Steve Angelo V.S. DJ Sneak

Steve Angelo V.S. DJ Sneak

House Music Beef With DJ Sneak Plays Out in Steve Angelo’s Set: REALLY??

Now this is a review on an article that was recently written in the Houston Press by Dennis Romero on June 9^th.  Also there is so much controversy over these comments made by Sneak on Twitter that there was an interview done to save face. A one on one follow up interview was made to clear it up both sides, but only Sneak complied to complete the interview. Angelo refused to answer the same questions Sneak took on under the publication BIG SHOT. So if you haven't heard about it and you are wondering what I'm talking about, there is apparently some controversy going down about two amazing producers DJ Sneak and Steve Angelo. Steve Angelo is one third of Swedish House Mafia and rather well known for his remix by Robin S. “Show me Love”.  Let’s also add that Swedish House Mafia and Steve Angelo for that matter are very well known in the commercial house genre. It’s a more trendy club sound that can be ranked in the David Guetta realm with big build ups and vocal progressive tones. If you are a fan of Guetta then I suppose you enjoy listening to them. Then we have a funky bumpy L.A. producer, DJ Sneak that calls their music "fake house music" over Twitter. Not the most professional statements to tweet on I agree, and not many enjoy such slander. I know if someone called my music fake I wouldn't be so inclined to follow their music. But it's still an opinion, so Sneak doesn’t think it’s real house music, and what is real house music to Sneak? So many define house differently, even the writer Dennis Romero apparently, by his article in the Houston Press. In his reference, Steve Angelo get’s wind and plays EDC 2012 and drops a track with a sample “tear the club up” and another tune, “f**k haters”. This is meant to be some type of response to DJ Sneaks remarks on Twitter and at the end of Steve Angelo’s set hands the decks over to Erick Morillo, a New York Progressive House Legend. Steve Angelo announces him as “the guy who taught him how to DJ in clubs”. So Romero explains what's a Puerto Rican DJ compared to a "Colombian DJ. Then the article ends with a big, “Game Over” for DJ Sneak.

So Dennis, the article is a nice twist on some of this drama regarding these amazing musicians, but where are you going with this? It’s drama that really has nothing to do with what’s real

house and what’s not real house. Let’s take note that they both have an established career. I thought it was interesting that it was clearly pointed out at the end that DJ Sneak was not booked for EDC 2012. You talk about two major styles of house, one being bumpy funky tech house, and another being big room pulsing piano’s and hand raiser build ups as the early rave days had. So you say, “there’s no right or wrong answer” all the way up till the end of your article where you said “game over” towards Sneak. You stated that Columbian is better then Puerto Rican producers/ DJ’s? What are you talking about? This article is not authentic and because Steve Angelo played a couple of tunes with samples in it and introduced the next DJ that taught him how to be trendy and it’s game over for Sneak calling “Angelo” a bit “fake”? How so? Is there a competition that is not clear? Sneak has more records then Angelo, Sneak has not sold out to the masses. DJ Sneak cares more about making music then getting paid, he plays what he wants to play, not what tickets need to be sold to play. Also Sneak is not playing a tune you expect to hear every set. Is it good to be a Dj and play tunes you expect to hear? Why not Dj in your car or bedroom then? What about you go up on stage and make a request… that’s really what we need when we expect things. I want to know what’s going to come on next, maybe hand out a program for the crowd so they know what songs to expect in which order. It’s the Dj’s job to expose you to new music, show you that you are not hearing the same stuff over and over, teach you about your taste as an artist, move a unique crowd that pulses with your expression. Connect with that crowd and feel where they want to go and how they respond to your track selection. Get so lost in that selection that you can’t stop working that mixer and making new music. The DJ can use more then a simple play button. The mixer does more then just a volume up and down and there is actually a way to be talented as a DJ not just a producer that plays their tune for a crowd. Those tunes with samples I guarantee have been played in other sets and not used as a way to make a point. If that was a point, I believe that it doesn’t prove anything. DJ Sneak is a workaholic producer (quantify his infinite amount of releases) and still makes time to tour and keep making records. He is not a collective of 3 men or a one hit wonder. I enjoyed your article but you clearly are on Steve Angelo’s team with your expression toward giving the people what they want. There is a man named Greg Wilson that in the late 70’s early 80’s said people expect to hear the same stuff all the time in clubs, as a Dj we are able to make changes to the music to give more of a performance. Use double plates, reel to reels to record and make effects. We came a long way since reel to reel and double vinyl’s… now there is remix software for live performance such as Ableton and Native Instrument’s Traktor 2.5 and can actually be talented while playing DJ sets. Or if you are able to work a crowd like Sneak… it comes effortless. Where did that go? Press play and stand back and give them the same sounds they know?

Have you seen those viral videos from Steve Angelo? From the perspective of someone such as Sneak, what is Angelo doing in those videos anyways? What videos am I talking about? The viral videos that have Steve Angelo on stage in front of a crowd over a thousand and he clearly is not concerned with his DJ set. When I say not concerned, I mean we can hear a mix as he is not even on the mixer or near it and the new tune is already completely mixed in, and old tune out. It was a premade mix that he was just playing for the crowd. That video should have destroyed his career! If a producer is paid a few grand to play a show like that and has a large crowd cheering in front of him, dancing and cheering and pointing at him, the least he can do is make something authentic by trying to DJ. Is it hard to press a play button? Robin S. “show me love” is not even his tune, it’s simply a remix… is that worth that much to take a trendy tune and remix it?