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[ethereal music]
2
00:00:15,533 --> 00:00:17,467
[man]
I remember being on the
plane,
3
00:00:17,500 --> 00:00:19,600
being really scared because
I think it was the first time.
4
00:00:19,633 --> 00:00:21,600
I was seven years old
when I came to America
5
00:00:21,633 --> 00:00:24,467
and it was the first time
that I was on a plane
6
00:00:24,500 --> 00:00:28,300
and we literally tried
to take everything of value,
7
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everything that
meant anything to us.
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00:00:31,067 --> 00:00:32,467
We were, like,
really scared about,
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00:00:32,500 --> 00:00:34,800
not only facing
our new home
10
00:00:34,833 --> 00:00:37,600
or what was to be
our new home
11
00:00:37,633 --> 00:00:40,467
at least for the
foreseeable future,
12
00:00:40,500 --> 00:00:42,733
because our father was
going to university.
13
00:00:42,767 --> 00:00:45,567
Just scared about having
left Iran for the first time
14
00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:47,500
and going somewhere
that we knew
15
00:00:47,533 --> 00:00:49,400
was going to be
completely different.
16
00:00:49,433 --> 00:00:53,600
I saw that there was room for
17
00:00:53,633 --> 00:00:58,533
a lot of opportunity
to eventually present itself
18
00:00:58,567 --> 00:01:03,500
and I saw that
had I stayed in Iran,
19
00:01:03,533 --> 00:01:07,600
I probably would have done
what was expected of me
20
00:01:07,633 --> 00:01:12,467
and done what everybody
else had always done,
21
00:01:12,500 --> 00:01:16,200
which is become a doctor,
become an engineer,
22
00:01:17,533 --> 00:01:19,467
become a lawyer.
You know?
23
00:01:19,500 --> 00:01:21,567
And in America,
I felt more freedom
24
00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:25,367
to express myself
in creative ways
25
00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:27,567
that maybe,
had I stayed in Iran,
26
00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:30,333
I wouldn't have been
able to do.
27
00:01:30,367 --> 00:01:33,533
Since I used to be
English teacher there,
28
00:01:33,567 --> 00:01:36,600
I was helping Ali
to learn the language,
29
00:01:36,633 --> 00:01:38,767
which he picked up
pretty quick.
30
00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:44,733
The only time that Ali and
Arash had a hard time was,
31
00:01:44,767 --> 00:01:49,233
there was a hostage
crisis in Iran
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and they were kids and
they didn't know anything
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00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:54,267
and at this school,
34
00:01:54,300 --> 00:01:57,733
although their school staff
was very understanding
35
00:01:57,767 --> 00:01:59,667
and supportive of them,
36
00:01:59,700 --> 00:02:02,833
but the children at this
school couldn't understand it,
37
00:02:02,867 --> 00:02:06,500
so they were giving Ali and
Arash a really hard time.
38
00:02:06,533 --> 00:02:09,467
So, they made them
practically miserable.
39
00:02:09,500 --> 00:02:12,467
So, that was the time that
they needed a lot of help.
40
00:02:12,500 --> 00:02:19,167
Ali was average,
actually, at school.
41
00:02:20,633 --> 00:02:24,533
There were some subjects
that he was pretty great,
42
00:02:24,567 --> 00:02:27,167
but the rest
he didn't pay attention,
43
00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:30,500
simply because he was
in love with music.
44
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[ethereal music]
45
00:02:34,133 --> 00:02:38,500
With help of his friend,
Brian Transeau, BT,
46
00:02:38,533 --> 00:02:40,300
he was his classmate.
47
00:02:40,333 --> 00:02:43,267
Eventually, he went into music.
48
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He loved very much
49
00:02:45,233 --> 00:02:48,567
and he constantly
continued this interest.
50
00:02:51,433 --> 00:02:53,367
They saw it as a side hobby.
51
00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:54,600
I don't think they ever realized
52
00:02:54,633 --> 00:02:57,233
he would pursue it as a career
53
00:02:57,267 --> 00:02:59,400
and at the time it was sort
of in the nascent stages.
54
00:02:59,433 --> 00:03:02,100
I mean, it was pre-EDM,
if you will.
55
00:03:02,133 --> 00:03:05,567
I mean, DJs were not
on magazine covers,
56
00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:07,600
especially in America,
you know?
57
00:03:07,633 --> 00:03:11,200
It was a real, sort of
underground career path
58
00:03:11,233 --> 00:03:13,167
and I think my parents,
at the time, were worried.
59
00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:15,267
They were really hesitant
60
00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:18,700
about him moving into that
61
00:03:18,733 --> 00:03:21,067
as a full time career.
62
00:03:21,100 --> 00:03:28,033
I think their initial feelings
were probably disappointment.
63
00:03:28,067 --> 00:03:31,333
[Rouhi] He came to me
and actually requested,
64
00:03:31,367 --> 00:03:36,333
"Mom, if you allow me
to pull out and focus
65
00:03:36,367 --> 00:03:39,600
all my attention to my music,
66
00:03:39,633 --> 00:03:42,800
I feel I'm going to be
somebody."
67
00:03:42,833 --> 00:03:46,467
And after a long conversation,
68
00:03:46,500 --> 00:03:51,467
I agreed that, for him,
to focus one year on his music
69
00:03:51,500 --> 00:03:54,300
more than his education
70
00:03:54,333 --> 00:03:59,567
and that was actually the year
that everything turned around
71
00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:04,533
and, by the end of the year,
he proved to himself and to me
72
00:04:04,567 --> 00:04:09,033
that this is really a special
talent that he has got.
73
00:04:09,067 --> 00:04:10,733
[Ali]
The closeness of family really
74
00:04:10,767 --> 00:04:14,067
has kept me grounded
over the years.
75
00:04:14,100 --> 00:04:17,300
I think,
had I not had that,
76
00:04:17,333 --> 00:04:21,033
I probably would have,
you know,
77
00:04:21,067 --> 00:04:23,033
fallen in with the wrong crowd,
78
00:04:23,067 --> 00:04:24,833
maybe gone off the deep end
79
00:04:24,867 --> 00:04:27,633
with the excessive partying,
80
00:04:27,667 --> 00:04:30,800
the crazy night life.
81
00:04:30,833 --> 00:04:34,000
That's basically
a part of my scene,
82
00:04:35,700 --> 00:04:38,633
but those core family values
83
00:04:38,667 --> 00:04:40,633
kept me on the right path.
84
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[upbeat club music]
85
00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:39,600
[Hutchy] Ali use to spin
hip hop, house,
86
00:06:39,633 --> 00:06:43,133
acid jazz, and funk
87
00:06:43,167 --> 00:06:44,700
and I used to spin reggae
88
00:06:44,733 --> 00:06:46,667
and throughout those genres,
89
00:06:46,700 --> 00:06:49,267
I gave the flavor and the mic.
90
00:06:49,300 --> 00:06:52,233
Before then,
this was unheard of.
91
00:06:52,267 --> 00:06:54,500
This never had been done before
92
00:06:54,533 --> 00:06:56,500
as far as, you have an MC,
you know,
93
00:06:56,533 --> 00:06:59,200
toasting over acid jazz music,
94
00:07:00,267 --> 00:07:01,767
hip hop, and stuff.
95
00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:03,533
It never had been done before.
96
00:07:03,567 --> 00:07:05,767
My little brother,
my younger brother,
97
00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:09,100
threw a party at a
place here called--
98
00:07:09,133 --> 00:07:11,533
It was a pizza shop,
basically, called Milo's
99
00:07:11,567 --> 00:07:16,033
and he closed it down
and rented it at night
100
00:07:16,067 --> 00:07:19,133
and begged me to have Ali play
101
00:07:19,167 --> 00:07:22,067
because Ali was
a sick hip hop DJ.
102
00:07:22,100 --> 00:07:24,533
Actually, the first
time I heard the music
103
00:07:24,567 --> 00:07:25,700
I remember asking people,
what is this?
104
00:07:25,733 --> 00:07:26,733
Who is this?
105
00:07:26,767 --> 00:07:28,567
And there was a DJ up there
106
00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:31,667
next to a Jamaican
guy who was rapping
107
00:07:31,700 --> 00:07:35,700
and everyone told me
it was a guy named Dubfire
108
00:07:35,733 --> 00:07:38,333
and they were playing
what's called acid jazz.
109
00:07:38,367 --> 00:07:41,200
And so, essentially,
he started playing acid jazz
110
00:07:41,233 --> 00:07:42,700
from what I recall.
111
00:07:42,733 --> 00:07:45,700
When we started off,
Washington was a ghost town.
112
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Literally a ghost town.
113
00:07:47,533 --> 00:07:51,500
You can count
the clubs on one hand
114
00:07:51,533 --> 00:07:57,467
and every club has their own
specific ways of doing things.
115
00:07:57,500 --> 00:08:00,467
We came in young and radical
116
00:08:00,500 --> 00:08:02,633
and transformed the whole thing,
117
00:08:02,667 --> 00:08:07,567
but we were the first
to go into a club
118
00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:12,500
or a restaurant and make it
into a club for that one night.
119
00:08:12,533 --> 00:08:15,067
We happened to be about
two and a half blocks away
120
00:08:15,100 --> 00:08:16,833
from the place that
I first met him.
121
00:08:16,867 --> 00:08:19,600
Well, it was called the
Down Under Restaurant,
122
00:08:19,633 --> 00:08:22,567
but on Fridays and Saturdays
123
00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:25,233
we used to have a
night called Exodus
124
00:08:25,267 --> 00:08:26,567
and he came in.
125
00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:28,500
He was a very quiet
guy, actually.
126
00:08:28,533 --> 00:08:31,467
For the kind of noise he made
with the turn tables,
127
00:08:31,500 --> 00:08:34,033
he was a very quiet guy.
[chuckles]
128
00:08:34,067 --> 00:08:36,667
And he's very focused,
didn't say much.
129
00:08:36,700 --> 00:08:38,367
I mean, he came
and did his thing
130
00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:40,467
on a regular basis within
the years, you know.
131
00:08:40,500 --> 00:08:42,633
But I remember the first time,
132
00:08:42,667 --> 00:08:44,600
he just came in with his
record bag and started playing,
133
00:08:44,633 --> 00:08:47,100
but he was very
134
00:08:47,133 --> 00:08:49,500
down to earth,
135
00:08:49,533 --> 00:08:51,200
but very focused.
136
00:08:51,233 --> 00:08:53,467
We didn't participate
too much with the crowd,
137
00:08:53,500 --> 00:08:55,667
but every time you would
go back and listen to him,
138
00:08:55,700 --> 00:08:57,600
the music would change.
139
00:08:57,633 --> 00:08:59,600
I felt like it just get better
and better every week.
140
00:08:59,633 --> 00:09:03,100
Sharam kept coming at Exodus,
141
00:09:03,133 --> 00:09:05,400
but you know, Sharam's music
142
00:09:05,433 --> 00:09:07,767
was completely a
different background,
143
00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:10,200
you know, which I respect 100%,
144
00:09:10,233 --> 00:09:12,633
but it was a great
combination because
145
00:09:12,667 --> 00:09:16,533
I understood Ali's music
was more bottom heavy,
146
00:09:16,567 --> 00:09:18,567
bass-oriented music.
147
00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:21,033
Whether it was slow or fast,
it was very bottom heavy.
148
00:09:21,067 --> 00:09:22,667
And the thing with Sharam,
149
00:09:22,700 --> 00:09:25,700
he has the melodic
aspect of music.
150
00:09:25,733 --> 00:09:27,600
So, I thought when they
were kinda partnering up,
151
00:09:27,633 --> 00:09:29,400
I was like, this could
be a good combination.
152
00:09:29,433 --> 00:09:32,100
And then, obviously,
we saw it blossom
153
00:09:32,133 --> 00:09:34,267
to this thing what's
known as Deep Dish.
154
00:09:34,300 --> 00:09:35,800
It's great.
155
00:09:35,833 --> 00:09:38,200
[Sharam] We met through
a mutual friend at a party.
156
00:09:38,233 --> 00:09:39,467
We were booked to
play the same party
157
00:09:39,500 --> 00:09:40,800
and we just hit it off musically
158
00:09:40,833 --> 00:09:43,467
and decided to create Deep Dish
and here we are.
