How many times have you put lego on your cat's bum?
twice actually.
If you were to play WoW, what class would you be?
is there a wizard of sorts? i havent played wow, but if there was a wiz class, its on!
What's up deadmau5? When you have a craving for chocolate milk, do you go premixed or do you use powder/syrup? If the latter, do you rather powder, or syrup?
premixed.... i dont trust myself.
Hello! how long have you been making music? What did you want to do when you were a kid?
ive been making music since.. i was 13? perhaps? just toyed away on a p[iano my grandmosther left me, until i took an interest in computers and graphic design... and found a way to combine both!
When's your next US tour? Anything big planned? When your next album?? Can't wait!
we havent really solidified any "tour plans" this has been the hot topic these days... but... the wheels are in motion for something special, and im excited to unveil it when the time is right :D
when would you like your next album to be released?
i was actually thinking of a followup to Seven which is in the works... of course the contrast to the first 7 (being the dealy sins) i'd like to do the 7 virtues.... and do it all on modular synths.... which is a nice contrast to the piano only "sins"
what's was the most memorable moment of the gumball?
most memorable moment was, well, so hard to choose... i took so many home last year.... looking forward to making many more on this years rally!
I am an aspiring producer with 0 experience and resources, but an immense love of music. What do you recommend to someone new, who wants to get into producing?
piano lessons! or even a cheap as free midi controller... plenty of free utilities and programs out there to start experimenting.
deadmau5 i fukd ur mom ?
go home dad, youre drunk.
Why did you choose to fly all the way on to Ibiza during the GumBall instead of riding shotgun with Tory?
because i was arrested in france and they wouldnt let me drive anymore. :( le poop.
What genres do you enjoy?
im not sure what genre to clissify it as, but when i want to listen to music... i enjoy a good bit of Tycho, Flying Lotus, NIN, Radiohead, little dragon... i dont know if any of thats really a genre. but they all hold something special for me. such as good music should do in the first place
You are more outspoken than most musicians on Twitter. Why do you break the more conservative mold that celebrities and public figures usually stick to?
i probably have some mental health problems.
How's the 20-min version of strobe coming?
it is done thankfully.... my only thing is, i hope it doesnt subtract too much from the orioginal.... i had to make it in such a way that the track could be at least "reproduced" in a live-ish fashion... since its for a "live PA" type show... so... of course theres the odd track mixed in that gives it a little help, but im happy with it!
How excited for Windows 10 are you on a scale of 1 - 4.9 ???
hololens tho....
Have you ever thought about scoring a movie?
all the time.... i've been working on getting a special project on my plate... and who knows where that will take me... i've always just waited for the right film for me... it wouldnt feel right just taking any old fuckin movie that would be some box office smash or whatever.
What do you enjoy the most about producing new sounds/music?
sonic experimentation... sometimes to me, its more about the timbre of the sound, much less the melody.
How is the studio you are building going?
building one in the home until someone comes here and does a 2 year long study of the rare blue spotted salamander... who is still unvailable for comment.
any hints as to what's in store for us at Bonnaroo? Also will I be seeing you on the Electric Forest lineup this year? ;)
Thanks!
were passing around the stage drawings... and setup and production and all that now actually... "team beating" as i like to call them, this week. But the Guvernment nightclub finale show will be somewhat of a precursor to the newer show builds..... im more and more keen on taking a mixing console and a whole lot of synths on stage now as oppossed to being the ableton guy with a laptop in a massive show production.
How many nudes to your fans send you per day?
not nearly as many as i'd like.
Hi Joel! How's the new house been treating you?
its been good! quite smooth actually... too smooooth... hmmm.... takes some getting used to living out in the woods!
Hey Joel, long time fan, What do you recommend for finding great music now? Are you nervous about your upcoming set at Guv? Do you still feel you are connected heavily to the dance scene in toronto, and the up and coming acts there now?
cheers.
honest answer: i dont really feel connected to any kind of community. i dont mean any disrespect, but i dont think i've ever really felt a part of any group.... i always, and sometimes still do, loathe that i've never really had any connection in my passions with others... but, perhaps maybe that was the disconnect i needed to do the things i do?
What's your greatest fear?
being burned alive.
Who will become big in 5-10 years in the EDM scene you think?
at least 400 others would have been big, and out, in 1/2 that time.
