Home 2011 Best of 2011 Interviews Interviews INTERVIEW: Best of 2011 with Dj Tatanka, the Italian Hardstyle veteran
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INTERVIEW: Best of 2011 with Dj Tatanka, the Italian Hardstyle veteran

Valerio Mascellino, better known as Tatanka (the native American term for ‘Bison’) is the Italian Hardstyle veteran and the owner of the label Zanzalabs. Since a very young age his true love, music, became his addiction, an energy constantly running through his veins. The pulsating, pounding and distinctive beats soon became his world famous trademark and his relentless, high-energy performances will no doubt leave you breathless!


Tatanka catapulted forward right into the spotlight of the Global Hard Dance scene becoming one of the most sort after artist to headline a festival. With an array of prestigious events already under his belt such as; Defqon 1, Qlimax, Hardbass, Mysteryland there seems to be nothing stopping this Italian bull on a rampage of stardom.With over 18 years experience in the dance community, it is easy to see why Tatanka is the biggest Italian Hardstyle export at the moment.

 Get ready to jump because mother earth starts to rumble when he's on stage!

Interview is written and conducted by Dimitri Kechagias, radio/club dj & Music Journalist

Dimitri: Do you consider 2011 as a positive, negative or neutral year for the progress of the Electronic Dance Music scene?

Dj Tatanka: Absolutely positive! Hard dance scene in particular has got a lot of influences from other electronic styles and I think it made it bigger worldwide.

Dimitri:Do you believe that 2011 was a good , indifferent or bad year for the development of your personal career? 

Dj Tatanka: Personally it has been a year with a few problems which probably made me produce less, but the few ones I dropped out have been more than welcome and I'm constantly working to make it better and better without repeating myself. I released just a solo e.p. but also a few collaborations so I can't complain. I've got some plus points somewhere and some minus somewhere else...but if I draw a line, despite everything happened, I say it's been a positive year in my dj career.  





 Dimitri:  THE A to Z of the Best of the Year 2011.   
Dj Tatanka: To me 2011 starts with AFIRKA and end with ZANZALABS ;)

  a) Best Full Release of the year(original & remixes)  
Dj Tatanka:  TNT Album 





 b) Your personal Full release of the year
Dj Tatanka: Tatanka - Afrika E.P. (Zanzatraxx)  


c) Best Single track of the year (only original versions) 
Dj Tatanka: Wild Motherfuckers - Hardbass (B2S Records) has entered the hall of fame of hardstyle tunes and I'm still in love with it :)   


d) Your personal Best Single track of the year
Dj Tatanka: Tatanka - Afrika (Zanzatraxx) 

e) Best Remix  of the year  
Dj Tatanka: Headhunterz, & Wildstylez vs Noisecontrollers (Alpha Twins Rmx)

 f) Best Remix on personal production that you released  in 2011
 Dj Tatanka: Tatanka Project - Floor Massacre MMCII (Zanzalabs) is the only remix I've been involved this year 

 g) Best Producer of the year in your style that you play or any other that you may like       
 Dj Tatanka: Zatox

 h) Best New Talent/Big hope for the coming years  
Dj Tatanka: The R3belz

 i) Best Remixer  of the year  on personal or others peoples tracks
Dj Tatanka: Wildstylez

 j) Best Established  Label of the year(not started in 2011) 
 Dj Tatanka: Scantraxx

 k) Best Newborn in 2011 label of the year  
 Dj Tatanka: Zanzalabs 

 l) Best dance album and mixed compilation of the year in the style of music that you work with… 
 Dj Tatanka: Hardstyle 23 mixed by Showtek & Tatanka
 
m) Best Music Video of the year(this can be personal/you are involved with or from other artists)
 Dj Tatanka: Brennan heart & Wildstylez - Lose My Mind 

                                         


n) Best social network of the year that has been amazing for the promotion of your work  
Dj Tatanka: Facebook 

o) Best new software or hardware that was introduced in this year and you recommended it to others.  
 Dj Tatanka: Some UAD bundles

  p) Best and worst djing  or production  experience that happened in 2011
 Dj Tatanka: I still remember an epic night in Estonia last summer! 100% Wild crowd!!!! The worse experience was for a party in Holland where I was supposed to play "raw" but I din't know cause nobody told me so I made a normal selection (hardstyle from a to z, just the way I like it) but the crowd didn't really loved it hahaha. 

 q) Best country that you performed this year 
 Dj Tatanka: I still remember an epic night in Estonia last summer! 100% Wild crowd!!!! 

 r) Best club or open air festival that you attended or you even  performed this year  
Dj Tatanka: Hardbass 2011


                                           
 s) Best hobby or other activity for 2011(game/movie/book/going to gym to keep fit  or any other hobby )  
Dj Tatanka: Texas hold 'em on internet...not for real money :)

 t) Best radio show of the year and Best radio station that you always check out(fm or online)preferably that plays the kind of your music  
Dj Tatanka: Kutsk's show on BBC  

u) Best online or ordinary record shop that you used to get your music of the year  
 Dj Tatanka:   www.hardstyle.com


  v) Best CD player or any other equipment that you use for djing (this can include software for digital mixing)  
 Dj Tatanka: Pioneer CDJ 2000!!!!
  

 w) Best vocalist in a dance track of the year   
Dj Tatanka: Harald Bruysters 






 x) Best magazine or web site that you always check out for music related stuff (to read reviews/interviews/  and learn about technical equipment)  
Dj Tatanka: I couldn't pick one... 

y) Best fan of your music of the year or best crowd in your performance(perhaps you don’t know the name but you can describe when you met or why you consider this person as your best fan of the year)   Dj Tatanka: An Italian guy who cried 3 times in a row when he saw me at parties... He was truly touched by emotions and I understood I was really special to him. 

z)Best thing you have done this year in order to support any social movement, charities, or other people that may need your help.   
Dj Tatanka: I donated a track/ Full Easter fee/ Gave money and clothes for charity/ Promoted charity websites and organisations.

 Dimitri: Can you please let us know your plans for 2012 for your djing, productions or label?  
Dj Tatanka: I want to keep on going with my "multifaced" style and I hope to come out with more solo releases for my fans  

 Dimitri: On the other side is it possible to tell us the track, album, artist/dj that you believe were the worst of the year and why?  
 Dj Tatanka: I'm too polite to say that...anyway I really have no clue cause we had a lot of crap as well...and I couldn't rank those tracks...so I couldn't say what's worse!

 Dimitri: Please give us your wishes for 2012 and your small piece of advice for anyone that reads this interview and aspires to get into music production, djing, or music production in general.  
 Dj Tatanka: I wish you all the best for a 2012 full of hope and love for the music. Belive in yourselves cause everything is possible!


Many thanks to Dj Tatanka for his great interview


Many thanks to 2-dutch agency for helping me out to organize it: www.2-dutch.nl


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