159
00:09:43,500 --> 00:09:45,033
It's like a marriage:
160
00:09:45,067 --> 00:09:47,033
some days you hate it,
some days you love it.
161
00:09:47,067 --> 00:09:48,467
-Yeah, because--
-Yeah.
162
00:09:48,500 --> 00:09:50,233
[laughing]
163
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In the beginning,
164
00:09:51,567 --> 00:09:54,467
they started a bet each other,
165
00:09:54,500 --> 00:09:57,067
but then they
started as a friend.
166
00:09:57,100 --> 00:10:03,467
Ali, first he made his room
as his studio
167
00:10:03,500 --> 00:10:06,500
and then Sharam
used to be with Ali
168
00:10:06,533 --> 00:10:10,500
in our home almost all the time.
169
00:10:10,533 --> 00:10:15,200
And since both of them love
Persian meal and Persian food,
170
00:10:15,233 --> 00:10:18,533
so I was always ready
to make them food
171
00:10:18,567 --> 00:10:20,567
and they used to go
to that little room
172
00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:23,033
and work with each other.
173
00:10:23,067 --> 00:10:24,500
[Man] So you were
like brothers, weren't you?
174
00:10:24,533 --> 00:10:26,133
-Do you feel like brothers?
-We're brothers.
175
00:10:26,167 --> 00:10:27,567
-Yeah.
-Yeah.
176
00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:30,667
I always wanted to have
a twin brother, you know?
177
00:10:30,700 --> 00:10:32,333
I thought it would be cool.
178
00:10:32,367 --> 00:10:33,600
And then, God gave me this guy.
179
00:10:33,633 --> 00:10:35,033
Yeah, right. Right.
180
00:10:35,067 --> 00:10:36,067
It's wicked.
181
00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:39,167
Which I'm regretting--
182
00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:42,533
You know they say be
careful what you ask for?
183
00:10:42,567 --> 00:10:44,233
That was just at the start
184
00:10:44,267 --> 00:10:46,467
when he was Deep
Dish with Sharam,
185
00:10:46,500 --> 00:10:47,833
I think in 1993.
186
00:10:47,867 --> 00:10:50,267
I used to go to
his resident party,
187
00:10:50,300 --> 00:10:52,333
which was at State of the Union,
188
00:10:52,367 --> 00:10:54,167
a small bar in Washington, DC.
189
00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:55,500
I was at university
190
00:10:55,533 --> 00:10:58,533
and this was a gig
where him and Sharam
191
00:10:58,567 --> 00:11:01,233
had to assemble everything,
192
00:11:01,267 --> 00:11:02,733
all the equipment,
all the speakers,
193
00:11:02,767 --> 00:11:05,133
CD players, turn tables,
194
00:11:05,167 --> 00:11:07,067
and they had to play
from beginning to end
195
00:11:07,100 --> 00:11:09,733
and they probably got,
I don't know how much,
196
00:11:09,767 --> 00:11:12,600
but I'm guessing $150
to play the whole night,
197
00:11:12,633 --> 00:11:14,333
both of them together.
198
00:11:14,367 --> 00:11:16,600
Well, needless to say,
things have changed.
199
00:11:16,633 --> 00:11:17,567
[laughing]
200
00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:19,300
So, you know--
201
00:11:19,333 --> 00:11:20,633
We go way back
202
00:11:20,667 --> 00:11:23,533
and, even though things
have changed a lot,
203
00:11:23,567 --> 00:11:25,533
it's nice to see
that he hasn't.
204
00:11:25,567 --> 00:11:28,567
[upbeat club music]
205
00:11:49,100 --> 00:11:51,100
I wanna say quiet,
but that's not the right word.
206
00:11:51,133 --> 00:11:53,500
He was always the
deep in the dish
207
00:11:53,533 --> 00:11:54,533
in the Deep Dish equation.
208
00:11:54,567 --> 00:11:56,500
So, he was kinda the deeper guy.
209
00:11:56,533 --> 00:12:01,033
I think as a DJ,
you know,
210
00:12:01,067 --> 00:12:05,500
he liked reggae
and hip hop sounds.
211
00:12:05,533 --> 00:12:10,133
He obviously had friendships
with many of the local DJs,
212
00:12:10,167 --> 00:12:14,167
but he was always sort of
the deeper part of that.
213
00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:16,533
They were the biggest DJ duo
214
00:12:16,567 --> 00:12:18,667
in the world at the time.
215
00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:22,567
They were on magazine covers,
216
00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:25,400
they were headlining
the best festivals,
217
00:12:25,433 --> 00:12:27,400
their music was number one.
218
00:12:27,433 --> 00:12:30,267
You know, anytime
they put a tune out
219
00:12:30,300 --> 00:12:31,767
it was number one at
Winter Music Conference
220
00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:33,633
it was number one
on the UK charts.
221
00:12:33,667 --> 00:12:35,633
They started getting
mainstream US press
222
00:12:35,667 --> 00:12:38,467
and, again, this
is sort of pre-EDM,
223
00:12:38,500 --> 00:12:42,400
pre-Skrillex and Deadmaus
on Rolling Stone.
224
00:12:42,433 --> 00:12:45,067
This is 2005, 2006,
225
00:12:45,100 --> 00:12:50,667
so the industry was
just sort of emerging,
226
00:12:50,700 --> 00:12:52,567
at least in the US.
227
00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:56,067
It wasn't getting the
support that it gets now.
228
00:12:56,100 --> 00:12:59,467
It was really sort of
in the embryonic stage.
229
00:12:59,500 --> 00:13:03,133
And for them to achieve
what they did with Madonna
230
00:13:03,167 --> 00:13:05,667
and with the remixes
and the touring,
231
00:13:05,700 --> 00:13:08,267
it was really
significant at the time.
232
00:13:08,300 --> 00:13:09,667
[Man] Wednesday is one
of the biggest nights
233
00:13:09,700 --> 00:13:10,833
for the musical world.
234
00:13:10,867 --> 00:13:12,467
It is Grammy night.
235
00:13:12,500 --> 00:13:15,033
There are several people
from our area up for awards.
236
00:13:15,067 --> 00:13:17,667
One is the DC-based remix
duo called Deep Dish.
237
00:13:17,700 --> 00:13:21,233
Deep Dish is Ali Shirazinia
and Sharam Tayebi.
238
00:13:21,267 --> 00:13:23,667
They were just children when
they immigrated here from Iran.
239
00:13:23,700 --> 00:13:25,567
Now, the guys find
themselves LA bound,
240
00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:27,700
nominated for best
remix recording
241
00:13:27,733 --> 00:13:29,700
of Dido's chart hit Thank You.
242
00:13:29,733 --> 00:13:32,500
We take a song,
it could be a rock song,
243
00:13:32,533 --> 00:13:36,067
a pop song, any sort
of original material
244
00:13:36,100 --> 00:13:38,700
and we, more or less,
reproduce it.
245
00:13:38,733 --> 00:13:40,200
We write our own music,
246
00:13:40,233 --> 00:13:41,700
our own drum
programming on top of it
247
00:13:41,733 --> 00:13:43,800
and we give it our flavor.
248
00:13:44,833 --> 00:13:46,567
The commercial side of things
249
00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:49,533
really came towards
George Is On
250
00:13:49,567 --> 00:13:52,267
where Flashcance
happened at some stage
251
00:13:52,300 --> 00:13:54,600
and it was clearly
the most commercial record
252
00:13:54,633 --> 00:13:56,067
that they'd ever done.
253
00:13:56,100 --> 00:13:57,300
It wasn't really a
commercial record
254
00:13:57,333 --> 00:13:58,600
because at the
time it was crazy.
255
00:13:58,633 --> 00:14:01,600
It turned into a
commercial formula
256
00:14:01,633 --> 00:14:04,033
after Flashdance was successful,
257
00:14:04,067 --> 00:14:08,367
but at the time that Flashdance
started to be created,
258
00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:09,767
it was impossible to predict.
259
00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:11,500
It would not have been
possible to predict
260
00:14:11,533 --> 00:14:14,133
that that would be a
commercially successful record.
261
00:14:14,167 --> 00:14:17,500
[Flashdance by Deep Dish]
262
00:14:32,567 --> 00:14:36,533
* He doesn't mean
a thing to me
263
00:14:36,567 --> 00:14:40,133
* Just another
pretty face to see
264
00:14:40,167 --> 00:14:41,400
* He's all over town
265
00:14:41,433 --> 00:14:43,600
* Knocking them down
yeah honey
266
00:14:43,633 --> 00:14:47,800
* And I'd never
let him next to me
267
00:14:50,133 --> 00:14:53,133
Madonna was doing
a pre-tour event
268
00:14:53,167 --> 00:14:54,733
at the Roseland Ballroom
in New York
269
00:14:54,767 --> 00:14:57,167
and wanted Deep Dish
to open up for her
270
00:14:57,200 --> 00:14:58,567
and the reason
was a phone call,
271
00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:01,467
not a fax or an email
at the time was,
272
00:15:01,500 --> 00:15:02,700
this was all super-secret.
273
00:15:02,733 --> 00:15:04,300
Nobody could know.
274
00:15:04,333 --> 00:15:06,567
It was gonna be a surprise
thing. Blah blah blah.
275
00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:08,300
And, to make a long story short,
276
00:15:08,333 --> 00:15:10,167
the guys ended up
opening up for Madonna,
277
00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:13,567
phenomenally successful
and this was the precursor
278
00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:15,600
to her Music tour
at the time
279
00:15:15,633 --> 00:15:20,033
and given that it
was in New York,
280
00:15:20,067 --> 00:15:22,033
given that it was in
such a small venue,
281
00:15:22,067 --> 00:15:24,067
this was a moment
from Heaven for press.
282
00:15:24,100 --> 00:15:26,667
So, a super media event.
283
00:15:26,700 --> 00:15:30,767
And two weeks later,
I get this call from Versace
284
00:15:32,667 --> 00:15:35,200
saying that Donatello
loves their sound
285
00:15:35,233 --> 00:15:36,767
and would they be
willing to consider
286
00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:39,667
working on Versace's
fashion shows?
287
00:15:39,700 --> 00:15:41,667
I called the guys up
288
00:15:41,700 --> 00:15:46,333
and I had to do a lot of
explaining and coaxing
289
00:15:46,367 --> 00:15:48,400
because they weren't really
into commercial stuff
290
00:15:48,433 --> 00:15:51,500
like that at all
and they agreed.
291
00:15:51,533 --> 00:15:56,633
So, we flew out to Milan
and then did that show
292
00:15:56,667 --> 00:15:58,267
and it was crazy stuff,
you know?
293
00:15:58,300 --> 00:15:59,300
Imagine sitting there.
294
00:15:59,333 --> 00:16:01,533
I went on those trips with them.
295
00:16:01,567 --> 00:16:05,133
Imagine sitting there
with a fashion designer
296
00:16:05,167 --> 00:16:07,633
who's saying, "I really
want this to sound brown.
297
00:16:07,667 --> 00:16:09,133
It has to feel warm."
298
00:16:09,167 --> 00:16:11,600
[upbeat music]
299
00:16:19,833 --> 00:16:22,767
Did Deep Dish pave the way
for Swedish House Mafia
300
00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:24,667
David Guetta, Calvin Harris?
301
00:16:24,700 --> 00:16:27,567
I would say, yeah and I
think if you ask those
guys they would tell you,
302
00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:29,200
especially David Guetta,
he's older.
303
00:16:29,233 --> 00:16:34,333
I think that Deep Dish
influenced a lot of DJs.
304
00:16:34,367 --> 00:16:36,667
I remember being at Pacha
305
00:16:37,833 --> 00:16:42,067
and I was a B DJ in France,
306
00:16:42,100 --> 00:16:45,367
but nobody knew me
really outside of France
307
00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:49,833
and I remember saying
hi to Ali and Sharam
308
00:16:49,867 --> 00:16:53,800
and going back to my agent
309
00:16:53,833 --> 00:16:56,800
and saying, oh, my god!
I just shook their hands!
