David Guetta’s ex-producer also talks to MTV News about teaming up with Perry Farrell for Lollapalooza. By Adam Stewart Joachim Garraud Photo: Getty Images If you’re familiar with David Guetta , then you’re probably already familiar with Frenchman Joachim Garraud — even if you didn’t know it. In fact, Garraud’s largely responsible for what is widely considered a house music primer for today’s aficionados: Guetta’s 2002 mega-smash album, Just a Little More Love. Guetta fans also may be unaware that Garraud co-produced and wrote many of the album’s marquee tracks, including the title cut and “Love Don’t Let Me Go.” But Garraud’s hits don’t stop there. Joachim is also responsible for the ’04 club smash “The World Is Mine” and, perhaps most notably, one of the first and biggest club-friendly tracks to hit mainstream U.S. radio, 2007’s “Love Is Gone.” Now, after spending nearly a decade as a key player on Guetta’s production team, Garraud has stepped out on his own, putting out his second studio album, Invasion 2011, and heading out on a world tour. “We made tracks on production for three of David Guetta’s albums, and that was a pretty long and very cool story,” Garraud told MTV News recently in Miami. “[But] we stopped working together a few months ago, as [Guetta’s] choice was to focus more on the U.S. market by working with a lot of vocal artists. I was not very excited about this choice as a DJ. I was thinking that it’s maybe moving a little too far away from [that] area. But his choice was good. I mean, look at how successful the David Guetta project is!” That’s not to say Garraud has left behind his original style and influence. When listening to Invasion 2011, one can distinctly hear what his contributions to the various Guetta projects have been. His edgy, stab synths, the bone-crushing low ends, his superb timing and use of a wide range of effects and filters, all with the surgical precision we would expect from a producer of his ilk, bring all of the elements together for a thumping, underground, infectious set of grooves meant to take the listener back into the club. “I’m very excited about this new album, Invasion 2011, because it’s very focused on the DJ thing; it’s really for the DJ,” he said. “It’s not really [meant] to be played on the radio, because all the tracks are meant to be massive on the dance floor.” Steering clear of the mainstream-radio crossover vibe, Garraud hand-selected vocalists and collaborators who would fit his signature sound. “I worked with Roland Clark on a track called ‘Stop’ and another, ‘Bang Bang,’ [and] a girl named Ze from Kuala Lumpur [on ‘I’m Invaded’].” (Clark is known for his vocals with acts like Fatboy Slim and Prodigy.) Garraud also paired up with Black Eyed Peas super producer and touring DJ, Poet Name Life, on “Everybody Is in the Place,” which was most recently remixed by AutoErotique. The quality of Garraud’s collaborators and remixers garnishes the album with an array of future sounds. However, his reach and ability extend beyond the studio and the DJ booth. Partnering with Jane’s Addiction frontman and Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell, the duo are bringing electro to the big stage. “When Perry saw [my set] at Lollapalooza Chicago last summer, he was shocked. So [he] came to me and was like, ‘OK, I want exactly the same. You have to produce tracks for me and produce video and produce the show,’ ” he recalled. Garraud was humbled by the ask, and the wheels were soon set in motion. “We’ve produced 12 tracks together, and all the tracks are very cool, because the lyrics are so cool. He sings all of the tracks with his heart, so they’re very beautiful tracks, and on the dance floor, it’s very, very powerful.” Garraud and Farrell recently took the stage at Chile’s inaugural version of Lollapalooza, where the DJ/producer helmed Perry’s stage show, putting together the music, tracks, video and what he refers to as the overall “stage attitude.” Garraud said fans will get to see their set on the Chicago leg of his tour and, possibly, on a future iteration of the Lollapalooza festival in Europe. In the meantime, he can be seen next on Saturday at the increasingly electro-friendly Coachella music festival , alongside a flurry of other big name DJs, including Axwell, Steve Angello, Laidback Luke, Skrillex and many others. What do you think of Joachim’s Invasion 2011 album? Let us know in the comments below! Related Videos Pump Your Fist For Miami Music Week Related Photos Miami Music Week Related Artists Joachim Garraud
