TRV$ DJAM interviews...

with 'The Press-Enterprise':

Special to The Press-Enterprise

 

Travis Barker and DJ AM will perform live at Coachella on Saturday.

 

The Press-Enterprise: Why decide to do Coachella?

 

Travis Barker: Because they asked and it’s the coolest festival ever.

 

PE: What makes it such an important festival?

 

Barker: The diverse bands, dj’s and artists make it different, everybody waits all year for it.

 

PE: How did the two of you first start collaborating?

 

Barker: I approached Adam a couple years ago with the idea and the rest is history. We got in a studio and never looked back.

 

PE: What can fans expect to hear at the Coachella set?

 

Barker: Everything from Justice to Michael Jackson, The Who, Biggie, Queen….the list goes on.

 

PE: Have you been working on new music? If so, will we hear it at Coachella?

 

Barker: I have begun working on my solo record again, as for AM and I, we rarely play the same set twice. We always keep it fresh.

 

PE: What do you love about performing together? What makes TRV$-DJAM special to each of you and how does it push you creatively?

 

Barker: I mean there is only really US in our own genre, there isn’t a lot of drummer/dj’s that do what we do. It’s such a breath of fresh air. I play things I’d never play in a band when I play with AM, really different for me.

 

PE: How does the creative process work for you? Does it start with a drum beat, or a hook?

 

Barker: We just listen to music, jam out on it, see how we can flip it or make it different and then starting putting things together depending on tempos. AM is amazing.

 

PE: What drives you as artists?

 

Barker: Life, living, breathing, the opportunity to play music, fashion, the world, everything I come in contact with.

 

PE: Has the way you approached music changed at all?

 

Barker: Being able to play music period after my 16 surgeries has made me appreciate it more now then ever.

 

PE: Travis, you had the surgery in February on your ulner nerve –how did it go? Did you regain feeling in your left hand?

 

Barker: My hand is still numb and I’m hoping eventually the feeling will come back. I’m still supposed to be resting but I couldn’t pass on Coachella.

 

PE: What made you know you wanted to pursue music as a career?

 

Barker: I loved music since the first time I heard it. The Beatles, Elvis, The Beach Boys, Run DMC , Slayer. I was exposed to all of this at a young age and I never wanted to do anything else besides play music and ride my skateboard.

 

PE: What’s next for TRV$-DJAM?

 

Barker: More shows, more festivals, good times.

 

PE: What are you the most proud of so far?

 

Barker: That I’m alive and I have my family, my music, my friends.

 

PE: What do you still want to accomplish?

 

Barker: The list is too long. You will see as the time goes on. I can’t rest or not do anything . I am a person that likes to stay busy and creative and continue finding ways of expressing myself.

 

PE: Growing up in the Inland Empire–what are some of your favorite places out here–restaurants, hangouts, stores?

 

Barker: Miguels and WaHoo’s are my favorite. Anytime I’m out there those are my jams.

 

PE: You were living in Corona for a while, what made you decide to move out to L.A. full-time? Do you ever see yourself moving back out here?

 

Barker: My wife and babies at the time lived in LA so I couldn’t not be with them . I live out in LA cause that’s where I end up working a lot being in studios usually 10-12 hours a day. However other business’ of mine still live in the IE. My FAMOUS STARS AND STRAPS BRAND as well as KILLER DISTRIBUTION are in Ontario and Corona. I love it there

 

PE: Do you still come back to the I.E. at all?

 

Barker: Yes, once every couple weeks, I have family out there still as well.

 

PE: With the new arena in Ontario and restoration projects of the Fox in Riverside and the recently completed Fox theater in Pomona, is the Inland Empire becoming more of a draw for entertainers?

 

Barker: I hope so, our music scene as a kid was always thriving thanks to 98 Posse and Goldenvoice. I had amazing venues and concerts every week / weekend. I saw so many of my favorite bands play growing up out there.

Buzznet: No Doubt’s summer tour with Paramore and The Sounds is the ultimate summer tour. If you could assemble three artist to tour with to create your own “ultimate” tour, who would come on the road with you?

 

DJ AM: Biggie, Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix… But I don’t think that’s gonna happen.

 

Travis: Kid Cudi, The Police and AM and I.

 

Buzznet: When choosing songs for mash ups and remixes, is it a collaborative effort?

 

DJ AM: Its always a colab. I may bring up a song Trav is not feeling so we keep moving. We both gotta make that, “Oh $h!t, this sounds good” face.

 

Travis: Adam usually comes with the some songs, I have some song ideas and then we see what jams and what doesn’t.

 

Buzznet: Travis, what challenge does drumming to remixes provide you? What techniques do you have for coming up with a beat when you hear what Adam’s created?

 

Travis: It’s always a challenge. Sometimes it sound good just to double up on drums and improv when I want. It’s always a challenge learning all the programmed drum parts to different songs.

 

Buzznet: Adam, what one artist have you found to be the most fun to remix?

 

DJ AM: I love hearing Travis play live, HARD drums over Rush - “Tom Sawyer.” It just sounds right.

 

Buzznet: Why did you decide to release the “Fix Your Face” mixtape for free online?

 

DJ AM: Why not?

 

Travis: It was one of our sets from the Roxy shows and we figured we’d record it.

 

Buzznet: Travis, you mentioned in an LA Times interview last summer that creating beats “is really natural” for you. Can we expect you to integrate that technique into your work with Blink-182 this summer?

 

Travis: Here and there I’m sure there will be some programming I create but for the most part Blink calls for live drums.

 

Buzznet: What type of energy do you bring to your live show? Do you work off a traditional “setlist” or is everything improv?

 

DJ AM: We make a set of tons of songs we like and that sound good, then we whip ‘em together!

 

Travis: It really depends on the set; sometimes we improv and just feel things out.

 

Buzznet: Travis, since you come from a background in punk/hardcore, any chance we’ll see more TRV$DJAM mash-ups with old hardcore songs(perhaps some Dag Nasty)?

 

Travis: That would be fun. I don’t know if it fits though. Dag Nasty rules.

 

Buzznet: Adam, if you could choose one song apiece from Blink-182, No Doubt, and Green Day to throw on a mix tape, what would you choose and why?

 

DJ AM: ‘Josie’ by Blink, ‘Big City Train’ by No Doubt and ‘Longview’ byGreen Day. I love them all. The BPMs wouldn’t allow me to mix em, but those 3 songs rule.

 

Buzznet: Coachella is known for drawing popular musicians and high-profile celebrities as attendees. Who would you be excited to see dancing along and enjoying your music this weekend?

 

DJ AM: I don’t really care WHO is there, as long as they are there for the right reasons. The music. I’d rather see Joe the Plummer going nuts when we play Queen then a reality TV star trying to look cool.

 

Travis: Hopefully Michael Jackson.