Read all about resident DJ Mind.Illusion in this exclusive interview!
www.themagicshow.nlHey Remco, thanks for taking the time out to talk to us! How are you?
Hi! Actually, I’m doing pretty well! Everything is “on a roll” so I haven’t got anything to complain about.
Good to hear! Can you tell us a little about yourself? Who is Mind.Illusion?
I’m Remco, 25 years old and living in Beverwijk. For those of you who think “Beverwijk… Where the hell is that?” It’s a town near Haarlem and Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
What do you get up to in your spare time?
My spare time, and that is what little I have of it haha, is for me to relax! Playing a game, listening to some music or just some time to chill out with close friends. Unfortunately, as said earlier, I don’t have too much spare time these days. I’m currently extremely busy with The Magic Show. I can’t quite tell you yet with what because I might end up with a slap from Michel. Besides that, I’m really busy with producing and DJing, I also have another job for about 25/30 hours a week. So as you can see, my schedule always has something in it.
Sounds pretty busy haha. How long have you been producing and DJing for and how did you get involved with music?
It all started in the end of 2004. A close friend of mine told me that he was going to Qlimax that weekend. I didn’t really have any idea what it was, so I began to search on Internet and came across the website of Q-dance. Still had no idea what it was all about or what genres of music were played. On the website I saw some livesets of Pavo and Dana. As soon as I pressed play I was instantly hooked, and nothing has changed since!
“IN 2008 I STARTED TO COMPETE IN SOME DJ CONTESTS AND I SURPRISINGLY WON EVERYTHING THAT I COMPETED IN”
In 2007 I bought my own gear just started mixing. I really sucked and there were many times I just thought “I’ll throw all this crap out of the window and do something else”. But at a certain moment it just came together. In 2008 I started to compete in some DJ contests and I surprisingly won everything that I competed in. Since then I have just been trying to deliver smashing, original and high quality sets. Fortunately that pays off.
At the end of last year I started focusing on producing. It’s coming along pretty well, but it’s just a whole new world to discover. Still so much to learn, but every time I’m busy with it I make some progress. I hope that I can release my first track(s) in 2012.
What do you focus on when producing your tracks?
My method is all about 1 thing… being original and doing what I like. For instance, I hate it that every track has an intro of 25 seconds these days, which is then followed by a break. It’s not really challenging to mix and it causes too many “dead moments” in a liveset. I like it straightforward, as little amount of breaks as possible and just the chance to keep the vibe going. That’s what you can expect from a Mind.Illusion production in the future.
Interesting! Is that originality and challenge within mixing something you try to bring portray in all your sets?
Well I like tracks where the mid-intro starts straight after the “mix in” part. For instance, a track like ‘The Pitcher – Rising’. Those kind of tracks are, at least for me, much more fun to mix. I’ll always try to pick some of these tracks to play in my sets because it doesn’t end up in another break
Sounds great. Who would you say are your main influences? Not only from a producing point of view, but also DJing?
I don’t really have someone I look up to or that influences me. But I’ve got much respect for all the artists who are just doing their thing. That’s also what I try to do. But if I have to say one name, it definitely has to be Promo!
“I’VE GOT MUCH RESPECT FOR ALL THE ARTISTS WHO ARE JUST DOING THEIR THING.”
What is it about the harder styles you like so much then?
That’s actually a pretty hard question, haha. I just like hard the hard kicks, energetic basslines, raw screeches and uplifting melodies. It’s hard to explain but I just love it!
Are you interested in any other genres of music?
Always! I like all kind of different electronic music. I love to listen to trance, hardtechno/schranz or hardcore. But in the end I always return to the hardstyle for some reason.
Another thing you can’t explain then? Do these genres influence your productions?
Haha. I like the way hardcore can be mixed or the beauty of trance melodies. In a way it does influence my productions.
Lets talk a little about The Magic Show, how did you get involved with it?
