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• Hady:
  How do you feel about monitoring and producing music in headphones? – I was planning to buy Sennheiser.

• Tyler Michaud:
  If you’re a producer on a tight budget, and that’s all you can manage to afford, headphones can be a great way of making quality sounding productions. I have produced a few of my tracks solely in headphones, and was completely surprised to how great the quality was when I said to myself, “wow, this sounds better than if I made it on my main speaker rig”. If I had to choose one pair specifically for dance music, and I’ve used them all, I’d say go with the Beyerdynamic DT 770. You’ll also be surprised to know that up until maybe about a year ago, Mat Zo told me he produced all of his tracks in headphones. :)

• Rachel Rixham:
  Your track “We’re Not Going To Take This Anymore” was done with Mat zo, can you tell us what Mat zo is like to work with and furthermore how long this track took to complete?

• Tyler Michaud:
  Mat Zo is great to work with. He can really produce any genre, and I think that’s a highly respectable quality. All our tracks have been made by him sending me about a 1 or 2 minute loop over the Internet, and then I take the track to the next level with my sequencing, effects, and additional synth work in my studio. We’ve worked mostly on electro tracks, to stray from our usual trance scene for a change and some fun. Usually our tracks take a few weeks to finish. :)

• Rachel Rixham:
  I can’t help but notice from facebook pictures that your studio is still gaining the grounds in your house, you must spend quite a lot on equipment, can you tell us most favourite piece so far, in addition what your next piece will be?

• Tyler Michaud:
  I’d probably say my favorite piece so far is my Herman Miller Aeron Chair. It makes my ass feel like I’m sitting on a cloud up at the pearly gates of heaven when I’m working. What a waste of money at $1200 bucks, but god i love it for when I’m sitting there putting in a 12 hour day on deadline for a remix or production. My next piece of equipment will undoubtedly be an Access Virus TI Desktop synthesizer. This thing has by far the most unreal sounds for trance, I cannot wait to add it to my arsenal.

• Rachel Rixham: Personal question
  Can you tell us what life is like when you are attached to that someone special, deadlines, sets, shows, and productions don’t wait around for anyone, sometimes you just have to get on. How would you say this can affect a relationship, and furthermore how you juggle a relationship with work? :-P

• Tyler Michaud:
  To tell you the truth, I don’t know if it’s possible to juggle it successfully.I think I’m destined to be alone. :P I honestly haven’t had a serious “relationship” for 4 years now. For me, relationships mean obligations, and baggage, things that get in the way of my goals in life, just like kids, there will be no ‘little-tylers’ running around in the remotely near future. It’s as if I’m on a musical mission, and nothing can get in my way, I have way too much to do before I can ‘settle down’ in any conventional manner.
  
  I have no clue how some producer-DJ’s out there have wives with their globe-trotting schedules. I doubt the future Mrs. Michaud would appreciate the 1 hour of attention per day that I’m able to devote to her, she’d never be satisfied, hah. I’ll probably just get married to a trophy wife when I’m 70, and have some in-vitro test tube babies from my frozen sperm right before I die around 80 or 85. Until then, all you ladies are fair game. :P

• Rachel Rixham:
  You’ve done a lot of remixes on the PVD catalogue, can you tell us which PVD was the most enjoyable to work with, and why?

• Tyler Michaud:
  Most enjoyable is a hard question.. I’m always experiencing the most intense musical high of my life when I’m working on an insane high BPM track for Paul’s Vandit Records… So I guess I’d have to say my most recent remix for them, “Heatbeat – Eternity (Tyler Michaud Remix)”. Should be out in a couple of months. ;)

• Dani:
  Your label New School Recordings has been going from strength to strength with releases recently. Can you tell us a little bit about your vision with the label and what we can expect from NSR into the future?

• Tyler Michaud:
  Thank you.My vision is nothing more than to do my best to release consistent forward thinking, unique, bad-ass music. I have no boundaries or restrictions as far as genre is concerned. Good music is good music. I do this truly because I have to.. It was a natural step for me to launch the label and the name New School is about introducing to the public as best I can the next generation of cutting-edge electronic music, EDM that has no genres, no rules, and no borders, and once I have more of a budget to invest, I promise the quality of the content will only continue to get better with time..

