When it comes to global DJing superstars they don’t get much bigger than Armin Van Buuren. He recently celebrated a decade in dance music with the release of his 10 Years compilation, and he’s come a long way since DJs started canning his classic single Blue Fear in 1997. But his stock has risen even further in the past few years which have seen him ascend to the #2 spot on DJ Mag poll. With his famed A State of Trance radio show and compilation series, it looks like Armin is here to stay.
Armin: Good evening Australia! Hope everyone is good.
Lee Canning: Armin, the White Party is something new to Australia, what can we expect from your 6-hour sets in Australia? Music wise.
Armin: A journey through the latest in trance and progressive, mixed with a few classics. But the crowd decides where I go with my set!
dom101: Hey armin, where are you now?
Armin: Sitting in my office in Amsterdam!
CLuBbERCHICK21: I can’t wait to see you when you come to Perth, will be you playing a 6 hour set? Also where is your fave place to play in Australia?
Armin: Not sure if the venue opening times allow me! But it would be great to repeat what I did in ‘04.
pinkhelmet: Hi Armin it’s Rach from Sydney! Your set at Home nightclub in 2004 has gone down as one of your best sets most Aussies have seen, how will you top that this year??
Armin: Not sure! A gig is always something that needs interaction with the crowd, it’s not something you can plan for. I try to be ready for anything, but it depends on the crowd where I go with my set.
MixMasterMatt13: Hey Armin! Firstly, congratulations on the recent 300th episode of A State of Trance. Now, I didn’t have the chance to get to Armin Only last year, but I have the DVD and it looks like you’re having so much fun. How fun is your life!?
Armin: It’s the best job in the world!
Tiesto2007: Nice how’s the weather in Amsterdam 2day?
Armin: Very rainy actually! Had one of the worst traffic jams this morning cause of the bad weather. But it’s OK because it gives me time to spend in the studio.
Trancefreak_86: Armin, how was the gig yesterday in Groningen?
Armin: Absolutely amazing! The thing with the clocks didn’t really work out, but the rest of the show was amazing.
dom101: What did u think of the last time you were in Melbourne?
Armin: That was my best set of the tour! I just love that arena, cant wait to get back there.
awallis: I noticed in your Armin Only DVD that you were snacking on a big sushi platter between songs. Do you always like to have sushi at arms length when you play?
Armin: I’ll tell you a big secret, I didn’t eat any of that! As soon as the fireworks fired up the sushi was gone! Too busy with the set.
MixMasterMatt13: You’ve been coming to Australia once a year for a while now, but have only made it to Adelaide once. What can people in Adelaide do to get you to come next time you’re here?
Armin: Sadly, I don’t decide where I play, its up to the promoter. So you’d better tell them to bring me there!
SpaceAgePimp: Hi Armin – You must like Australia as you come here every year. Any thoughts of buying a property and living here part time?
Armin: If you check other interviews, you’ll see that I say that Australia is one of my 2 favourite countries in the whole world! And my parents will be moving there in a year. But right now the most convenient place is right here in Europe. But never say never, maybe one day.
awallis: What made you go with the White Party theme, instead of a more standard party?
Armin: It wasn’t actually my idea, it was Future Entertainment. But I’ve played quite a few white parties over my career and it definitely adds to the atmosphere.
awallis: Do you still come up against the prejudice a lot that trance music is cheesy?
Armin: There seems to be something wrong with the label trance – everyone seems to have a different idea of it. To me it still means edgy underground music, but to others it’s the commercial stuff that you hear on top 40. The fact that the meaning of the word keeps on changing means that it’s a hard thing to discuss!
hagji: What do you mean by, depending on the crowd?
Armin: The atmosphere in the club is the reason why I’m there! Otherwise you could just put on a CD and listen to that. It depends on the atmosphere that’s present on where I go with my set, how they respond to the music I’m playing.
ozcar: Armin, we have seen you be an active supporter of Australian producers. Who do you like right now in terms of production and can we expect to hear you play some home grown tunes when in Oz?
Armin: Definitely! There’s a big track right now called Durado from Mike Nichol, and it always goes down well in my sets.
dom101: Is it true that you are also a lawyer, and if so, where do you find the time? Dom from Melbourne.
Armin: I did finish my law degree! But I’m not a lawyer in the classic sense of the word. I’m a full time DJ and musician.
magia di musica: Hi Amrin, I’m Kylie from Brisbane… I was just wonder what age you got into DJing… and what was the inspiration that lead you to where you are today?
Armin: My mum told me a story that she gave me a turntable when I was four! But I started fulltime in my college years in 95, but finally went professional in 99.
