The Verdugo Brothers! THE Interview!

 

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The Verdugo Brothers are another amazing, brotherly dj duo! Unlike many other brother duos, they are the 1st American brother duo to have music on MTV.com! This twosome on the rise have shared the stage with Moby, Tiesto and many more.  They are currently working on their debut album, which will feature several styles of dance music including “tech-house, electro, progressive, down tempo, experimental pop and beyond”.  Although they’ve been around for awhile, already playing around the world and making a huge impact on the music scene, they are at the top of their game and gaining recognition for their unique sound which has brought them to the top.

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1. Introduce us to the Verdugo Brothers in 6 words or less:

Positive, Humble, Creative, Funny, Passionate, and Determined.

2. What is something we wouldn’t know by looking at you both?

A lot of people aren’t sure what our ethnic background is so to end all confusion, we are half Mexican, half Korean. And we love the food!

The other thing that comes to mind is we used to be magicians. We did close-up & parlor magic for birthdays and private events. It has always been a fascination with us, so now we are currently working on bringing the magic back into our music.

3. How did your upbringing shape you guys into the DJs you are today?

One great thing about our upbringing was that we were exposed to a lot of different music, from Phil Collins,  Miami Sound Machine, to Sade, the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and Depeche Mode.

4. How would you describe your sound?

Our sound is hard to categorize, although some will insist that we are this or that. What we really want people to know is, we love anything that makes us move, be it electro, trap, tech-house, minimal, progressive house or vocal house.  If we can “feel” it and it makes us want to move, then we will probably play it in our sets.

5. How were you guys introduced to the music industry?

Today, not too many know this about us, but we grew up in a small town in Northern California called Redding. There really wasn’t any industry for us to partake in, so we literally created our own. After going to LA & experiencing some real underground events there, we started organizing our own Raves in 1997 until about 2001. We built the EDM scene there from ground up and it resulted in some amazing events that really changed lives.

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6. How has the EDM industry changed throughout your DJ-ing career?

A lot of things have changed, especially for DJs. We started with Technic turntables playing vinyl records. There was no “sync” button, so you had to learn to beat match. Today, you don’t. We miss those days, but we definitely don’t miss lugging around those heavy record bags. Things are much more convenient now and music is much more affordable. The music itself has evolved and changed of course. We’re really digging the Trap and dubstep genres. The outfits that people wear to many EDM events now are much more interesting though. Other than this, PLUR is still in full effect and we love that.

7. If you had to master a different music genre, which one would it be and why?

Well, we’ve been doing just that. We decided to produce & master our own Trap songs now because it is very bassline driven and fun to do. We really want to get good at mastering any type of music though. We believe it will only make us better.

8. Who has been your favorite musician to work with so far?

Probably, Austin Hall. It’s always impressive and inspiring to work with another producer who is as creative and talented as he is.  He’s got guys like Max Graham supporting his music, so it’s always inspirational to be in studio with people like that.

9. Walk us through your creative process.  How do you come up with your best tracks?

We usually start with drum programming. It’s important for us to pick the “right” Sounds, so choosing the right percussion is always key. From there we just audition other sounds like synths, etc. and things seem to fall into place. Sometimes the best melodies are created by accident, so you just have to stay in the process.

10. How do you define sexy?

We both think that the definition of “sexy” is subjective. But if we had to define it? We’d say that “sexy” is anything that is appealing to the eyes and/or ears.

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11. What is the sexiest hotel? Club? City? Show? DJ? Song to kiss to?

There are so many amazing hotels like the W or Cosmopolitan, clubs, cities, DJs and songs. We just can’t make up our minds on this one..

12. What piece of advice would you give to a starting DJ?

Practice every day, maintain a positive attitude and market yourself once you think you are ready. Talent is just not enough to make it in this business.  Also, when “inspiration” doesn’t  find you? You have to find “it.”

13. Will there be a 2013 tour?

We’ve got a few shows in Northern Cali, but we are taking things on the road starting in April, where we will travel to Anchorage, Alaska to do a show with Sandra Collins, Frankie Bones and Nigel Richards to kick things off. We encourage the readers to visit our website(Click HERE) to keep up to date with our tour schedule.

14. What’s next for the Verdugo Brothers?

We are working on releasing an all original Trap EP for this summer for all you Bass lovers, as well as more music videos for our YouTube channel. We’re real excited about it because there’s always something fresh and new. We are always in the process.

15. What are your three simple luxuries?

Family, Music and Good Food. 