• Dani:
  Your recent releases have influences from a wide range of genres. How do you feel about EDM’s genre labelling in today’s climate and what directions do you see these going into the future?

• Tyler Michaud:
  This has always been something that frustrates me to no end.. Genre labeling is fine, you have to categorize the songs for sale somehow, but a label replying to an artists demo saying, “I love your track, but we can’t release it because it’s not 100% our style”, or a label on releasing ONE type of trance or electro for instance, is an absolute nightmare. I can’t make any definitive prediction, but I truly hope this will soon be eliminated as our music continues to evolve and the genres become even more blurred. I also hold my highest respect for producers that aren’t afraid to experiment and explore different sounds that are against the ‘norm’.

• Dani:
  The role of the DJ and the role of the Producer have been blurred in recent times. What are your views on this and have you felt a pressure to incorporate more production elements in your live performances as a result?

• Tyler Michaud:
  I’m all for this! My live performance has now become full live DJing, production and remixing. I haven’t felt any pressure to make a change, but I think this is more of a natural progression of our industry. I still DJ on 2 CDJ’s, but I’m able to play keyboard, and use any of the FX, synths, hardware etc that I would normally be in the studio with, ALL through a touchscreen known as the Jazzmutant Lemur, a sample launchpad ‘Monome’, and my Mac Laptop simultaneously! Don’t expect to make it big as a DJ who just beat-matches 2 records or CD’s anymore. People are ready for something fresh, and something new. A talented DJ can beat-match a CD in 10 seconds, and EQ a proper transition in 20-30. Do you really want to be an actor up there behind the decks fist pumping and pretending to smooth EQ’s for the remaining 5 minutes on each track?

• Dani:
  With so many new kids on the block, who are some individuals that have really captured your interest lately and why?

• Tyler Michaud:
  I’d still consider Deadmau5 somewhat of a newcomer, and he continues to impress me with his productions and his astonishing career accolades. He just got done playing the MTV Video Music Awards and caught a lot of flack from it from some of his early fans – like “You sold out! blah blah blah”. Fact is, he’s at the brink of ushering in a CULTURAL movement with dance music in America. Even if you hate his music, how the fuck can you hate what he’s doing for the scene? He’s enlightening an entire generation of young people. For all you under-grounders out there that want the scene to remain underground, there will ALWAYS be an underground scene. But let dance music flourish, let it be opened to the masses, let’s begin the revolution, and stop complaining!

• Dani:
  What aspects of life do you draw the most inspiration for for your music?

• Tyler Michaud:
  I’d probably have to say achieving a goal I never had thought would be possible, traveling somewhere I’ve never been, or discovering something new.. I’m into extremes, and I can only imagine how boring and mundane life might become if you’re one of the lucky few that has somehow achieved everything they’ve ever wanted. So I guess, when the action stops, my music and inspiration will stop, at which point I’ll probably jump off a 100 story building to my inevitable death. :)
  

• Dani:
  As a record label owner, how has digital media and the ease of its access and distribution had an affect on the music industry? What challenges can you see into the future and how can we overcome these?

• Tyler Michaud:
  It’s definitely helped and hurt the scene in some ways… Without digital media, a huge bulk load of talented producers would have never been discovered and some great labels definitely wouldn’t be here.. But, I’m sure you have the same frustrations as I when you go through maybe 50-100 preview clips of the featured music on some digital download websites and don’t even purchase a single track. Gotta take the good with the bad I guess..

• Dani:
  What challenges do small labels face against the monopolistic actions of large, dominating labels in EDM?

• Tyler Michaud:
  Several, but the worst one of all – financial restraints. A lack of cash-flow and royalty revenue’s preventing labels from sinking in a chunk of money to properly develop an artist, and give them the inspiration and the drive to take them from a good artist, to a great artist. Back in the 90′s, even mainstream labels would tend to sink a chunk of money into a band, and hope by their 3rd album that it would really pay off and they’d go multi-platinum. If this was our “golden-age” in music, it’s gone bye-bye and certainly will NEVER return.

• Dani:
  With an array of new remixes and productions in the pipeline, what can we expect from Tyler Michaud into 2011 and what are some of your personal goals for next year?

