Following the trends of the music scene since the beginning of Relentless Beats seems like a daunting endeavor to invest your lives in, yet the execution of everything you do from finding new artists to putting on shows is raved about by fans having the best times of their lives. What motivates your relentless passion for music in the EDM world?
I’ve spent the 20 years working hard to bring all the debut acts I could each year as a focus. It’s quite a bit easier to get them to play for us in Arizona these days, but at one point it wasn’t.
Relentless Beats puts on a number of iconic festivals in Arizona that draws people from all over the country to attend. How has your success changed your lives?
We have even more work to do to be honest. The support we have received is amazing and now it’s about satisfying the large appetite our clients, fans, & artists all share to make Arizona dance every week.
How do you choose which of the shows or festivals of yours to attend live?
I rarely miss a festival, but when I do it’s not planned- more a product of being tired or circumstance.
Do you have people that you look to as mentors in the industry?
Yea when I fell in love with electronica the promoter in Arizona was a guy named Steve Kushnir and I still work with him today. In fact, we are working on some big projects currently.
How did you figure out how to take the concept of Relentless Beats to reality? Were there times you wanted to give up and how did you overcome those moments?
I quit so many times in my mind. At many times I was tired and beat down by what seemed like insurmountable odds, and at others thinking “I can’t just throw raves forever”. However the demand for dance culture has been growing the entire time and at some point I realized I was never going to quit. What we have in Arizona is very special and I now view it as a responsibility to make weekends awesome here.
When you started, what were the moments that made you realize that this would be a game changer to the EDM world?
I didn’t know to what extent, but I knew both my passion and ambition were to create an outstanding dance music culture in Arizona. I had traveled to many places that had and have much more evolved dance music scenes then we have here in Arizona. That’s still what fuels me today in fact.
What are some of your proudest moments?
My proudest moments are when I realize how special our fans are. The enthusiasm and love you see in our events is truly amazing. Some others are seeing Decadence & Goldrush come to life. I‘m also really proud with what we have built in Tempe at Shady Park. It’s become one of the best house music stops in the country.
What do you love about the fans?
I love that our events are what they are looking forward to. To be a part of the best times of their lives with people they love is a privilege.
What are some of the qualities you look for when you identify up-and-coming artists worthy of being a part of Relentless Beats?
Determination is #1 for me. Things like a positive attitude, patience, & character also go a long way.
Do you attend other EDM festivals?
Yes all over the world. It’s such an important part of this business if you want to learn what all your peers are doing, so you can be your best.
Are there lessons you take with you that have become part of the heart of Relentless Beats?
Yes, so many of them. All lessons I’ve learned are ultimately part of the heart of Relentless Beats and will always be.
What has been the best part of watching the scene evolve over the years?
It’s been surreal, but I guess naming one would be to see my kids interested in the music I began sharing with my annoyed friends 25 years ago and have them tell me their children are also fans. It’s been a full spectrum ride for me coming from practically no one liking the repetitive music I did to seemingly everyone.
Experiencing the evolution of the EDM scene yourselves, what are some observations that you have seen unfold in the industry that made the scene better? Worse?
It’s only better. Those that spend their time talking about how this scene is different or worse than when they were in their prime are really funny to me. It’s always been about community and the community is bigger than ever and creates more positivity than ever for so many people. My son and i just sang Loud Luxury’s ‘Body’ on the way to school this morning (that one is a regular request from my son).
What would you want your fans to know?
How much I love all of them for creating this community with me. It’s a tremendous privilege to be apart of it.
What is next for Relentless Beats?
We are always looking to improve our events and offer new eventsto keep our fans excited. We are really excited to reveal some of our new projects that will be by far our largest and most rewarding, but I can’t talk about them just yet 🙂