Thanks Guys!

 

Check out our other DJ and musician interviews, like Kaskade, in our Interview Section! And check out our daily music picks and reviews in our DJ Raannt music section!

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WARNING: We allow 100 words or less of content per interview to be taken, with a link to our original interview, and used without our authorization. Content larger than 100 words or copying our entire interview without our authorization to be used in ANY manner will result in our taking legal action per copyright infringement.

 

*Images provided by the Verdugo Brothers.

The City is Mine by by Garmiani & Salvatore Ganacci

city is mine

Avicii introduced us to this song, The City is Mine by Garmiani & Alvatore Ganacci, in his latest podcast – Levels Episode 011, just in time for the very much anticipated Ultra weekends.

This track is high energy from the moment you hit play.  The high and low notes of the track make your body feel alive.  The drop of the bass pushes your body to dance and the lyrics – simple but relatable – take your mind to the many pool parties this summer will bring.

Buy it on iTunes HERE!

Buy it on Beatport HERE!

Check back with us daily for music reviews and picks in our DJ Raannt section and especially this week as we post interviews and music picks from the players at Ultra Music Festival!

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Cannonball: Showtek & Justin Prime! Amazeballs!

cannonball

When listening to a lot of EDM music, we look and recognize the names of DJ’s, but we don’t really look past the names into the histories which might tell us a little bit more about each of these folks and help us to understand their music and passion on a deeper level.  For this reason, we love to interview DJ’s and find out what makes them beat, beat beat…(Check out all of our DJ interviews in our DJ section!) A perfect example of this would be Showtek.  Showtek is a Dutch EDM act which is better known for their incredible collaborations with huge names like Tiesto, Hardwell and Angger Dimas! But did you know know that Showtek is a dueling brother act??? Amazing how these teams of brothers are taking over the EDM world!

Check out their most recent collaboration with Justin Prime, Cannonball, which is quickly moving to the top of the European Dance Charts! Click HERE for Justin Prime’s tour dates and Facebook page! And check out Showtek’s Facebook Page which also includes their tour dates, mostly US, including upcoming Miami dates during Ultra Music Festival! For the lineup at Ultra click HERE!

Check back daily for music picks and reviews!

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Frankie Sandford of The Saturdays…THE Interview!

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Before Chasing the Saturdays aired on E!, we had never heard of Frankie Sandford.  We had somehow completely missed out on the phenomenon that is The Saturdays, what some might consider this generation’s Spice Girls, before their show began airing in the United States.  As soon as we began watching Chasing the Saturdays, the reality show following their crossover from the United Kingdom to the United States, we fell in love with these girls. Mollie wowed us with her blonde locks and upbeat personality.  Una tantalized us with her beautiful family and super, sexy, red hair.  Vanessa enticed us with her incredible voice and hilarious sense of humor.  Rochelle rocked and intrigued us with her intense body and incredible voice.  And then of course there was Frankie! We instantly became obsessed with her great sense of style, amazing voice and unique personality, making her an instant fan favorite! Check out what she told us about living life in the spotlight and life behind the scenes of what is sure to be one of the greatest girl groups of all time!

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1. Introduce yourself in 7 words or less.

That’s an easy one actually, most people call me “sunshine and showers” because I’m either really upbeat or quite introspective.

2. How were you introduced to the music industry?

Myself and Rochelle were actually in a band together from the age of 12 called S Club Juniors, so I’ve been in this industry awhile.

3. How do you think music has changed throughout your career?

Music has changed quite a few times during my career. Pop was massive at the start then went away for a while and was replaced by R&B. SO happy that pop seems to be back once again.

4. Tell us about your experience filming Chasing the Saturdays?

It was surreal. We’ve filmed 2 reality shows back in the UK before, but we’ve never had such a massive crew before. Luckily they were all lovely and became our LA family. We often forgot they were even there, which means we’re a bit scared to watch the show back!

frankie35. As a musical group, do you ever disagree on creative ideas?

We’re 5 girls so of course we all have our own opinions on styling, videos, artwork, music – pretty much everything! But I think it really helps – everyone has great ideas so it’s always a discussion, not a disagreement.

6. What’s your favorite thing about each girl on the group?

I love how optimistic Mollie is, she keeps everyone upbeat. Rochelle is the band’s big sister and is always on hand to give advice. Vanessa is such a laugh, if you’re looking for a party, she’s your girl. Una knows a little bit about EVERYTHING!

frankie67. What are some creative things you do to keep your songwriting fresh and interesting?