• Tyler Michaud:
  You can expect by far an entirely new era of my music… I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface on what I think I can truly deliver to you production-wise, and as I continue to learn new tricks, and techniques, I promise things will only get much better.
  
  One thing I’m looking to make a reality for 2010, and most importantly, is a consistent international touring schedule. I’m truly hoping I can make the appropriate decisions and find an agency that really believes in me and my vision. My goal once I reach this point is to keep upping the anti of what is known to be ‘possible’ in the electronic music scene and in my live performances.. Another goal production-wise, is to link up with more vocalists who can write and describe lyrically my feelings and views on the world, and dealing with emotions. I’m getting a little sick of just writing love songs. :P

• Dani:
  You have had an array of remixes recently for a wide range of artists.. What is your approach to remixing?

• Tyler Michaud:
  Remixes are by far some of my most enjoyable projects. I view this as an opportunity to take the mix parts given to me, and do a completely different take on the track, and more importantly, do some experimenting. I like to remix a wide range of genres, this way I’m never bored.. Approaching a remix is not much unlike starting up an original song, except with all hope, you already have some amazing musical parts to work with.

• Dani:
  As an American EDM artist, have you felt at a disadvantage working with electronic music in a predominantly Rap and RnB territory?

• Tyler Michaud:
  Absolutely, but then again, I guess I wouldn’t know what It’s like to work in a country with more of an electronic music influence. :)I was lucky to find this scene at a very young age, and link up with the right people internationally, so I don’t even think about it much these days. I just wish there were some better venues and more of a public acceptance around the US..

• Dani:
  What is the biggest lesson you have learnt about the music industry in the last year that you wish you could have known when you first entered the scene?

• Tyler Michaud:
  Don’t be afraid to ask, or flat out demand, for what you want. Whether it’s from a radio station, or a label, or in all aspects of life for that matter. Be realistic, but don’t settle for shit. If something doesn’t seem quite right in life, try your best to change it!

• Dani:
  In regards to the poll and ranking systems prevalent in the EDM scene, how much do you feel talent plays a role in determining these outcomes? Do you feel such systems are more helpful or detrimental to the global electronic music scene?

• Tyler Michaud:
  I’d definitely have to say talent plays a very small part in comparison to marketing and overall fan-base of the artist. But it’s just the reality unfortunately, look at any political election. Though I have to say if you truly have the mindset, talent, motivation, and determination to rise to the top, you can do anything you want in life. Whether thats to be a top 100 DJ mag DJ, or being an astronaut. The guys who are on the top 100 are on there for a reason. If you have all the talent in the world, you’d be stupid not to figure out the second side of the coin, the business and marketing side. And plus, there are still plenty of electronic acts not in the top 100 who receive insanely high fee’s for their live performances.

• Dani:
  Creativity has always been an ambiguous term to pin down in our society. What do you feel is the source of your creativity and inspiration, and what strategies do you personally employ to get your creative juices flowing in the studio?

• Tyler Michaud:
  I’m very ritualistic and one obsessive mofo.. To produce, my brain always needs to be in tip-top shape. This means no excessive partying the night before, a good full nights sleep, and a trip to the gym every 2 days to keep full focus.. I can actually manage to create some pretty good stuff without these things, but I’m sitting there constantly second-guessing myself, saying, oh, I’m wasting my time and I’d probably be making something better if I was fully rested etc.! I also find I always need some extreme situation, or something to look forward to, or some goal to strive for.. If I don’t, I immediately get depressed, guilty, and anxious.. As if the action has stopped, and there goes all my inspiration.

• Dani:
  Do you think creative careers such as art and music are discouraged in our education system in preference for more “serious” academic directions like math and sciences? Did you encounter this prejudice growing up and if so how did you overcome this hurdle?

• Tyler Michaud:
  Hmmm.. Tough question, I wouldn’t exactly say they’re discouraged, but art and music classes are certainly the first budgets to get cut when a school system is looking to save money.. Then again, if you’re like me and were raised in the poor American school systems, you didn’t end up learning one fucking thing from art or music class.. I don’t know if art is something that can be taught, I think it needs to be experienced by someone who is passionate about it, and then the rare few take what they’ve learned on their own and pour it into their own creation, and their own vision, and they produce something whether it’s a painting or a piece of music… I never got into music because I was taught it, I got into it because I NEEDED it. You can’t teach someone that ambition/drive, trust me, I’ve tried.

