DJ Scott-e stops by THEAUSSIEWORD.COM.
How and where did it all begin for you? What drew your interest to the music industry?
This sounds kind of cliche, but my early recollections of wanting to create some kind of career in music came around the age of 5. I vividly recall my parents buying a toy organ and I spent countless hours trying to work out melodies. The sound was absolutely awful, I don’t know if it was me of the toy organ.
Moving into the music industry just kind of happened, I’ve never been a 9-5, stuck at the desk kind of guy. Prior to the ending up in the music industry I instructed group fitness classes for over 15 years.
What motivates or influences you in your quest to make great music?
I strongly believe that to make great music there needs to be a connection. People need to be able to relate to the message that you’re wanting to get across. Find unique ways to get that message across is a very strong quest and if you can nail that, the audience can connect to your music.
What are some of your biggest goals you hope to accomplish?
Expanding on that goal I had when I was 5…apart from wanting to have a career in music, I’ve always wanted to have a number 1 hit.
I’ve always been a goal setter and no goal is to high, but there always needs to be a came plan.
So to break down that plan:
– Hit 10,000 monthly listeners on Spotify
– Break the 1 million stream barrier
– Have my music played on regular rotation on radio
– Chart in territories throughout the world
What can we expect from you in the coming months? Any plans to tour?
A few more songs 🙂
I’ve got another release scheduled for December, there’s another single in the pipeline with Josh on vocals, a co-write with Josh that will feature a female vocalist and another project with Josh.
I’d love to tour and purposely have kept a lot of time in my calendar for the second half of next year to implement touring. I’m currently DJing around 150 gigs per year, so a tour would be a very refreshing direction.
Tell us a bit about your latest release and how would you best describe your music?
Live Life is a feel good, dance song with lots of positive vibes. It was written off the back of some adversities that happened in my life. For me turning to music, writing and producing is a way to escape.
If I had to describe my music it would have to be upbeat and positive.
Give us an insight into your creative process. What gets you writing songs?
I’m very fortunate that have plenty of free time during the day, once the house is empty I head of for a run/walk for around 90 minutes. This gives my time to listen to some of the latest dance tracks, catch up on any tutorial videos that I need to and general sets the mindset into production mode. I’ve then got a few hours to get the ideas flowing.
I normally start with a drum loop and vocals and get them sounding good, then write the instrumentation around that. If the drum loop is from a sample pack, I drop it out and program my own drums.
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music?
I don’t think so, if there is a hidden meaning, it’s not done on purpose
Success, what is the secret to it?
Never, ever give up and never lose sight of the goal.
If you think about it, learning to walk as a baby is an amazing feat. Could you imagine babies the first time they fell on their butt they said that’s is walking is not for me?
No, they just pick themselves up and try again.
As we get older we actually forget this trait, we start looking for short cuts or the easy way out but in reality we need to fail to succeed.
What has been your biggest career highlight so far?
Definitely this release!
The response so far has been fantastic and to get to work with someone as high profile as Josh Arnold and Mark Dynamic (he provide the remixes) is mind blowing.
Which stars of the music industry do you find inspiring?
Literally, there are too many to mention. I have a very wide range of music tastes from the big band era right through to today’s music. I’ll give you my top 3 but I could easily provide 50 🙂
1. Toby Keith – I love his vocals and his craftsmanship of his songs
2. Brian Setzer – This cat is one cool guitarist and an all round nice guy (I actually met him when he toured a few decades ago)
3. Kygo – I’d really love to hang with Kygo and do a collab. There’s something in his production that I can only describe as simple but comes across complex. If you listen to his sound, he uses some many presets but processes them in a complex way to create a his uniqueness
Are there any new projects in the pipeline?
Yes, a new single schedule for release in December and few more songs with Josh.
The music industry is constantly changing, where do you see yourself a few years?
With the likes of David Guetta and Keith Urban still producing worldwide hits and showing no signs of slowing down, the door is open for any age to have a modern music career.
When I was growing up, performers that age were for the oldies.
I still get a thrill when I’m asked to DJ for a school function and there’s 500 kids jumping around and enjoying my set. I’m probably older than their parents…lol
One of my goals has been to perform at Tomorrowland, hopefully, I’ll get there!
What is your favourite and least favourite part about this line of work and why?
I really don’t have a least favourite part, I’ve always been a night owl so the late nights aren’t an issue and I’ve always landed on my feet with bookings.
Jeffery Steele and Chris Wallin penned a song that Montgomery Gentry recorded and one of the lines always resonates with me” You don’t need to make a million, just be thankful to be workin’”
In the music industry, making a full-time living from something that you enjoy is a privilege!
Name a few of your favourite Australian artists.
There’s so many to choose from, we really have a good bank and history of musicians.
To name a few…Hoodoo Gurus, Living End, Pendulum, Mash’d n Kutcher…Just to name a few
The shape of the music industry has changed significantly over the years, including the use of social media, how do you feel about the industry as a whole and what does it mean to you in getting your records out into the public eye?
Whilst the doors have been widened a bit for indie artists, the need for a record label is still required. My thoughts are the record label can do the promotion leaving the artist to focus on what they really want to do and that is make music.
How will you continue appealing to the international market?
I’m lucky enough to do a few remixes for international artists, leveraging their fan base can only be good for international growth.
Do you collaborate with others? Who is on your wish-list?
I’m always up for a collab. I’d love to work with Kygo
What advice do you give for other artists wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Enjoy the journey as it might take a year or 20 years. 20 years is a long time to follow a dream so you need to enjoy life along the way and never give up.
A message for your fans. How do you best interact and respond with your followers and fans?
At this stage I try to respond to all fans on social media this might change if things grow.
If I’m out and about, I also stop and chat to people and fans.
It’s the fans that determine how far we will go in this crazy journey.
Any last words?
You gotta Live Life!
Website: http://www.djscott-e.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scottethedj
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