We are lucky enough to write with different songwriters across different genres, so we bounce off with each other which always keeps things fresh.

8. Who are the three biggest musical inspirations and why?

I love Taylor Swift, Michelle Branch and Vanessa Carlton

9. If you could work with any musician, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

It would be amazing to collaborate with Rihanna.

10. How do you define sexy?

Sexy is being confident in your own skin.

11. What do you think is the sexiest City? Hotel? Club? Store? Musical artist? Place to Kiss?

I think Paris is the ultimate sexy city, even if it’s cliché. Rihanna is the sexiest woman in music – she’s fearless. Zara is a great shop for affordable, sexy clothes. they do the best fitting blazers.

12. Who is your favorite designer and what is your signature perfume?

Rachel Gilbert as I’ve worn one of her dresses for pretty much every red carpet we’ve done. Bvlgari its just a fresh clean smell not too over powering.

frankie413. What advice would you give to an artist trying to make it in the industry?

Practice, practice, practice. Get out there and do as many shows as you can, whether it’s in front of 5 or 500 people.

14. What’s next for Frankie Sandford?

Things have been going well in America so far, so we hope to go back there this year. We will also hopefully be going to Europe and Australia for promo, which would be awesome

15. What are your three simple luxuries?

A Sunday roast in a local pub, quality time with my family and friends, and staying at home with the dogs in front of the fire!

 

For more celebrity interviews, check out our Interview section!

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WARNING: We allow 100 words or less of content per interview to be taken and used, with a link to our original interview, without our authorization. Content larger than 100 words or copying our entire interview without our authorization to be used in ANY manner will result in our taking legal action per copyright infringement.

THE Playlist! February 2013

bastoLana Del Rey Ride

People are always asking us for suggestions for music.  They’ll comment that they read our daily music reviews and posts, but they want to know what we’re really listening to while we’re driving or just hanging out.  The truth is you’d probably be surprised to find out what we really listen to on a daily basis and what songs are actually in our iPod! Both of us have extremely varied interests when it comes to music.  For that reason, we thought it would be fun to post a monthly playlist of what we’re currently listening to on our iPods.  And remember, just because we’re currently listening to it, does not mean the songs are necessarily current…just our current faves. We’ve also included links to the videos and places to buy the songs!  Enjoy the lists and let us know what you’re listening to right now too! Stay tuned for our March list in the next few weeks!

 

Alex’s February 2013 Playlist

1. Basto! – Stormchaser (Original Mix) Buy Listen

2. Dada Life – Happy Violence (Extended Vocal Mix) Buy Listen

3. M83 – Midnight City (Eric Prydz Private Remix) Buy Listen

4. Cat Power – Keep On Runnin’ Buy Listen

5. Lana Del Rey – Summertime Sadness (Cedric Gervais Remix) Buy Listen 

6. Chris Lake & Michael Woods – Black Thong (Original Mix) Buy Listen

7. Rihanna – Stay (feat. Mikky Ekko) Tiesto Mix Buy Listen 

8. NERVO & Hook n Sling – Reason Buy Listen

9. The Saturdays – What about us Buy Listen 

10. Daddy’s Groove – Stellar (Extended Club Mix) Buy Listen 

 

Peter’s February 2013 Playlist

1. Calvin Harris-Sweet Nothing(Feat. Florence Welch) Buy Listen

2. The Script – Hall of Fame(Feat. will.i.am) Buy Listen

3. Darius Rucker – Wagon Wheel Buy Listen

4. Dutin Lynch – Cowboys and Angels Buy Listen

5. Robyn – Call Your Girlfriend Buy Listen

6. Die Antwood – Baby’s on Fire Buy Listen

7. Moska – Colombian Sax(Adam1Time Remix) Buy Listen

8. Sia – Clap Your Hands Buy Listen

9. Lana Del Rey – Ride Buy Listen

10. Little Big Town – Tornado Buy Listen

 

Check back in next month for our March 2013 Playlist and check in daily for our daily music reviews and picks in our DJ Raannt music section! And Don’t forget to let us know what your favorites are this month!