• Dani:
  We have seen numerous artists in recent times move away from their original sounds, often moving towards a more widely accepted style. What are your views on such transitions; do you feel this is a natural progression for musicians or something to be disapproving of?

• Tyler Michaud:
  I certainly don’t feel it’s natural progression, I feel like it’s the kid at school that wears Abercrombie T-shirts because Abercrombie is the widely accepted style at American High-schools. If they look better or are making better sounding music, then fine, they made the right move, but if they’re sacrificing their originality to blend in, then I don’t even really consider this producing, as much as it is copying whats “hot” at the moment.

• Dani:
  Have you ever felt pressure to change any aspect of your music in order to reach a wider audience?

• Tyler Michaud:
  Yes I have, and every time I’ve tried this, I’ve failed miserably and absolutely hated my time in the studio. I can’t stand it when a vocalist sends me an accapella for a track and says, “I want this to be a housey ibiza club hit”. That’s a track that I WILL NOT work on 9 times out of 10.I guess it’s true that you can say I’m selfish and I produce more for myself. My life is one constant hedonistic selfish high.. But luckily I’ve somehow found the select few labels that appreciate me for who I am, and my sound for what it is. I feel so lucky for this and I hope I never have to sacrifice my artistic integrity for a few extra bucks. I’ll be fine with the million dollar house and a life where I have the freedom NOT to work If i really don’t want to. I think I can for-ego the fucking yacht and the private jet, thanks.

• Dani:
  Who are some of the most significant artists and individuals that have influenced you musically over your life?

• Tyler Michaud:
  Without a doubt, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, and for his music and the way he describes his emotions which I feel are so similar to my own. Also, comedian George Carlin, radio icon Howard Stern, and Marilyn Manson… These are 4 people from what are considered the “counter-culture” icons in the United States. Truly the most unique individuals I have ever come across so far in my lifetime, ones that weren’t afraid to push HUGE boundaries, be unique, and speak their mind. I have the utmost respect for them and their intelligence to see things “outside-of-the-box.”

• Dani:
  We hear you have a new artist album in the pipelines at the moment, can you tell us a little bit behind the concept for it and what we can expect?

• Tyler Michaud:
  I’d like the album to show my full range of what I can do production wise.. It’s been in preparation for 2 years. And as of late, I feel like it could be in preparation for another 2 years. I have no rush in putting this out, and it will come when it’s ready. If you are bummed about it, rest assured that I am still cranking out the best tunes I have ever made at a rate like never before… There will be no shortage of singles and EP’s.I’m still not 100% certain on the content, but expect it to be the most intense and in-depth art I’ve ever put out.. A truly deep dive into my musical vision and my own messed up head and harsh human emotions.

  I’d be crazy to say I was going to deliver you a bunch of “happy” club-friendly content, it’s going to be the opposite of that, I find my biggest musical drive is the empowerment one gets from dealing with and overcoming the harshest of situations in life, and I truly hope through the musical and lyrical content that I’ll be able to convey this message, no matter what style, mood, or genre it yields…I want to make sure this is absolutely the best of what I can produce, at the top of my game, and I feel like I may be another year or so away from delivering you the quality of music that I feel I can truly create.

• Dani:
  With countless budding producers around the world, can you offer any advice for artists hoping to enter the EDM scene?

• Tyler Michaud:
  My best advice that I’ve been giving literally everyone I’ve been talking to is, DONT WORRY about sending your stuff to countless labels and try to get signed early on. It’s absolutely pointless, and you’ll only regret it 1 or 2 years down the road when you look back at your early catalogue and say, what the hell was I thinking when I decided to sign and release this…?I regret this so much myself.. And to be honest, I can’t even believe the anxiety I’d give myself after rushing back to my email inbox to see if some label replied for my ‘average’ track. I understand this is a dream you’re going after, and you’re excited about your tracks.