310
00:16:56,833 --> 00:16:59,233
[laughing]
311
00:16:59,267 --> 00:17:02,300
And I was so excited
because I shook hands
312
00:17:02,333 --> 00:17:05,400
with Ali and Deep Dish
and it was such
313
00:17:05,433 --> 00:17:07,767
a big deal for me
to meet them.
314
00:17:09,533 --> 00:17:11,633
Deep Dish was definitely
one of the first,
315
00:17:11,667 --> 00:17:17,100
well, probably the first
house music that affected us
316
00:17:17,133 --> 00:17:19,267
and that we heard,
you know?
317
00:17:19,300 --> 00:17:21,700
It was Deep Dish and
Armin van Houten, I think,
318
00:17:21,733 --> 00:17:25,133
that really got us hooked
in the scene.
319
00:17:26,867 --> 00:17:28,767
That was really like
an American sound.
320
00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:30,767
It was sort of a club sound
that you really don't hear
321
00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:33,133
that much anymore nowadays.
322
00:17:33,167 --> 00:17:34,067
It was so--
323
00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:37,700
I call it mouth music
because I'll show you.
324
00:17:37,733 --> 00:17:40,533
I can only show you
what I mean with that.
325
00:17:42,300 --> 00:17:44,467
I think that Ali
and Sharam reached
326
00:17:44,500 --> 00:17:48,800
the natural life cycle of
any creative partnership.
327
00:17:48,833 --> 00:17:53,667
I think that working together
for almost two decades
328
00:17:53,700 --> 00:17:56,133
and constantly having
to run every decision
329
00:17:56,167 --> 00:17:58,233
past another person,
330
00:17:58,267 --> 00:18:03,667
I think that kinda
placed its toll on them
331
00:18:03,700 --> 00:18:06,467
and I think they
had both matured.
332
00:18:06,500 --> 00:18:09,767
I think that they had
grown a lot over that time
333
00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:11,700
and I think they
were more definitive
334
00:18:11,733 --> 00:18:14,233
about what they
wanted out of life.
335
00:18:14,267 --> 00:18:16,767
They were more definitive about
what they wanted creatively
336
00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:18,833
and they were veterans
at this point.
337
00:18:18,867 --> 00:18:22,833
So, I think there was
that conflict of values,
338
00:18:22,867 --> 00:18:28,667
of each direction Ali and
Sharam wanted to go to.
339
00:18:28,700 --> 00:18:31,167
I think that was in
conflict at the time.
340
00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:33,767
And he said, "By the way,
341
00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:37,667
Sharam and I fight a lot."
[laughing]
342
00:18:37,700 --> 00:18:39,500
"You're gonna be spending
a lot of time with us
343
00:18:39,533 --> 00:18:43,033
and you're gonna
see us go at it.
344
00:18:43,067 --> 00:18:45,400
Just excuse yourself
from the room,
345
00:18:45,433 --> 00:18:49,267
step outside,
hang out,
346
00:18:49,300 --> 00:18:51,133
go down the street,
get a beer,
347
00:18:51,167 --> 00:18:53,633
go smoke a cigarette,
go do whatever you gotta do.
348
00:18:53,667 --> 00:18:56,533
Eventually, everything's
gonna kind of subside
349
00:18:56,567 --> 00:18:59,533
and we'll get back to work."
350
00:18:59,567 --> 00:19:01,167
You know, if you
think about it,
351
00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:03,033
ten years of touring,
352
00:19:03,067 --> 00:19:07,633
ten years of having to be that
close with the same person.
353
00:19:07,667 --> 00:19:10,200
You know, it's difficult.
354
00:19:10,233 --> 00:19:11,733
You know,
the studio relationship,
355
00:19:11,767 --> 00:19:13,467
the creative relationship,
356
00:19:13,500 --> 00:19:17,567
the magic that happened
between them didn't come easy.
357
00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:20,533
It wasn't the type of thing
where they sat in the studio,
358
00:19:20,567 --> 00:19:23,200
said, "Oh, that's a cool sound.
Yeah, let's use that."
359
00:19:23,233 --> 00:19:24,700
There were a lot of fights.
360
00:19:24,733 --> 00:19:27,367
I used to go for a walk a lot.
[laughing]
361
00:19:29,633 --> 00:19:31,800
You know, funnily enough,
thinking back to it,
362
00:19:31,833 --> 00:19:34,133
I don't know if it was that much
of a surprise that they split.
363
00:19:34,167 --> 00:19:37,067
I think that there
aren't that many DJ duos
364
00:19:37,100 --> 00:19:39,533
and when you've been
together with your partner
365
00:19:39,567 --> 00:19:41,367
for as long as they had,
366
00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:45,167
then, in a way, I think it
was quite a natural thing.
367
00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:48,100
I think they'd felt they'd taken
it as far as they could go.
368
00:19:48,133 --> 00:19:50,067
I think they both--
369
00:19:50,100 --> 00:19:52,533
the more I got
to know them better
370
00:19:52,567 --> 00:19:54,733
and the longer that
relationship went on,
371
00:19:54,767 --> 00:19:58,100
they both had kinda--
372
00:19:58,133 --> 00:20:00,533
they were totally
separate people.
373
00:20:00,567 --> 00:20:03,600
They both did
something different.
374
00:20:03,633 --> 00:20:06,700
I think it's very
hard to find someone
375
00:20:06,733 --> 00:20:09,833
who isn't somehow attracted
to money and fame.
376
00:20:09,867 --> 00:20:12,267
I think everybody
wants it a little bit,
377
00:20:12,300 --> 00:20:13,667
at least once in their life
378
00:20:13,700 --> 00:20:16,567
and you have that chance,
you go that way,
379
00:20:16,600 --> 00:20:19,300
and then you have to decide
if it's for you or not
380
00:20:19,333 --> 00:20:23,233
and from my feeling and
understanding with Ali
381
00:20:23,267 --> 00:20:27,300
is that he had an incredible
ride and had a lot of fun,
382
00:20:27,333 --> 00:20:30,767
but at one point found that
there was something missing
383
00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:35,467
and I think that's why he
looked in another direction,
384
00:20:35,500 --> 00:20:39,667
not only musically, but also
for friendship and support
385
00:20:42,533 --> 00:20:45,067
and to,
some people would say,
386
00:20:45,100 --> 00:20:47,067
to get back to the roots,
387
00:20:47,100 --> 00:20:48,367
but I think it was
just, you know,
388
00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:50,733
get back to why
he got involved
389
00:20:50,767 --> 00:20:53,267
in this music in
the first place.
390
00:20:53,300 --> 00:20:55,533
You know, we don't
follow the rules
391
00:20:55,567 --> 00:20:57,533
and we see ourselves
as, like,
392
00:20:57,567 --> 00:20:59,200
you know, I wanna
make it in music
393
00:20:59,233 --> 00:21:00,700
and everybody tells you no.
394
00:21:00,733 --> 00:21:03,233
If you wanna work in
music it's not gonna work.
395
00:21:03,267 --> 00:21:06,200
So many people, you should
have to be very lucky
396
00:21:06,233 --> 00:21:07,833
and you can make a living
397
00:21:07,867 --> 00:21:10,100
I just say,
"No. I want it like that."
398
00:21:10,133 --> 00:21:12,100
And you just fight
to make it like this.
399
00:21:12,133 --> 00:21:13,833
But at the same time,
400
00:21:13,867 --> 00:21:15,700
if you're not happy
in a situation,
401
00:21:15,733 --> 00:21:18,200
you have to be
honest enough to say,
402
00:21:18,233 --> 00:21:20,700
"You know what,
I'm in a peak,
403
00:21:20,733 --> 00:21:23,200
and fuck it,
fuck everything,
404
00:21:23,233 --> 00:21:27,167
I wanna try again
from the beginning."
405
00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:29,467
I didn't think there was
anything rocky about them.
406
00:21:29,500 --> 00:21:31,233
I just thought it was just
two brothers are together
407
00:21:31,267 --> 00:21:34,233
all the time and they wanted
to kill each other, you know?
408
00:21:34,267 --> 00:21:37,167
And if you're together
with the same person
every day you're gonna fight.
409
00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:40,800
Like me and my partner,
we fight all the time and
we have disagreements.
410
00:21:40,833 --> 00:21:42,400
That's what I sensed.
411
00:21:42,433 --> 00:21:46,367
I didn't sense anything
like to what it became.
412
00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:48,800
I didn't see it
coming like that.
413
00:21:48,833 --> 00:21:51,533
[light music]
414
00:22:02,167 --> 00:22:05,033
What I think is what he's
done really well for himself,
415
00:22:05,067 --> 00:22:07,733
he got out of Deep Dish
just at the right time
416
00:22:07,767 --> 00:22:09,667
where the techno scene
would still embrace him
417
00:22:09,700 --> 00:22:11,233
because everybody in
the techno scene--
418
00:22:11,267 --> 00:22:13,267
that's a really hard
scene to get into
419
00:22:13,300 --> 00:22:15,700
because everybody's
really cool, you know?
420
00:22:15,733 --> 00:22:17,633
And to be part of that scene,
421
00:22:17,667 --> 00:22:20,467
you gotta really say
goodbye to anything
422
00:22:20,500 --> 00:22:23,033
that has to do with
other than techno
423
00:22:23,067 --> 00:22:25,667
and he did it really well.
424
00:22:25,700 --> 00:22:27,700
You want the real
me, man. Right?
425
00:22:27,733 --> 00:22:29,100
This is the real me.
426
00:22:29,133 --> 00:22:30,200
I'm gonna give you
the real me.
427
00:22:30,233 --> 00:22:31,600
Whatever you want.
428
00:22:31,633 --> 00:22:33,733
Forget all your
preconceived notions.
429
00:22:33,767 --> 00:22:36,667
This is Taipei and
this is Dubfire.
430
00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:42,600
Initially, there was
resistance, you know?
431
00:22:42,633 --> 00:22:46,500
The techno scene
is very cliquey.
432
00:22:49,233 --> 00:22:52,467
You have to kinda show them
that you're one of them.
433
00:22:52,500 --> 00:22:54,800
Ali spent a lot of
time convincing people
434
00:22:54,833 --> 00:22:56,567
that he was part
of that new scene
435
00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:59,300
and, you know, we had
to help him do that.
436
00:22:59,333 --> 00:23:02,533
I remember him
sometimes paying to play.
437
00:23:02,567 --> 00:23:06,267
So, he would be in the UK
438
00:23:06,300 --> 00:23:09,033
and then all of a sudden
he has to got to DC10
439
00:23:09,067 --> 00:23:11,700
and basically he would
pay to fly himself,
440
00:23:11,733 --> 00:23:14,600
pay for his flight,
his hotel,
441
00:23:14,633 --> 00:23:16,700
and then not get paid.
442
00:23:16,733 --> 00:23:20,233
So, it's an interesting
process to build yourself down
443
00:23:20,267 --> 00:23:22,133
so you can build yourself better
444
00:23:22,167 --> 00:23:26,233
and it's admiring to
see somebody do that.
445
00:23:26,267 --> 00:23:28,067
Ali was coming to our parties.
446
00:23:28,100 --> 00:23:32,500
When I say our parties,
it was in the early 2000s.
447
00:23:32,533 --> 00:23:34,467
This was where my
career started off
448
00:23:34,500 --> 00:23:37,567
and I was playing this
kind of percussive,
449
00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:41,167
bringing minimal
techno into it
450
00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:44,333
before all of this
minimal thing started.
451
00:23:44,367 --> 00:23:47,167
So, he was coming to Ibiza and
then I met him in the States
452
00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:48,833
and I always paid my respects.
453
00:23:48,867 --> 00:23:51,667
"Wow, Ali! You should do
something like way back in time
454
00:23:51,700 --> 00:23:53,600
and why don't you? Yeah."
455
00:23:53,633 --> 00:23:55,500
And he was like,
"Yeah, you're right.
456
00:23:55,533 --> 00:23:57,500
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
You're right."
457
00:23:57,533 --> 00:24:00,367
And then I remember him
coming back from Ibiza
458
00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:02,800
after going to DC10
459
00:24:02,833 --> 00:24:06,633
and being like, nope.
This is what we're doing.
