The Daily Aztec: In the title track of your upcoming album “Electroman,” you feature T- Pain. What was it like working with T-Pain, and what did he bring to the table?
Benny Benassi: To be honest, we worked over the Internet and never met, not even for the video, which was shot in different locations. Actually, my scenes are from live DJ sets. He’s a really talented guy and I think we made a great track.
DA: What makes “Electroman” different from other albums you’ve released?
BB: I work with my cousin, Alle Benassi, who’s the musician behind my productions. We wanted to work with American and British singers and writers from a variety of genres to bring our sound to the worlds of hip-hop, pop and rock. In this sense, it’s a continuation of what we were doing on the “Rock ‘n’ Rave” album, but we’ve got a bit better at it, I think, and we’re really happy with the result. We’ve also included a few club tracks not to forget where we’re coming from.
DA: From start to finish, how long and involved of a process is it to mix a track? (Coming up with the idea, recording it, etc.)
BB: It depends how much Alle and I argue! Joking apart, we’re quite quick I think.
DA: How has your life changed since your smash hit “Satisfaction?”
BB: It was almost 10 years ago now. But the change is total. That track launched an international career for me.
DA: You’ve done a great deal of remixes in your career as a DJ. What attracts you to recording remixes versus mixing your own original tracks?
BB: It’s part of what a DJ does. It’s great to be able to reinterpret other people’s songs with your own sound. And you learn a lot from
remixing, too.
DA: What’s your favorite remix you’ve made thus far?
BB: There are many. Still like the remix for Public Enemy that got us a Grammy. And the one for Madonna worked really well, too.
DA: What’s rewarding about being a DJ?
BB: Come on! You get paid for playing and making music.
DA: What inspired you to join the club scene?
BB: I’ve wanted to be a DJ since I was in my early teens. It’s my world.
DA: What’s your funniest / oddest story about DJing an event?
BB: There are quite a few, but one of my most embarrassing moments was at my first ever U.K. gig, many years ago now, so long ago I was still using vinyls. I was playing in a London club before a famous U.K. DJ. I was so emotional after my set that by accident I put some of his vinyls in my record box. When I realized that the next day, I sent them to him, but it was not my greatest moment.
DA: What direction would you head with your future releases?
BB: That’s a secret.
