interviews

Johan Gielen

Hi Johan, it's amazing to have you on Trance Hub! We are fortunate enough to see you here!

How are you doing? And how is your music doing?
Very well thank you. I have been very busy in 2007 in both the studio and on the road, it's been a great year.

Where are you touring next? What are your expectations from this tour?
Well, I just finished a number of dates in North America, Turkey, Dubai and Eastern Europe, it was a great time. I always try to limit my expectations and focus on my music and do my best to ensure that the crowd has a good time, which they did :-).

10-11 years of pure euphoria, undeniably you are one of the most experienced and respected DJ out there. How has the journey been for you down the lane?
It has been a great journey and I am very happy that I have had such a great opportunity to do this kind of work. There are always ups and downs like in any career but the ups always have outweighed the downs.

How does it feel to DJ at 39? And how long do you plan to go? We all want to know.
I don't really think about my age so much especially when I am on stage or in the studio. I think that if you focus on that then you have the tendency to think in that mind set. As long as people continue to come to my gigs and buy my music, who knows how long I will keep going, hahaha.

You have played before a crowd of 35 thousand. This is what most of the DJs dream of. How does it feel to be the core of attraction between so many people?
At the moment it is happening, I don't really think about it, I just want to give 150% to the gig and to the crowd. I guess I get goose bumps and sometimes butterflies, it's a good feeling. After it's over is when the reality kicks in, it is an amazing feeling.

Let's name a few great artists of your league like Paul Oakenfold, Tiësto and Paul van Dyk, everyone have changed their music style and risen to popularity levels where even pop artists fail to touch them. How do you see this musical and 'iconic' transition happening?
Well I think that the industry is forever growing and there are so many new artists as well as the legends who created the scene. I think that we have all developed our own style and sound and all try to stay on the cutting edge yet I still try not to loose touch of the familiar aspects of it.

You won't be asked your favourite Trance artists of all time but who you think holds the potential to be 'big' in future?
Sander Van Doorn, Roy Rox.

"Magnitude" and "Show Me What You Got", both tracks probably have very different feel, how do you work on your tracks and how the difference in genre falls out?
Both of the tracks are from my debut album 'Revelations' and both are very different in style. I tried to create something for everyone with this album, as every song sounds very different from the next. When I created the album, I put my all into it and wanted to make sure that each song had it's own personality.

With whom are you great buddies in EDM fraternity?
I would have to say, Yoji Biomehanika, Scot Project and Talla 2XLC.

One thing you love about Trance music and one thing you hate!
One thing I love is that it is an international language. In many instances, even when there are words in the songs, you don't necessarily need to understand the language to understand the emotion of the song. One thing that I don't like is that many people say that Trance music is dying. Tell that to Eastern Europe, Asia, all across Europe, North America and I could go on...

Are you more of a DJ than producer? Correct us if we are wrong, but you don't have your own label yet. True?
A DJ first then producer. Yes, as a matter of fact I do, 2 labels. The first is called Tunes For You which is more for my Trance related stuff which is distributed through Black Hole Recordings (Tiësto's label). The second is Grooves For You, which is geared more toward the house genre.

What sounds are we hearing from you in the near future? Are you working on something big?
Well, I have started working on my second album and hope to be releasing it in 2008 on my label. You will also see some big collaborations with some great names, but nothing I am willing to disclose at this point.

Which tune is currently in your head right now?
Okinawa Sunset.

Once again, serving the dance floor for 10 years with your great spinning, which of your performances have been unforgettable?
Sensation White in Holland in 2002 and I would also have to say, The Sunrise Festival in Poland, simply amazing.

Ferry, PvD, Oakey... everyone's been to India. Are you willing to see us? How does Asia figure on the Trance music circuit?
I would love to come to India, it is definitely in my top five places I would love to travel to and play, it's just a matter of time. On the grand scale of scenes in the world I would rank Asia as one of my favorite places to go. The crowds, the culture, everything about it, I love the scene over there and enjoy going back time, and time again. Where do you think the inspiration came from for my latest track, "Okinawa Sunset"?

Mighty thanks for taking out your time for Trance Hub. We wish you all the success for your future and have a rocking 2008!

For more info related to Johan Gielen check out the following links:
www.johangielen.com
www.myspace.com/johangielen

Written by: Apoorv
Compiled by: Mr. Yank