460
00:24:06,667 --> 00:24:08,300
This is the approach.
461
00:24:08,333 --> 00:24:10,100
This is what I wanna do.
462
00:24:10,133 --> 00:24:14,667
And he was so blown away
from that experience
463
00:24:14,700 --> 00:24:20,100
that it was all he
could see, you know?
464
00:24:20,133 --> 00:24:24,300
That was the only way that
this was gonna go down.
465
00:24:26,567 --> 00:24:29,600
We started working on
records that were very much
466
00:24:29,633 --> 00:24:33,300
inspired from that trip
and several others
467
00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:36,633
and Road Kill, I think,
468
00:24:36,667 --> 00:24:40,267
was one of the turning points
for sure.
469
00:24:40,300 --> 00:24:42,667
There was a couple,
you know?
470
00:24:42,700 --> 00:24:44,333
I think the Lucky Heather remix
471
00:24:44,367 --> 00:24:47,467
was another big turning
point for him musically
472
00:24:47,500 --> 00:24:53,467
and also Ribcage was probably,
I think, for me,
473
00:24:53,500 --> 00:24:56,733
for him was one of the
biggest turning points.
474
00:24:56,767 --> 00:25:02,400
After that, I think it
really helped solidify
475
00:25:02,433 --> 00:25:04,533
his sort of sound and style
476
00:25:04,567 --> 00:25:08,300
and I feel like that record
477
00:25:08,333 --> 00:25:10,233
has a lot of Ali in it.
478
00:25:11,667 --> 00:25:13,333
I do remember
that I asked Ali,
479
00:25:13,367 --> 00:25:14,833
can I release that?
480
00:25:14,867 --> 00:25:17,533
And he was like, "No, we already
gave it to local guys
481
00:25:17,567 --> 00:25:19,567
and it's gonna be
just like number one."
482
00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:21,467
And I remember that
really well
483
00:25:21,500 --> 00:25:25,133
because Ali made some great
music before and afterwards,
484
00:25:25,167 --> 00:25:28,067
but Ribcage was a track which
485
00:25:28,100 --> 00:25:31,467
kind of was two tracks
in one, you know?
486
00:25:31,500 --> 00:25:33,700
It was like there was a
really different beginning
487
00:25:33,733 --> 00:25:35,267
to the very different end,
488
00:25:35,300 --> 00:25:36,833
but it made total sense.
489
00:25:36,867 --> 00:25:38,533
And there, you
suddenly had a track
490
00:25:38,567 --> 00:25:40,200
that put you on a journey.
491
00:25:40,233 --> 00:25:42,233
Not only the DJ set
puts you on a journey,
492
00:25:42,267 --> 00:25:43,833
also the little track
puts you on a journey.
493
00:25:43,867 --> 00:25:49,500
When Ribcage came out it was
really such a defining sound.
494
00:25:49,533 --> 00:25:51,167
It was so unique, you know,
495
00:25:51,200 --> 00:25:52,600
and yet it worked so well.
496
00:25:52,633 --> 00:25:56,333
And it was also an
inspiration of saying,
497
00:25:56,367 --> 00:25:58,033
"Hey, you know what?
498
00:25:58,067 --> 00:25:59,733
It doesn't matter where
you are at any given point.
499
00:25:59,767 --> 00:26:02,533
If you have belief and talent,
you can take it anywhere."
500
00:26:02,567 --> 00:26:04,400
And that's the beauty
of this music, I guess.
501
00:26:04,433 --> 00:26:06,567
Electronic music
gives you the ability
502
00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:10,333
to really become or
create whatever you want.
503
00:26:11,733 --> 00:26:14,367
And he showed it on
a really high level
504
00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:16,800
and it showed guts and
it showed excitement
505
00:26:16,833 --> 00:26:19,500
and it showed commitment
506
00:26:19,533 --> 00:26:21,367
and there was no doubt
in my mind
507
00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:24,833
he would take it all the way
to where he has taken it.
508
00:26:24,867 --> 00:26:27,533
I think the singles, when
he put both of them out,
509
00:26:27,567 --> 00:26:31,700
I mean, people from Armin
van Buuran, to Tiesto,
510
00:26:31,733 --> 00:26:34,467
to Richie Hawtin were playing
511
00:26:34,500 --> 00:26:37,567
and I think people were
really taken aback.
512
00:26:37,600 --> 00:26:42,367
They were like, "Wow, where
is this coming from?"
513
00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:44,733
You know, there was this
darkness and this anger
514
00:26:44,767 --> 00:26:50,467
and this new sound that
people not only didn't hear,
515
00:26:50,500 --> 00:26:52,233
but they weren't
expecting from a guy
516
00:26:52,267 --> 00:26:54,467
that had done Say Hello
and Flashdance.
517
00:26:54,500 --> 00:26:57,567
So, I think there
was a real surprise
518
00:26:57,600 --> 00:26:59,733
and I think there was
a real appreciation
519
00:26:59,767 --> 00:27:02,567
for his great creative art.
520
00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:05,400
[speaking German]
521
00:27:43,133 --> 00:27:47,700
I mean, it was like a
"What the fuck?" moment for me.
522
00:27:47,733 --> 00:27:50,333
I don't remember
exactly when it was,
523
00:27:50,367 --> 00:27:52,100
but it was definitely
524
00:27:52,133 --> 00:27:56,633
when I heard that he came
from another place,
525
00:27:56,667 --> 00:27:59,633
he really came from a place
where a lot of techno records
526
00:27:59,667 --> 00:28:00,733
weren't coming from
at the time.
527
00:28:00,767 --> 00:28:04,267
So, I knew he had something.
528
00:28:04,300 --> 00:28:07,500
[upbeat techno music]
529
00:29:34,867 --> 00:29:37,767
Sven ended up being one
of the early supporters.
530
00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:41,833
He put out Ali's first
techno compilation on Cocoon.
531
00:29:41,867 --> 00:29:45,600
He started to bring
Ali into Cocoon.
532
00:29:45,633 --> 00:29:48,267
Nights in Ibiza are
at the Cocoon Club.
533
00:29:48,300 --> 00:29:52,667
So, he was a strong supporter
before Richie even was
534
00:29:52,700 --> 00:29:54,700
and I think it was
because he connected
535
00:29:54,733 --> 00:29:58,700
with how genuine
and how driven
536
00:29:58,733 --> 00:30:02,567
by creative reasons
the transition was.
537
00:30:02,600 --> 00:30:05,333
That's why it worked,
because it was genuine.
538
00:30:05,367 --> 00:30:08,367
[audience cheering]
539
00:30:46,500 --> 00:30:49,567
Since many years,
I love this guy.
540
00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:52,600
[audience cheering]
541
00:31:02,667 --> 00:31:05,367
[Ali]
They wanted me to stumble.
542
00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:07,600
They wanted me to
find my own way,
543
00:31:07,633 --> 00:31:10,600
but they weren't
just watching me
544
00:31:12,267 --> 00:31:14,600
fall apart, so to speak.
545
00:31:14,633 --> 00:31:18,600
They were really there to give
me moral support, friendship.
546
00:31:20,600 --> 00:31:21,800
They were there to give me
547
00:31:21,833 --> 00:31:24,667
creative advice,
technical advice.
548
00:31:26,167 --> 00:31:29,167
So, I'm pretty
indebted to those guys.
549
00:31:29,200 --> 00:31:31,500
You know, and I'll never
forget what they did.
550
00:31:31,533 --> 00:31:34,700
[upbeat techno music]
551
00:32:12,100 --> 00:32:16,300
I worked for the first
tour manager and babysitter
552
00:32:16,333 --> 00:32:17,633
and party-bringer.
553
00:32:17,667 --> 00:32:19,833
[laughing]
554
00:32:19,867 --> 00:32:23,200
And basically, the
main thing is probably
555
00:32:23,233 --> 00:32:25,300
setting up all the equipment
556
00:32:25,333 --> 00:32:28,467
and basically just making sure
that everything runs smoothly
557
00:32:28,500 --> 00:32:33,467
from pickups, hotels, dinners.
558
00:32:33,500 --> 00:32:36,467
So, he can basically
just walk in, do the gig,
559
00:32:36,500 --> 00:32:38,267
feel comfortable
not having to worry
560
00:32:38,300 --> 00:32:40,467
about anything
sort of technical.
561
00:32:40,500 --> 00:32:43,667
I'm making sure we're
picked up, hotels are paid,
562
00:32:43,700 --> 00:32:45,567
dinner's looked after.
563
00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:48,233
So, basically, he can
just come do his thing
564
00:32:48,267 --> 00:32:51,467
without having to stress about
any of the small details.
565
00:32:51,500 --> 00:32:54,033
So, that's my main
part of the job.
566
00:32:54,067 --> 00:32:56,100
He's always been someone
that really likes to push
567
00:32:56,133 --> 00:32:58,300
the limits of technology
568
00:32:58,333 --> 00:33:00,500
and it's really good
working with him on that
569
00:33:00,533 --> 00:33:06,067
because we always just try
to incorporate something new.
570
00:33:06,100 --> 00:33:09,600
So, a lot of people talk
about my rattlesnake effect,
571
00:33:09,633 --> 00:33:13,833
which is just this tape
delay thing that I have.
572
00:33:13,867 --> 00:33:17,200
[upbeat techno music]
573
00:33:21,633 --> 00:33:23,533
And what I try to
do a lot of times
574
00:33:23,567 --> 00:33:29,133
is to create a new version
of what I'm playing
575
00:33:29,167 --> 00:33:32,133
just by looping
different songs together
576
00:33:32,167 --> 00:33:33,633
and maybe I'll eventually--
577
00:33:33,667 --> 00:33:35,467
I mean, if I'm
having too much fun
578
00:33:35,500 --> 00:33:38,033
just looping parts of a track,
579
00:33:38,067 --> 00:33:39,633
I'll just leave it at that
580
00:33:39,667 --> 00:33:42,467
and other times, eventually,
I'll kick in the track
581
00:33:42,500 --> 00:33:46,367
and then it creates
a pretty great
582
00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:48,567
feeling in the whole
room. So, yeah.
583
00:33:48,600 --> 00:33:50,400
Mike, have you
seen the fader plugs?
584
00:33:50,433 --> 00:33:52,200
-[Mike] That's insane.
-Yeah.
585
00:33:52,233 --> 00:33:53,200
Traktor controller.
Traktor controller.
586
00:33:53,233 --> 00:33:54,633
Yeah, for TraKKtor.
587
00:33:54,667 --> 00:33:56,233
All four decks.
Everything.
588
00:33:56,267 --> 00:33:57,633
A, B, C, D. See?
589
00:33:59,100 --> 00:34:01,600
-Yeah.
-That's something else.
590
00:34:01,633 --> 00:34:04,133
He has also great
insight on the DJ business
591
00:34:04,167 --> 00:34:06,667
and also what the DJ
really needs in the booth.
592
00:34:06,700 --> 00:34:08,833
So, he's one of the guys
that we like to talk to
593
00:34:08,867 --> 00:34:10,500
even though,
I've got to admit,
594
00:34:10,533 --> 00:34:13,567
when we met it was
really more private
595
00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:16,567
and really just hang out
and learn a little bit
596
00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:20,267
about the DJ life
and maybe
597
00:34:20,300 --> 00:34:26,200
one of the managers of one of
the companies in our industry.
598
00:34:28,500 --> 00:34:31,500
[Speaking Japanese]
599
00:35:26,600 --> 00:35:28,633
[Ali]
It's a powerful feeling.
600
00:35:28,667 --> 00:35:32,500
I mean, DJing can be
extremely powerful.
601
00:35:32,533 --> 00:35:34,767
You can be in a situation where
602
00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:39,233
you're in complete
control of the crowd.
603
00:35:39,267 --> 00:35:42,467
And that can make
you feel, you know,
604
00:35:42,500 --> 00:35:44,133
some people have
thrown around that word
605
00:35:44,167 --> 00:35:45,700
and there was that
Faithless song, I remember,
606
00:35:45,733 --> 00:35:47,633
like, God is a DJ or whatever,
607
00:35:47,667 --> 00:35:51,033
but it can make you feel
god-like in some ways.
