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Saturday, 14 December 2013

Best of 2013 Interview: Fred Baker

Fred Baker is the artist behind a plethora of productions over the past decade, from (GrooveZone "Eisbaer" / Y-Traxx "Mystery Land" / Fred Baker vs Nyram "Confirmation" / Fred Baker "Total Blackout" / Terry Bones vs Fred Baker "Introspection" / Fred Baker vs Greg Nash "Lunar Eclipse" / and many  more !!!). Fred is back and has been delivering a range of productions ranging from progressive house to trance on labels such as Black Hole, Magik Muzik, In Trance We Trust and more

Monday 16th of December his new single Jump will be released on the legendary label Magik Muzik / Black Hole recordings







Interview was written and conducted by Dimitri Kechagias, Music Journalist, Radio & DJ      

Name: FRED BAKER
Location: BELGIUM

Dimitri:  Can you tell us about your achievements in your music career in 2013 as DJ &/or producer?

Fred Baker: It’s a new beginning for me in music business because I had a big fight against illness since 2008, I wasn’t on the scene anymore and a lot of things have changed in this industry !

Now I’m producing some massive tunes once again played by the biggest names worldwide and I wish many gigs will come too.

I’m producing new tunes, launching a new EDM label called BTZ Records for Electro House releases and re-starting my BAKER STREET RECORDS label for trance tunes.

So now I’ll continue to produce different styles of music because I love that…

Dimitri:  If you look back on 2013, are there any events in your music career that you wished you had done differently in order to get a better outcome?

Fred Baker: For sure, if I could go back in time, I would stop to make hits for other big names as “ghost producer” because there are never thanks and help coming when you need something back from them… only rare people were honest with me during my career.

1) Best Track: 
Fred Baker:  Samuel Barber – Adagio For Strings

2) Best Artist (DJ & producer): 
Fred Baker:  Armin Van Buuren

                                                               
3) Best Remix: 
Fred Baker:  Krewella – Alive (Hardwell Remix)… I love the voice and the remix is a dancefloor killer !

                                                    
4) Best Remixer:
Fred Baker:   me, hahaha 

5) Best New Talent (DJ or producer): 
Fred Baker:  Firebird (Trance) & Jaxx Inc. (Electro House)

                                                  

6) Best EDM Album: 
Fred Baker:  Armin Van Buuren - Intense 

                                               

7) Best EDM Compilation: 
Fred Baker:  Tiesto Club Life
                                              
8) Best artwork/cover of an album or compilation: 
Fred Baker: I love DIM MAK style, always a funny touch on the artwork !

                                         


9) Best lyrics in an EDM track: 
Fred Baker:  Zedd Featuring Foxes - Clarity

                                                        
10) Best EDM Label: 
Fred Baker:  Revealed


11)Best Music Video: 
Fred Baker:  Gouryella - Ligaya 

                                              
12) Best amusing video from Youtube related to Dance Music: 
Fred Baker: the SPINNIN RECORDS video introducing “Flute” from New World Sound & Thomas Newson… the crazy guy playing flute in a cabaret and in the toilets is amazing!

                                             
13) Best Online Social media network: 
Fred Baker: Facebook

14) Best music composition software: 
Fred Baker: Cubase 7

15) Best Event or Open Air Festival: 
Fred Baker: Tomorrowland

                                           
16) Best personal DJ Gig: 
Fred Baker: No gig for me, oops 

17) Best DJ set of the year from another DJ? 
Fred Baker:  Each time I saw a DJ from the top 100 performing this year, it was good but playback… no reply then ;)

18) Best country in which you have performed: 
Fred Baker:  Australia

19) Best Radio show: 
Fred Baker: Tiesto Club Life & A State Of Trance… 2 different styles but still great!

20) Best Radio station: 
Fred Baker:  Fun Radio &
"Contact Enjoy" I was  resident DJ there for 2 years. 

21) Best Online Record shop where you usually purchase your music: 
Fred Baker:  Beatport

22) Best Website that you visit regularly: 
Fred Baker: Facebook

23) Best smart phone/mobile/App: 
Fred Baker:  iPhone / DJay2

24) Best DJ/Producer product (software or hardware):  
Fred Baker: Traktor from Native Instruments

25) Best new sound or sample which has been used in EDM this year, preferably introduced by you? 
Fred Baker:  I love Vandalism-Sounds synth presets and also Vengeance-Sounds/reFx packs. Really funny to work with them… I usually try to work without samples.

26) Best Twitter or Facebook message you received from a fan or friend or you have read from someone else: 
Fred Baker:  I was shocked but so happy to get a message on Facebook… A guy just told me that I’ve saved his life with after a lot of problems… only listening my music, what a feeling when I was ill myself !!

27) Best piece of News you heard this year related to Electronic Dance Music: 
Fred Baker: Daft Punk – Get Luky … what a return !!! I’m not happy about the rest of the album BUT it was for sure the best news from EDM when they have announced Daft Punk’s new single.

28) Best personal achievement related to Electronic Dance Music: 
Fred Baker: For me, the best personal achievement is trying to come back and going to the top once again.

29) Best holiday destination or best hobby or activity that you spent some time in during 2013:
Fred Baker:  No holiday for me since 2008, no funny or relaxing activity as I had a lot of big health problems… Then maybe next year ;)

30) Best piece of advice you got in relation to your career: 
Fred Baker:  Always be yourself, that’s all !

31) The Best Book this year, preferably related to EDM: 
Fred Baker:  not DJMAG, hahaha !!! 

32) Best Movie of the year preferably related to EDM or inspired you to compose a track: 
Fred Baker:  A TV  document called “The Sound Of Belgium”… the origin of our music since NewBeat ... excellent !!!!

33) Best tip that you learnt this year relating to DJ’ing or music composition:
Fred Baker:  Modern technical tips as layering, and powerful sound for the music productions of today.

Dimitri: 2014 is ahead of us; would you like to tell us your plans for future releases, tracks, albums, collaborations or DJ gigs.

Fred Baker:  First I wish I won’t get sick anymore for having the chance to work as I made some years before…

Then, why not a new album if I have the opportunity to do it.

Now it’s time for me to think about new tunes… my last tracks are playlisted by the top of DJS worldwide, there is no reason to stop music but now I want to play them by myself, not only listen them on radio stations and gigs.

About DJ events, let 2014 tell me if they will come !

Dimitri: Thanks very much for taking the time to reply to this interview

Thanks very much to Geertje Hermans, Marketing & New Media Assistant at Black Hole recordings office for her support to organise this interview

                                                 
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