| Bleu |
Markus Schulz
By Thomas Matich
Dec 11, 2007, 11:48
REAL DETROIT WEEKLY
Markus Schulz
Global Groovologist
When I called up Markus Schulz for an interview, I was greeted with a surprise: “Congratulations, you’re the eighth caller. That means you’ve won tickets to see Max Graham in Detroit!”
I was a bit confused and about to hand over my information when Schulz let me in on the joke. It was a nice change of pace, trust me, phone interviews can be the pits. But the Miami/Berlin trance DJ who's constantly touring the world, running a popular Internet radio show (Global DJ Broadcast) and crafting chart-topping remixes was a pleasure to chat with on the phone.
I read an interesting quote from you that said you felt you had to remind people that you were German.
I’ve lived in the States since I was 13, but when I got old enough, I started traveling back to Europe and, to be honest, I feel so at home in Europe and the United States. I tell people I feel like I’m a citizen of the world. I love meeting these different people, different cultures, different vibes. The whole world is just amazing.
What about Detroit?
I love Detroit, there’s so much history in Detroit and I know that the trance thing isn’t always the big thing in Detroit, but you feel that the music does touch people. I think Detroit is right on par with the rest of the world and with the Internet, it doesn’t matter where you are, everyone is getting connected to music at the same time. Before you would hear stories about the London DJs, Chicago DJs, but you couldn’t hear them spin, but nowadays you can hear it.
The club you’re playing in Detroit is an intimate venue. Do you prefer the small club or big outdoor festival?
I like both and it’s almost like the question that people ask me, “Do you like producing better or DJing better.” When I’m DJing, I’m always thinking I can’t wait to get in the studio because I get ideas. But when I’m producing, I can’t wait till I can play this out. It’s the same thing with clubs. When I’m playing in a small intimate club, I can take some chances and experiment a bit.
Did you see the gig Carl Cox played in Venezuela where there was a shooting?
Yeah, it’s very sad and I feel really bad for him. I hope that he’s okay mentally because that can really mess with you. It really made me think about the security at these places.
What do you think of Armin Van Buuren being named World’s #1 DJ?
I’m so happy for him, Armin and I have been friends since 1999 and I remember when he was this young Dutch kid just starting off. We laugh about it, but to see him grow and come so close the last four years, you know he works hard; he’s always on the road, always working on music, always working on the radio show. He’s really dedicated his life to the music and to see that the fans voted him number one — I’m proud of him.
Do DJs care about the rankings — does it matter?
It does, it matters to all DJs. I think the DJs that say it doesn’t matter to them are the ones who aren’t so successful on the list. The promoters all over the world pay attention to the lists and if you have a high ranking and you can fill up clubs, that kind of talk gets spread around the industry. It’s known out there who fills up the club and who doesn’t. | RDW
Markus Schulz • 12/15 • Bleu Room Experience |
|
|