608
00:35:51,067 --> 00:35:53,467
When you're sort of
above ground level,
609
00:35:53,500 --> 00:35:57,567
when you're, you know,
in your pulpit,
610
00:35:57,600 --> 00:36:00,633
it can have a very,
you know,
611
00:36:00,667 --> 00:36:04,533
powerfully spiritual
effect on you
612
00:36:04,567 --> 00:36:08,167
to be in control
of so many people.
613
00:36:08,200 --> 00:36:11,500
[soft dramatic music]
614
00:36:27,433 --> 00:36:29,467
There's so many different
parameters at play.
615
00:36:29,500 --> 00:36:31,333
There's so many
different variables
616
00:36:31,367 --> 00:36:34,200
that sometimes are
working with you,
617
00:36:34,233 --> 00:36:35,633
sometimes are
working against you
618
00:36:35,667 --> 00:36:37,267
that you have to
navigate through to find
619
00:36:37,300 --> 00:36:39,500
that point where you connect
620
00:36:39,533 --> 00:36:42,500
and when you connect,
it's a beautiful--
621
00:36:42,533 --> 00:36:45,033
it's like the eye of
the storm, you know?
622
00:36:45,067 --> 00:36:50,633
It's like that calm,
serene place
623
00:36:50,667 --> 00:36:52,600
that pilots have driven into,
624
00:36:52,633 --> 00:36:54,733
that scientists have discussed
625
00:36:54,767 --> 00:36:57,833
as a very unusual,
very calm place
626
00:36:57,867 --> 00:37:01,600
in the middle of what could
be the worst storm in history
627
00:37:01,633 --> 00:37:03,700
and that's what playing
in a club is like
628
00:37:03,733 --> 00:37:05,633
because you're surrounded
by all these things.
629
00:37:05,667 --> 00:37:09,167
There's people knocking
things over around you,
630
00:37:10,800 --> 00:37:13,467
there's drinks falling on
your laptop and on the mixer
631
00:37:13,500 --> 00:37:15,467
and a certain audience member's
632
00:37:15,500 --> 00:37:17,500
trying to get your attention,
633
00:37:17,533 --> 00:37:20,733
certain people behind you or
the entourage of the promoter
634
00:37:20,767 --> 00:37:22,600
are trying to get you
to pose for photos
635
00:37:22,633 --> 00:37:23,767
and all this other stuff
636
00:37:23,800 --> 00:37:25,667
and while all that's going on,
637
00:37:25,700 --> 00:37:28,500
while all that's
happening around you,
638
00:37:28,533 --> 00:37:30,167
which is the hurricane,
639
00:37:30,200 --> 00:37:31,600
you're in the center of it all
640
00:37:31,633 --> 00:37:35,100
and you're trying to
find that inner peace,
641
00:37:35,133 --> 00:37:37,633
that inner connectivity,
642
00:37:37,667 --> 00:37:40,733
not only within yourself,
but with the technology
643
00:37:40,767 --> 00:37:43,667
and ultimately with the audience
644
00:37:43,700 --> 00:37:46,467
and you're trying to bring
people into that space.
645
00:37:46,500 --> 00:37:50,333
It's a very warm and
inviting space to be in.
646
00:37:50,367 --> 00:37:54,033
[electronic ethereal music]
647
00:38:16,667 --> 00:38:20,400
[music on headphones]
648
00:38:43,167 --> 00:38:45,500
[brass horns]
649
00:38:57,633 --> 00:39:00,800
[upbeat techno music]
650
00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:47,400
[speaking Japanese]
651
00:40:52,800 --> 00:40:56,133
[upbeat techno music]
652
00:41:06,267 --> 00:41:09,267
[speaking Japanese]
653
00:42:12,500 --> 00:42:15,667
[upbeat techno music]
654
00:42:48,200 --> 00:42:51,100
I think what's great
about working with Ali
655
00:42:51,133 --> 00:42:54,267
is he travels a lot,
he sees lots of things,
656
00:42:54,300 --> 00:42:55,467
he's very open-minded,
657
00:42:55,500 --> 00:42:57,833
he takes in lots of influences
658
00:42:57,867 --> 00:43:01,300
and also, he's willing
to take a risk, you know?
659
00:43:01,333 --> 00:43:05,367
We've tried to do a
3D show for 4000 people
660
00:43:05,400 --> 00:43:06,667
and we'd never done it before,
661
00:43:06,700 --> 00:43:08,633
we didn't know how
it was gonna work,
662
00:43:08,667 --> 00:43:12,267
and we tried that
and it worked,
663
00:43:12,300 --> 00:43:15,233
but you don't always
know how these things
are gonna work or not or how
664
00:43:15,267 --> 00:43:19,400
much affect they can
have. Sometimes, you can
have things that
665
00:43:19,433 --> 00:43:21,833
you don't expect
to be a big deal
666
00:43:21,867 --> 00:43:24,533
or they're almost
something that just happens
667
00:43:24,567 --> 00:43:28,600
and that's when it becomes
something of focus.
668
00:43:30,233 --> 00:43:31,667
But what's nice working with Ali
669
00:43:31,700 --> 00:43:33,567
is he's prepared to let
those things happen.
670
00:43:33,600 --> 00:43:38,200
He's not too precious
or controlling of things
671
00:43:38,233 --> 00:43:40,233
and he places
a lot of trust in us
672
00:43:40,267 --> 00:43:42,167
and I think because of that,
673
00:43:42,200 --> 00:43:44,167
he's got the best
out of us really.
674
00:43:44,200 --> 00:43:47,367
[upbeat techno music]
675
00:44:12,333 --> 00:44:15,100
[sheet rustling]
676
00:44:18,067 --> 00:44:20,167
When people look
at how much money you get
677
00:44:20,200 --> 00:44:22,633
for a night to play a show
678
00:44:22,667 --> 00:44:25,300
and how long you play, maybe
you play an hour or two,
679
00:44:25,333 --> 00:44:27,633
it just seems like,
"Wow, you make a lot of money."
680
00:44:27,667 --> 00:44:29,633
But then if you think about it,
681
00:44:29,667 --> 00:44:31,100
yeah, I just played an hour,
682
00:44:31,133 --> 00:44:33,567
but I spent eight hours
to get to this club
683
00:44:33,600 --> 00:44:37,200
on 30 minutes sleep
from the night before
684
00:44:37,233 --> 00:44:41,533
and after this it's gonna take
me 12 hours to travel home.
685
00:44:41,567 --> 00:44:43,100
If you scale that whole thing,
686
00:44:43,133 --> 00:44:47,467
you're getting paid like
this much to make music
687
00:44:47,500 --> 00:44:48,833
and then this much
for traveling
688
00:44:48,867 --> 00:44:51,733
and dealing with
the music life,
689
00:44:51,767 --> 00:44:56,533
maybe partying too much
and half asleep on a plane
690
00:44:56,567 --> 00:44:58,767
and stuff like that.
691
00:44:58,800 --> 00:45:01,533
I don't think
that people realize
692
00:45:01,567 --> 00:45:03,567
how much travel is involved
693
00:45:03,600 --> 00:45:06,200
until you really look at
a DJs entire schedule.
694
00:45:06,233 --> 00:45:10,700
If you're club-goer A and
you're sitting in Dubai
695
00:45:10,733 --> 00:45:12,267
and Ali shows up
to play a gig,
696
00:45:12,300 --> 00:45:14,167
you're like,
"Wow, that's great.
697
00:45:14,200 --> 00:45:16,567
Ali was here, I'm sure he's
staying three or four nights
698
00:45:16,600 --> 00:45:18,533
and he's spending
time at the pool."
699
00:45:18,567 --> 00:45:21,200
No. Ali is probably
there for 12 hours
700
00:45:21,233 --> 00:45:23,467
and he's playing a set and
then he has to get on a plane
701
00:45:23,500 --> 00:45:25,300
to fly somewhere else
702
00:45:25,333 --> 00:45:27,500
and there has to be time to
sleep so that he's refreshed
703
00:45:27,533 --> 00:45:31,200
so that the next day
when he plays Aman
704
00:45:31,233 --> 00:45:36,600
or Beirut or Istanbul
or London or Toyko,
705
00:45:36,633 --> 00:45:39,400
he's ready and fresh
to perform again
706
00:45:39,433 --> 00:45:41,533
and to be creative and
to deliver the experience
707
00:45:41,567 --> 00:45:44,633
that the club-goer
wants to have.
708
00:45:44,667 --> 00:45:46,533
You can't be a
successful DJ, really,
709
00:45:46,567 --> 00:45:48,300
unless you love traveling.
710
00:45:48,333 --> 00:45:50,233
Maybe for a couple
of years you can,
711
00:45:50,267 --> 00:45:52,500
but you've got to love
getting on that plane,
712
00:45:52,533 --> 00:45:54,600
going to different places,
713
00:45:54,633 --> 00:45:57,200
revisiting and
exploring a little bit.
714
00:45:57,233 --> 00:45:58,567
And Ali loves that.
715
00:45:58,600 --> 00:46:02,600
He loves where that type
of situation takes you.
716
00:46:04,300 --> 00:46:05,633
When you go to a new place,
717
00:46:05,667 --> 00:46:07,200
you want to meet new people,
718
00:46:07,233 --> 00:46:08,500
you want to go to new places,
719
00:46:08,533 --> 00:46:11,267
you want to try new food,
new drinks,
720
00:46:11,300 --> 00:46:14,767
and explore everything
about that place.
721
00:46:14,800 --> 00:46:16,833
And then, when
I'd go on a weekend
722
00:46:16,867 --> 00:46:18,833
and you go from club to club,
723
00:46:18,867 --> 00:46:20,633
maybe you have two
shows in a night
724
00:46:20,667 --> 00:46:23,600
and you're not sleeping and
you're like, oh, my god,
725
00:46:23,633 --> 00:46:25,533
I'm never drinking again,
726
00:46:25,567 --> 00:46:27,267
I'm like, this is
too much for me,
727
00:46:27,300 --> 00:46:31,133
but then slowly you get
better at it and better at it.
728
00:46:31,167 --> 00:46:33,733
Kinda like being in the Army.
729
00:46:33,767 --> 00:46:35,367
You know, when you
first join the Army,
730
00:46:35,400 --> 00:46:38,100
I'm sure you're not used
to only two hours sleep,
731
00:46:38,133 --> 00:46:39,833
but later you're like,
oh, I have 15 minutes,
732
00:46:39,867 --> 00:46:41,400
I'm gonna sleep right now.
733
00:46:41,433 --> 00:46:43,033
And then, you wake
up and you're fine.
734
00:46:43,067 --> 00:46:44,667
You just train your body to deal
735
00:46:44,700 --> 00:46:46,633
with that kind of lifestyle.
736
00:46:46,667 --> 00:46:48,600
I need sleep and
I love to sleep.
737
00:46:48,633 --> 00:46:52,033
Definitely everybody needs
sleep and it's very healthy,
738
00:46:52,067 --> 00:46:55,033
but it's funny because
during the week,
739
00:46:55,067 --> 00:46:57,300
if I would sleep
only for two hours,
740
00:46:57,333 --> 00:46:59,333
the next day I would
be like, "Oh, my god.
741
00:46:59,367 --> 00:47:00,733
I only slept two hours."
742
00:47:00,767 --> 00:47:03,133
But on a weekend
or when I'm on tour
743
00:47:03,167 --> 00:47:05,333
and because of your flight
schedules or whatever,
744
00:47:05,367 --> 00:47:07,100
you get only two hours
of sleep, it's okay.
745
00:47:07,133 --> 00:47:09,633
You're like, I got two
hours of sleep, you know?
746
00:47:09,667 --> 00:47:11,567
I can deal with the
rest of the night
747
00:47:11,600 --> 00:47:15,500
and that basically shows you
it's all a mindset thing.
748
00:47:15,533 --> 00:47:17,233
I mean, ultimately, of
course you need sleep,
749
00:47:17,267 --> 00:47:20,633
you need rest, but you
can do two, three days
750
00:47:20,667 --> 00:47:23,200
with a little bit
of amount of sleep
751
00:47:23,233 --> 00:47:26,400
and you can still manage to do
your things in the right way.
