A Conversation With Julian Wassermann

Hey Julian, how are you? Also; welcome to Dance Rebels, where are you from? And how long have you been a DJ/producer for? Thank you guys for the interview – Yes everything’s great! I live near Munich, Germany, close to the airport which makes the life of a DJ quite easier. I’ve been in the business for over 10 years now as a DJ & producer.

What inspired you to pursue a career in the music industry? Also, what sacrifices have you had to make to enable you to pursue your career in the industry too? After my first club visits I started to fall in love with electronic music. That didn’t let me go until today. The nice thing is that there hasn’t been a day in the studio or a gig where I regretted it. Because I’ve had a 40 hour job during the week it’s sometimes hard to work on weekends too. But the passion is bigger. The biggest sacrifice is that I can’t see my beloved family and friends so often.

This month you released you ‘Extase & Maine’ EP on your own imprint ‘Wassermann’ which is licensed exclusively to ‘WM Germany’. Tell me about the EP? What’s your favorite track of the two? Why? How many hours per week do you spend making music? Musically it’s the track “Extase”, but as a DJ I prefer “Manie”. The mixture of both makes this EP so exciting! I usually go to the studio 2-3 days a week. About 6-10 hours.

When creating new records, where do you find your inspiration? Also, what record was the more complex to produce between Extase & Manie?This always depends on my daily form. I usually start with a melody part and then gradually build all the other elements until it’s good enough for me. Then I wait 1-2 days and listen to it again. Should everything fit I start with the arrangement. That’s how it was with “Extase”. It was difficult to combine the melodic part with the other elements but in the end, everything worked out.

You’ve also recently released a remix of Mark Tarmonea’s ‘Take’ via ‘Bull In  A China Shop’ with this remix, how would you compare your version to the original, what is different? Do you prefer to produce tunes in a big studio, or do you prefer to use just a pair of headphones and a laptop?The original had a very melodic character. I wanted to make a track for the clubs. It’s always important to me to implement my own idea and style. That’s why I usually only take the essential element from the original. For several years I produced entirely via headphones in my small studio. But I’m happy that I now have a bigger and more professional studio with great monitor speakers.

A busy winter schedule with shows all over Germany, what do you enjoy about touring, and what do you dislike about touring? Any pre-set habits/rituals you have too? I’m really looking forward to the tour. There is nothing nicer than testing new tracks and see the reaction of the crowd. What bothers me a little is of course the travel strain and staying overnight in hotels. I always take a shower shortly before the show and I make sure several times that I really have my complete equipment with me. How often do I look into my USB bag… like 3 times in a row :D

Finally, what’s the best piece of advice you’ve received from a fellow artist, or role model? And what piece of advice would you give to any young aspiring artist too? I once got the great advice that I should keep focused and constant. My advice is trying to find your own style and not to adapt too much from trends!