‘It’s a track I designed just for my shows,’ DJ/producer tells MTV News of the Miami Music Week banger. By Adam Stewart Swedish House Mafia’s Axwell Photo: MTV News After a tremendous showing during this year’s Miami Music Week, both as a solo artist and with his Scandinavian brethren in Swedish House Mafia, Axwell released his long-awaited solo track “Heart Is King” on Monday (April 4). Axwell’s fans — and MTV News — have had their eyes and ears peeled for this latest release since he first teased a crowd with it at the Montreux Sundance – Electronic Music Festival in Switzerland last May. The new track is classic big-room Axwell, garnished with spine-tingling strings and a driving, progressive riff. “It’s kind of a neo-classical type of thing,” Axwell told MTV News when we caught up with him in Miami. “It’s a little like filtered house, and it has this break, [and] a pretty classical type of melody. There’s no vocal or anything. It’s just like a track I wanted to get out there, something I wanted to get off of my chest for a while. It’s a track I designed just for my shows, and [especially] when it’s a big show.” “Heart Is King” got a series of live plays at MMW’s biggest shows, including Axwell’s solo night at LIV, Swedish House Mafia’s Masquerade Motel: One Night Stand and Steve Angello’s Size Matters showcase, which closed out Beatport Beach. And it was without question one of the week’s biggest tracks, eliciting roars from the crowd each time it dropped. Of course, Axwell has a reputation for bringing it big, and his latest cut is right up there in epic-ness with the other songs from his extensive catalog like “Feel the Vibe” and “Nothing but Love.” “Heart” is likely to be just the first of a slew of major Miami tracks to come out of the SHM camp, joining Tim Mason’s “The Moment” (set for an April 6 release on Angello’s Size imprint) and the trio’s new single “Save the World,” whose release date has yet to be announced. All of the new tracks coming from the Swedes and their signees incorporate innovative sounds that vibe with the ever-morphing house-music flavor. As demonstrated on “Heart Is King,” Axwell keeps the music fresh but also skillfully harnesses other genres. “There will always be certain subgenres coming up and down,” he said. “But at the end of the day, it’s all about the love and the house music and just bringing it! People always come back to mama. They go around, venture around — dubstep, tribal, drum and bass. At the end of the night, when they wanna come home? They come back to house!” Fans can download the track at Beatport.com . Did you get to hear Axwell’s “Heart Is King” live in Miami? Let us know what you think in the comments below! Related Artists Swedish House Mafia
Thousands of ‘mau5-heads’ gathered downtown for a massive, progressive-house set. By Stephen Alex Vasquez Deadmau5 performs at Ultra Music Festival Photo: David Rojas/FilmMagic MIAMI — We all know Joel Zimmerman, a.k.a. deadmau5, knows how to put on a hell of a show, like when he graced the stage at that little event known as the MTV Video Music Awards. His live production is both exciting and intricate, including a massive new LED lighting setup, token mau5 head, and that awe-inspiring cube. And it was no different when MTV News hit up the Ultra Music Festival on Sunday (March 27). Deadmau5’s amazing stage setup is part of why he stands apart from other acts — that as well as his excellent production value and impeccable transitions during live performances. We hit up day two of the Ultra fest to see what new tricks deadmau5 would have in store. This year, tens of thousands of mau5-heads were greeted to a very minimal, progressive-house opener. The mood shifted once the hypnotic Sofi dazzled the stage alongside rocker/boyfriend Tommy Lee, who was drumming to the smash “Sofi Needs a Ladder”; the song was followed by his dubstep-infused thumper “One Trick Pony.” The performance shifted in tone and energy throughout the set, hitting classic mau5 bombs like his Rob Swire vocal edit of his break though hit “Ghosts N Stuff.” The large set, combined with stunning visuals and the energy from the 50,000 or so fans in attendance was only heightened by the Downtown Miami backdrop. Deadmau5’s Ultra Music Festival 2011 was a night for him to shine and, no doubt, one for the ages. Be sure to stick with MTV News for more on Ultra Music Festival and the rest of the action during Miami Music Week! Related Videos Pump Your Fist For Miami Music Week Related Photos Miami Music Week
