Being an international DJ and producer would be the ultimate job.
Just imagine - travelling the world, DJing in the best clubs, sleeping in five star hotels, partying, driving around in them fancy cars. You got girls; probably an unlimited supply and the people adore you. What’s not to love?
And then Maurizio Colella aka EDX gave me his version of what it’s like to be an international DJ and producer.
As in a legitimate version, unlike my fake, invented, awesome version above and the story goes like this...
This is #DJDIARYENTRY/FIVE
EDX has been on the Deep House scene for the past two decades, so let’s swing back to the 90s to find out how he started.
Being Italian born and raised, Maurizio spent many years enjoying Italian summers and the Italian party atmosphere with his brothers.
“Italy back then was like a disco, house scene...It was called Italo-disco,” EDX says.
Although not quite of age to enter clubs back then, EDX managed to work his way in anyhow. Plus, we’re talking Italy – so anything goes, right?
“I was a very young boy, but I was always kind of a little bit sneaky and was able to always sneak into clubs in a way with my two bigger brothers,” EDX laughs.
“I was influenced by all this Italian, summer experience and was definitely inspired by that.”
Interestingly, EDX was initially into hip-hop, referring to himself as a “hip-hop guy.”
But as the 90s kicked in and the electronic music scene started to pick up in Europe with styles like Acid House and the birth of raves, EDX says that’s when he was pulled into the direction of electronic music.
“Back then I was looking up to guys like Carl Cox, he was one of my very favourite DJs and I even played for him at the Carl Cox stage in Sydney during Stereosonic a few years back,” EDX beams.
EDX has come a long way since he started. He’s had something like 50 tracks in Beatports Top 100 over the past eight years and says he feels “blessed” by all the positive feedback, motivating him to continue to make music.
“Still today, after 50 tracks, it’s really blessing,” EDX says.
His track “Breathin” was released two weeks ago and is already at number four on Beatports Top 100 Deep House, with “Cool You Off” still in the top 10 after three months. And then we have “Reckless Ardor” which was in the Top 100 for over seven months.
His latest release is a remix for Cazzette, “Weapon” which was released yesterday.
“I produced ‘Weapon’ for Cazzette a year and a half ago and finally it is being released,” EDX laughs. “’Weapon’ was actually like the influence, signature EDX production I did in December 2012, which lead me into this deeper stuff going away from this EDM noisy drops.”
“And then there will be ‘Make me Feel Good’ which will be like a natural follow up to ‘Reckless Ardor’, ‘Breathin’ and ‘Cool you off’, being released on July 14.”
Going back to the opening of this #DJDIARY entry, I raved on about the ‘imagined’ high life of an accomplished DJ/Producer. But you know what, it’s not quite – EAT, SLEEP, RAVE, REPEAT.
“Everyone is an individual and different,” EDX says in reference to other DJs and Producers.
“For me, I’m working really hard, I have different angles as an artist where I’m constantly on the road travelling – I get to the hotel, sleep, get some food, sleep, go to the club, sleep, then fly out, with the same routine the next day,” EDX explains.
“And then Monday to Wednesday I work between studio and I also work for a record company in Switzerland, so I’m involved in daily administration stuff and management decisions. So for me it’s like 24-7 work.”
One of the main perks, EDX explains, is that it doesn’t really seem like work because he is constantly surrounded by music, making it feel more like a passion and hobby. But you have to be disciplined and focused he warns.
But surely their lives are a smidgeon how I described?
But I’ll let EDX wrap it up:
“I think a lot of people think we have cool lives, we drive expensive Ferrari’s, Lamborghini’s, whatever, we have expensive watches, we have a lot of girls and our life is all about fun.”
“And of course there are a few there living that life for a few months, which they should, if they can, you know, but at the end of the day especially as a DJ...you’re constantly on the road, non-stop, like 365 days a year, 200 countries a year, 52 weekends, every weekend and in between you need us to work on music, we need to get inspired and so it’s kind of a different concept, but it’s fun.”
#DJDIARY/SECRETS
If you could sit in on any other producers studio time, who would it be and why?
EDX: Oh I don’t know! Maybe...it would be either Eric Prydz or like Deadmau5, they are both musical genious. But I feel like (starts laughing) it would be cool to be in Deaudmau5’s studio just to see how fucked up this dude is, you know...(still laughing).
#DJDIARIES: Would you do a coffee run with Deadmau5 then?
EDX: In my car...
#DJDIARIES: Oh yeah, what do you drive?
EDX: I drive a nice car, I am able to compete with Deadmau5 (laughing).