What's the rule for going out? Impossible to get back in or what?
until reddit makes you a meme... paging darude.
is it bad for my kicks to reach 12db on an eq?
ehhh... i'd max that out to about -6db. but ... different strokes for different EDMs i guess.
Were you always a fan of cars or did that come later on in life?
that came much later in life. funnily enough, as soon as i was liscensed to drive one.... once my foot made that connection with the pedal, and the car made the connection to the road... it fell into place pretty fast!
Do you still accept mail for things to be signed? or did I miss the boat on that? ...local Toronto mail?
of course, i get a pile every now and again and ship er back... the PO box is somewhere on my facebook page still i think
Hi deadmau5! Everyone knows that you're not a fan of the moniker EDM and the producers under its umbrella term, but who are some artists out there that you think are definitely worth a listen to in your mind at the moment? Would love to hear some suggestions!
com truise is a great pick.... if i had to call it anything, id call it future retro? but music is your personal thing. yours to interpret and discover on your own, thats the beauty of it.
your next troll ?
?? you think i put em in my ical or something?
Will you bring some new epic mau5head to Gov ?
actualkly, i dont think ill be carting a mousehead to guv.... i know im going to catch shit for that.... but have to been to guv when its packed? you dont wanna be wearing no friggen mouse head. believe you me. also, im going to need to be paying attention up there... that particular show will require a good bit of constant attention from me.... so no fist pumping this time im afraid :(
Would you rather Fuck a goat with no one knowing, or not Fuck a goat but having everyone think you fucked a goat?
i always figured everyone knew i fucked goats. shrug
What inherent benefits do you feel analog synths have over software synths? Could software synths ever emulate those benefits?
the nerd technical answer to synth emulating analogue is "never" but... were hitting that "close enough" stage. But the benefits to me is tactile feedback, or "performing" a sound....not to discreit "controllerism" ... but its the tiny nuances that "controllerism resolution" just cant achieve.
At what point did you get into modular synths? What would you recommend for a complete n00b to hardware?
pittsburg modular makes great 1U portable systems that are reasonably priced, and a great springboard... but...yeah... if you get hooked... dont blame me.
How're you enjoying the 650s?
McLovin it. Im not sure i'd even get the P1 without owning that first.
What kind of mouse did you find in your power supply?
a dead one... medium rare.
Is there a particular reason as to why you don't play your old songs while touring or do just none of them work in conjunction with your newest releases?
yeah... thats a pain in the ass... its like, they give you a timeslot... and you just want to play all your new stuff... you know? i figure thats what i want people to hear.... but occaisionally ill sneak in a classic of course
Did you ever think that you would get as big as you did when you first started out?
i had no idea.... even today i still question my presence in the electronic music world.... i suppose thats natural.
Is there a system that you use for chord arrangements in your songs (circle of fifths) or do you just play around with random midi until it sounds right?
honestly, i just mess around with notes... until they sound good. :D experimentation over systems, for me.
So what do you really think about Kygo and his "elevator music?" Tropical house is getting big now and i'd like your thoughts on it's expansion.
you got me there... did hear some in bed bath n beyond earlier today.
How's the astrophotography going? Ever stop by /r/photography?
still waiting on some parts and aclear night.... need a good finderscope (on order) so i can calibrate this beyotch!
What was your reaction when you learned that Blizzard had put in an item into Diablo 3 based on you?
EDIT: The item in question: Halcyon's Ascent
at first i was so stoked.... but then i realized it can never roll decent. ever. ancient or otherwise.... touche Blizzard, touche.
Any advice for someone who records music as a hobby, but wants to start doing it for work?
I don't mean that vague advice like never stop, always chase your dreams, you can fly type advice
you can fly?
What's it like having your huge dick stuck up your own ass?
hold up, lemme turn around and ask.
did you have fun in philly when you played MIA?... more importantly did you have a cheesesteak?
man... i had the best cheesesteak.... and im not going to tell you if it was from Ginos or Pats lest we need a mile long thread war. :D
Thanks for doing the AMA!! You've donned many different mouse heads in your career, what was your favorite one and why?
i love the carbon one... simply because its the lightest by far. :D i am big on comfort when it comes to donning massive headgear.