  But compare your tracks to other AMAZING tracks, and say, do I think this is as good or better than this song? If it is, then you might be ready to send it over to a record label. 95% of Labels won’t even CHECK demo’s from people they don’t know, my biggest advice, register for a soundcloud or a myspace account, put your stuff on there, and start sending it to DJ’s. Radio DJ’s are much more accessible, even the ‘big’ ones, you’re better off getting a few plays and having a label discover YOU, then typing up a proposal email and praying and letting your anxieties go when you get sad or pissed off that some label doesn’t respond. Oh, If only I knew this when I was 16. :)

• Dani:
  Tell us about your career highlight so far and why it was such a significant moment for you.

• Tyler Michaud:
  Hmmm.. So far all my favorite highlights have been in the Production realm. Two most recent ones though were signing and licensing tracks to Sony Music, and Armani Clothing – for the reason of them being extremely well-known mainstream brand names.

  For me this was a bit of a milestone. At that point I had somehow already managed to sign records with several of the highest esteemed Independent dance labels owned by some of my musical idols, and in quite a few genres, I am thankful for this and value it a lot, but it was a mountain previously climbed… But to know my music has been accepted and signed by 2 companies as big as Sony and Armani? That was really a turning point where I said, wow, maybe if I really put my mind to this I can achieve something bigger than I had ever possibly imagined.

  I also have some stuff cooking which I can’t even talk about yet, but rest assured, it will put what I just said to absolute shame. ;)

• Dani:
  What is your next big project and what are your plans for the rest of 2010?

• Tyler Michaud:
  I don’t have any particular project I want to mention.. But I will be producing and remixing track after track, working with great new vocalists, and trying to explore the farthest depths of my sound… Don’t mistake this for quantity over quality, I just wouldn’t feel quite right if I was the guy that only put out a few tracks per year with the burst of extreme inspiration that I’ve been feeling lately.

• Ivan:
  What is a pet peeve of yours when working on collabs with other artists?

• Tyler Michaud:
  Well – if you try to work in the studio with me, fucking forget it. I work in such an unconventional random manner that I’m impossible to work with… I’ll work on a part at the intro, fast forward and polish up mastering on the outro, zoom back to the break and add some string sounds, go to the after break and tweak a bassline, add a new synth, open up ableton, fuck with some loops, switch back to logic pro, repeat repeat.. I can never agree, I get bored super-easy, have ridiculous racing thoughts, and I just start to ignore a production partner in the studio.So far that reason, I’ve only produced a handful of in-person collaborations.

  It’s almost impossible and not economical when you’re collabing someone across the globe anyways. I do them mostly online, where it works out much better. And these days I try my absolute best to only work with well respected artists that I really think have something amazing to offer to the production… This way I won’t be upset with their work or the final product, especially if they’re the ones putting on the finishing touches.Also – timing, deadlines, and schedules of course are big uncontrollable pet-peeves. Such a pain in the ass to coordinate a collab sometimes.

• Ivan:
  Do you have any sort of ritual to avoid losing your focus or do you always know inside why you do what you do?

• Tyler Michaud:
  It’s always different, some-days I’ll go in super-confident, on top of the world, and other days I won’t even feel confident to make a beat and I’ll feel absolutely worthless. But luckily in my near 7 years of production, that last 3 of which it’s been a full time job, I’d say I’m getting better at finding out how I can always operate at my highest level. And I know what to do to rejuvenate myself if I don’t feel that focus on any particular day. A lot of the times it can be as simple as going for a run, or a drive, listening to others music for about an hour, or another genre of music outside of dance music.

  Or perhaps hitting the gym, taking a shower, maybe even lying down for about 45 minutes and just brainstorming, I find it’s best to be alone for this though, shoving the people, relationships in my life, and all the bullshit meaningless problems and anxieties out of my mind, and just beginning to get into the ideal “mood” for production, focusing on that, and that only, and completely feeding off the energy that state of mind gives me.

  But I’ll tell you one thing – I always know when I’m really feeling something incredible when making a song, I’ll feel this intense rush and high of emotion in my mind and in my body… It’ll feel as if for once in my life, there are no problems and no pain, I am truly focused, locked in, I know exactly what I’m going for, what I want to do, and everything is clear, coming together in the studio. Once I unlock this feeling of emotion, I’ll go to sleep as if I just conquered the world, and my mind will dream of complex adventures, situations ideas, etc. I truly believe creation of art, and music production has something to do with unlocking deeper subconscious senses in the mind… I didn’t choose music, music chose me.

