EDM the New Hair Metal

German tech pioneer Roman Fluegel distanced himself dramatically from America’s ‘EDM’ explosion in an interview with Beatport, dismissing the ‘dance music craze’ as ‘musically not touching me’.

“I like to compare some of the EDM stuff with these big-hair bands, like Motley Crue, Wasp, or Poison, who became super-successful in the ’80s,” he continued.

“The effect they had on the audience was incredible—they sold huge amount of records but their musical heritage is rather small.” (Beatport: http://btprt.dj/SdpvbS )

The Frankfurt producer’s comments emerged just as Insomniac/ Electric Daisy Carnival chief Pasquale Rotella admitted he ‘sometimes wonders whether dance is at its peak popularity in the U.S’ though thinks not because of mainstream rock fans raving for the first time.

"I recently went to a rock festival and ran into a crowd that was in a dance tent and I thought, 'These people are going off right now, and this is probably the first time they've ever experienced this,'" he told The Atlantic blog.

"Last year, the same festival didn't have that crowd there in the same market. This is Year One for these people,” he noted. (The Atlantic: http://bit.ly/UdzYTR )

The importance of fashion for EDM fans was also highlighted by Rolling Stone in an article about Tiesto’s recent tie-up with Guess Jeans which hailed him as ‘an EDM scene leader with his finger on the pulse of its culture.’ 

“Guess are the perfect clothes for my audience. They are sexy, well-fitted, perfect for a night out at a club,” Tiesto told Rolling Stone.

“A big part of the lifestyle is about looking sharp and dressing for the occasion. The (fashion) line reflects that desire and is focused on the sorts of looks that I stand for,” he added. (Rolling Stone: http://bit.ly/Q5Nw8j )