Some time in 2009 I performed in Eindhoven, where Michel lives, and he already knew me from sets I had posted on the internet, but after my gig he thought I would be a good addition to The Magic Show. Since then we have built up a great relationship. We help each other when and where possible and that (along with many other things) makes me thankful that I am part of The Magic Show.
What have been the best experiences of working at The Magic Show?
That would have to be The Qontinent! During my performance with San Miquel, the area was loaded with hardstyle lovers and the atmosphere was just great. Next to that, it’s just a honor to be a resident at The Magic Show. I always read all the comments during or after my sets and 99% of them are always positive. So yeah, I would like to take this chance to thank all the listeners for their support!
The Qontinent was indeed great! What other gigs really stand out in your mind as being brilliant?
That would be my performance at Reset (2010), Strangerz (2010) and The Qontinent Camping Party (2011). For Reset I won the DJ contest in 2010. Although I performed on at the same time as Headhunterz & The Prophet, the place was packed and the crowd went nuts. At Strangerz, just everything came together. It was one of my best sets ever and getting such an awesome response from playing the final beats was something I will never forget. The Qontinent Camping Party, it actually needs no explanation for anyone who managed to make it!
What about parties you have visited? Any particular crazy crowds, sets or stages?
If there’s one party I always try to visit, it’s Q-Base. I just love the setting combined with the music. It’s always great to be there. And if I have one dream, then it wouldn’t be performing at Qlimax, but in the hangar at Q-Base!
So have you got any bookings coming up?
Yes! Some really cool gigs are coming up. In two weeks I’ll perform at Hardstyle Scene in Haarlem. Really looking forward to this one because it’s in one the best locations in The Netherlands, called Patronaat. I have already got already 3 gigs confirmed in October. One of them is the Amsterdam Dance Event, which I am really looking forward to! The end of this year will also be quite busy, probably around 3 or 4 gigs in December.
“IN THE DAYS BEFORE MY GIGS I ALWAYS SEARCH FOR SOME COOL TRACKS THAT YOU NEVER HEAR ANYMORE.”
That sounds fantastic! What are you doing to prepare for them?
In the days before my gigs I always search for some cool tracks that you never hear anymore. In my opinion it’s a shame that tracks from the period of 2006-2009 don’t get played anymore. Such great tracks we released back in those days! So if you’re attending any gig of mine in the future, you can always expect some tracks from that era!
Are you almost finished with any of your own productions?
Yes and no. It’s going in the right direction. Some parts of the track I’m quite satisfied with and others still need a lot of work. My standard of quality for producing tracks or playing livesets is always extremely high. I always want the best. Since producing is not something you can learn in a day, I still have a lot of work to do. But in the end I’ll get there. I hope that my first tracks are releasable and have the quality I’m looking for by next year.
It’s great that you can stick to that standard. Have you thought about any collaborations?
No, not at all. I want to focus on my own production skills first before going into a studio with someone else. Of course I’m in close contact with some other artist to share info or experiences.
In terms of you as a person and your career, what goals have you set for the next 12 months and how do you plan to achieve them?
I’m not really a person who sets goals for a long period of time. I’m the type of person who takes it day by day and sees what happens. Of course I’ll give it my best and try to improve myself. As long as I’m dedicated to it and having a great time, it will hopefully turn out positive. In the end I’ll try to the best of my abilities to reach the highest point possible. I’m giving it 100%, so we’ll see!
Very good way to look at things! Well Remco, it has been great talking to you! Have you got anything to say to the followers of The Magic Show?
Thanks for having me! I enjoyed this interview. A really big thanks to everyone who’s supporting me. Keep an eye out for my new The Magic Show livesets and performances in the near future.
To stay up to date:
http://www.mindillusion.nlhttp://www.facebook.com/DJMind.Illusionhttp://twitter.com/djmindillusion Posted by Rossum | News
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Geplaatst op 02 sep 2011 20:31 
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Baal nog steeds wel dat ik hun set zaterdag niet mee ga make 