• Ivan:
  Do you think having a strong sense of familiarity with technology is essential to producers these days?

• Tyler Michaud:
  Absolutely, if you knew nothing about the inner workings of a car, would you be working at an auto repair shop ? You need learn and implement this stuff in a creative and fun way, and practice your skill for years and years to get familiarity and complete control over your tools. Once you do, it becomes second-nature.

• Ivan:
  Do you believe theory (both music and engineering) is important when creating music?

• Tyler Michaud:
  Absolutely not. I know many amazing producers and musicians who are absolutely phenomenal and don’t know any theory or engineering. And I know many producers that have been trained in classical piano for 10 or 15 years who can’t write a single note or original track for the life of them because they’re so confined in their little box of music theory and engineering rules. Though, I think basic knowledge can certainly help.  I will be the first to readily admit that I’ve had no schooling/professional training of any kind in music.I remember best a chat I had with legendary guitarist Adrian Belew of King Crimson.

  A guy who is compared to and in the same caliber of Jimi Hendrix, also has worked with David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Frank Zappa, and more). He’s a guy who is of the most innovative and legendary guitarists to ever walk this planet, and can’t read a note of sheet music. He learned playing by ear in a hospital bed for months on end because of some disease/affliction he had when he was younger.I asked if he thought that he was a better and more unique musician, because of his lack of knowledge in theory etc. He replied to me with a short but extremely potent answer: “Tyler, Frank Zappa once told me, Adrian, you don’t know the rules of music.

  So that means you can break them”.I forever treasured this conversation we had and it gave me a lot more confidence. I think the most important thing to making good music is your ears. If something sounds great, it sounds great, you don’t need some old-school rule book to tell you that, just play and have fun. If your memory is good enough you’ll find a way to learn these instruments and technology without boring studying.

• Ivan:
  What are your thoughts on many DJ’s and producers crossing the genre line more drastically in their sets and productions in order to capture new markets?

• Tyler Michaud:
  I guess it depends on what markets they’re trying to capture… If you’re talking about once-great producers, dumbing down productions to the level of cheese, selling out, and making them more accessible to a mass audience in order to make money, and alienating their fan base who really supports them and has been there since the beginning, then I find it extremely difficult to have any level of respect for these people. I’m all about trying something new, just make sure it’s good.

• Ivan:
  At the end of the day, do you respect DJ’s who use ghostwriters for their productions?

• Tyler Michaud:
  I certainly respect it in a business sense, they’re obviously motivated pro-active people with a goal. But not in the sense of maintaining any form of artistic/creative integrity.

• Ivan:
  Out of all the artists you’ve worked with who was the easiest to work with and you feel really brought a lot to the table?

• Tyler Michaud:
  I’d have to say without a doubt the Moonbeam guys from Russia. Our collaborations have been so easily produced and completed. I would always come to them with a 3 or 4 minute track, a lot of synth action going on, with an already finished vocal, and some great ideas. They would just take this, and elevate the track to the absolute next level, with unbelievable production quality and professionalism. I can’t wait to work with them on our 4th track with vocalist Tiff Lacey later this year !

• Ivan:
  At what point in your life did you become happy with your work?

• Tyler Michaud:
  I don’t think I’ll ever be happy with my work. I view every part of not only my music, but my personality as a work in progress and I know for a fact I’ll never be truly satisfied with myself. In the words of Trentemoller: “There’s Always Something Better”.

• Ivan:
  Every artists productions are personal to them, were you shy at first about sharing yours?

• Tyler Michaud:
  To the public, no. To big industry people, yes, I’ve always been on pins and needles and I still am to this day. Especially when it comes to approval and acceptance from artists I really enjoy or look up to on a project I’ve just worked on for weeks straight.

• Ivan:
  Who would you most like to work with in the future?

• Tyler Michaud:
  Trent Reznor, Chris Vrenna (Keyboardist from Marilyn Manson/Nine Inch Nails), and Celldweller. Talks are in session and I’m hoping to make at least one of these a reality by sometime next year. The issue is scheduling, it’s always absurdly difficult, especially when touring is involved.

• Ivan:
  What are your thoughts on record labels and how the majority are struggling to stay alive?

