"Be yourself, no matter what. DJ how you like. Play the tracks you like and feel. Be unique. Be real."
Timm United
Tim, you have been a DJ for more than 15 years now, tell us more about yourself and how it all started?
Well yes, I have always been a dancing and performing guy – even from a young age. I would usually be the centre of the dancefloor showcasing my high energy crazy dancemoves. In order to keep the vibe going I would repeatedly rush to the DJ to basically instruct him what to play. After a while, I started DJ-ing myself since I would usually know how to keep the crowds going. So I started playing small parties and sports’ events and such. For me it has always been – and to this day still is – about the real essence of dance music and finding and creating those uplifting magical tracks that make you feel the energy and move you.
You are also a musician, which instruments do you play and how does that help and inspire you in your DJing performance?
I have been playing piano for a long time and took lessons when I was a kid and teen. I started drumming as well and even though it was just a bit of a hobby I ended up playing two live gigs with Jean-Michel Jarre as his drummer. One in Antwerp and one in Cannes. That was pretty cool. These days, I mainly use my piano skills in the studio when I’m producing new tracks and of course I play some keys when I play lounge or funky house music. Some electronic percussion as well when I play latin or EDM. I think it really makes your performance a bit more organic and interesting if you spice things up a little. And of course it keeps me busy.
Name of your favorite spots to party in the Netherlands and/or anywhere else you have been:
There are several cool beach clubs over here. I like Woodstock in Bloemendaal for example for its laidback and welcoming atmosphere. They throw really good techno parties as well. Amsterdam has many really great spots as it is the yearly host of Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE). And there are almost a 1000 festivals yearly in the Netherlands. You could pretty much literally go to a festival every single day in summer. So that’s quite big for a pretty small country. And of course Ibiza is still amazing. They have a great blend of stylish club culture mixed with the laidback hippy vibe.
What has been so far your best DJ experience and why?
I played on Queensday (Today it’s called Kingsday) beneath the Dom Tower in Utrecht. It is located really at the heart of the most central city in Holland. It was a big crowd and a great atmosphere and the people partied like crazy. I played a four deck set with two Hercules RMX2’s that day by the way. Another really cool one was at the 3FM studios which is a Dutch national radio station. I had to DJ all night between interviews and rappers. It was on national TV as well so that was a great experience too.
If you have to pick one:
Which artists have been driving your passion?
Many have actually. I like a broad spectrum of styles so there are names like Dave Clarke, DJ Sneak, DJ Spen, Mastiksoul, Gregor Salto, Chocolate Puma, Daft Punk and more recently Pharrell, Lost frequencies, Gualtiero, Wiwek and several more. I can be inspired by disco tracks or even ambient or classical tracks as well when the mood is right.
What do you wish you knew when you started your career as a pro DJ?
I wish I knew back than that you come into this world with your own song and your own gift and personal vibe. And that you really don’t have to make things for the approval or taste of others and that you can really trust your own gut feeling. Always.
If you could go on stage/collaborate with one artist (dead or alive), who would he/she be?
Making a trap record with snoop dogg would be great. Or a melodic funky house track with Michael Jackson that would be awesome!
What would be your main tips and tricks for anyone who wants to start to DJ?
As I said: be yourself, no matter what. DJ how you like. Play the tracks you like and feel. Be unique. Be real. Be you! And of course DJ with the equipment you like. I have been DJing with Hercules gears for almost a decade now. Why? Because I think they are compact, reliable and are different in a way. They have some unique features that allow me to be more creative on stage. And when you’re having fun that’s what you radiate to the crowds.
Finally, do you have any cool projects coming in the future you’d like to share with us?
I have a cool international event for Sony coming up and I am rebranding my Timm United DJ Image online this summer with the help of a very skilled guy in this field, Sagar Pargas. And of course I will be producing a lot of tracks these months for my three main concepts or styles: World Chill out, Real House and Festive Mashup. I will be rebooting an old techno project as well so quite busy times ahead.
To stay informed:
https://soundcloud.com/timmunited
https://www.instagram.com/timm_ish
https://www.facebook.com/timmunited
"And when you’re having fun that’s what you radiate to the crowds."
Timm United