play them out and they are really happy. I get letters about how it helps them in their personal lives and I'm very proud of that. This year I'm going to do a lot for good causes, to help in that way as well. For me that is very important too. 

HRFQ : You've mentioned that sharing music is one of the influences that brought you into DJing in the first place.

Tiesto : Yeah. 

HRFQ : A few years back there was the whole file sharing thing, and it's still going on. Do you see that as sort of a double edged sword? On one hand you get recognition but on the other hand the industry suffers. What's your take on the whole file sharing thing?

Tiesto : Well, it helped. For me it helped a lot. In the last five years, without file sharing I wouldn't be as big as I am now. So, I can only say positive things about it. But I do understand that a lot of people, especially new young artists, are suffering from people downloading and not paying for it. So, I think everybody should pay a little bit. If they really like a song then they should pay for it. Then everyone is happy I think. 

HRFQ : It's mostly the smaller labels who suffer.

Tiesto : Exactly, it's the good small labels. I mean the big rock artists make enough money anyway so if you download those guys... 

HRFQ : You almost feel vindicated doing it. It's like, 'you've got too much money!'

Tiesto : Exactly, then I guess it's ok for people who can't afford it. But if you can afford it you should pay anyway I think.

HRFQ : Something about DJ styles, obviously people pigeonhole music. This is that style, that is this. The word trance has gone hand in hand with your name for a while. We can't use the word progressive anymore, it's a swearword, it's gone.

Tiesto : Oh, it's already gone?

HRFQ : You get people hating you, you get slaughtered for using it. Is trance a dirty word, Tiesto? How do you react to it?

Tiesto : Well I think in general that is the problem with our scene, with our electronic dance music scene. We don't really have the names right for everything and that is why people are so confused. I play trance but it is not only trance and some people play house. Back in the day when I first started, people just called the whole scene house music and that was the best thing to call it. Now house music is just champagne music while trance music is more like rave music. It's just been too complicated. I'd like to call it just house music but other people think what I play is trance music. For me, the best way to describe what I play is the sound of Tiesto. When I play, people know I'm playing.

HRFQ : Tiesto music!

Tiesto : Tiesto music, the sound of Tiesto.

HRFQ : The sound of Tiesto, we have created a new genre.

Tiesto : Yeah, that's a new genre.

HRFQ : Would you agree that to be successful in this climate you really have to throw all kinds of genres into the mix?

Tiesto : I think so. You really have to build your own character. I mean, you see it in rock music too like U2 and the Stones are both huge and they are both rock music right. That's the same thing with dance music too. If you compare me to say Paul van Dyk, for an outsider it is maybe the same but it is really a very different kind of music. Or me with Erick Morillo or Deep Dish it's also very different. So I think we all have our own styles and that is why we are so famous.

HRFQ : There was a remix album you released on i-Tunes, solely on the digital realm. Obviously it is a way forward, but do you think that is going to spell the death of CD, the way CD might've done with vinyl? Do you think that they are mutually exclusive or can they work together?

Tiesto : They can work together, for now. But I think in the future, maybe ten years from now, no one is going to buy CDs anymore. It's all digital, it's the future. We are just in the big turnover at the moment, so it's just a matter of time.

HRFQ : Well we are pretty much done for questions so if you have a message you'd like to say to all the people who are coming to see you tonight, you can have a quick look into the camera. 

Tiesto : Like that? Hi, I'm Tiesto and I'm really happy to be here, and I hope tonight is going to be an epic night.

HRFQ : And it's been a pleasure to talk to you Tiesto, thank you very much.

Tiesto: Thanks.

 
Interview with DJ Tiesto @ SpringLove, Sat. 15 April 2006
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DJ Tiesto was back in Taiwan last Saturday, playing @ SpringLove 2006 and proving that he is still a master behind the decks. He turned the place into the greatest rave Taipei has seen so far, flowing in and out of his typical trance sound, mixing it up with more housy material - which is also the sound of the album he is promoting, In Search of Sunrise 5. TN's Bernard Pol and Rob Near were able to do an exclusive interview with Tiesto - who's a classy guy and a pleasure to talk with. He sat down with them until 10 minutes before he had to quickly grab his records and hurry into the DJ booth.


R: How's Asia going, by the way, Taiwan's what, your third gig?

 T: Taiwan is my last gig on this tour. Malaysia was yesterday... only Indonesia.   But so far, it's been really impressive, the whole tour. We've been to China, Thailand, Malayasia, all over the place, Singapore. All of them have been really, really good...