• Tyler Michaud:
  My only advice for record labels is to start finding alternative ways to make revenue. You’re not going to get any serious money even with Top 10 tracks on Beatport these days, and what’s resulted is a decrease in overall music quality and a massive struggle to not completely fade out.

  The best way to make money right now is through licensing your labels music to larger firms for use on compilations, commercials, DVD’s, ringtones, and movies/games. Also, I think it would be smart if labels started pushing and promoting their artists for more events/live performance opportunities.

  This way labels could still offer the artist a reasonable advance and royalty % for signing their production, for the trade of the label making slightly above the normal agents average of 15 or 20% off of the artists touring income.It’s already beginning to happen, but in the future I think you will see more agents directly linked to record labels, and I think things would move a hell of a lot more smoothly for everyone if more companies operated as a full service agency/management/record label.

• Ivan:
  Do you think the music industry needs a revolution?

• Tyler Michaud:
  I think this entire world needs a revolution of creative minds and free thinking intelligent individuals taking back the the ideals, goals, dreams, and overall reality that the mainstream, government, mass-media, and religion has convinced everyone to so easily suppress.

• Ivan:
  How did you feel once you made the transition from regular listener to actually seeing everything behind the scenes in the music world?

• Tyler Michaud:
  Experience and patience in all things production, business, and music-related. It’s like playing an RPG video game, you start from nothing, and you make yourself into something over a long period of time, learning things as you go. Experience cannot be taught.

• Ayeln:
  What keeps you going every day as an artist?

• Tyler Michaud:
  The fat that there’s always a new mountain to climb and feat to conquer.

• Ayeln:
  What do your fans do that means the most to you?

• Tyler Michaud:
  Everything.. If it wasn’t for their approval, acceptance, and consistent kind comments, I’d feel like everything I’m doing is pointless. For this reason I try not to neglect anyone and reply to every fan email I get.

• Ayeln:
  What is missing in ur life?

• Tyler Michaud:
  Stability… I can be on top of the world and happy one day, and feel completely worthless the next. Like everything I’ve ever done has never amounted to anything, I have the problem of never being satisfied. I don’t care about things I’ve already achieved, and can easily forget them. I’m often beating myself up for not pushing myself to achieve more.

• Ayeln:
  If u could turn time back…when would u like to stop for a while to repeat that experience? and why.

• Tyler Michaud:
  If I could turn back time I would go back to last year in Los Angeles, at Nine Inch Nails last ever concert appearance before hanging up the touring for good. Musical events have always made the best nights of my life, and this one was by far the best I’ve ever had from a legendary artist that has given me so much inspiration.

• Ayeln:
  Is there anything u would like to change about ur past?

• Tyler Michaud:
  No… Even through my hardships, embarrassments, and mistakes, it has all led me to where I am now, doing what I love, my dream life… It sounds so cheesy and cliche, but I wouldn’t change a thing..

• Ayeln:
  If u could talk to a person who is not here anymore, what would u tell her/him?

• Tyler Michaud:
  I can really only think of 2 people that I’d care to talk to, and one is my best friend who recently died from a tragic accident with a gun about 4 months ago, and my stepfather who died of cancer about a year ago… I would tell them that I miss them, and thank them for teaching me so much, believing in me, giving me the confidence to be myself, and instilling the life skills to be an open-minded listener See’s things outside of the box. I will continue to do my absolute best to always make them proud.

  Another one would be George Carlin, through his interviews and stand-up comedy he taught me to question and observe everything around me, which I think is advice everyone should take.

• Ayeln:
  What is the first thing u look at in a woman?

• Tyler Michaud:
  I’ll be honest, I first look at appearance, I’m not shallow, but if you look like you just left a garbage dump after not showering for 3 weeks, then you’re not going to be able to turn me on in any capacity. I think 95% of people in this world can look decent if they treat their body with respect and don’t poison it with years of binge drinking, and athletic inactivity. it just takes a bit of work and creativity to find your ‘style’.

  After that, a plethora of other attributes are needed to satisfy me. Intelligence, compatibility, and maturity level being first and foremost, which let me tell you, is a rare find for women my age. Haha

• Ayeln:
  What is the best and the worst of u?