752
00:47:26,433 --> 00:47:29,633
[dark dramatic music]
753
00:48:11,800 --> 00:48:13,467
You don't get much
sleep over the weekend
754
00:48:13,500 --> 00:48:15,500
when you're doing
these kind of events.
755
00:48:15,533 --> 00:48:19,367
But not only that, we do
have a daytime life as well.
756
00:48:19,400 --> 00:48:24,767
We have relationships,
married, kids,
757
00:48:24,800 --> 00:48:26,233
I have a record label to run,
758
00:48:26,267 --> 00:48:27,767
I have a radio show,
759
00:48:29,633 --> 00:48:31,567
I do a lot of remixes,
760
00:48:31,600 --> 00:48:33,600
I work in the studio.
761
00:48:33,633 --> 00:48:37,167
All of these things are
cumbersome of what makes a DJ.
762
00:48:37,200 --> 00:48:38,800
And also, when we
put the events on,
763
00:48:38,833 --> 00:48:40,800
things all need to be
worked out in meetings,
764
00:48:40,833 --> 00:48:42,500
things that you
have to go and see,
765
00:48:42,533 --> 00:48:46,500
and not only that, we have
people that we need to see
766
00:48:46,533 --> 00:48:49,300
from a financial point of view.
767
00:48:49,333 --> 00:48:51,467
You know, marketing structures,
768
00:48:51,500 --> 00:48:53,333
all this kind of stuff.
769
00:48:53,367 --> 00:48:58,100
It really is a
part of-- this success
770
00:48:58,133 --> 00:49:03,633
has created all of
what we basically
771
00:49:03,667 --> 00:49:06,467
need to understand and
what we need to go through
772
00:49:06,500 --> 00:49:08,400
to be able to go to that party
773
00:49:08,433 --> 00:49:11,600
and do what we do at
the other end of it
774
00:49:11,633 --> 00:49:13,500
and that is all time.
775
00:49:13,533 --> 00:49:15,633
It takes so much time,
776
00:49:15,667 --> 00:49:17,033
but it's necessary to do it
777
00:49:17,067 --> 00:49:18,500
otherwise the wheels
of the industry
778
00:49:18,533 --> 00:49:20,300
doesn't keep turning
if you're just like
779
00:49:20,333 --> 00:49:21,833
[yawning]
780
00:49:21,867 --> 00:49:23,767
"What time is it?
Eight o'clock in the evening.
781
00:49:23,800 --> 00:49:26,533
All right, I'll get some
food and go to the party."
782
00:49:26,567 --> 00:49:28,633
All these meetings and
things are backed up
783
00:49:28,667 --> 00:49:30,567
and things that you
need to know about
784
00:49:30,600 --> 00:49:31,633
have not been done
785
00:49:31,667 --> 00:49:33,767
and then, it all falls down.
786
00:49:33,800 --> 00:49:35,500
So, you have to be
on top of the game,
787
00:49:35,533 --> 00:49:38,233
not just from the
DJing point of view,
788
00:49:38,267 --> 00:49:39,600
but from the nuts and
bolts of the industry
789
00:49:39,633 --> 00:49:41,567
point of view as well.
790
00:49:41,600 --> 00:49:44,100
DJing or playing
music for people,
791
00:49:44,133 --> 00:49:45,700
it's a lonesome life.
792
00:49:46,800 --> 00:49:48,767
Much like the life of a cowboy
793
00:49:48,800 --> 00:49:55,267
and life on the road is
like life on the prairie.
794
00:49:55,300 --> 00:49:59,300
Alone to your words,
to your horse and yourself.
795
00:50:01,667 --> 00:50:03,567
[Camille]
I never went on tour with him
796
00:50:03,600 --> 00:50:06,600
and I was used to being
on my own all the time.
797
00:50:06,633 --> 00:50:08,400
So, I'd be like, see
you when you get back,
798
00:50:08,433 --> 00:50:10,567
and I had no idea
where he would go.
799
00:50:10,600 --> 00:50:12,400
So, I was like, "Oh, okay.
You're going to DJ.
800
00:50:12,433 --> 00:50:13,767
Cool. See ya."
801
00:50:13,800 --> 00:50:15,500
And then, he would come
back and he was like,
802
00:50:15,533 --> 00:50:17,167
I'm so tired, and I was like,
803
00:50:17,200 --> 00:50:19,167
"What did you do?
804
00:50:19,200 --> 00:50:20,200
Where have you been?
805
00:50:20,233 --> 00:50:22,067
What's going on with you?"
806
00:50:22,100 --> 00:50:25,033
But he never was like,
807
00:50:25,067 --> 00:50:26,767
"Oh, I'm just gonna sit
back and chill."
808
00:50:26,800 --> 00:50:29,567
He always wanted to do
something or go out.
809
00:50:29,600 --> 00:50:35,333
So, I probably didn't get the
end of that being tired thing
810
00:50:35,367 --> 00:50:38,667
until like two years later
into the relationship.
811
00:50:38,700 --> 00:50:40,233
I think to stay on
top of everything,
812
00:50:40,267 --> 00:50:42,833
all the DJs just
take lots of drugs.
813
00:50:42,867 --> 00:50:45,400
I say that because I think
some people out there
814
00:50:45,433 --> 00:50:47,667
actually think
that's the case
815
00:50:47,700 --> 00:50:50,633
and that's the only
way it actually works.
816
00:50:50,667 --> 00:50:56,267
Most of the DJs I know have
had crazy times in their lives
817
00:50:56,300 --> 00:50:59,167
and in their careers where
perhaps they were experimenting
818
00:50:59,200 --> 00:51:02,733
and drinking a lot and
doing lots of things,
819
00:51:02,767 --> 00:51:05,367
but most of the DJs now
820
00:51:05,400 --> 00:51:08,467
who are on top of their game
821
00:51:08,500 --> 00:51:10,533
are quite disciplined.
822
00:51:10,567 --> 00:51:14,733
So, they have a schedule
that's pretty intense
823
00:51:14,767 --> 00:51:17,800
between staying fit--
824
00:51:17,833 --> 00:51:20,533
because staying fit
means playing your best.
825
00:51:20,567 --> 00:51:23,400
Staying fit also
means a clear mind
826
00:51:23,433 --> 00:51:26,800
that allows you to work
and run companies.
827
00:51:26,833 --> 00:51:30,167
[upbeat techno music]
828
00:51:53,667 --> 00:51:58,033
I always make sure that
Ali has time for Ali.
829
00:51:58,067 --> 00:52:02,067
I've introduced him
to wellness doctors,
830
00:52:02,100 --> 00:52:03,333
to physical therapists.
831
00:52:03,367 --> 00:52:05,567
I think of Ali as a brand.
832
00:52:05,600 --> 00:52:07,300
I think of DJs like brands
833
00:52:07,333 --> 00:52:10,500
and I think that,
like professional athletes,
834
00:52:10,533 --> 00:52:13,767
there's wear and tear
on the body.
835
00:52:13,800 --> 00:52:15,567
There's constant travel,
there's no sleep.
836
00:52:15,600 --> 00:52:18,767
So, I recommend people
for him to go see
837
00:52:18,800 --> 00:52:20,633
and he listens to me
and we work out together
838
00:52:20,667 --> 00:52:23,267
and I think that
there's a whole upkeep
839
00:52:23,300 --> 00:52:25,300
or maintenance element
of his lifestyle
840
00:52:25,333 --> 00:52:27,667
that helps keep him going.
841
00:52:27,700 --> 00:52:30,300
You know, we're at the gym
very early or swimming,
842
00:52:30,333 --> 00:52:32,467
we're then straight
into the office.
843
00:52:32,500 --> 00:52:35,667
We're having lunch
and dinner meetings,
844
00:52:35,700 --> 00:52:38,100
which are usually, you know,
845
00:52:38,133 --> 00:52:41,333
very rarely do I see
any of us having
846
00:52:41,367 --> 00:52:43,133
really personal time.
847
00:52:46,300 --> 00:52:48,067
It's always somewhat mixed.
848
00:52:48,100 --> 00:52:50,400
If I'm out with Ali,
849
00:52:50,433 --> 00:52:52,833
probably I'm out with Laura,
my girlfriend,
850
00:52:52,867 --> 00:52:54,767
and Camille, his girlfriend,
851
00:52:54,800 --> 00:52:56,467
and we're talking personal,
852
00:52:56,500 --> 00:52:57,733
we're talking into business,
853
00:52:57,767 --> 00:52:59,333
we're going back and forth,
854
00:52:59,367 --> 00:53:03,067
and that's kind of how
the whole lifestyle is.
855
00:53:03,100 --> 00:53:04,467
Everything is mixed.
856
00:53:04,500 --> 00:53:08,000
[animated conversation]
857
00:53:11,500 --> 00:53:13,233
This isn't a nine to five job.
858
00:53:13,267 --> 00:53:16,300
We don't punch in, you know?
859
00:53:16,333 --> 00:53:18,300
It is a job because
it makes our money,
860
00:53:18,333 --> 00:53:20,000
but this is our life
861
00:53:21,133 --> 00:53:24,267
and we really love what we do.
862
00:53:24,300 --> 00:53:29,033
So, our personal time and
fun time is our work time.
863
00:53:29,067 --> 00:53:34,767
So, it's very hard to say
when anything starts or stops.
864
00:53:34,800 --> 00:53:38,233
[loud bass music]
865
00:53:51,633 --> 00:53:54,633
[high pitched ring]
866
00:54:02,067 --> 00:54:05,500
DJs are a bit like mice
on the wheel kind of thing,
867
00:54:05,533 --> 00:54:08,567
always spinning, always
pleasing the next person,
868
00:54:08,600 --> 00:54:10,567
and then forgetting to
please yourself almost.
869
00:54:10,600 --> 00:54:12,467
You think you're
pleasing yourself
870
00:54:12,500 --> 00:54:14,500
because everyone is standing
in front of you going crazy,
871
00:54:14,533 --> 00:54:15,833
but it's not really.
872
00:54:15,867 --> 00:54:19,667
So, you have to enjoy
the process of doing it
873
00:54:19,700 --> 00:54:22,033
as opposed to just turning up,
874
00:54:22,067 --> 00:54:24,800
thinking I'm going to enjoy it
when I have the day off.
875
00:54:24,833 --> 00:54:28,067
You've got to enjoy
the whole thing.
876
00:54:28,100 --> 00:54:30,533
[Guetta]
What I feel is
877
00:54:30,567 --> 00:54:32,733
life gives you a blessing.
878
00:54:34,167 --> 00:54:36,833
The blessing of being successful
879
00:54:36,867 --> 00:54:41,467
when there are millions
of people out there
880
00:54:41,500 --> 00:54:46,467
that are dreaming to have
half of the success
881
00:54:46,500 --> 00:54:49,633
that we are having
882
00:54:49,667 --> 00:54:52,467
and when life gives
you this blessing,
883
00:54:52,500 --> 00:54:54,433
I think you cannot refuse it.
884
00:54:56,100 --> 00:54:58,100
We do this because we love it.
It comes from the heart
885
00:54:58,133 --> 00:54:59,333
and that's what spurs
you on, you know?
886
00:54:59,367 --> 00:55:00,567
If you love something so much,
887
00:55:00,600 --> 00:55:02,167
it doesn't matter
where you are,
888
00:55:02,200 --> 00:55:04,200
if you're on your own
or how tired you are,
889
00:55:04,233 --> 00:55:06,100
you get in the club and if
890
00:55:06,133 --> 00:55:08,200
the show's amazing,
it's worthwhile.
891
00:55:08,233 --> 00:55:09,567
It's worth being tired.
892
00:55:09,600 --> 00:55:11,067
It's worth not seeing
your loved ones.
893
00:55:11,100 --> 00:55:14,167
We do this because we love it.
No other reason.
894
00:55:14,200 --> 00:55:17,333
There's a lot of
difficulties along the way,
895
00:55:17,367 --> 00:55:20,233
but at the end of the day,
I think for all of us,
896
00:55:20,267 --> 00:55:23,533
it's that moment that we get
to the DJ booth or the stage
897
00:55:23,567 --> 00:55:26,133
and we hit play
that it all makes sense.
