Interview by Paul Salfen
Internationally beloved DJ and producer, Kaskade, has always found new and exciting ways to keep things fresh and whether that’s new hits, Kx5, his unlikely collaboration with Deadmau5, or these REDUX sets, which is something he put together that celebrates his earlier music and is only intended for smaller rooms, where he can experiment with unreleased music, and get into the heart of deep house. Of course there will be hits, but this is not like his festival sets.
Born Ryan Raddon, Kaskade, now 53, has shown great dedication for the craft and although he may be one of the biggest DJs in the world, he’s not like the rest from his clean-living family-oriented lifestyle to his signature sound. As his new single “Motivated” suggests, he’s ready to prove it.
With a big show in Las Vegas the night before, Raddon took the time to answer some questions about the set, the city, and what makes him tick in this insightful interview.
AMFM Magazine: We’re really looking forward to the REDUX set in Dallas at Silo. For those that haven’t caught that set yet, tell us what’s so special about it to you and what people can expect.
REDUX started over a decade ago as a reflexive reaction to the very large festival stages I was playing. Those are invigorating and a pure adrenaline-heavy push. But dance music has more than that to it, there is a magical hypnotic element that very few other genres possess. REDUX really deep dives into that. There are not a lot of sudden builds and drops and hands in the air moments. It’s more of a slow burn, a tease that leads to a crescendo both the audience and the DJ have earned after going through an entire journey together.
AMFM Magazine: Since this is a brand new venue and you don’t know what to expect, what are you hoping for this time around in Dallas since it will be different?
There’s something about Dallas that is built different. It’s a Metropolis like Los Angeles or New York but the feeling is down home goodness. There are more smiles and eye contact in a Dallas crowd and I think that will even be more prevalent in a new venue. That “new-venue” glow is a real thing. Good magic.
AMFM Magazine: That said, this city has always been a great market for you. Do you have a special memory that comes to mind when people mention it? And anything you always look forward to doing here?
There was a New Year’s Eve run I did that had me playing in Dallas in 2018. I was on the stage at the end of the show and I was hit with one of those staggering gratitude moments. I had to walk to the front of the stage and take a knee and just look at these people in this place. It was one of those flashbulb moments that sears itself into your mind. It was almost too much beauty to take in, I had to hang my head for a moment and just soak it up. Dallas did that to me.
AMFM Magazine: People have been looking up to you for years and think, “That’s what I want to do” but you make it look easy. What advice do you give to producers and DJs that want to follow in your footsteps?
The irony is what I do doesn’t exist anymore for people coming up. There was a coming-up ethos that depended on a person’s willingness to rinse it out in small clubs + parties night after night until you thought your brain would bleed out of your eyes. And then do it again. Success was reliant on grit + perseverance; luck and then talent. That part hasn’t changed, however the rinsing it out is now dependent on how a person engages on social media. It is now possible to leapfrog over the hardest parts of creating success by getting the public aware of you online rather than in person. I don’t think that’s bad or good, but it is different. I don’t have advice for that, other than authenticity always is a winning strategy.
AMFM Magazine: My co-host, Drew Pearson, famously caught the Hail Mary and went into the Hall of Fame and he wanted me to make sure I asked you your Hail Mary Moment, the moment in your life or career where you just had to go for it and it worked out for you. What do you suppose that was?
Well, I haven’t been invited to any Halls of Fame so maybe I’m still waiting on that Hail Mary? I would say the defining moment was probably when I spent every dime I had to go to Winter Music Conference in Miami around 2003. I didn’t have many things lined up but everyone who is anyone in music attends, I wanted a shot. I played “It’s You, It’s Me” at one event and there was a shift in the room. People paid attention. A few train spotters asked what it was. People I idolized were asking me to send it to them. It’s probably true that if that hadn’t gone that way, I would have ended up throwing in the towel the following week. But instead, I went full throttle on this and it seems to be working out so far.
AMFM Magazine: We often talk about that success mindset that you have to have to not only make it in the business but to stay in it. Is there something that you’ve always told yourself that’s kept you on the right path even when things seemed tough?
There is no backup plan. Understanding that I made the choice to live this life has created a discipline to make sure I am always forward of center in the way I approach what I want to deliver to a crowd. I am mindful that people take their time and money and I need to continue to be grateful for that, not the other way around. I try to deliver in that spirit.
AMFM Magazine: Part of your success has been your personal beliefs, how family oriented you are, and how you never got caught up in any typical musician lifestyle but we’re seeing a trend of people gravitating to those ways. Any words of encouragement for those who want to live the way you do in the field you’re in?
I believe that if we strip everything down to the question – “Is this good for me + the people I love?” and act with that as the North Star of decision making, very little can go wrong. There are thousands of choices we all make every day. I’m not omniscient and I’m not perfect. So, all I can do is my best, and encourage everyone else to do the same.
AMFM Magazine: We loved seeing you with Deadmau5 in Kx5 in Austin but we didn’t see it here or in other markets we might have thought so will we get more of those shows or new music?
That’s a question that only tea leaves + fortune tellers can answer. The status of Kx5 is like water. Always flowing, always a different shape. I can’t tell you the shape of it in the future. I’d say consult a magic 8 ball?
AMFM Magazine: What other kind of new music will we hear from you soon?
I have an unreleased track I’ve been road testing that people seem to be responding wildly to. I can’t speak on it yet but it’ll come out the end of this month. Other than that, I’m always in the studio. Expect a constant stream and maybe an album. Or maybe not. But maybe.
AMFM Magazine: Last thing: we love the new track, “Motivated.” Speaking of, what keeps you motivated these days that keeps the experience fresh for you?
Thank you! I’m motivated by everything fresh coming into this realm. I enjoy the talent coming up and pushing things around. I enjoy the talent that is tried + true shaking up what is expected from them. I’m motivated by the opportunity of change that is built into this business.
See more at https://www.kaskademusic.com
