Me vs. deadmau5

Don't let the title fool you. There isn't any musical collaboration going on here. No, but there definitely was SOME collaboration. Awhile ago, I heard of a little mixup between deadmau5 and Marcus Schissow (a trance producer/dj). Apparently, Schissow and a few other big-shot Djs/producers came up with a mock artist named "Deadrat6". The point was to poke fun of deadmau5 because all...and I mean all...of his tracks sound the same. Go ahead and sample some of his bigger tracks. They all have the same "bad loop". None the less. Come to find out that Schissow and mau5 were to dj together at an event, and deadmau5 had no clue he was opening for Schissow in Oslo (or visa versa, it doesn't matter). Come to find out (3 days before the gig) that deadmau5 hated Schissow so much for "deadrat6" that he wouldn't allow Schissow to play at the club. None the less, Schissow had to sit that gig out after he had made arrangements and everything.

Well here comes the juicy part. I was pissed when I heard this. I never liked deadmau5 (except his Jaded track). He's a punk/retart child who messes around on ableton live until he finds a good sound and then repeats it for the next 1000 tracks he produces. Anyways I left him a message on myspace [NOTE** I wrote this before I talked to him -- keep reading **]:

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Hey deadmau5,

Wanted to pitch an e-mail out to you to let you know that practically every track you ever made is a total rehash of the other. Granted, you've probably heard this a million times, I just thought I'd be a million and one. Seriously man, you can stack all your tracks at one time, and they would sound the same! Your beat loops...same. Synths...same. Dj talent...none. Bottom line is you suck. I mean literally, your stuff is horrible. Plus, are you so insecure with yourself that you have to go hide in a mouse suit on stage? The gag isn't even funny any more, it was old the first time around. Not to mention that bullshit you played on Marcus, who the hell do you think you are? Your mixing is train wrecks anyways. I will never, EVER, EVER...play any of your tracks again. Nor would I recommend them to anyone.

Take it easy pal.

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Well, after this, he attempted to try and make fun of me by mass sending this message to everyone on the deadmau5 mailing list. Which was what I hoped for. Then I PMed him back, and asked for a private one on one conversation. We talked for about an hour or so, and I regretted some of the things I said. His argument was that he was in the business entertainment industry and that the demands on him to make music is enormous. I don't doubt that at all. All he wants to do is just make music and get it out there. But there's nasty competition. If deadmau5 wants to make music he likes, thats cool. I understand that now, even from a beginning artist perspective. But there is one thing I pointed out. Once you make it big like that, the ideas you create, the songs you make, the tracks you publish dont become yours anymore. They are a public thing.

There is an old business ideology developed by Kenneth Galbraith. He says that wants are created by those that manufacturer them. For example, deadmau5 creates a track, people LOVE it, and he keeps producing good tracks. Once he produces a "less desirable" track, people get mad at him for not living up to his standard (same thing with dj tiesto and In Search of Sunrise 5). Deadmau5 makes the defense that he can create what ever he desires. He likes making the music that I (and others) consider monotonous. Thats fine, I concede to that point. But you can't make it a defense, simultaneously, that you're in the business entertainment industry, and you're just pumping out tracks to cover demand. You can't mount one up on the other Granted I'm not speaking from experience, but I've seen and read examples like this. If its true that deadmau5 is putting up tracks just to meet demand and pressure and as a result he uses rehashed sounds and beat loops, then I pity him. I feel bad that he's in a position where he has to do that. If he creates the music because he loves to make that "sound" that we all consider monotonous then thats great, he found his own piece of mind in doing that -- it makes him happy. But deadmau5, you can't have both. They are contradictory.

Now I feel bad for the message I sent, it was a little out of line, but I still feel angry at him. I think there is a lesson on both sides of the line. deadmau5 needs to understand he has fans. I think when you get that big you have an obligation to them. I believe that whole heartedly, so I am going to say it again for clarity. When you get as big as deadmau5, you have an obligation to your fans. I don't think he was living up to that obligation. Rehashed songs are not worth it. His claim that he is in the business entertainment industry doesn't help him either. It shows that he isn't here for music...just show...just making a profit. I don't have a problem with artists making a profit off their work, but when profit is the driving force I think there is a conflict of interest. Much of the deadmau5 haters feel that he's just pushing out tracks to make a quick buck; I can sure see that viewpoint. But like I said, if thats all deadmau5 wants to make, then power to him, I don't have a problem with that.