Superstar DJs Facing Extinction?

Tiesto

international news _ 9th January, 2007

Superstar DJs Facing Extinction?

Text by Jonty Skrufff (Skrufff.com)

US journalist Jean Carey labelled Paul Van Dyk, Fatboy Slim, Tiesto and Paul Oakenfold a ‘cold-blooded cadre of dinosaur DJs’ this week and suggested they face a ‘looming extinction’. "Suddenly, in 2006, like dinosaurs shuddering in the freezing contrail of passing comet, the time of the superstar DJs ended,” she wrote in a widely syndicated article headlined ‘2006—the Year the Superstar DJ Died’.

“Today, the big boys are gasping for space as overpaid nightclub hosts, while small, furry mammals named Busdriver, Ellen Allien, and Otto Von Schirach have sprung forth to occupy their musical niche in the ecosystem.”

The influential writer also listed Judge Jules in her list of under-threat DJs though Jules himself was supremely indifferent.

“There's not really anything I can say in general on this one, except that some DJs have remained relevant, others haven't,” he mused.

“It's a bit like the music scene,” Jules added, “Some bands disappear without trace once their heyday is over, whilst others travel on a path of continual reinvention. DJs are no different,” he told Skrufff.

Pacha global brand director Danny Whittle was less sympathetic, telling Skrufff ‘I think that’s bulls**t, to be honest, it’s like when the press say Ibiza is finished or dance music is dead’.

“The DJs, like the press, don’t really control their own careers, the punters do and as long as there are punters supporting them, they will get work,” Danny pointed out.

“This is just another example of the press trying to be predictive and getting it totally wrong. The reality is that there will always be superstar DJs who fill clubs and because of that get big fees. The names may change but they will still be there,” he added.

Interview : Tiesto Video Interview (20/03/2006)
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