R: In Europe, the trance scene is quite developed, North America is still behind, where do you see Asia? Still developing?

T: Almost on the same level of Europe, really. Depends on where you go, though.   China in some places they really love it, other places it's still developing. And here in Taiwan, trance is definitely bigger than in Europe.

B: You've been here, how many times? You were here, like, two and a half years ago? At MOS and the World Trade Center at the time...

T: Yup, second time...

R: So you're here this time in support of In Search of Sunrise Vol. 5. Vol. 4 was released in 2005, why'd you feel it was necessary, or why did you want to follow up with Vol.5 in 2006 so soon after the last one?

T: I just wanted to do one CD once a year. And it's a DJ mix, so it's much easier than all my own productions. I wanted to do it before the summer because I wanted to make a summer feel kind of CD. If you release it after the summer, a lot of people are like 'Well it's winter now... so it's no good.'   So, yeah, that's why I decided to do it a little bit earlier.

R: A lot of people associate you with trance. You know, Tiesto: trance.

T: Trance! (yelling and laughing)

B: Epic trance! (laughs too)

T: Epic trance guy! (still laughing)

R: But you've always described yourself as having your own sound. Tiesto   sound. You can't really label it progressive, you can't really call it trance. In Search of Sunrise 5 is more chill... in 2006, where do you find your sound?   You've said before that it's been slowly progressing, where is it now? How's it been progressing in the past year?

T: Trance has always been the red-line in the music. The so called 'trance', you know, but anyway..... it's just melodic music that I like. Now it's getting   more housey. Housey trance.

B: Two and a half years ago one of the things we talked about was that you were looking for a new sound. Moving away from your typical, epic trance sound. One of the things you mentioned was that you were looking for new technology to make it possible. Has anything related to the technology that you use changed in the past two and a half years that you really see as a breakthrough?

T: Not that much yet. I've been looking at Ableton Live, but so far I'm not that impressed yet, with the whole program.

B: Why?

T: Because it doesn't sound that good. Basically, so far...

B: So what do you do? Do you make something in Ableton live, listen to it, and you're not that impressed? Why?

T: The midi clock inside is really bad... so it's hard to make everything tight. So, the sound isn't that good. The mixing, too. It isn't that tight. You lose creativity in the mixing too because everything is perfectly stepped. Yeah...

B: So what do you do to innovate? You're still on top of your game, very much. How do you stay there?

T: Well, it's coming more from the inside, nowadays, instead of from the productions or the tracks. Nowadays, people accept more and more, me playing all kinds of different stuff. If you listen to the new CD, there's very housey tracks on there. People are surprised, but they still like it. That's the huge difference between now and then... two and a half years ago. Less trance, more house. Yeah, I'm still developing the sound. In half a year, I'll know where I'm going. The   question is half a year too early.

B: Do you work with a lot of people around you? Producers? Other DJs? To   keep your sound flowing?

T: No, I always work with the same guy. For seven years. That's the main guy. I don't work much with others... The one time, I worked with BT at the beginning of this year. That was really inspirational for me. He's a brilliant producer. He's one of the best in the world, I think. He's such a, you know, multi-tasker. He's doing, like, ten things at the same time.

B: So, how did he change your productions?

T: Well, he hasn't yet. But he's going to. I've been touring for the past three months. Straight. I was with him in January, February. I'll be back in America in May. And I'll be back in June. And then, I'm going to really start working on my own productions again.

B: When can we expect to see your own artist album?

T: A new track in September. It's already half finished.

B: Anything you can tell us about it?

T: No, it's not finished yet. (laughs)

B: Any hints?

T: Yeah, it's going to be interesting. I've worked with a very famous guy on it.

B: Keeping it vague,eh? (laughs)
T: Yeah (laughs). But what's interesting about it, the money, it all goes to charity

R: What charity?

T: It's called Dance for Life. It's a community education program. At the schools.   They learn, the kids, to raise money for AIDS. And how to educate other kids how to prevent from getting AIDs. Like in Africa or in China.

R: Cool. We were talking about innovation just now. And I was reading a lot of reviews on In Search of Sunrise 5, and a lot of people were surprised by the CD; with the emphasis on vocals, but especially the way you structured the mix. Some people thought the tracks could've been put together in a different way... how do you choose your tracks?

T: It's very funny, nowadays, people. On the internet they can talk about the mix, about the way - they talk about how I should mix the CD. It's so weird to sometimes read stuff like that.

