Born and raised in Miami, DJ Maximus 3000 has become more than a local star the past few years. The friendly DJ, who is influenced by his Cuban/French/Italian and Spanish background, has gained nationwide recognition. Hotspots Magazine caught up with him to find out what makes him tick and to see what we should expect next from this talent.
Born and raised in Miami, DJ Maximus 3000 has become more than a local star the past few years. The friendly DJ, who is influenced by his Cuban/French/Italian and Spanish background, has gained nationwide recognition. Hotspots Magazine caught up with him to find out what makes him tick and to see what we should expect next from this talent.
When did you decide to become a DJ?
When I was 15, while attending art college for a Visual Arts Degree, I started to experiment with music and DJing. I was always intrigued by the dichotomy of music and visual arts and how they can go hand in hand. In fact, some of my first gigs were experimental art exhibits and installations providing a soundtrack for whole shows. Eventually I thought this was an awesome way of having fun, expressing myself and also making a bit of extra money. By 17 I had a full-fledged mobile DJ company doing all sorts of events for every type of client imaginable, and by 19 I had several residencies ranging from Goth nights to several break beats/house underground parties. It’s been an uphill trajectory ever since. I’m constantly evolving and growing.
What DJs do you like?
I know this is a cliché answer but, truth is, there are way too many to answer. I enjoy such a wide range of artists and DJ from all over the world. Again, good music is good music. There are so many avenues to discover new music nowadays; I literally find new favorites on a daily rate.
Who are your influences?
I would say recording artists such as Daft Punk, Bjork, Orbital, The Blue Man Group and Underworld really influenced how I present myself when I’m performing. They just do their own thing and really do more performance art, something that has always appealed to me. When it comes to my productions, I have to say that a very wide range of music influences who I am and where I draw my inspiration.
How would you describe your style?
In a word: eclectic. Generally, I play good music. I use nostalgia as a drug, a good tune you can sing along to always works. But, I play a range of house, classic sounds, filtered disco, electro, and high-energy music in a variety of styles. My two year residency at Living Room Nightclub has allowed me to dive deep into the mash-up/performance VJ culture, really culminating all the mediums I have worked with in the past. I have now launched a whole new skill set in my repertoire which allows me to combine almost any piece of music and visual archive into a high-energy audio/visual party collage. Come see me at Living Room!
What makes you different from other DJs?
I want to say that there are a lot of DJs that share my same sensibility and theory that my job and skill as a DJ and perfection in my craft come from playing for the crowds. I would say that I shy away from a growing trend in DJs that do it for ego or being the center of attention. Nothing gets me off more than moving a crowd and making a connection with my audience. That’s the high I live for and why I am so passionate about DJing. I give the people what they want, while satisfying my own artistic expression in breaking new music seamlessly.
What is something about you that would surprise your fans?
A lot of people would find it very surprising to know that I’m blind in one eye and half deaf in one ear. I was born this way. Although I am medically handicapped, I’ve never considered myself so. In fact, whenever my handicap has gotten in the way I just try harder. This year, thanks to the new advances in 3D technology, I was able to see 3D for the first time, Thank god I went with IMAX and Avatar – talk about epic!
What was your craziest DJ story?
I have so many, but we’ll just keep those to ourselves! Really I can write a book! But I’d have to say there were a few weekends were I had eight gigs in one weekend, and six in another! That was crazy to say the least! But I love a challenge!
What was your favorite party to spin at?
Besides my current residency (shameless plug) at the fabulous groundbreaking Liquid Fridays at Living Room in Fort Lauderdale, truth is wherever there is a willing and good crowd of people happy and ready to dance – I’m there!
Where can people come see you spin?
I spin both Fridays for Liquid Fridays and Sho Saturdays at Living Room Nightclub, Wednesdays at Twist with a very special launch in October of a whole new concept in audio/visual/audience interaction (can’t wait to let the cat out of the bag on that one). I also have tons of special events lined up for October and November including a cancer benefit and some launch parties. Next year is already looking amazing as I have been confirmed for special events during NYC Gay Pride, WMC, Miami Beach Gay Pride and several guest spots throughout the U.S. including L.A., Georgia, New York and several spots in Florida. You can really keep up to date by following my Twitter at Twitter.com/djmaximus3000 or my website at DJMaximus3000.com; you can also check out my daily shows at PNN Radio at PrideNation.com, soon to be a TV series! Shhh.
Lastly, can we also get a Top 5 from you?
1. Flo Rida feat David Guetta – Club Can’t Handle Me (DJs from Mars Bootleg)
2. Katy Perry feat Snoop Dogg VS Van Halen – California Gurls (DJs from Mars Remix)
3. Drake – Over (J Felix Remix)
4. Aquagen Vs. Lil’ Jon – Put your F*cking Hands Up (Blade)(Samwise Edit)
5. Tiesto – Louder than Boom (Bart B More Mix)