How many NSFW subreddits have you checked out, and which one would be your favorite?
i think all of them.
What was your favorite thing about India?
the food! someones gotta come retrain your indian guys over here in Toronto.... coz the indian here is seriously lacking in what "actual" indian food is!
What are your thoughts on Porter Robinson and his belief that edm has become repetitive and stale? Are you a fan of his music?
You rock btw!
ive been saying that before it was cool.
How does soup work?
magnets.
Are u tru mlg pro?
blasts airhorn
Are you still planning on doing a Spor remix for the upcoming album?
hmm i dont know if ill go there... i love jons work just the way it is. such a talented dude.
Do you play any games other than Diablo ? Thanks for making good music for me to game to!
im a one game guy.... besides, i suck at everything other than diablo anyway.
Is there a tattoo you regret getting?
naw. you dont get tattoos to regret them later.
what websites do you normally frequent?
verge, muffwiggler, liveleak, gearsluts
I have noticed gearslutz have some serious hate out for you. You must have a laugh or two when visiting.
not really learning much from a thread im tagged in....so i dont really dive into those little pissing contests. i lurk soley for the goods.
Are you going to take part in this years Gumball 3000?
oh yes... team meowclaren will be coming in hot. very hot.
Thanks for doing this AMA. I actually bought your DVD for meowintons hax 2k11 because it got me two different girlfriends, and every time I watch it I wonder... There are parts where your hands leave the mixer and parts where you're down on stage with the crowd. what is it you do while on stage? do you play the versions of your songs people already know? Do you re-create your songs live? What does it feel like to be up there?
ah, that bit where i walk off the cube.... i left a little 10 minutes of safety net so i could go fuck with the crowd :D just showstuff!
How do you feel about people who pronounce your name deadmaufive?
how do you feel about people who pronounce your name "wang butt"
Why do you think the fact the Guv is closing is hitting everyone so hard?
because it's been there for 18 years?
Have you had a chance to work with Trent Reznor at all?
not directly, we've had a few sitdowns here and there and passed the notion around.... i wouldnt bug the guy. if it happens, it happens.
Why do you drive so far to get coffee? Have you tried quitting?
no such thing as a far drive in a mclaren :D
Do you ever wish you were named anything else?
nah... i quite like the moniker.... stands out perfectly i think!
nah... i quite like the moniker.... stands out perfectly i think!
what the hell is wrong with joel zimmerman anyway?
Hey man, thanks for doing this!
What are your thoughts on Stimming or Jon Hopkins music?
P.S. The Ronin look fuckin sweet
both amazing artists.... truly gifted individuals who know how to stand on their own 2 feet. i respect that.
Clifton hill......what's your favorite attraction there?
the 7-11 on stanley after 2am.... fucking jokes.
Any special plans for your set at Governor's Ball in NYC this Summer?
were working on it now. :D
How do you sleep at night? You dick.
with my eyes shut
Zombie apocalypse; what's your survival strategy?
stihl + walking to bryans house.
What are some of your favorite TV shows?
been on the game of thrones lately... such a great series so far!
Hey Joel, I was just wondering, what do you think about Colombia when you played in summer land ?
couldnt have picked a better place to spend my birthday! n thank you for being such gracious hosts :D
PC masterrace or console peasant?
PC MASTER RACE
Have you ever considered adapting one of your works for the orchestra?
great question! man.... so many.... i wish my fellas on my side would get their shit together and make this happen already!
Hey deadmau5, fellow Torontonian here. What are you're favorite places to eat in Toronto?
"The Chase" on wellington is pretty good..
Star Wars or Star Trek?
nice try.... Battlestar Galatica. get your fuckin shit together, son.
Do you plan on doing some tutorial type streams in the future?
sure! just waiting on better internet service here.... its coming soon :D
That collab song you did -Fail bait with Cypress Hill - is one of my favorite tracks you've made. Any plans on recreating similar tunes in the rap/electronic genre?
well im sure there will be another one or 2 maybe here n there.... i know my boundaries.... so, sometimes i stay within em more often than not.... like... coudl you imagine how stupid it would be if hardwell teamed up with nickleback n started.... oh.... nevermind.
