Borgore Interview

[divider]INTRODUCTION[/divider]

On the first night of Playhouse Festival, Borgore was the final EDM act to close out the evening after Vicetone (read our interview with them here).   We’ve seen a lot of great artists perform in South Korea, but Borgore’s set was one of the best we’ve heard in a long time.  Featuring a lot of tunes from his upcoming Buygore album release, the music generated a lot of excitement and energy in the crowd.  Drop for drop, the set was solid from start to end and we couldn’t wait to get backstage afterwards to interview the man behind the decks.  Keep reading to catch a glimpse into the life of one of the highest ranking DJs in the world.  Here’s ElectRow’s Borgore interview from the Playhouse Festival in South Korea:

[divider]BORGORE INTERVIEW[/divider]

2014 is almost done, what are you proud of and what have you done?

I released an album, my first album.  I got number one on iTunes in dance, which is for me…can not be more thankful for that. Other than that, that was probably the highlight of my year.  Also, I discovered a lot of new artists and became new friends with like my best friend, Dan Farber.  We just feed off each other musically as well…It was [an] incredible year, as far as that. I also got number 41 on DJ Mag, which is my first entry to DJ Mag, and I went that high. It was…I don’t know.  I am just thankful.

Where were you when you found out? Can you tell us the story?

St. Louis. I was taking a shit while I found out.

You said you discovered a lot of new artists.  Is there a particular thing you are looking forward to?

So, what I am looking forward to in 2015 — I release another album in January.  I played a lot of tunes from the album today.  So, I have my label Buygore, and it’s collaborations with all the artists on the label.  Every song is a collaboration with different artist[s], therefore it’s a different genre, a different sound.  But all together it sounds very Borgore ‘cuz I had a big part of every song.

So is that how you’re going to start off 2015? Going strong right from the beginning?

Dude, honestly, I write 2 to 3 songs a week.  Some of the songs I’ve written [sic] two years ago are just now being released.  2015 is going to be just a lot of my songs. Like 2014, I was releasing a song almost every month.  I think that social media wise, I am pretty strong, but what’s most important is, you’re an artist.  You have to make your  art.  Before your social media, before…anything, you just have to be consistent with producing your art.

You started off as drummer, right?

Correct, a drummer and I played saxaphone for 12 or 13 years.  I was playing Jazz.

Does that carry over?

100%, but its not even that. It’s more of just…I have knowledge in music that a lot of people lack.  I know complex harmonies. I know how to arrange for 17 horns.  It’s things that really  help when you make music.  A lot of time[s], I’ll hear people writing songs and the melody is off key or things like this.  It’s just ‘What’s going on?’.

So does it anger you a bit that people get away with that?

I’ll tell you what. There’s a couple of song[s]…I think the biggest song of 2013 — I’m not gonna say what song it is, but the build up is in F minor and then it drops to a B flat minor  melody over a[n] F flat minor harmony.  And it sounds so weird to me.  And the first time I heard it, I was like, ‘There’s no way this tune is gonna become big,’ and it became huge.  So, I think what I know is a blessing and curse, as well, because there is a lot of things that people do…they just don’t understand what they are doing [and] it becomes amazing.  I would never think of doing something like that.  It just doesn’t sound right to me, but now I love that song. Or there’s another really big hip-hop track right now that is in G minor and the sub is in D minor, and just, for me, it’s like ‘How’s that even work?’  But it works.  It sounds amazing.

Sorry that I went deep with the theory.

 No, that’s something a lot of our readers are interested in.  What do you think is the most important production tip you could give us.

…The beautiful thing about being a kid today, is having the opportunity to learn whatever the f**k you want, and it’s just a click away.  You just Google it.  BAM! It’s there.  YouTube it.  It’s there.  When we grew up, we didn’t have that sh*t.  I had to buy books.  I had to go to people to teach me.  I think that the kids today need to realize how it’s important to learn and you have all the tools.  So go on YouTube.  Learn theory…Dude, I Google ‘how to make Borgore bass’ just to see how people make my bass, so maybe I’ll learn new ways to do it.  Producers that I like, I’ll watch tutorials…people are trying to do them as well.  I’ll watch all day.  I’ll learn.  That’s what I do.  I’ll just sit on YouTube and learn.

So take advantage of the internet?

100%

[divider]CONCLUSION[/divider]

Not only was Borgore’s set top-notch, he was also a fascinating guy to sit down and chat with.  We appreciate the opportunity and want to thank everyone involved!  Don’t forget to check out our coverage of the entire Playhouse Festival, as well as the photo gallery.  We’ve got several more interviews, so keep checking back to ElectRow.com!