Discussion online arose from a 2021 livestream from the artist which has recently resurfaced on YouTube. Responding to a comment that asked if he had “ever faked a DJ set”, he confirmed that he had played pre-recorded ones before due to time restraints.
“[At] most major festivals you have to play a pre-recorded set. Like EDC [Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas], I would be surprised if somebody actually played a set that wasn’t pre-recorded to be honest,” he said.
“Because there’s such a big deal to the fucking artist in the production schedule and the timeline and all that stuff that they wouldn’t wanna fuck up.”
A commenter then declared that those who play pre-recorded sets are not real DJs, “Okay. Says who? The fucking DJ police?” Deadmau5 scoffed in reply.
A clip from the livestream was shared to the MusicTech Instagram page, where Deadmau5 responded to backlash: “The fuck do I care. I’m an engineer first, producer second, performer third. Pre-recorded, on the fly, DJs, live PAs… who cares, everyone does shit their own way. So maybe just try to have a good time?”
He also shared his own post to his page on the platform declaring he’s not a DJ himself, “18 years later I am still being asked to prove I am a DJ,” he wrote. “Why? I am not a DJ. I do zero jockeying with discs. I don’t know how to use a CDJ. This is not news.”
“I’m an engineer first, producer second, performer third”: Deadmau5 follows up on his comments about pre-recorded DJ sets
Deadmau5 commented in a 2021 livestream that most DJ sets at major festivals are pre-recorded.
Image: Jason Koerner / Getty Images
Get MusicTech breaking news as it happens by following us on Telegram: https://t.me/MusicTechOfficial
Producer Deadmau5 has followed up on comments he made regarding pre-recorded DJ sets during a live stream.
Deadmau5, whose real name is Joel Zimmerman, has reiterated that he’s not a DJ himself, and has stated that “everyone does shit their own way”.
Discussion online arose from a 2021 livestream from the artist which has recently resurfaced on YouTube. Responding to a comment that asked if he had “ever faked a DJ set”, he confirmed that he had played pre-recorded ones before due to time restraints.
“[At] most major festivals you have to play a pre-recorded set. Like EDC [Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas], I would be surprised if somebody actually played a set that wasn’t pre-recorded to be honest,” he said.
“Because there’s such a big deal to the fucking artist in the production schedule and the timeline and all that stuff that they wouldn’t wanna fuck up.”
A commenter then declared that those who play pre-recorded sets are not real DJs, “Okay. Says who? The fucking DJ police?” Deadmau5 scoffed in reply.
A clip from the livestream was shared to the MusicTech Instagram page, where Deadmau5 responded to backlash: “The fuck do I care. I’m an engineer first, producer second, performer third. Pre-recorded, on the fly, DJs, live PAs… who cares, everyone does shit their own way. So maybe just try to have a good time?”
He also shared his own post to his page on the platform declaring he’s not a DJ himself, “18 years later I am still being asked to prove I am a DJ,” he wrote. “Why? I am not a DJ. I do zero jockeying with discs. I don’t know how to use a CDJ. This is not news.”
DJ Diesel, who many may know as Shaquille O’Neal, also commented under his response joking, “That’s exactly what a DJ would say.”
For the latest information on Deadmau5’s releases and live shows, visit his website.
Get the latest news, reviews and tutorials to your inbox.
SubscribeTrending Now
1How Time Warp has achieved 30 years of hard-hitting techno and next-level stage productions
2Jacob Collier disagrees with Rick Rubin’s philosophies: “His audience is non-creative people for whom creativity is novel”
3Musician points out microphone mishap in forthcoming Bob Dylan biopic and fans are divided
4Watch “Synth God” Mike Dean play Moog’s highly anticipated new synth, the Muse