What you see is what you get with Matt Goldman—no clever DJ alias or mysterious moniker. It’s just Matt Goldman the DJ. A recent college graduate from Baltimore, MD, Goldman has carved out his own lane as one of the premier up and coming house/ electro/ dance DJs out right now.
Having been a DJ for only about year, Matt Goldman has built up quite a resume. He’s spun at colleges and universities across the country, and killed it at club venues from coast to coast. Most notably, Goldman has earned residency at the world-renowned Pacha nightclub in New York City, where he jumps on the turntables with some of the best DJs in the world.
Even with his quick rise to success, Goldman isn’t about to rest on his laurels. He continues to strive for greater heights everyday, whether it is practicing for hours on end or coming up with original material, he is burning up the dance floor with his dirty beat and crazy blends.
The Campus Socialite recently linked up with Matt Goldman and asked him a few questions. We talked about everything from his favorite DJs to the hottest albums of 2010 to flirting with mashups. Check out the interview after the jump.
The Campus Socialite: How and when did you start DJing?
Matt Goldman: I started a little over a year ago. One of my best friends had cheap equipment and was DJing the local bars and frat parties at Maryland, so one day I convinced him to sit down and give me the tutorial. I was pretty much hooked from there. Ended up buying my own equipment a few weeks later and sat there and practiced for hours at a time. In April, I begged my friend who promoted at one of the College Park bars to let me spin one night. Somehow it went really well, and that’s where it all began. The house music scene in College Park (like a lot of college towns right now) has exploded over the past 2 years, and that definitely was a huge factor in getting me started.
TCS: Musically, who are your influences?
MG: My friends always make fun of me because my influences couldn’t be more opposite of what I’m doing these days. 5 years ago, I was traveling to see Dave Matthews Band 3 times a summer. I’ve always been big into groups like The Beatles, U2, Rolling Stones, Springsteen, and The Who.
TCS: Who are your favorite DJs?
MG: Everyone’s favorite question. I finally settled on a Top 5 last week (in no particular order). Kaskade, Erick Morillo, Mark Knight, Axwell, and Chuckie. I’m basing that purely on live performance…all 5 of those guys absolutely blew me away for different reasons.
In terms of production, there are too many people that have influenced me to really pick a set of favorites. If I really had to, the 2 that stand out in my mind right now are Dirty South and Avicii. Original tracks from those 2 have been consistently awesome.
TCS: What’s the craziest venue you’ve ever spun at?
MG: Pacha NYC, without a doubt. New York brings out wild crowds as it is, but the typical crowd at Pacha is so knowledgeable about house music and all the sub-genres that there is really no track in my library that is “off limits”. They have been bringing in 1 or 2 Top 100 DJs every week, and it has really become more of a concert venue than a nightclub. The past few times I’ve been there have been out of control.
TCS: What song gets the crowd the most hyped up?
MG: “One” by Swedish House Mafia is somehow still killing it. Personally, I think the track is getting played out and I don’t really like playing it. The 2 that never seem to fail in a mainstream club are “You Used To Hold Me” by Calvin Harris and “Sweet Disposition” by The Temper Trap (Dirty South & Axwell remix). Sweet Disposition for me is the best production of the past few years. I’m not sure it will ever get old.
TCS: What’s playing on your iPod?
MG: Funny you ask, because my iPod was recently stolen. If I had one right now, it would definitely be “Live Your Life” by Erick Morillo & Eddie Thoneick ft. Shawnee Taylor (Chuckie remix). Best vocals in the game right now.
TCS: Who dropped the hottest album of 2010?
MG: Kaskade’s album “Dynasty” is pretty amazing. He also put out a 75 minute mix a few months ago called “dance.love” that was phenomenal. Anybody who hasn’t downloaded that should get on it ASAP. You won’t be disappointed.
TCS: Do you have any edits or original material coming out in the future?
MG: I’m constantly making new edits to play live. In terms of full productions, I just started working on a remix of “Hands” by The Ting Tings. If it turns out how I am imagining it at the moment, I think it has a ton of potential. Hopefully I’ll be done with that by the end of January.
TCS: As a DJ who spins mostly house/electro/dance music, do you have an interest to venture out into mash-ups?
Not at the moment. My focus right now is to get as far as I can in the dance music world.
TCS: It seems like DJing is a new trend among young music enthusiasts. How do you set yourself apart from other up-and-coming DJs?
MG: Honestly, this is something I struggle with constantly. Anyone is now capable of buying a $300 MIDI controller and making a mix in his or her dorm room. I think that two of my core beliefs about DJing have helpe distinguished me from other up and coming DJs.
First, I’ve always gone by my given name, and have never really contemplated using a DJ name or moniker. Too many DJs in this current generation try to make the party about them, and I couldn’t be more opposed to that.
The other (more important thing) is my track selection. Anyone is capable of playing the best tracks and getting a room to go crazy. However, every time I perform, I view it as a challenge to introduce the room to new sounds and open their eyes to some great music that they otherwise might never hear.
TCS: Where can we catch you spinning live?
MG: I’m really excited about my upcoming performances. Christmas Eve I’ll be making my debut on the main floor at Pacha NYC, opening for David Berrie.
After that, I’m heading out to Europe for 2 weeks at the end of January to play in Barcelona, Spain and Florence, Italy. Needless to say, I can’t wait for that trip. I also have upcoming bookings in Indiana, DC, Baltimore, and Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) for Spring Break.
Besides that, I’ll be spinning alongside the biggest names in house music at Pacha NYC once per month, which is really what I’m most looking forward to at the moment.
TCS: Where can we find you online?
MG: All of my mixes can be found on my Soundcloud. That’s also where I’ll be uploading original tracks when they are finished. For now, you can expect a new mixtape/podcast every month or so.
You can also follow me on Twitter, but don’t expect anything too exciting…it’s mostly me ranting about sports all day!