B: Do you read up on things regularly?

T: Well, not regularly, but I read sometimes. I like to read up on stuff like that because it's very interesting. Because they say 'the mix from track 1 to track 2' is horrible. And I'm listening to it, and I'm like, 'Well, yeah, it's   maybe on the edge. But that's my way of mixing. I always mix on the edge, you know?

R: That's another big, thing: a lot of people say that you're a risky mixer. You take a lot of risks in your mixes, rather than making it smooth. Do you see yourself as a risky mixer?

T: Yeah, I see myself as a risky mixer because I think if you mix very clean, that's great for like 3% of the audience, but the other 97% who don't have a clue about mixing tracks, they want to hear the mix. So, I like them to hear the mix, so they know there's a new track coming in.

R: Do you do that for yourself as well? Because staying on the edge is more exciting than doing the same, smooth mix?

T: Yeah, I like to mix like that. And I make mistakes, you know... every night. Every night I play I make, like, three or four, five mistakes.

R: When you play six hours I think three or four mistakes are allowed.

T: [But] on those communities, if you make three, four, five mistakes, you're the worst mixer on earth.

R: But they've never done it themselves.

T: Yeah, well I remember this sentence: "Criticism only hurts when it's true." And that's why I can read whatever they write. It doesn't effect me at all. I know what I want.

R: Yeah, you're in such a prominent position, that everybody has something to say about you. And some people are, naturally, jealous. How do you deal with that jealousy?

T: Well, you need to be strong for yourself. You need to know exactly where you are. If people criticize me for the right reasons, then I appreciate that. And then, try to work on that.

R: Well, how do you judge what're the 'right reasons'?

T: Well, I know where I stand myself. But sometimes you just read stuff, and it's total bullshit. And then, you look at what kind of people write it. You know, somebody who's a dedicated fan of, say, Sasha. Of course he hates Tiesto! It's not his music, right. It's like me talking about, uh, Dolly Parton. (laughs) It doesn't make any sense. On the internet, you have to look at who writes it and for what reasons.

B: What're some critics or sites you really read up on? Can you give us any examples?

T: I try to read on some websites, like tranceaddict.com.

R: Yeah, I was reading that website today, actually. You're a very controversial   figure on there.

T: Ahhh, good. It's good to be controversial. But most of the time, to be honest, if I'm on tranceaddict, I look at the reviews of the tracks. That's basically the only part I read there. And my own website because I think that the diehard Tiesto fans, they're writing on my website, as well. And the mixing, it was a big topic, I was checking out... what does this guy mean, 7 beats here. I wanna hear what he means. You know, maybe he's right, but that's just my style of mixing...

R: Take it or leave it.

T: Yeah, and if you listen to all my CDs, they have controversial mixes on there. Some people love it, some people hate it.One of the things I did get from the website was, a while ago, people were saying 'Oh, he is always so arrogant. He leaves right away from the gigs without signing autographs.' But most of   the time, I can't do that because the security tells me, 'You have to go out'. They freak out if I go in front of the stage, they're like 'That's how riots start, people fighting'. But now I try to change that, do a few autographs on the side. So, that's an example that I try to do something about....

R: True lot of people, you live a glamorous lifestyle. Fly all over the world, live in good hotels, be a VIP everywhere, etc. A lot of people want that, but you have it. What would you say to those people who want it so bad. Is it worth it, all the material things?

T: I'm not a very materialistic person, so I don't have a Ferrari or that kind of stuff. But what I do like about this lifestyle... every country you arrive in, they put you in the Presidential suite of a five-star hotel, give you the best food they can find, take you to the best sight seeing places. All that stuff, I love it. And that's definitely worth it. That's the only stuff I use. I still have the same car that I had three years ago. Audi A4, it's a good car.

B: I discussed the same topic with Ferry Corsten when he was here, how much does your success influence your music, your productions? How much do you   allow it to? Or is it still like when you were an unknown DJ, trying to make it to the top?

T: Well, it's definitely changed a lot. When you start, everything is new and refreshing, like scoring a goal. But after you've scored 200 goals, then, it's hard to get the same feeling.

B: How do you deal with that? You try to keep it exciting it for yourself, I'm sure.

T: Well, yeah, I've been in a bit of a slump. You know, after the Olympics, my motivation has been less because I felt like I fell into a gap. I achieved everything I wanted, three years #1 in DJ mag, etc.

B: So then what?

