Mash-up
Larry King Interviews Steve Aoki
Kostya V.
October 23rd, 2014
Electronic Dance Music has come to the attention of Larry King. That might mean EDM has reached the pinnacle and is now a “real” music genre. Recently Steve Aoki explained EDM to Larry King and his answers are enlightening for those who are not really sure what electronic dance music is.
Steve Aoki
Steven Hiroyuki aka Steve Aoki began his life in 1977 in Miami, Florida, and he is an American electro house musician. Aoki’s is also a music producer and promotes club music. He founded Dim Mak Records. His shows are highly energetic and in 2012 Aoki was the highest grossing electronic music dance artist in North America. Aoki’s studio albums are Billboard chart quality, and his Wonderland album was a nominee for a Grammy Award for best Dance/Electronica Album in 2013. His next release is Neon Future. Part one came out the end of September 2014.
Aoki started his career with the founding of his own label, Di Mak Records in 1996. Di Mak Records releases singles and albums from EDM artists including Felix Cartal and Bloc Party, MSTRKRFT, and The Bloody Beetroots. Aoki is also a club promoter and DJ. You can find some of Aoki’s magic under the name Weird Science. Steve Aoki sits on the board of Music is Revolution Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides music education support to the public schools.
Known for his acrobatic crowd surfing stunts in a rubber dingy, throwing cakes at fans and spraying the crowd with champagne bottles, Aoki performs his exploits in almost 250 shows a year. He toured on the Deadmeat Tour in 2012.
In 2014, Aoki continues to “lend” his music to commercials like Budweiser and Scion. His Back to Earth single was featured in the 2014 film Step Up: All In and his single Freak played in 22 Jump Street (2014).
Larry King
Larry King aka Lawrence Leibel Harvey Zeiger was born in 1933. He is an American television and radio host, voice artist, comedian and actor. He has two Peabody Awards and 10 Cable ACE Awards plus a plethora of other broadcasting awards including induction in the National Radio Hall of Fame.
King was featured on CNN with his Larry King Live in 1985. His range of guests were UFO conspiracy wackos to prominent politicians and entertainment celebrities. He is direct but non-confrontational and does ask easy and open-ended questions. His style is frank and punctuated with bursts of humor and irreverence.
Interview
Larry King asks Steve Aoki all the questions about Electronic Dance Music that those unfamiliar with this music genre would like to know.
What is Electronic Dance Music?
There are many types of dance music that includes hip-hop, big band, and EDM plus many more, according to Steve Aoki. EDM has grown from a small group of DJs playing remixes and electronic music in smoky clubs in Chicago to a multi-billion dollar industry.
Where did EDM or electronic dance music get its name from?
EDM is a fairly new and very American term. Steve Aoki believes the term became popular around 2010. In his travels around the world, Aoki claims he does not hear the term EDM. Overseas EDM is referred simply as dance music.
Larry King asks Steve Aoki if Las Vegas is the major EDM city.
Vegas is strong in EDM, according to Steve Aoki, and friendly to the sound. However, festivals are bigger, and events bring in huge crowds. Dance festivals are booming and feature many high valued DJs with awesome shows. Every show is designed to connect with the audience.
Aoki claims that playing before an audience of 10,000 is highly challenging but energetic. Playing music keeping the audiences’ attention and connecting to their dancing feet equals success. To Steve, playing music is talking. Get the audience hyped and use your music to engage with your fans. Do things that make your audience remember your show.
What makes EDM so energetic and popular?
According to Steve Aoki, one of the highest paid DJs claims Forbes magazine, showmanship, gimmicks, music and connection brings on the popularity. Aoki uses his gimmicks – cake throwing (only to those who ask for it), riding a rubber dingy across a sea of hands, and spraying champagne on the audience (only if they ask for it) to make his shows unique. He is remembered; his audiences love him!
What exactly is dance music? Is it the vocals?
The vocals are a side note. They underline dance music and provide subliminal messages. The real fun of EDM is the electronics, the mixes and the emotions.
Why is EDM intertwined with drug culture?
It is important to realize that anywhere there are crowds you will find drugs. It is not just EDM; it is everywhere. The message that needs to get across, claims Aoki, is that drugs are not cool at EDM events, festivals, or anywhere.
Larry King asked Steve Aoki about his background and who was his greatest influence.
Steve’s father was the catalyst behind the Benihana chain of restaurants, but he did not pass his wealth on to Steve.Steve tells Larry King that his father was his biggest influence and how grateful he is that he was taught to make his own way. (As a cute side note, Steve Aoki is a vegan and does not frequent his father Japanese steakhouses, except to eat the veggies).
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