Mike Heymans

So a few weeks ago, Jon Gooch (aka Feed Me) announced his planned departure from DJing (http://whiteraverrafting.com/feed-me-says-he-will-quit-djing/2013/05/23/) and I think I’m with him. He had a lot of interesting points that I agree with that forced me to re-evaluate my position and my goals in life. 

So, with that, I am officially announcing my resignation as a DJ.

Let’s face it, the market is saturated anyway. Too many kids with their virtual DJ rigs and the same playlists ready to play for hours for little to no money. When I started DJing (a long time ago), it was on vinyl and DJing wasn’t cool. Beatport didn’t exist and EDM didn’t even exist. DJs were payed real money because they brought the music, style, and the party. Nowadays, everyone plays the same bangers from the Beatport top 100 and will do it for no money. You have to be willing to suck a promoter’s dick to even get an opening spot on a gig. I’m sorry but if I can’t get more than $20 for packing a floor for an hour with music people probably haven’t even heard yet, its not worth it for me.

I am going to focus on my own art and creating music that speaks to me. I have spent too many years catering to people, catering to what the party needs, catering to what the “scene” wants and where has it gotten me? I’m done. I am just going to be me and make music for me. Forget genres and tempo constraints. If others like it and get it, well hey… plus 1 :)

Don’t get me wrong, performing is one of the most satisfying things for me. I pour my heart, soul, and energy in to every performance and every performance is like a spiritual experience for me. No drug can even come close to the high that performing brings me.. I just want to do it on my own terms with my own music (ala Deadmau5 or Daft Punk or Skrillex). I’m simply not going to pursue DJ gigs anymore. If there is a demand for me and I am asked to perform, that’s a different story.

I just want to spend the time and energy I used for getting DJ gigs and preparing for them on making new music and art for the world.

I love you all and I’m sincerely grateful for all of your support so far. 

Thank You,

-Mike

Prepare for a rant… 

I am so fucking tired of fake fair-weather friends. I have had too many. For those of you who don’t know what that means, these are people that you will encounter in life that are only around when you are doing well or have something to offer them but when the storms roll in and times are looking bad… these people disappear in to the shadows and are never there for you when you need them most. 

The entertainment industry has a large percentage of these people and I’m sick of them. If you are one of these people, you can fuck right off. I don’t give a shit. I have helped too many people in my life that have never returned the favor. People that never appreciated what I did for them or will even acknowledge my existence after things started rolling for them. I am tired of it. I am a one man operation, a loner if you will, because I have been burned to the 3rd degree too many times. I don’t trust anyone to ever come through for me anymore (even though I always come through for them).

I have been a musician all my life. I became a paid professional musician at the age of 13. I have had my fair share of shitty friends that are only in it because I have something to offer them. But now that I’m not playing shows or promoting raves, people don’t want anything to do with me. Is it because I can’t get you in the VIP room anymore? Is it because I can’t hype your gig at mine anymore? Is it because you’re a douchebag user friend? Yea, I thought so.

So, if you are a douchebag, user, fake, fair-weather friend… fuck you!