Lee Canning: You DJed at a party called two tribes in Perth several years ago, Mauro Picotto was absent and the lesser known Armin played for a bit longer, and it was the best DJ set many of us had ever seen, at the end you jumped in the crowd, feel free to do that again in 2 weeks time!
Armin: Haha I don’t do that very often! It freaks my manager out LOL
CLuBbERCHICK21: are you glad that you won’t be playing in a really hot tent like you did at Summadayze ‘05 and Two Tribes 06 in Perth?
Armin: Yeah, because I do like playing in clubs and if a tent is too hot it doesn’t really add to the atmosphere. But that was a great gig still, and the Perth crowd is amazing, I know a lot of people from Perth who listen to my show.
pinkhelmet: You have been in one of our magazines in full colour advertisements for Sensation White, will you be touring again with them at a later date?
Armin: Nothing has been confirmed yet as far as that goes. That’s a concept of IDT, while I’ve got my own career. It’s definitely possible, but at the moment I’m happy to be working with Future Entertainment.
Raveliner: What’s the strangest thing a fan asked for?
Armin: To sign his brand new white BWM! It had white leather, which is not my preference, and he wanted to me to sing it with a permanent marker!
SpaceAgePimp: Armin – in the last 4 years or so you have gone from being a well kept secret of music aficionados to now the # 2 ranked DJ in the world by DJ Mag. Has the increased popularity made a difference to the way you perceive your job, or is just business as usual on a larger (and more busier!) scale?
Armin: It does put a little bit more pressure on your shoulders, but I didn’t vote for myself – the fans did, which I’m grateful for. But I’m still the same guy, and I’m happy with what I’m doing. I’m still playing trance even though its been declared dead 6 times!
Bartas: Armin, the dates that I’ve seen thus far at Armada @amnesia, it says your playing every week, except for the 31st July, do you know if you’ll be playing that night as well, as I’ll be there during that week?
Armin: No I won’t be there sorry! Simply because I’ll be having one weekend off unfortunately.
Trancefreak_86: Armin I know you are a busy man. But do you think its possible to update your diary a little more often? I love to read your diaries. Gives me a great feeling do read a personal note of a DJ.
Armin: You’re right, I have to work on that more often. Today even! But maybe its better that spend time in the studio rather than spending time writing a diary ;)
pinkhelmet: Do u read your myspace page? My friends seem to think it’s not you who sometimes replies!!
Armin: I do when I have some time! But a lot of time my assistants in the office manage my MySpace page. I have 1,000 new members every week, so it’s impossible for me to do it all. But it’s definitely either me or someone who works with me.
Tiesto2007: When do you leave for the Australian tour?
Armin: Next week, Tuesday! I wanna be fresh so I’m flying in two days earlier. I’ll be resting up and getting over the jetlag and working on edits for the show.
eliastawk: Will you be signing CDs after the show?
Armin: If there’s time, and if the security lets me! Sometimes the promoter likes me to leave so everyone else does, otherwise I will always sign CDs.
Lee Canning: Can you tell us how it feels to play one of your own tracks to a big crowd and see that it makes everyone fell so good? Something emotional like serenity must feel good to play.
Armin Yeah, amazing! Very simple.
Gwatto: Armin can you give us any details about your new productions with Jennifer Rene? Can we expect to have a taste during your Australian sets?
Armin: No not yet! I’m working on them. I’m keeping my new album under wraps, but watch this space.
magia di musica: Armin, what can people expect from your Gold Coast set at the Bedroom? Anything big planned?
Armin: Basically, again it depends on the crowd. But last time I played the Gold Coast they were up the big room trance sounds! I’ll be playing some of my new ASOT CD and some new tunes from me, but it depends on the crowd.
dom101: You have some pretty intense gigs (6 hour sets, 3-4 days in a row) how do you handle it? Do you ever get tired?
Armin: I get tired from traveling and lack of sleep, and not going to the gym. But I never get tired of playing! You can wake me up and put me behind the decks and I love it. If you really connect with the crowd then all the time just goes away, I want to play.
dom101: Which of your own songs gets the best reaction from the corwd?
Armin: hard to say! Sail maybe, Love You more, Shivers and Communication also get a very good response.
magia di musica: What advice do you have for aspiring producers, what software do you recommend they use?
Armin: I really like Ableton Live! I would start with that. Personally I also use Logic and QBase sometimes, but Albelton is a good place to start. But it’s not about the kitchen, its about the chef.
pinkhelmet: What’s the best event you’ve ever played at?
Armin: I must say my own event! Naturally LOL. We had everything set up perfectly and in sync with the music, vocalists, live acts, a curtain that was drawn etc. We had everything!
Tiesto2007: What advice do you have for aspiring DJs?