T: Then you fall into that gap, and then you're like, what's next? And then you wait, and you think about it. But now, after L.A. I'm fully inspired again. I'm on the way back, in terms of creativity. And in June, I'm back in the studio. I really love DJing.

B: So, what happened during that gap, you kept doing your shows... was it on automatic pilot?

T: Yeah, some shows are on automatic pilot, because during some shows people   expect you to play on automatic pilot. You do some gigs, they always expect you to play the hits. But the diehard fans from back in the days, they want   to hear new, fresh music.

R: How do you try to please everyone?

T: That's in my nature. To try to please everyone, as a DJ. That's what's very hard for me... trying to find a balance.

B: How do you find your balance? How do you keep it creative?

T: I just focus on myself. If I just be myself and do what I feel then I can't go wrong. If I'm not happy, then how can I make other people happy?
 
Interview with Tiesto in Bucharest
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On the 11th of november Tiesto came at Bucharest to mix for the Romanian fans that waited a year for him!!The concert was more than great and the Polivalenta Hall became very small at Tiesto's appearance on stage. Read the article at our website!

At his venue in Romania,at CEE TOUR,Tiesto,the DJ that has been DJ MAG TOP 100's winner for 3 years in a row ,has granted us an interview in which he tells how he became a DJ and what are his future plans.
-You are a dj and a producer. How do u prefer the public to call you ? Tiësto or DJ Tiësto ?
Tiësto:I prefer to be known as "Tiësto" because I like to believe that I am more than just a DJ. That's why I've decided it's better to give up the "DJ" title from my stage name few years ago. Also, I like it more this way.

-How long have you been a DJ and how have you started mixing?
Tiësto:I've started 20 years ago on a professional level, and ... the start was like any other DJ's : I started by buying vynils and planes on which I've learned to mix by myself.

-What was your first vyinil ?
Tiësto:Yellybean (with Madonna's voice, when she wasn't famous)

-What matters the most, not only for you, but generally, the mixing techniques or the track selection that every DJ does before an event ?
Tiësto:The track selection, the synchronizing and the mixing together do the difference between DJs.

-Why have you become a producer ?
Tiësto:I thought that it's time to make my own music so I bought the necesarry equipment, I also studied and i started to have my own songs.

- Can you which of yous tracks represents you the best ?
Tiësto:The sound of "Just Be" and the text of "I would say" represent me perfectly.

-What is your favourite artist from the ones you worked with ?
Tiësto:Everyone I worked with were real professional, and I enjoyed working with each of them, however, Matt Hales from Aqualung was one of my favourites, we worked together on the "In Concerts" album, on the "UR" track and his way of making music impressed me.

-You made a special track for the Olympic Games last year. Can we expect more of your songs that will be used this way ?
Tiësto:I would really like this. But everything depends of their requirements. I'd really like to produce more music for this kind of events.

-When do you think the trance genre will dissapear from music ?
Tiësto:When ??? Trance music will live on for a long time, but it's shape will constantly evolve. Trance is a very melodious genre that will resist in time. That's why this style of music is so appreciated.

-Now when digital music is in full ascension, do you think that vynils will dissapear soon?
Tiësto:Recently, even I gave up using vynils becauss cd-s offer some advantages that a vynil could never have : sound quality, they don't take much space, and they almost never hop, so ... yes ! I think this is the future, at least for me.

-Do you think Stanton equipment is useful in both the DJ and the producer work ? What do u appreciate the most in Stanton equipment?
Tiësto:Only the DJ headphones are useful in both cases and I appreciate then because they match what I do and they are high quality.

-What's your oppinion on the controversial problem of MP3-s ? What do you think about the free traffic of MP3-s on the internet and what did make this format so popular ?
Tiësto:I'm open to this kind of circuits, especially because now it's becoming more organized and some commercial downloading platforms have appeared. That means the rights start to come back to the author finally.

The concert at the Polivalenta Hall in Bucharest was a real succes and a great memory for the 10.000 fans that were shouting Tiesto's name and dancing on his music.It was a show that crossed over all the expectations,inclusively as time limit.Tiesto's set should have last 3h,but at his fans request who shouted his name at each will of Tiesto to leave the scene,the set lasted 45 min more,thing which drove crazy the fans from Romania. The most beautiful moments of the concert were during the most popular songs of Tiesto such as "Love comes again",when the crowd was singing at unison like it did at the final song which was "Just be".This was also the last song,unfortunately for the fans who were cotinuously applauding.