DJ says he and Kanye are still tweaking ‘Lost in This World’ remix. By Akshay Bhansali Tiesto Photo: MTV News MIAMI — When MTV News caught up with house music producer Dirty South Saturday afternoon (March 26) as part of our coverage of Miami Music Week, he was still beaming from a blessing he received the night before. Tijs Verwest, known to millions of fans around the world by his stage name Ti
Miami Music Week continues with one of EDM’s best. By Adam Stewart Kaskade Photo: KirillWasHere.com MIAMI — It was another big night at Fontainebleau’s LIV nightclub, where Miami’s A-list once again turned out to champion one of dance music’s best. After Laidback Luke’s “Super You & Me” party featuring Skrillex on Wednesday night and an epic set by Swedish House Mafia’s Axwell on Thursday, the room was redecorated and the stage was set to host a full night devoted to none other than Kaskade. Kicking off his day with a surprise guest set at Pete Tong’s BBC Radio 1 Pool Party at the Surfcomber, Kaskade (born Ryan Raddon) arrived at LIV fully warmed up by the energetic bikini-clad crowd. The line stretched out into the street and the venue was jam-packed with diehard fans lucky enough to get on the right side of the velvet rope of one of Miami Music Week’s biggest shows. Mid-set, a tripped fire alarm caused a brief intermission while the system reset. The crowd, however, egged on by Kaskade’s impromptu storytelling and comedic sense on the mic, began their own frenzied chants, including the hook from the circa-2000 techno hit “Kernkraft 400” by Zombie Nation, a moment that sparked nostalgia for more than just a few in the crowd. But when the green light came to turn the music back to max, Kaskade kicked the party into high gear. Raddon has always had a knack for bringing his biggest to the stage, and tonight was no exception. With a massive remix of his and Deadmau5’s “Move for Me” — transformed into a very catchy, wobbly synthed banger — the crowd couldn’t resist the temptation to sing along to the new rendition of one of his biggest hits ever. He then dropped a rework of another one of his original smashes, this time with “Don’t Stop Dancing Girl,” which he infused with melodic piano riffs and thumping beats. Shortly thereafter, Raddon, known for his penchant for mash-ups, which he often shares with his fans on #MusicMondays, dropped a mix of Marco V’s “Reaver” with Red Carpet’s 2007 smash “Alright.” Rounding out the hour with Max Vangeli and AN21’s remix of Pendulum’s “The Island,” Raddon again set the bar as one of the world’s premier DJs, whose success and talent in the studio transitions seamlessly to his live gigs and beyond. To those lucky enough to attend Kaskade’s night at LIV, it was one for the ages. Checking out Kaskade tonight on Ultra Music Festivals Main Stage? Be sure to stick with MTV News, and follow our team on Twitter (@Adam MTVNews & @ASBhansali) for all of the latest Miami Music Week action! Related Videos Pump Your Fist For Miami Music Week Related Photos Miami Music Week
Miami Music Week continues with one of EDM’s best. By Adam Stewart Kaskade Photo: KirillWasHere.com MIAMI — It was another big night at Fontainebleau’s LIV nightclub, where Miami’s A-list once again turned out to champion one of dance music’s best. After Laidback Luke’s “Super You & Me” party featuring Skrillex on Wednesday night and an epic set by Swedish House Mafia’s Axwell on Thursday, the room was redecorated and the stage was set to host a full night devoted to none other than Kaskade. Kicking off his day with a surprise guest set at Pete Tong’s BBC Radio 1 Pool Party at the Surfcomber, Kaskade (born Ryan Raddon) arrived at LIV fully warmed up by the energetic bikini-clad crowd. The line stretched out into the street and the venue was jam-packed with diehard fans lucky enough to get on the right side of the velvet rope of one of Miami Music Week’s biggest shows. Mid-set, a tripped fire alarm caused a brief intermission while the system reset. The crowd, however, egged on by Kaskade’s impromptu storytelling and comedic sense on the mic, began their own frenzied chants, including