Armin: My advice is to make your own productions and send them to Armada ;) And do something that’s unique, look at some of the other DJs that you respect for inspiration but don’t copy them 100%. A good example is Eddie Hallowell; he does something that hasn’t been done before. Be unique! Do something that hasn’t been done before.
CLuBbERCHICK21: Where do you think trance is heading in the next few years?
Armin: Trance has always been there, it’s been there since 91 but it will always reinvent itself too. At the moment we’re seeing lots of different influences from minimal and electro.
plan-b: How do you deal with all the late nights, when do you catdch up on your sleep?
Armin: Oh there’s plenty of time! During the week when normal people go to work, I always catch up then. I like going for runs with my iPod, I listen to something different than dance music.
markinoz: Hey armin I’m a flight attendant and fly all over the world to catch your sets… you must fly more than we do though with you schedule?
Armin: Yep a lot! I’m a platinum member on four alliances, that should say it all LOL
Ahowlett: How do you define going professional?
Armin: I think when you start a company and start invoicing people! But after everything over the last couple of years, what I do is still a hobby for me.
Junior: Why white? Is it a secret pagan party with virgin sacrifices? Or is just because it will look really cool?
Armin: White is not essential, but it’s cool if everyone wears it. It makes for a great atmosphere, it definitely adds to the vibe of the party
plan-b: I remember reading that you got the nickname Switch Ferry because when you first started u were going b2b with Ferry Corsten, what era was that?
Armin: I’ve only played three or four b2b sets with Ferry, but it might have been in 2001? Who knows, it might happen again in the future.
Tiesto2007: will you do a State of Trance in Australia?
Armin: It could easily be! But not this time though sadly.
Trancefreak_86: Armin, where do you buy your shirts? I know you have a lot of ICEBERG shirts and also some other brands? I work in a store in Rotterdam where they sell these kinds of brands :P
Armin: Oh dear, people watch what I wear now… LOL!! I get them everywhere and nowhere, I have a few sponsors but I go shopping too. I look for something unique…
ahowlett are you going to stay in Australia for a while after your weekend gigs, or are you off to play overseas immediately
Armin: I’m gonna have a holiday of a week after the tour. My parents used to live there, and they’re be going back after I leave! My dad works as a doctor in WA.
Raveliner: Are there plans for another Armin Only in Rotterdam this year?
Armin: Plans and dreams, but nothing is concrete yet!
Tetsuwan: As you say, trance has been declared dead 6 times now (or more depending on who you ask), who keep declaring this and why? Clearly it isn’t dead.
Armin Very good question! I think what happens is that lot of labels call their music minimal or electro when it actually sounds like trance to me, a lot of the stuff on Beatport for example. People are afraid to call it trance which is silly!
SpaceAgePimp: When you play, I am just blown away at how beautiful the music is and how alive it makes me feel. Does it ever occur to you that complete strangers (all over the world) feel a connection with you based on how fantastic your music is? Is that a funny feeling?
Armin: It’s the biggest honour you can have! I’m honored that you say that, it’s the whole idea behind what I do.
Lee Canning: For us producers out there, can you tell us of any particular synths you like to use? Or is it a secret? :)
Armin I love the synths in Logic, I basically use all of them. But again, it’s not about the kitchen, rather its about the chef. But because of all the plugins out there, you don’t need a lot of money to make good music anymore.
ahowlett: For Australian trance DJs, who often struggle to play lesser known records in their sets, what advice can you give to getting a bigger reaction from the crowd to some newer releases?
Armin I have a radio show, that helps! It’s like that everywhere in the world actually, it’s all about finding the right rhythm from the crowd. Some DJs think its just about the crowd having their hands in the air for the whole time, but doing that for 6 hours takes a lot of energy ;)
ArminFan55: Hi Armin, just wanna know, if trance music is supposed to be somewhat of an underground music, doesn’t having a radio show take away that certain aspect of it?
Armin: What’s underground? Who defines that? ;) I’m exposing music to al lot of people, I don’t think that takes away from it. It’s very hard to define that, its similar to the genre discussion.
wheelie: I’m a big fan, so don’t be surprised if you see a guy in a wheelchair with 1000 flashing white fairy lights on the back, not to mention two small mirror balls hanging on the front of me, dressed in white! Are you surprised at the effort of people at your parties with dress up?
Armin: Yeah it does, it always makes me smile! It’s a great honour, it shows that these people are in the middle of the spotlight. I’ll look out for you ;)
Thanks guys! Thank you very much for the questions, I’m looking forward to coming back to Australia. I’m actually already getting nervous in preparation for my set ;)
Thanks guys!
GroovyGeo says...
please can you do another Perth Show because there are loads of us that missed out and that sucks!! PLEASE PLEASE!!! Thank You....