ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT > FEATURES

How to Catch Deadmau5

What to know about the internationally known electronic musician who appears at the Borgata’s Event Center Saturday, Sept. 24.

By Tamara deMent
Add Comment Add Comment | Comments: 1 | Posted Sep. 21, 2011

Share this Story:

ATLANTIC CITY — On Saturday, Sept. 24 the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa will present Deadmau5 — pronounced, dead mouse — a world-renowned electronic music producer and performer. 


Deadmau5, a.k.a. Joel Zimmerman, launched his massive North American tour called “Meowingtons Hax” in August at Lollapalooza in Chicago, where he was an official 20th anniversary festival headliner along with Eminem, Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Muse and My Morning Jacket. 


His tour — which features all brand-new production — will take Deadmau5 deep into the fall to many other major amphitheaters and venues throughout the United States and Canada.


Below are a few things you might not know about the man behind the mouse or, rather, mau5.


Chips ‘n’ Stuff


Zimmeman hails from Niagara Falls, Ontario. His career began in the 1990s in concert with the “chiptune” movement. Chiptune music or chip music was a breed of synthesized electronic music that used sound chips from old computers and video game consoles. Deadmau5 has since claimed four Juno awards — the Canadian equivalent to the Grammys — for his musical productions.


Mau5 moniker


The name Deadmau5 came from an incident where a mouse crawled into Zimmerman’s computer. Dead mouse was too long for a site login name so he truncated it to be “Deadmau5.”


Of Mice and DJs


While MTV named Deadmau5 its official house DJ in 2010, the digital music star has struggled against being classified as a disc jockey. And the 30-year-old Canadian is certainly not shy about making his frustrations known. In fact, in October 2008, Zimmerman was quoted in the Irish Daily Star (in a profanity-laced tirade he later apologized for) by saying, “It puts me to fucking sleep to be quite honest. I don’t really see the technical merit in playing two songs at the same speed together and it bores me to fucking tears and hopefully, with all due respect to the DJ type, that will fucking go the way of the dinosaur, I’d like them to dis-a-fucking-pear. 


“It’s so middle man, they’re like fucking lawyers. God bless them — they’re my number-one customer right now so I’m not gonna go dis every fucking DJ. But to say you become this massive up-on-a-podium performer by playing other people’s productions at the same speed as someone else’s productions and fading between the two of them, I don’t get it.”


After apologizing for the rant, Deadmau5 said, “I don’t consider my career to be about ‘being a DJ.’ I don’t have DJ roots, I never had any intention of becoming a DJ, and my conception of DJs in general from this standpoint has always been being forced into some nightclub when I would have rather stayed home, and watch some dude mash the play/stop button and occasionally move a pitch slider. Love it or hate it, that’s just been my conception of the traditional DJ.”


Mau5 Head


Deadmau5 is known for wearing his iconic mouse head during performances, which obscures his face, and he mouths the lyrics to his songs. Last month, Deadmau5 held a competition, encouraging all fine-arts majors, street artists, graphic designers and illustrators to submit their most creative and unique mouse head designs for the chance to have it produced as the next Deadmau5 head. 


The project reached 15,623,889 people and the average participating artist gained 29 new supporters, 55 social media shares and 7,851 social media comments. 


Page: 1 2 |Next
Add to favoritesAdd to Favorites PrintPrint Send to friendSend to Friend

COMMENTS

Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Report Violation

1. Bitchin!Dude said... on Sep 23, 2011 at 11:55AM

“can't F-in wait!!!!!!!!!”

ADD COMMENT

Rate:
(HTML and URLs prohibited)

Related Content

Vegas Nightlife King Neil Moffitt on Revel and Atlantic City
By Jeff Schwachter

"It was a little bit of a culture shock coming from Las Vegas, as you can imagine. But then when I actually spent some time [in Atlantic City] and spent some time in competitors' casinos, I was pleasantly surprised and I feel that, you know, being involved in Revel is a very exciting piece of history for Atlantic City and I think will change how people look and perceive the market."

RELATED: The Social Shakes Things Up This Spring So You Think You Can Spin?
 Year of the DJ
 Everclear Rocks Revel
 on Summerland Tour American Cut Above Behind the Scenes Video of Beyoncé Revel Show Revel: A Vision of Many
 Revel Atlantic City Opening Includes Debut of Royal Jelly Raveonettes Play Free Show at Revel Revel: Spanning the Culinary Gamut
 Revel Restaurants Preview Coming Soon: Revel’s Entertainment Line-up 
 Renderings of Future Atlantic City Revealed Iron Chef Jose Garces at Revel Latest in Revel’s 'Webisode' Series - Atlantic City Preview Videos Revel Casino Launches New Media Center in Atlantic City Gov. Christie Gives Galvanized Speech on Atlantic City’s Future at Revel Site Visitors Lounge Gives Glimpse of Revel Future Report: Revel Gets Financing To Finish Casino Project in Atlantic City Christie Signs Atlantic City Tourism Bills Revel to Preview April 2 Atlantic City Tourism District Forges Ahead Revel Gets Closer to Opening CRDA Launches New Web Site with Online Survey 2011 Was a Pivotal Year for Atlantic City and Region Maroon 5 Booked at Revel?
 MIXX Devotion Tommy Lee, DJ Aero to Play Free Concert in Atlantic City Local Haunt

Related Content

A Sampling of Girl Talk at the House of Blues 

By Tamara deMent


"I’ll probably squeeze in a couple games at the black jack table but we don’t have that much time. I like casinos, in general. I think it’s a good time. [And] I don’t do it too often. So, when I get a chance, I live it up."

Related Content

International DJ Expo Celebrates 20 Years in Atlantic City
By Michael Pritchard

Throughout the expo, that vibe will be even stronger as parties and special events are scheduled with DJs such as DJ Skribble, DJ Shiftee and DJ Jazzy Jeff making appearances.

RELATED: Industry Tuesdays, Dusk Saturdays with DJ Sat-One. Lady Gaga Before She Was Famous International DJ Expo

Related Content

5 Questions With ... DJ Royale
By Talim Adderly

"Another reason why I was excited about being brought down to play in Atlantic City is because it’s more of a destination city. You get people and acts from all over the world. Now I’m able to connect with people all around the country and around the world."

Related Content

DJ Ronson’s Atlantic City Home
By Michael Pritchard

Ronson is one of the best known DJs on the national club scene and she’s certainly found an Atlantic City home away from home at the Borgata...

Related Content

The Tables Turn
By Ed Condran

It sounds like Miami's South Beach will hit Atlantic City Aug. 11-14 when the 2008 International DJ Expo returns to the Boardwalk. The 20th annual DJ Expo moves from the Atlantic City Convention Cen...

RELATED: Art of Electronica Brings Eddie Thoneick to Club Worship


 


ACW EVENT SERIES