YES
So how did you meet Zed and became such good friends?
just because he was the only person i didnt punch on my last solo tour doesnt make us good friends! hahaha j/k he's a good kid. was kinda nice keeping that little shithead around back in the day.... you could never be mad at him for some reason.... lol, even when i was at my worst.
They sit down.
JZ: "so its actually pronounced 'deadmaus,' you know"
JC: "Oh, im sorry. Production crew must have screwed up because there is definitely a 5 at the end of it on my notes here."
i guess im the only person whos ever wondered what the fuck an aerosmith was too.
Have you ever considered making real music?
such as?
Hi there joel! Love your stuff, any news on being on Top Gear any time soon?
im starting to lose hope :( all i can do is wait.
How did you like being on stage with Eric Prydz this past November?
playing alongside with eric is always a treat.... he's just a good person to be around... and he requires zero "coaching" while doing a b2b set. always fuckin awesome to just ebb and flow through something.
Besides piano and electronic equipment, do you play any other instruments? Judging by your chord progressions and pluck synths, I'd imagine you play more instruments.
just keys my friend... and not even that well.
Met you a few times in la. The second time I commented on your hair color while outside a restaurant, I was working valet. I just wanted to know how has working with capital records worked out since you moved?
hmm... ive always got a cautious vibe from them.... it was so touch n go.... one second theyre handing me the keys to the building.... literally... next, they just stop calling and push me off to astralwerks.... i dont really care either way, as none of it affects what i do.... i just found that whole realtionship bizzare, but as you know.... thats LA!
What's your morning routine like? Also, what tends to inspire you when you get down to writing music?
get up around lunchoclock from having stayed up till 5am the previous night.... take a shit... hop in the shower... brush my teeth in the shower... get dressed(?) unsure why.... sit down at computer, check daily sites, deal with problems... then eat "lunch" aka breakfast and figure out the rest of my day
Did you ever figure out how to work the rene?
yeah.... slowly but surely... its a lot of module for one little box when you get deep into it!
There was recently a new English Vocaloid that has been previewed and such. What are your thoughts on vocaloid in general? Have you played with it at all? Do you think an English vocaloid means anything for EDM?
because EDM wasnt easy enough... are we taking bets? because i got 50$ on porter using it first.
You're a massive car guy and pretty big personality in the online scene, would you be keen on the idea of a social network for cars?
jalopnik is kinda that... no? sort of?
Do you ever think about how out of the 600 guests Joe Rogan has ever had your the only one he thought was terrible?
no. should i? and if i do... what should i do with this information?
If you weren't producing music, or doing web design, what would your "day job" be?
social media management!
When season two comes out are you going to roll a wizard again or switch to a new class?
Great music to play some Diablo too btw.
i think ill stick with my wiz....im so used to it.
Do you ever feel talentless as a DJ?
sometimes, sometimes not.
what's the perfect frequency to make low end, really low?
.000000001 Hz
Whats your favorite memory?
it's been a fun and crazy ride.... plenty of great memories....one that just came up tho was my 27th birthday party at Beta in Denver.... some pre-SFX good times
What made you want to move out into the middle of the woods?
just doing what i do... trying something new.... seeing what a little solitude and homeowning will do for me :D
You still mad at /mu/?
yes. lol. who isnt?
Do you design your mau5heads?
i have a hand in the concept and design... to a point, but i owe the Jim Henson company for the execution. couldnt ask for better!
Why are you so anti-molly? Also are you still beefing with Madonna over that molly comment she made at that concert you did with her?
im not anti-molly... im anti-stupid. protip: even calling it "molly" makes you sound like a moron.
Have you ever tried to produce a hardcore or hardstyle kick? How did that turn out?
GREAT QUESTION! i have consulted with 7 of the worlds leading audio engineers and sound designers.... For 8 months, we rented out an isolated chamber deep inside the hills of west virginia to solve this mystery. Night after night... scratching our heads to unlock the secrets of this EDM holy grail. 3 men were lost in the process and we resorted to cannibalism. To this day, the deep mysteries of the hardstyle kick still eludes us until further funding is available.
What inspired you to do The Veldt?
a book.
HYPED FOR BONNAROO????
very much so! been waiting for a chance to be hosted by the roo once again after last time.... that was immense!
How do you feel about being in the game Goat Simulator?
such an honor.... i love that game! everything ive always wanted to do with a goat, but couldnt.