the hook from the circa-2000 techno hit “Kernkraft 400” by Zombie Nation, a moment that sparked nostalgia for more than just a few in the crowd. But when the green light came to turn the music back to max, Kaskade kicked the party into high gear. Raddon has always had a knack for bringing his biggest to the stage, and tonight was no exception. With a massive remix of his and Deadmau5’s “Move for Me” — transformed into a very catchy, wobbly synthed banger — the crowd couldn’t resist the temptation to sing along to the new rendition of one of his biggest hits ever. He then dropped a rework of another one of his original smashes, this time with “Don’t Stop Dancing Girl,” which he infused with melodic piano riffs and thumping beats. Shortly thereafter, Raddon, known for his penchant for mash-ups, which he often shares with his fans on #MusicMondays, dropped a mix of Marco V’s “Reaver” with Red Carpet’s 2007 smash “Alright.” Rounding out the hour with Max Vangeli and AN21’s remix of Pendulum’s “The Island,” Raddon again set the bar as one of the world’s premier DJs, whose success and talent in the studio transitions seamlessly to his live gigs and beyond. To those lucky enough to attend Kaskade’s night at LIV, it was one for the ages. Checking out Kaskade tonight on Ultra Music Festivals Main Stage? Be sure to stick with MTV News, and follow our team on Twitter (@Adam MTVNews & @ASBhansali) for all of the latest Miami Music Week action! Related Videos Pump Your Fist For Miami Music Week Related Photos Miami Music Week
Guetta and his wife, Cathy, present their ‘F— Me I’m Famous’ brand in the U.S. By Akshay Bhansali David Guetta Photo: MTV News MIAMI — French beatsmith David Guetta and his wife Cathy plan to launch their clubber power-party brand in the U.S. in a big way. Called “F— Me I’m Famous,” it’s named after the electronic dance music party that takes place every year as part of the summer EDM circuit in Ibiza, Spain. On Saturday (March 26) at Club Mansion in Miami, Cathy and David delivered a brand debut of sorts for attendees of Miami Music Week . The Guettas and record label EMI have signed a global partnership to promote F.M.I.F. events around the world, and they’re banking on seeing it blossom here in the States. With frequent collaborator and friend will.i.am and Dutch house-music producer Sidney Sampson by his side, David Guetta took to the decks just after 1 a.m. Saturday and charged into a vicious Afrojack tune, followed by his hit single “One Love” and “Gettin’ Over You,” the chorus of which fans in the house knew by heart. As Guetta dropped out the sound, the audience belted out Fergie’s vocals without missing a beat. After spinning hit singles “Sexy Chick” and Flo Rida’s “Club Can’t Handle Me,” Guetta dropped in his fiery mix of Far East Movement’s “Like a G6,” a joint the DJ/producer has no plans to release but which he’s shared with lil’ brother Afrojack for their touring gigs. The Black Eyed Peas “Boom Boom Pow” followed. Notably, will.i.am joined DG onstage to repeatedly lend the vocal “Everybody!” and a set of freestyle bars on what’s possibly a new song, a banger with a progressive break that peaks into a driving house tune after LMFAO vocals announce, “I’m David Guetta, bitch!” So club fans, rejoice: More F— Me I’m Famous parties are right around the corner. When we caught up with Guetta on Friday afternoon, he was pleased to announce the brand has found a home in Las Vegas. “I’m super-excited about this, the F— Me I’m Famous party,” Guetta said. “I’m taking over Vegas. This is gonna be crazy. We are starting a pool party at Wet Republic, and that’s gonna be every Sunday. “It’s the first time we are gonna do a residency like this, except in Ibiza. We’re gonna do also three really big concerts at the Joint [at the Vegas Hard Rock Hotel & Casino]. We have one for Memorial Day. That’s gonna be a big thing. We’re gonna come with the whole production from Europe. So this is probably an important moment for our brand, F— Me I’m Famous, starting to find a life and a home in America. The F— Me I’m Famous party at Wet Republic in Las Vegas will open April 10 and run Sundays through May 1, according to Wet Republic Las Vegas’ website . Be sure to follow our MTV News Crew (@AdamMTVNews and @ASBhansali) for all of the Miami Music Week action! Related Videos Pump Your Fist For Miami Music Week Related Photos Miami Music Week