(A reading of “Electric Flight Orchestra,” New York Times Magazine. Interview by Andrew Goldman, August 3, 2012)
NYTM: You
grew up in a household with very few rules. I’m curious what your parents would
do when you threw a temper tantrum.
Skrillex: I didn’t throw temper tantrums.
My dad treated me like a friend. If I was excited about something, he would
give me undivided attention or sit and watch me play guitar for an hour. That’s
true parenting. I wouldn’t want to throw a temper tantrum and let my buddy
down, you know?
A real buddy might teach you how to properly zip up your trousers.
More to the point: are good parents responsible for bad music?
When the
Rolling Stones were getting their start playing small London clubs in the early
60’s, their parents would still have their laundry picked up for them every
week. On the other hand, John Lennon had famously unfortunate relationships
with both of his parents. So the tried and true “Beatles vs. Stones” framework is
unfortunately useless here.
Indeed,
there’s not an immediately apparent historical comparison for Millennial
parenting techniques. Has there been a generation in the past whose children
were as notably coddled as the current under-25 set in America? In the
Victorian age, pre-tweens were lucky to be chimney sweeps and not die before growing
armpit hair. Compare that to the embryos of today, who will go on to be named
after further and further out L-train stops (maybe), and all given bibs that say 'Rock Star' on them (most definitely). But is “baby knows best” really what’s
right for little Montrose and Halsey?
 |
| Yorkonomics in action |
NYTM: Do
you actually enjoy living out of a backpack?
Skrillex: Do I enjoy it? People live in
bunkers in Iraq for years, you know? You can put yourself through whatever to
attain what you want to attain. We’ve accomplished great things, and that’s
kind of what it took.
Now that’s the kind of worldly perspective only young fame can afford. For real though, no matter your feelings on the accomplishments of the United States' war in Iraq, there’s no denying that
Skrillex has accomplished something similarly significant. All while sticking it out in
economy class, like a soldier. Is 'hero' not a strong enough word in this case?
NYTM: Your
music has been criticized for being too full of testosterone. Do you produce
too much of the hormone?
 |
| Skrillex's Dad, who also made music for babies to dance to. |
A fair
question, and surely one that concerns the New
York Times’ readership, if ultimately better asked of Skrillex’s doctor. Hopefully a follow-up interview will be in the works after his check-up results have come back.
As for the feminine side, here's hoping he was playing Swamp Ophelia during those hour-long jam sessions for his dad...
As for the feminine side, here's hoping he was playing Swamp Ophelia during those hour-long jam sessions for his dad...
Skrillex: …That’s my goal: to make music
babies can dance to.
It’s clear
that the parenting instinct is strong in this one. If that really is the goal,
one has to wonder how close Skrillex thinks
he is to achieving it. If his dad played a lot of Atari
Teenage Riot CD’s around the house as a baby, he’s pretty much on the right track. Get psyched for
his ear-molesting Raffi remix, “Baby Beluga (Shark).” (Close enough, don't discourage the boy.)