• Tyler Michaud: The best of me is when I’m working and producing music.. The worst of me is when I’m feeling depressed and anxious for no reason and feel like curling up in a ball for 3 days because I’m not working and producing. You could say music is a drug and I’m an addict.

• Ayeln:
  What was the most embarrassing moment of ur life?

• Tyler Michaud:
  I’d have to say the most embarrassing moment of my life, was when I was in junior high. It was some weird project presentation day, and we were all on the football field doing basically nothing for 6 hours straight. All of a sudden, some asshole named Rob comes up and douses me with a “stink-bomb” in front of all my friends. This was by far the most embarrassing moment ever, humiliated in front of hundreds of people.

  But need not worry, I then proceeded to the cafeteria where he had run off to, and delivered him a series of devastating KO punches, he was on the ground and out cold.The entire lunch room was chanting “rocky”. Embarrassing, but with an exciting ending, true story!

  For those of you who don’t know what a stink-bomb is, you can conveniently buy them off ebay, and they smell like rotten eggs and sewage for anyone in a 20 foot radius for hours on end. After this event I decided to deploy them in the halls of my high school for the next 2 years. :)

• Ayeln:
  Do u make music not to spend money on therapy?

• Tyler Michaud:
  Hahaha, maybe. I never thought of it like that.

• Hasty K:
  So, yeah, I wanna pick your brain. Your profile pic – you look like a red hot music god – hot! How’d you get so hot, dude? You look like a true artist. Also, your photographer/paparazzi who took the pic must be awesome – your friend? Can he or she make my bf look dreamy & sultry like you? He ain’t. So, spill!

• Tyler Michaud:
  Hahaha, thanks. I employ a full time team of plastic surgeons who inject me with botox intravenously around the clock and preform drastic facial reconstructive surgeries on a bi-weekly basis.My photographer is Anton Oparin, he is an awesome talented fashion photographer from New York working with such clients as Vogue Magazine, US Weekly, and the E-Network, you can check out his work here: www.fashionstock.com

• Kay:
  If one day you would find a magic lamp and from that lamp a genie would come out and say “You have one wish that i will make it come true for you”, what that wish would be?

• Tyler Michaud:
  True happiness and to appreciate more the small things in life.

• Kay:
  I know many artists that have a certain mood / feeling / thingy… in which they can create, and outside this mood they are not able to do much. Do you have this kind of special mood that makes your creativity flow. Is it a certain something that inspires you more than anything else?

• Tyler Michaud:
  I do not, I’m actually pretty versatile in this regard… Every song has a different inspiration and a different mood. But I definitely thrive off feelings of extreme confidence or anger the most.

Check out Tyler Michaud’s latest set

Tracklist
01. Nine Inch Nails – Complication [Nothing Records]
02. Santiago Nino feat. Jaren – Stereo Love (Tyler Michaud Remix) [Istmo Music]
03. Hot Noizes & Andi Vax – To Be Free (Original Mix) [New School Recordings]
04. Marco G & Amin Golestan – Dagobert (Original Mix) [Audio Therapy]
05. D. Ramirez & Dimitry Bobrov – Pleasure Me (Kristophs Hairy Growler Remix) [Slave Records]
06. Loco & Jam – Splitting Atoms [1605 Records]
07. Tyler Michaud – Glass World [New School Recordings]
08. Protoculture – Black Sun [Rebrand]
09. Mike Foyle – Blossom (Arty Remix) [Coldharbour]
10. Tyler Michaud feat. Colleen Kelly – Get You Higher (Original Mix) [High Contrast Records]
11. David Forbes – Aria Waves (Dark Mix) [Reset Records]
12. Tyler Michaud & Jake Shanahan – Hybrid Junkie [CDR]
13. Tyler Michaud vs. Mat Zo – We’re Not Going To Take This Anymore [New School Recordings]

Download

Sirius XM Radio Air Times: 6pm – 8pm EST
Rebroadcast: Fridays at 12pm, Saturdays at 10pm, Tuesday at 12am
Rebroadcasted on 25FM stations worldwide, check them here: http://www.myspace.com/vonyc

Links of Interest

www.tylermichaud.com
www.twitter.com/djtylermichaud
www.facebook.com/djtylermichaud
www.newschoolrecordings.com

Posted in: Interviews | Posted on September 17, 2010 by Beatsmedia