Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on April 2013
New Order veteran, Madchester maverick and indefatigable impresario Peter Hook’s travelling Hacienda festival returns to the Prince Hotel’s Oiso digs on the beach south of Yokohama. Ahead of the weekend poolside party, Metropolis caught up with two of the headliners, who collectively represent two generations of electronic dance music.
Producing and remixing for the likes of Beyonce and David Guetta, Dutch producer Afrojack is one of the EDM scene’s latest superstars.
Less than three years ago, you were almost unknown outside of Holland. Surely, there must be moments when it’s hard to take in?
If someone told me this three years ago, I would be laughing at them. But everybody likes my tracks so that feels really good. And I still like doing this so I’m going to do this as long as I live.
How much do you feel you owe to your 2010 breakthrough smash “Take Over Control”?
A lot. I knew it was a good track and it was going to be big, but I could never have guessed it was going to be this good! I owe a lot to this song.
You’re renowned for your tireless work schedule. Does your agenda never wear you out? Never.
Bookings are good to have people listen to new tracks that I just finished in the airplane while going there. So I can see if people like the song or not. I use the people to check if the track is good, or if I have to throw it away or change something.
Over the last couple of years you’ve gone from working with David Guetta to remixing Madonna. Do you see your musical tastes continuing to expand, or do you feel like you want to focus on narrower musical spaces in the future?
I don’t know. When people ask me to remix a song, I only do it when I like the song. And there are a lot of different music genres that I like.
Your Japanese fans are hotly anticipating your return to a region whose dance scene has been stunned by the ubiquitous “Gangnam Style.” Is there any truth in the rumor that Psy may feature in one of your upcoming projects?
I don’t know. I made a remix already of Gangnam Style but I don’t know if I’m really going to work with him. But you never know.
Is there anything different about playing in Asia compared to Europe and North America? Everybody is crazy during parties. But in Asia they are almost always crazier than in Europe and North America. They don’t stop screaming and yelling.
You’ve been working with some absolutely huge superstars recently, such as Beyonce, Chris Brown and David Guetta. Is there ever any added pressure producing tracks for artists who can’t seem to get any bigger?
Yeah of course, but I want to give the people a lot of different variations of music genres and give the artists I’m working with a new audience and great new songs! It’s really great to work with them as well. You don’t meet Chris Brown or Beyonce everyday.
You weren’t born when the original Hacienda nightclub opened its doors in Manchester in 1982. Do you know much about the Madchester scene?
I don’t know a lot about the Hacienda. I knew it was very important and that it changed the music landscape.
Your own label Wall Recordings has some excellent Dutch artists. Tony Wilson’s Factory Records was instrumental in Manchester a hotbed of dance music. Will you make a similar impact?
I hope so. We see that a lot of Dutch DJs doing well worldwide. I hope that one day people will say it started with Wall Recordings.
With the 30th anniversary of New Order’s “Blue Monday,” Peter Hook recently mentioned he’d like producers from the current crop to remix the track. Would you be interested?
That would be great. I don’t really know what kind of track it would be because it depends on my mood. But I probably will make it bigger, harder and better!
Is there anyone in particular you are keen to see at this year’s festival?
I want to be surprised when I’m there but I know some tracks of John Digweed and Digitalism, so I really want to check them out when I’m there.