898
00:55:26,167 --> 00:55:29,400
[upbeat techno music].
899
00:56:49,600 --> 00:56:54,167
When he first
stepped into the room
900
00:56:54,200 --> 00:57:00,300
I already knew that he
was such a Japan freak
901
00:57:00,333 --> 00:57:05,100
and he knew so much about Japan
902
00:57:05,133 --> 00:57:07,567
in every different levels
903
00:57:07,600 --> 00:57:10,367
and he's just a
great guy, you know?
904
00:57:10,400 --> 00:57:14,333
He works very hard and
he respects the country
905
00:57:14,367 --> 00:57:16,100
and the culture
and the people
906
00:57:16,133 --> 00:57:17,833
and also, he knows
how to have fun,
907
00:57:17,867 --> 00:57:22,767
how to have great time
with the people around him.
908
00:57:22,800 --> 00:57:24,500
Ali, going back to childhood,
909
00:57:24,533 --> 00:57:27,200
always had a
fascination with Japan.
910
00:57:27,233 --> 00:57:29,367
It was always something
911
00:57:29,400 --> 00:57:31,500
when anything
Japanese would come
912
00:57:31,533 --> 00:57:33,467
on the television
when we were kids,
913
00:57:33,500 --> 00:57:36,233
he would sort of
stop and tune in
914
00:57:36,267 --> 00:57:39,633
and over the years when he
traveled to Tokyo in Japan,
915
00:57:39,667 --> 00:57:42,333
I think he really
embraced the culture.
916
00:57:42,367 --> 00:57:44,233
He felt comfortable there
917
00:57:44,267 --> 00:57:48,100
and I think Japanese culture,
again, is very meticulous.
918
00:57:48,133 --> 00:57:50,067
There's an emphasis on quality
919
00:57:50,100 --> 00:57:52,467
and I think Ali
appreciates those virtues.
920
00:57:52,500 --> 00:57:56,067
[crowd happily shouting]
921
00:58:24,233 --> 00:58:25,067
Yeah. Like this?
922
00:58:25,100 --> 00:58:27,200
West coast, east coast.
923
00:58:28,800 --> 00:58:32,400
So far, he's west coast
and new school.
924
00:58:32,433 --> 00:58:34,133
Many people
cannot even imagine,
925
00:58:34,167 --> 00:58:39,367
but there is a big
extreme change in emotions
926
00:58:39,400 --> 00:58:42,333
when you're on the
stage you are at the max
927
00:58:42,367 --> 00:58:44,133
and then you go
back to the hotel,
928
00:58:44,167 --> 00:58:46,667
you are alone,
you and your room
929
00:58:47,833 --> 00:58:51,567
most of the times,
930
00:58:51,600 --> 00:58:54,800
but I try always to
stay with my friends
931
00:58:54,833 --> 00:58:59,533
after a big gig.
932
00:58:59,567 --> 00:59:01,567
Like, I don't know,
big festival.
933
00:59:01,600 --> 00:59:03,267
We have the after hours,
the after party.
934
00:59:03,300 --> 00:59:04,767
That's why we do after party
935
00:59:04,800 --> 00:59:09,633
because then it's like the
celebrating of a success
936
00:59:09,667 --> 00:59:12,367
and I love also, with Ali,
937
00:59:12,400 --> 00:59:16,033
many times we do this
because we celebrate together
938
00:59:16,067 --> 00:59:18,400
the music and the freedom.
939
00:59:18,433 --> 00:59:22,833
You know, the amazing
thing to stay together
940
00:59:22,867 --> 00:59:24,667
and to share something.
941
00:59:24,700 --> 00:59:28,200
So, for me the
continued celebrating.
942
00:59:28,233 --> 00:59:30,600
Of course, not every
time with after hours,
943
00:59:30,633 --> 00:59:33,600
but even when I go
back to the hotel,
944
00:59:33,633 --> 00:59:37,467
I have this
adrenaline, you know,
945
00:59:37,500 --> 00:59:40,833
that is like,
I don't know,
946
00:59:40,867 --> 00:59:43,300
after a school exam,
you know,
947
00:59:43,333 --> 00:59:47,233
you have this feeling in your
stomach, like butterflies,
948
00:59:47,267 --> 00:59:53,067
and I have this before,
during, and after.
949
00:59:53,100 --> 00:59:56,633
So, yes. It's special.
Very special.
950
00:59:57,633 --> 01:00:00,500
[phone ringing]
951
01:00:05,500 --> 01:00:08,567
[light dramatic music]
952
01:00:19,533 --> 01:00:22,833
We skip from country
to country in hours.
953
01:00:22,867 --> 01:00:26,233
We can play in three
countries in 24 hours.
954
01:00:26,267 --> 01:00:27,667
Be in Tokyo one weekend
955
01:00:27,700 --> 01:00:30,500
and one Friday in
New York the next.
956
01:00:30,533 --> 01:00:32,700
So, our minds work this way
957
01:00:32,733 --> 01:00:37,467
and that fast-paced mindset,
958
01:00:37,500 --> 01:00:40,500
that love of technology
which helps us play,
959
01:00:40,533 --> 01:00:42,567
helps us travel,
helps us communicate
960
01:00:42,600 --> 01:00:47,800
is something that I think
we all felt in Japan
961
01:00:47,833 --> 01:00:51,533
and I think we all
had that similar rush,
962
01:00:51,567 --> 01:00:56,067
that excitement and
felt like we were
963
01:00:56,100 --> 01:00:59,467
stepping one day ahead
of everybody else.
964
01:00:59,500 --> 01:01:02,533
[light dramatic music]
965
01:01:16,700 --> 01:01:19,700
[speaking Japanese]
966
01:01:56,233 --> 01:01:59,400
[upbeat techno music]
967
01:02:09,400 --> 01:02:12,400
[speaking Japanese]
968
01:02:13,500 --> 01:02:16,367
The flavor is fukuzatsu.
969
01:02:16,400 --> 01:02:17,667
So many things.
970
01:02:21,533 --> 01:02:24,167
One little piece.
So many things.
971
01:02:24,200 --> 01:02:25,800
-Thank you.
-Yeah.
972
01:02:26,867 --> 01:02:30,033
[speaking Japanese]
973
01:02:55,833 --> 01:02:59,167
[upbeat techno music]
974
01:03:00,600 --> 01:03:03,600
[speaking Spanish]
975
01:03:42,133 --> 01:03:45,300
[upbeat techno music]
976
01:03:48,567 --> 01:03:50,100
If I'm anywhere in the world,
977
01:03:50,133 --> 01:03:51,567
Bulgaria or whatever,
978
01:03:51,600 --> 01:03:52,800
I say, right, to Ali.
979
01:03:52,833 --> 01:03:54,367
Where's the best place to eat?
980
01:03:54,400 --> 01:03:55,833
And guaranteed he'll
have four or five places
981
01:03:55,867 --> 01:03:57,733
that are just amazing.
982
01:03:57,767 --> 01:03:59,200
It doesn't have to be high-end,
983
01:03:59,233 --> 01:04:00,600
it just has to be good food
984
01:04:00,633 --> 01:04:04,067
and he is one of these
DJs that has a love
985
01:04:04,100 --> 01:04:07,133
and the knowledge of where
to eat around the world
986
01:04:07,167 --> 01:04:08,500
because it's
important to eat good.
987
01:04:08,533 --> 01:04:10,067
It makes you feel good,
988
01:04:10,100 --> 01:04:11,700
you feel happy about
what you've eaten,
989
01:04:11,733 --> 01:04:15,300
and you can go into
your gig very positive
990
01:04:15,333 --> 01:04:17,400
knowing that you've eaten well
991
01:04:17,433 --> 01:04:18,533
and it has an affect on you.
992
01:04:18,567 --> 01:04:20,333
It really does.
993
01:04:20,367 --> 01:04:23,400
I mean, even more so than any
time before in our lives now
994
01:04:23,433 --> 01:04:26,633
that we're all very health
conscious about what we eat
995
01:04:26,667 --> 01:04:28,767
and how it makes you feel.
996
01:04:28,800 --> 01:04:33,633
He had the passion with
gastronomy with foods.
997
01:04:33,667 --> 01:04:35,533
He's one of the guys,
you understand?
998
01:04:35,567 --> 01:04:37,100
He's eating with all those chefs
999
01:04:37,133 --> 01:04:39,133
and everybody knows him.
1000
01:04:40,633 --> 01:04:42,467
That's a nice feeling.
1001
01:04:42,500 --> 01:04:45,267
That's somebody that is
so emotional with food,
1002
01:04:45,300 --> 01:04:47,767
but also has a passion with it
1003
01:04:47,800 --> 01:04:51,800
because it's not only food,
it's more than that.
1004
01:04:54,633 --> 01:04:57,633
[speaking Japanese]
1005
01:05:24,800 --> 01:05:27,100
DJs are people loving food.
1006
01:05:27,133 --> 01:05:28,767
It's that creative edge,
you know?
1007
01:05:28,800 --> 01:05:31,633
When you travel around
and actually spend
1008
01:05:31,667 --> 01:05:33,100
most of your meals
in restaurants,
1009
01:05:33,133 --> 01:05:36,500
you start to really
pick up taste, you know?
1010
01:05:36,533 --> 01:05:39,300
And Ali's a man
with a superb taste
1011
01:05:39,333 --> 01:05:40,833
and most people with taste love,
1012
01:05:40,867 --> 01:05:43,733
not only food, but art, fashion,
1013
01:05:43,767 --> 01:05:46,067
and other things in
culture, you know?
1014
01:05:46,100 --> 01:05:49,467
And for us, Ali and I,
1015
01:05:49,500 --> 01:05:52,567
one of the top things
next to music is--
1016
01:05:52,600 --> 01:05:54,500
that tops investment in
culture is food, you know?
1017
01:05:54,533 --> 01:05:57,533
That taste, the
experience, you know?
1018
01:05:57,567 --> 01:05:59,733
They're both experiential
events, you know?
1019
01:05:59,767 --> 01:06:01,467
Like both with--
1020
01:06:01,500 --> 01:06:06,033
It's like embodying more
than one sense, you know?
1021
01:06:06,067 --> 01:06:08,633
There's something about
that that's just like
1022
01:06:08,667 --> 01:06:10,167
the best thing in
life, you know?
1023
01:06:10,200 --> 01:06:14,133
Good food, good music,
good friends.
1024
01:06:14,167 --> 01:06:15,667
Throw some good sex in there,
1025
01:06:15,700 --> 01:06:18,067
you can't ask for anything else.
1026
01:06:18,100 --> 01:06:20,200
It's a true story.
1027
01:06:20,233 --> 01:06:22,167
I thought it was good.
1028
01:06:22,200 --> 01:06:24,500
It could have used a
bit more seasoning,
1029
01:06:24,533 --> 01:06:27,767
you know, for my palate,
1030
01:06:27,800 --> 01:06:29,733
but very nice.
1031
01:06:29,767 --> 01:06:31,467
Very nice.
1032
01:06:31,500 --> 01:06:32,633
The meat was fantastic.
1033
01:06:32,667 --> 01:06:34,600
Very tender.
1034
01:06:34,633 --> 01:06:36,500
Just for me, a bit
more seasoning,
1035
01:06:36,533 --> 01:06:40,600
but I could tell it was
made with love, so congrats.
1036
01:06:40,633 --> 01:06:42,167
He is the number
one DJ you call
1037
01:06:42,200 --> 01:06:45,333
wherever you are in the world
and say, hey, where am I going
to eat tonight?
1038
01:06:45,367 --> 01:06:47,267
And he's been there
and he's found it.
1039
01:06:47,300 --> 01:06:48,367
He's amazing.
1040
01:06:48,400 --> 01:06:51,233
So, it's all about balance
1041
01:06:51,267 --> 01:06:53,533
and finding something
outside of the DJ booth
1042
01:06:53,567 --> 01:06:55,333
to keep you sane.
1043
01:06:55,367 --> 01:06:58,267
Family is obviously a very
important part of that,
1044
01:06:58,300 --> 01:07:01,267
but it's having other
interests as well.
1045
01:07:01,300 --> 01:07:03,533
Staying at the top is
the fucking hardest thing.