Huge fan here, been listening since 4x4=12. Any planned coffee runs any time soon? That one with Skrillex and DF was SO awesome. Also, seen any good movies lately? I saw Interstellar and thought it was fantastic. Saw it 3 times in fact. Hans Zimmer NAILED that soundtrack too. Thanks for taking the time to do this AMA!
there are a couple coffee runs on the calendar for sure, but i dont wanna ruin the surprise.
How's Milton neighbor?
not bad. not bad.
Are you buying a new Moog 55 now that Moog re-released them?
im so on the fence about this one.... of course it would be nice! but in terms of do i "need" it... man... this is going to be one long conversation with my accountant who already hates my life choices enough as it is...
When I'm painting, I like to put on your music to get in the zone. So, what on earth do you do to get in the creative spirit?
same thing! cept... maybe not my own music mostly.
If you could recommend a DAW software program similar in size and price to FL, then, what might that be good sir?
bitwig is doing some really neat things for me these days.... lots under the hood too if you ever plan on getting tricky with it
How much would it cost for me to purchase Meowingtons?
ill give you him for free.
Do you plan on doing a tour in near future?
near? maybe not... but it's certain ill be on the road with a solo show again... sooner.... or later!
Sup Joel! I'm a design engineer at Nissan and I thought the whole ordeal with the Purrari and the Nyan Cat GT-R was hilarious. How long did you have the car (GT-R) for? Or are you still rocking it? I got to race one and it was so much fun.
Also, I had a blast watching the Gumball Rally footage - you're entertaining as hell to watch! Keep it up dude.
hahaha i borrowed it for the day, ripped around vegas... was just some good friendly PR banter. I'd love one in the garage... but, man... i am running out of space yet again.
when do you think we'll be using Hololens at your shows?
yeah, i had a thought about that for a second.... when a new technology hits the wall... i tend to ask how i can use it, and im not really sure how people are going to be receptive to me walking around on a stage wearing stupid looking glasses grabbing at invisible titties.
why don't you capitalize your "i"'s?
coz i dont give a fuck.
Is it true that your P1 will only be a track car? would love to see that thing rip through Toronto
HELL NAW
Why were you throwing ice at Madeon at Guvernment?
coz madeon.
What do you regret the most during your career?
twitter.
ass or titties?
ass.... AND.... titties. ass n titties ... ass ass and titties titties... however that fuckin song goes.
Will You be My friend?
4% chance.
Why do you seem like a tool and your music isn't really that great?
why do you make statements in the form of questions?
You previously said you weren't going to do festivals anymore, but now you're on the lineup for at least two festivals. What changed?
2 festival gigs booked for the entirety of 2015 is considerably less than the 60+ im sure everyone else is doing.... besides... i like those festivals :D
How's the jeep coming along?
flying out to go to check it out on the 30th!
How fun was it to put Skrillex's phone number out to the public?
most satisfying troll. ever.
What does Skrillex's dick taste like?
ask whoevers standing behind you next time you fart.
Deadmau5 youre one of my favourite artists and to this day one of the best experiences I've ever had in a show was you in Kelowna. That being said I also saw you in pemberton last summer and no offence but I didn't enjoy it nearly as much. Have you found it difficult to appease your fans with a balance your guaranteed crowd pleasers and your new music that might not have such a universal appeal?
well... im just doing what i do, and moving on as i do... im not expecting everything to latch on as "the next big thing" just embracing the changes that come in my musical endeavours, and only hoping everyones on the same page as me, which is way too optimitic of a view.
Does Dillon Francis smell like butterscotch? I bet he does.
more like piss and wet cardboard.
Why are you such a dick?
which law says i cant be?
How often do you get started on a track and end up tossing it?
probably more often than i should.... but i do "bank" a lot of those and tend to revisit them later.
Do you think you're more famous than you deserve to be?
sometimes i feel that way.... other time i catch myself in the notion that i've committed to something, and worked hard at it. but that comes and goes... thats just life.
2 questions:
if you can team up with any rapper or artist dead or alive who it will be?
if you can mash-up any song of yours with someone else's acapella, which ones and why?
i'd team up with afrojack, but he'd be dead.
arguru with the vocals from iceage sounds great! tried it the other day, good fit.