One of the annual highlights from the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) is the ‘Game Changers’ panel. This session brings together some of dance music’s heavy weights to discuss their careers and how they succeeded in the ultra-competitive business that is the music industry.
The 2014 edition of the panel saw Planet Rock producer Arthur Baker, DJ and label boss Paul Oakenfold, Jean Michel Jarre and Daniel Haver from Native Instruments come together to discuss their experiences. It's a pretty top level foursome as without them and their achievements, whether that be creating a production or piece of technology, it’s likely that the electronic music scene we now know would look very different indeed. Moderated by journalist Jonty Skruff, they discussed how they triumphed … and we were on hand to hear how…
Timing
Paul Oakenfold (PO) - Timing is always important whatever you do. When we first went to Ibiza people weren’t ready for the music at the time. We were mixing pop, with rock, indie and dance. The second occasion they were.
Be different
Arthur Baker (AB) - With Planet Rock, I thought we’d done something different and it was either gonna be a total success or a total flop. When we played that record in the club, everyone went mental. We didn’t have to promote it – it promoted itself by being played out all the time.
It stood out as it sounded like nothing else around. The sounds were strange and DJs loved it. All these people remember when they first heard it. It meant there was something about it that connected with all sorts of people.
Think big
Jean Michel Jarre (JMJ) - You have a vision and have no other choice but to follow it. You have to fulfil it, not just dream about it. We all share this approach to life. Some times I spend 70 percent of my time behind a synth. You only have one life, and you could start to wonder whether you're wasting it? The important thing is that you’re convinced of what you’re doing, no matter what the commercial impact of that is.
Don’t care what anyone else thinks
Daniel Haver (DH) - Some times we do stuff just because we think something is amazing. There are many situations where if people don’t get it, but we don’t care. We think it’s amazing and we love it.
In terms of my career, I never doubted that we’d get there and succeed in the end. It was so obvious to me. You just needed to acknowledge that the computer was the most exciting thing around. It was a question of time and convincing other people.
Obsession
JMJ - We are like craftsman. We are obsessed by one idea and have to push it until we had the exact results, like a man making a table. We are very far from the ideal table, so being stubborn we had to move on from that.
Passion and dedication
DH - One element we all have in common is passion and dedication. Let no one get in your way if you believe in it. Ask yourself whether you really believe in it and whether you’re into your vision. Passion is essential. If you’re not the person who can get up the next day after a failure, then you’re not that guy who deserves to win.
PO - I had this desire to be in the industry and never saw any boundaries. I didn’t see why a DJ should just play in a different country or a particular club. Naively, this is what I wanted to do and the way I wanted to do it. I just had this belief I was gonna do it and it was going to happen. Nothing distracted me from that. I don’t want to sound arrogant but If I doubted myself, it wouldn't have happened. I really believed in it.
Focus on your talents and don’t be distracted
AB - Don’t invest your own money in your projects. If your talent is music, focus on that. Establish yourself in one field and if you’re good at it, then stick with it.
Deadlines
AB - Deadlines are super important. Bottom line is without them you can go on forever. It helps to have someone else make deadlines for you and try and live with them.
In some ways it's the fault of technology as the more options you have, the harder it is to make decisions. I try to limit myself to two or three plug ins on a track otherwise the recording process could go on forever. That’s changed how people make music but also why people don’t finish music. The only reason I can finish music is a deadline. Back in the day when you were working in the record studio, you finished when you’d run out of money.
Work/DIY ethic
PO - I started putting on my own parties. I DJed and promoted it. So I say just go get involved and be part of it. Don’t just expect to turn up and play the music. Get out there, work it, and get someone else to help you.
Check out our highlights from this year's ADE.
The 2014 edition of the panel saw Planet Rock producer Arthur Baker, DJ and label boss Paul Oakenfold, Jean Michel Jarre and Daniel Haver from Native Instruments come together to discuss their experiences. It's a pretty top level foursome as without them and their achievements, whether that be creating a production or piece of technology, it’s likely that the electronic music scene we now know would look very different indeed. Moderated by journalist Jonty Skruff, they discussed how they triumphed … and we were on hand to hear how…
Timing
Paul Oakenfold (PO) - Timing is always important whatever you do. When we first went to Ibiza people weren’t ready for the music at the time. We were mixing pop, with rock, indie and dance. The second occasion they were.
Be different
Arthur Baker (AB) - With Planet Rock, I thought we’d done something different and it was either gonna be a total success or a total flop. When we played that record in the club, everyone went mental. We didn’t have to promote it – it promoted itself by being played out all the time.
It stood out as it sounded like nothing else around. The sounds were strange and DJs loved it. All these people remember when they first heard it. It meant there was something about it that connected with all sorts of people.
Think big
Jean Michel Jarre (JMJ) - You have a vision and have no other choice but to follow it. You have to fulfil it, not just dream about it. We all share this approach to life. Some times I spend 70 percent of my time behind a synth. You only have one life, and you could start to wonder whether you're wasting it? The important thing is that you’re convinced of what you’re doing, no matter what the commercial impact of that is.
Don’t care what anyone else thinks
Daniel Haver (DH) - Some times we do stuff just because we think something is amazing. There are many situations where if people don’t get it, but we don’t care. We think it’s amazing and we love it.
In terms of my career, I never doubted that we’d get there and succeed in the end. It was so obvious to me. You just needed to acknowledge that the computer was the most exciting thing around. It was a question of time and convincing other people.
Obsession
JMJ - We are like craftsman. We are obsessed by one idea and have to push it until we had the exact results, like a man making a table. We are very far from the ideal table, so being stubborn we had to move on from that.
Passion and dedication
DH - One element we all have in common is passion and dedication. Let no one get in your way if you believe in it. Ask yourself whether you really believe in it and whether you’re into your vision. Passion is essential. If you’re not the person who can get up the next day after a failure, then you’re not that guy who deserves to win.
PO - I had this desire to be in the industry and never saw any boundaries. I didn’t see why a DJ should just play in a different country or a particular club. Naively, this is what I wanted to do and the way I wanted to do it. I just had this belief I was gonna do it and it was going to happen. Nothing distracted me from that. I don’t want to sound arrogant but If I doubted myself, it wouldn't have happened. I really believed in it.
Focus on your talents and don’t be distracted
AB - Don’t invest your own money in your projects. If your talent is music, focus on that. Establish yourself in one field and if you’re good at it, then stick with it.
Deadlines
AB - Deadlines are super important. Bottom line is without them you can go on forever. It helps to have someone else make deadlines for you and try and live with them.
In some ways it's the fault of technology as the more options you have, the harder it is to make decisions. I try to limit myself to two or three plug ins on a track otherwise the recording process could go on forever. That’s changed how people make music but also why people don’t finish music. The only reason I can finish music is a deadline. Back in the day when you were working in the record studio, you finished when you’d run out of money.
Work/DIY ethic
PO - I started putting on my own parties. I DJed and promoted it. So I say just go get involved and be part of it. Don’t just expect to turn up and play the music. Get out there, work it, and get someone else to help you.
Check out our highlights from this year's ADE.