1046
01:07:03,567 --> 01:07:06,800
You know, being in this
industry for 30 years
1047
01:07:06,833 --> 01:07:09,667
and consistently
pushing yourself.
1048
01:07:11,133 --> 01:07:13,533
Society wants a new hotel,
1049
01:07:13,567 --> 01:07:16,667
a new club, a new
restaurant, a new DJ.
1050
01:07:16,700 --> 01:07:20,200
We all want new, new, new.
1051
01:07:20,233 --> 01:07:23,633
The point is, you've
gotta reinvent yourself.
1052
01:07:23,667 --> 01:07:26,200
You've gotta stay connected
1053
01:07:26,233 --> 01:07:29,300
to globally playing to
a younger generation
1054
01:07:29,333 --> 01:07:32,633
while you grow older and
grow older gracefully.
1055
01:07:32,667 --> 01:07:34,533
You know, you expect
that there's always
1056
01:07:34,567 --> 01:07:36,767
going to be someone
new and that's good.
1057
01:07:36,800 --> 01:07:38,800
That's good for
all of us, right?
1058
01:07:38,833 --> 01:07:42,533
But learning and
understanding that
1059
01:07:42,567 --> 01:07:46,400
is more important and
it's more important
1060
01:07:46,433 --> 01:07:49,567
to look at the long haul
and the bigger picture
1061
01:07:49,600 --> 01:07:52,533
rather than the five
minutes of fame.
1062
01:07:52,567 --> 01:07:56,067
The only positive
that you can find
1063
01:07:56,100 --> 01:07:58,300
when you're at the
top of the game
1064
01:07:58,333 --> 01:08:02,533
is to be able to be creative
and reinvent yourself.
1065
01:08:03,600 --> 01:08:06,167
That's the only thing
1066
01:08:06,200 --> 01:08:08,467
because you don't wanna
do it for the money.
1067
01:08:08,500 --> 01:08:10,200
You already have money.
1068
01:08:10,233 --> 01:08:12,733
You don't want to do
it to be number one,
1069
01:08:12,767 --> 01:08:14,667
you're already number one.
1070
01:08:14,700 --> 01:08:18,533
So, you already
proved your point,
1071
01:08:18,567 --> 01:08:19,767
so it's not about the ego,
1072
01:08:19,800 --> 01:08:21,567
it's not about the money.
1073
01:08:21,600 --> 01:08:25,267
The only way
to stay there
1074
01:08:25,300 --> 01:08:28,300
is for it to be
about the love
1075
01:08:28,333 --> 01:08:32,533
and the creativity and the
challenge to reinvent yourself.
1076
01:08:35,400 --> 01:08:38,300
It's a quarter to, so you
might have made your interview.
1077
01:08:38,333 --> 01:08:40,600
Could be rocking and rolling.
1078
01:08:46,133 --> 01:08:48,100
We have a lot of
dance music in Hollywood
1079
01:08:48,133 --> 01:08:49,267
and everybody is really
into the dance music.
1080
01:08:49,300 --> 01:08:50,567
Yeah.
1081
01:08:50,600 --> 01:08:51,767
People get spoiled
real easily, you know.
1082
01:08:51,800 --> 01:08:53,267
Yeah. Yeah.
1083
01:08:53,300 --> 01:08:55,633
-Do you notice that when you're
in a hall -and it's all--
-Yeah, totally.
1084
01:08:55,667 --> 01:08:57,033
Like this guy right here. Yeah.
1085
01:08:57,067 --> 01:08:58,267
Everybody's so spoiled.
1086
01:08:58,300 --> 01:09:00,500
-They know the music. They know
how to--You know?
-Yeah.
1087
01:09:00,533 --> 01:09:01,767
Do you experience
that as well?
1088
01:09:01,800 --> 01:09:03,467
Yeah, but I
honestly don't even
1089
01:09:03,500 --> 01:09:05,533
have time to think
about that, you know.
1090
01:09:05,567 --> 01:09:07,500
I'm just jetting from
one gig to another
1091
01:09:07,533 --> 01:09:09,667
or from one airplane
to another
1092
01:09:09,700 --> 01:09:11,467
or one studio
to another.
1093
01:09:11,500 --> 01:09:13,033
[Woman] Are you still
enjoying that life?
1094
01:09:13,067 --> 01:09:14,567
[Ali] Absolutely enjoy, yeah.
1095
01:09:14,600 --> 01:09:17,067
The day I stop enjoying it
is the day I'll hang--
1096
01:09:17,100 --> 01:09:18,500
-You'll quit.
-Yeah. I'll quit.
1097
01:09:18,533 --> 01:09:21,467
[Announcer] Make
some noise! Dubfire!
1098
01:09:21,500 --> 01:09:24,433
[crowd cheering]
1099
01:09:25,567 --> 01:09:28,533
[upbeat techno music]
1100
01:10:12,667 --> 01:10:16,267
[crowd shouting happily]
1101
01:10:24,500 --> 01:10:25,500
We could use another set.
1102
01:10:25,533 --> 01:10:26,567
My ears are destroyed.
1103
01:10:26,600 --> 01:10:27,500
Already?
1104
01:10:27,533 --> 01:10:28,767
Three hours.
1105
01:10:28,800 --> 01:10:31,000
[laughing]
1106
01:10:32,300 --> 01:10:34,033
It's not that
glamorous, you know.
1107
01:10:34,067 --> 01:10:35,467
Sometimes, yes, we
take a private jet
1108
01:10:35,500 --> 01:10:36,600
to get to certain parties,
1109
01:10:36,633 --> 01:10:38,167
but I've always said,
1110
01:10:38,200 --> 01:10:41,500
if I've got to take
more than two flights
1111
01:10:41,533 --> 01:10:42,800
to get to a venue,
1112
01:10:42,833 --> 01:10:44,500
then I'll take a private jet.
1113
01:10:44,533 --> 01:10:46,500
If now, I'll take
domestic airline.
1114
01:10:46,533 --> 01:10:48,200
And the thing with
domestic airline,
1115
01:10:48,233 --> 01:10:50,833
you can't ever guarantee
that your one or two flights
1116
01:10:50,867 --> 01:10:52,567
are gonna get you
where you need to be.
1117
01:10:52,600 --> 01:10:57,600
There's always
aircraft malfunctions,
1118
01:10:57,633 --> 01:10:59,567
there's always strikes,
1119
01:10:59,600 --> 01:11:02,500
there's always mistiming
of connecting flights.
1120
01:11:02,533 --> 01:11:04,500
You could be waiting on
delayed flights for hours
1121
01:11:04,533 --> 01:11:06,467
and you're just sitting
there, you know.
1122
01:11:06,500 --> 01:11:08,600
Three hour delay.
1123
01:11:08,633 --> 01:11:10,567
What do you do with that
three hours, you know?
1124
01:11:10,600 --> 01:11:15,467
It's terrible when you're just
people watching, you know.
1125
01:11:15,500 --> 01:11:18,067
And this is what takes
the time and the energy.
1126
01:11:18,100 --> 01:11:19,633
It sucks the energy out of you,
1127
01:11:19,667 --> 01:11:22,300
but you still have to step up,
1128
01:11:22,333 --> 01:11:24,833
you still have to
be inside that fire
1129
01:11:24,867 --> 01:11:28,600
that basically gets you to
go and do what you're doing.
1130
01:11:28,633 --> 01:11:32,300
[mellow electronic music]
1131
01:12:10,367 --> 01:12:12,400
I'll never forget Ali used to
1132
01:12:12,433 --> 01:12:15,233
point to some of these
pictures on the wall
1133
01:12:15,267 --> 01:12:17,533
of the big DJs in the world
1134
01:12:17,567 --> 01:12:21,833
that he was looking at the
picture and then looking at me.
1135
01:12:21,867 --> 01:12:26,100
"Mom, one day I'll be as
famous as this person."
1136
01:12:26,133 --> 01:12:29,633
And another big
dream that he had,
1137
01:12:29,667 --> 01:12:32,300
he said, "One day
can you imagine,
1138
01:12:32,333 --> 01:12:35,633
one day I'm going to
travel all over the world
1139
01:12:35,667 --> 01:12:37,767
to see the whole world."
1140
01:12:37,800 --> 01:12:43,300
And the shine on his eyes as
he was passionately talking
1141
01:12:43,333 --> 01:12:47,800
about being one
of those big DJs,
1142
01:12:47,833 --> 01:12:50,533
that pointing to
the big picture,
1143
01:12:50,567 --> 01:12:52,067
and seeing the whole world,
1144
01:12:52,100 --> 01:12:53,567
and experiencing
the whole world.
1145
01:12:53,600 --> 01:12:57,500
That shine is something
that I will never forget.
1146
01:13:03,167 --> 01:13:06,333
[upbeat techno music]
1147
01:14:55,067 --> 01:14:58,267
Because part of realizing was,
1148
01:14:58,300 --> 01:15:00,567
well, what else would I do?
1149
01:15:00,600 --> 01:15:03,500
You know? Go open
up a hair salon?
1150
01:15:03,533 --> 01:15:06,600
[laughing]
1151
01:15:06,633 --> 01:15:10,300
I did ask Ali one time,
how you doing?
1152
01:15:10,333 --> 01:15:12,067
To work with him, well,
1153
01:15:12,100 --> 01:15:16,567
I am the quiet one, but I
need to have some craziness.
1154
01:15:16,600 --> 01:15:18,533
He's more sexy than the other
1155
01:15:18,567 --> 01:15:21,367
and I think he agrees with me.
1156
01:15:21,400 --> 01:15:23,500
It's just like, oh, you're
here to have a good time?
1157
01:15:23,533 --> 01:15:25,533
Let's go. Let's fucking party.
1158
01:15:25,567 --> 01:15:28,133
I think he enjoys
vampires and,
1159
01:15:28,167 --> 01:15:29,600
from what I can gauge,
1160
01:15:29,633 --> 01:15:31,600
I knew he had a
collection of some kind
1161
01:15:31,633 --> 01:15:36,400
of vampire-type magazines
on his coffee table as well.
1162
01:15:36,433 --> 01:15:38,267
You know, they
brought us horse.
1163
01:15:38,300 --> 01:15:40,500
Really, I'm not kidding.
1164
01:15:40,533 --> 01:15:43,733
The Japanese
restaurant drove horse.
1165
01:15:43,767 --> 01:15:45,100
[Interviewer] Okay,
you're gonna tell us.
1166
01:15:45,133 --> 01:15:46,100
Whores?
1167
01:15:46,133 --> 01:15:47,233
-Yeah.
-Like, sluts?
1168
01:15:47,267 --> 01:15:49,167
No, horse.
1169
01:15:49,200 --> 01:15:50,233
You know the ones that are.
1170
01:15:50,267 --> 01:15:51,267
[Interviewer] Oh, horse!
1171
01:15:51,300 --> 01:15:52,467
I thought you said whores.
1172
01:15:52,500 --> 01:15:53,800
-No. I would love that.
-[laughing]
1173
01:15:53,833 --> 01:15:57,767
Ali picked up an extra
hobby on top of that
1174
01:15:57,800 --> 01:15:59,600
is to be a food connoisseur
1175
01:15:59,633 --> 01:16:02,267
and post every piece
of dish that he's seen
1176
01:16:02,300 --> 01:16:03,833
in the last two
years on Instagram.
1177
01:16:03,867 --> 01:16:06,133
[laughing]
1178
01:16:06,167 --> 01:16:07,467
If you don't know me,
1179
01:16:07,500 --> 01:16:09,167
get the fuck off the bus.
1180
01:16:09,200 --> 01:16:11,400
Please. In the
nicest possible way.
1181
01:16:11,433 --> 01:16:13,467
Because if I came
up to you and said,
1182
01:16:13,500 --> 01:16:16,233
Hey, how you doing?
Can I come to your house?
1183
01:16:16,267 --> 01:16:17,833
The answer would be
who the fuck are you?
1184
01:16:17,867 --> 01:16:20,133
So, if those are
real fucking answers,
1185
01:16:20,167 --> 01:16:22,233
get the fuck off the bus.
1186
01:16:25,333 --> 01:16:27,667
[upbeat techno music]
86089
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