Brothers Stephen and David Dewaele have got a lot going from them – not only are they part of an alternative rock/electronic band (alongside bassist Stefaan Van Leuven and drummer Steve Slingeneyer) called Soulwax, they’re also the 2 people that makes up their other project, 2manydjs. Soulwax first gained popularity after the release of their album, “Much Against Everyone’s Advice”, but they’ve been focusing on being 2manydjs ever since.
On top of that, they previously launched another project called “Radio Soulwax”, an online radio station featuring a 24 hour-long video and audio mixes they’ve put together over the last couple of years.
Hardworking right down to their very core, 2manydjs have also been keeping busy with back-to-back tours around the globe! In fact, we last saw them in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia sometime in 2010 as part of the Heineken Green Room lineup, held at KL Live. Which begs the question, what have the Belgium brothers been up to since then?
We find out when we were ushered backstage at The Freqender in Singapore over the Halloween weekend recently:
Hi guys! Good seeing you guys again. How are you guys?
Stephen: We’re oookay 🙂
We last saw you in Kuala Lumpur in 2010, actually. What have you guys been up to between then and now?
Stephen: Ooh..
David: We watched a few films, read a few books, went for a swim, we slept, we got hungry..
Stephen: Just playing. We made a thing called “Radio Soulwax” which is like a 24-hour online thing that we did that people seemed to really like. We made a sound system called Despacio with James Murphy. We made a couple of remixes. And sleep once in awhile! Are you from Kuala Lumpur?
Yes I am 🙂 Born and bred.
Stephen: Ooh 🙂 So when you come to Singapore, do you feel like you’re coming back to your community? What’s the difference between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore?
..I feel like I’m the one being interviewed!
Out of curiosity, do you guys always deck out in suits for your sets?
David: Ahh..that question. Listen, I’m not wearing a tie at least. Cause it’s the weekend! 😀
Stephen: I like it! I think we’re making an effort to look nice. It’s very comfortable by the way. We’ve been doing this since 15 years ago, since we first started out with the band.
You know Diplo does that..
David: He started doing it after us.
Stephen: But he’s a good friend of ours and I love Wes (Diplo’s real name). And you know what? Wes is a good looking man.
And your opinion on the whole “EDM” movement and the “EDM” sound?
Stephen: I don’t really feel like we’re anything to do with that, you know? But also, maybe in 10 years time it’ll be something completely different. It’s a phenomenon maybe like how disco was a phenomenon or like some other things were phenomenons. And there are really good things about it but at the same time, really bad things about it. Then it becomes a really major money thing. When people start reacting negative towards it, maybe it’ll lead to great music again. My thing with this whole “EDM” thing is that I have no problems with people liking it and doing it, I just don’t think that the music is great. I don’t fee like it’s pushing itself to prove to people that it’s a really good thing. I can see why people in America like it – it’s because it’s the first time that dance music is able to create a community and that’s a beautiful thing. But musically, I would never really..
What do you guys honestly think of the DJ Mag Top 100 DJs poll? Is it a popularity contest? Is it still relevant?
David: What’s that? Oh the Top 100?
Stephen: It was never relevant.
David: Relevant! Yes, but not for us. We’ve got nothing to do with it. People get booked just for being on the Top 10o – it’s crazy. It’s business.
Stephen: Yeah. We heard that some people buy themselves votes and honestly, it’s bullsh*t. We have been in it but we don’t need to be in it. I don’t care, I really don’t care. I know a lot of DJs really, really care about it.It’s mind-boggling for me that it has become this thing and it’s also mind-boggling that nobody has taken a piss out of it. People think that DJs are gods although they’re still playing off a pre-recorded thing. Our name is 2manydjs – we’re saying, there are too many DJs!
David: Hey, real quick, what do you think we should play tonight? Techno or crazy stuff?
Stephen: I think a majority (of the DJs on the lineup) are gonna go really heavy. I think we’re gonna have to play Madonna (laughs).
I say, give it your Top 100 😉
Stephen: Oh, my Top 100! It might clear the room 😀
Ahem. Safe to say that they didn’t clear the room that night! Thanks David and Stephen for speaking to us. And of course, nothing but gratitude for our awesome friends at The Freqender for making this interview happen!
For more information, visit their website or their Facebook page. They’re also on Twitter so go ahead and stalk them!