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Wagon Wheel: The Tall Tale! Bob Dylan, Old Crow Medicine Show and Darius Rucker

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There is a long history behind the song Wagon Wheel.  Yesterday, we posted some lyrics on Facebook and someone commented, “I love Old Crow Medicine Show” while the next commenter stated “You mean the Darius Rucker song?“.  It seems this will just be the beginning of the argument over “who did it best” as more and more bands cover, what was originally…a Bob Dylan lyric picked up and finished by Old Crow Medicine Show front man Jay “Ketch” Secor.  The story is all over the internet, but according to Secor, “I heard a Dylan song that was unfinished back in high school and I finished it . . As a serious Bob Dylan fan, I was listening to anything he had put on tape, and this was an outtake of something he had mumbled out on one of those tapes. I sang it all around the country from about 17 to 26, before I ever even thought, ‘oh I better look into this.” Those pieces of lyric were originally from a movie recording soundtrack in 1973, and Dylan credited them, referring to them generally as Rock Me Mama, to legendary bluesman Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, who probably heard it in a Big Bill Broonzy recording, who probably picked it up in some little joint along the way.  Secor finished the lyrics and he and Dylan signed a co-writing agreement, giving both copyright on the song and the rest, as they say in old Americana songs…is history!

But now the decision over who did it better? Old Crow Medicine Show or Darius Rucker, who covered it and released it last month, already reaching #25 on the Country Music Charts? Well, that’s really a matter of choice, isn’t it.  We’ve been listening to both versions all day today and quite frankly, we love both for different reasons.  It will be an interesting question, though, as through the years, more and more bands cover this song and revel in the old tradition of, who did it best and who did it first.  And the fact of the matter is, we may never know, making it one of the greatest modern day American songs ever!

Check out both versions below and let us know what you think! And don’t miss the original recording by Bob Dylan from the soundtrack for Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, which we’ve included below!

Check back in with us for daily music picks and reviews in our DJ Raannt section!

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Information found on Wikipedia.

Bingo Players Ft. Far East Movement-Get Up(Rattle)…Official and Obsessed!

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This song is just so badass…we’re officially obsessed.  If you haven’t learned by now, obsessed is the term we use when we’re so in love with something we just talk about it non-stop.  First of all, the song is catchy as hell.  Second, and finally, the video is hilarious and badass.  Did we say that these guys are badass? Yeah…go watch the video and shut the hell up! And watch out for the duck!

Check back in daily for music picks, review and interviews in our DJ Raannt music section!

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Flashback Fridays! Bizarre Love Triangle

Substance

New Order: Substance.  At some point I probably should have started charting how many times I listened to this album.  At least a few hundred.  Maybe even a thousand.  For me, it was the quintessential album of adolescence.  While listening to it I loved, I laughed, I cried, I drove all over the US, got drunk, broke a few laws, maybe a few hearts and yet…kept rewinding the tape.  Hands down the best song on the album was/is Bizarre Love Triangle.  I’m not sure what made it so great but no matter what group defined you in high school, everyone knew and loved this song.

http://youtu.be/IOmazuzCXCg

What songs defined you? What songs remind you of the good times…and the bad times from the past? What are your flashback favorites?  Let us know and we’ll throw them up here.  Every Friday we’ll be picking a Flashback song so check back in! And make sure to check in with us for daily music reviews and interviews in our DJ Raannt music section!

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Tiesto Builds an Empire of Beats and Style!

Tiesto is building quite the empire.  Recently, he released a line of headphones designed specifically with the EDM ear in mine.  The New AKG by TIESTO headphones range in price from $99 to $349, and although comparable to Beats by Dr. Dre…are much more high tech! If that isn’t enough, now Tiesto has teamed up with with GUESS for a clothing line that perfectly fits into the EDM lifestyle.  Fun, young, chic, and totally care free.  The video below shows the super sexy Melanie Iglesias changing into looks (not sure they’re by Tiesto) that describe the feel of all the different aspects of EDM, not to mention this kittykat is uber sexy and should totally be one of our closest gal pals!

Check out the sexy side of EDM:

Be Yourself.  Be Fearless.  Be Your Own Unexpected Luxury!

Check out all of our daily music picks and reviews in our DJ Raannt Section!

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Ibiza 2012 Revisited! UltraTV Documentary Series About Club Season on Ibiza!

Ultra TV has been busy creating a series of videos that will keep us a bit warmer during these cold winter months.  The concept is to chat with some of the powerful minds of the EDM world and experience a bit of their time well spent in Ibiza this past summer. The 15 episode series will feature DJs like Above & Beyond (1st episode), R3hab (who we just interviewed), Markus Schulz, Robert Sanchez and more!

Check them out and check and our interview section for more DJ and celebrity interviews!

Be Yourself.  Be Fearless.  Be Your Own Unexpected Luxury!

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