Exclusive Interview: DJ Dan

We’ve added an exclusive interview with DJ Dan, who remixed “Precious”, to our features.

Don’t miss it!

DJ Dan is one of the biggest and most revered DJs in the world today. Embraced by fans worldwide, he is having the success that so many DJs aspire to. Aside from his busy DJ schedule and making his own music, he has been churning out remixes for the likes of New Order, The Pussycat Dolls, and Depeche Mode.

DJ Dan had some really insightful answers to some questions from Empty World 3’s Element about his remix for Depeche Mode’s Precious. He speaks about his process of remixing, being a fan of Depeche Mode, and also about his new double disc mix CD Lift.

Enjoy!

You find yourself in the position of being a successful DJ who is now moving into remixing, was remixing a goal you planned for yourself or was it more of a natural progression of what you were doing as a DJ?

Remixing was not my original intention as a dj. I have been Remixing for major artists such as A Tribe Called Quest, New Order, Carl Cox, The Pussycat Dolls, etc. since 1993. I have learned more in the studio by remixing other artists than I have producing my own original tracks. It is amazing how much you learn when you are remixing other artists works. You are forced to think outside the box of your own production style because you are given a whole new pallet of sounds that you can choose from. I start by creating my own beats and sounds and combine them with sounds and vocals that I like from the original track and then I create my own vibe with it. With the Depeche Mode remix, I did the same thing but then I went and sampled People Are People, Fly On The Windscreen, and one other track that I will let you pick out for yourself, if you did not already catch it, and then I made the samples a part of the beat and rhythm track. It’s great to dj but when you can do a remix for a band that you have worshiped for so many years, it’s a huge honor.

When you are deciding on what direction to take a remix, how do you try to stay true to the original song while incorporating your signature sound into the track?

You always have to decide how much you love the original song. On Precious, I loved the original so much that I had to honor the song by using all the vocals and choose my favorite sounds that worked with my beats. It came together so easily and that’s when you know it’s going to be a great remix. I always make sure that I have my signature sound in all my remixes because it still has to have my sound in tact.

How were you picked to remix Depeche Mode? Also, was there a specific sound that was requested of you for the remix or did you have the freedom to take Precious in the direction you wanted?

I was picked by the label to do the remix because my friend who works there knows how much I love the band. I was allowed to do whatever I wanted on the remix. I wanted to do something deeper and darker than my previous remixes from the past and I was very proud of the final mix. I wanted it to have my sound but to also be very “Depeche Mode” with a very driving, funky tribal sound. I have actually hung out with Martin Gore years ago in the back VIP room at Spundae in San Francisco. He and I have a very close mutual friend in common and the experience that night was unforgettable. We played pool and then he sang songs about death to us for 30 minutes and it was so surreal.

Your remix for Precious featured some of their old songs sampled in, was that something you added as a fan of Depeche Mode or did you explore their back catalog to find sounds that would work?

I intentionally sampled some of their old songs as a sort of “Tip of the Hat” to the band. It was out of being such a long time fan and because I got full clearance to do so. I could never sample them in any other situation so I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. I knew that I must do it with style though and everyone seemed to really love it.

Dave Aude was involved with your remix for New Order’s “Krafty”, was he also involved in your remix for Precious? If so, what roles did you both take in the production process?

Dave Aude is my engineer for all my major remixes. I prepare all the beats and sounds before I go to Dave’s studio and then we pull everything up in Pro Tools and then go from there. His studio is the only one I trust with the major remixes because the sound quality is pristine.

Depeche Mode is a band with a long lineage of people who have remixed them in the past 25 years. Names like DJ Shadow, Francois Kevorkian, and Deep Dish to name a few. Did you find the thought of that a little overwhelming or did you like the challenge of it? Also, do you feel pretty honored to now have your name included in such a prestigious remix discography?

I really never thought of who had remixed them before. I was more intimidated by the thought of the band liking the remix more than anything. I do feel very honored to be a part of the Depeche Mode remix discography.

Did you get any feedback from the band? If so, what was their reaction to the mix?

I never got a final word from the band other than they declined some of the remixes and approved mine right away. That was enough said for me.

Have you been playing your remix in your DJ sets and how did the dance floor react to the remix?

I have played the remix in my sets and have been really blown away as to how many people already know my remix. I have gotten more positive feedback on this remix more than anything else I have ever done in my career.

You have a new double cd out now called “Lift”, what can you tell us about the new cd?

I really got to tell 2 different sides of my sound on this one. I feel that cd1 really represents the first part of my sound when I am getting the crowd in the mood and then it really drives it home on cd2. I got really involved in the artwork as well and it was a really great experience for me overall. I think this is the best compilation I have done in years and I am really happy with the final product.

Aside from “Lift” and your DJ schedule, do you have new remix projects you are working on and can you share any of the details of what they might be?

I have just released “Love For The Weekend” and will be releasing “Baked From Scratch” sometime in January. Both tracks I produced with Hatiras. I have 2 more releases “Bam” and “Illectrolingus” that will be coming out on my own label Instereo early in the new year. I have a couple other remixes pending but I do not want to mention them until the deals are finalized.

For more information on DJ Dan, please visit www.djdan.com

Interview by Glen. (C) Empty World 3. Do not steal this article without giving full credit and a link! Photo appears courtesy of djdan.com