Swedish-based disc jockey Avicii, also known by the names Tim Berg or Tom Hangs, will be hitting up Gainesville for "Avicii: Dance of the Dead 2011." Best known for his lyricized version of the song "Seek Bromance" and popular tunes "Levels" and "Fade Into Darkness," he infuses electronic synthetic tracks with vocals. At the ripe age of 22, he does not stray far in age from most of us college students but has seen the world and established a solid following. Fans are expected to come in full costume and be ready to dance and get rowdy. The Avenue spoke to the international sensation and got personal with the man behind the many masks.
Who: DJ Avicii
Where: Skate Station Funworks
When: Wednesday, Oct. 26, 11 p.m.
How did you break into this industry, and have you always aspired to be a DJ?
"Not at all! I started out producing after a friend of mine showed me a program that you could make music with, and I just got instantly hooked. I've always wanted to make music even before that, but I've never had a special talent for singing, guitar piano, etc., so for me to be able to just draw out the notes fitted me perfectly! Then it all became professional when I met my manager Ash who took things to [a] whole other level."
How did you happen to come upon this music? Do you plan on incorporating different styles into your music later on?
"Before I got into house, I was just producing random EDM (electronic dance music), and I think that all changed after I heard "Teasing Mr. Charlie" from Steve Angello. I got completely fixated with the sound and energy of house music, and almost overnight my whole music taste changed. I like to produce all kinds of genres and will definitely be exploring all kinds of sounds before I'm done."
How would you get someone who doesn't like any type of electro/house music to listen to any of your songs?
"Well getting 'em to listen to it isn't the hard part, making them like it is. I think the best way to make someone who's not into electronic music start liking it is to bring them to a festival or big show and show them the energy and vibe the music brings to a crowd."
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians and DJs?
"It might sound cheesy, but really it's all about the amount of work and effort you put into your career and to not give up. And get a good manager who knows what they're doing ‘cause starting out, you definitely won't. We both put a lot of hard work into every single thing we did, and it paid off. Keep believing in what you do."
Are there any surprises that fans can expect for the show?
"I'm just getting back from almost two full weeks of studio sessions in Stockholm, so I'll definitely be playing a lot of never-before-heard tracks!"
