Italian DJs have an innate playfulness to them – whether it’s the goofy sexiness of Benny Benassi, pranksters DJs from Mars, or electro madmen Crookers.? Producer/DJ Alex Gaudino is no different, having soared to international stardom with the vocal mashups “Destination Calabria” and “Watch Out,” as well as a driving cover of the Joan Jett classic “I Love Rock and Roll.”? For his new album ‘Doctor Love,’ he takes inspiration from David Guetta and enlists superstar vocalists from the worlds of pop and R&B like Jordin Sparks, Jay Sean, Kelly Rowland, and Taboo (Black Eyed Peas) for a commercial, yet club-ready summer soundtrack.? If you prefer the harder side of Alex, be sure to check out his remixes with partner Jason Rooney.? We caught up with Alex at Winter Music Conference and though at times he is difficult to understand, his love of electronic music breaks through the language barrier.
DJ Ron Slomowicz:Are you the Doctor Love?
Alex Gaudino: That is a good question, I don?t really feel like I?m Doctor Love, but there are a lot of songs on my album that talk about love.
RS: There are a lot of different singers on your album, how did you choose which singers to work with?
Alex Gaudino: We usually get the song and try to find the right singer and voice for the track.
RS: So you start with the track and someone else writes the song on top of it?
Alex Gaudino: It depends, sometimes we write together or by ourselves and then send them out, from there the songwriters do their job. We try to do it many different ways so that we get the best tracks.
RS: I noticed a trend of working with the Idol contestants. You have one from American Idol and one from Canadian Idol, how did that come about?
Alex Gaudino: We didn?t plan it, it just happened. I am lucky for that and glad it happened. Sometimes it just works.
RS: I love the album, it is very pop, is this the kind of stuff that you play in your DJ sets?
Alex Gaudino: I am sure you have heard that there is a mixture of club pop tracks and also club tracks on my album, I am a recognized DJ because of the songs I make. I am not an underground, deep house or techno DJ, I just consider myself an electronic music DJ. I don?t know if people feel the same way but I just want everyone to be happy and bring a lot of energy with a mix pop, electro and bootlegs.
RS: When you are in the studio what software do you work on?
Alex Gaudino: I work on Protools.
RS: Are you involved with the different remixes that come out and do you choose the remixers?
Alex Gaudino: Yes definitely, I have been doing A&R for so long and I know people and what to do. I am a DJ so I try to get the right people to make the right mixes. I have a record company and people at the company work on it also.
RS: What is your label?
Alex Gaudino: My label is Ultra Records.
RS: Okay, I thought that you had a record label Rise back in Italy.
Alex Gaudino: No, my label in Italy is myself.
RS: When you collaborate with Jason Rooney are you guys in the room together?
Alex Gaudino: Yes, we are partners and we make everything together. We are like brothers and have a company called Magnificent together.
RS: I noticed that when I hear an Alex & Jason remix they are a little more on the hard electro side, is that the direction that the project is going?
Alex Gaudino: No it is not about the project; we make and produce everything together. When we make a remix we try to add more of a club vibe to it and it depends on the song.
RS: Will you be touring the US a lot this year?
Alex Gaudino: I really hope so; I have loved touring the US. I don?t have anything planned right now but I hope to spend more time here.? I love being here.
RS: How has Winter Music Conference been for you?
Alex Gaudino: It has been very good, I have met a lot of new people and there is a lot more energy this year. It is going to be good for us.
RS: How many different places are you playing at this week?
Alex Gaudino: I played at Bamboo, Ultra, and Juicy last night.
RS: How was the scene?
Alex Gaudino: Honestly, let?s just say that it was good.
RS: Was this your first time playing at Ultra Music Festival?
Alex Gaudino: No, I played the year before last.? It’s my third or fourth time playing there.
RS: What is it like spinning to that big of a crowd?
Alex Gaudino: I always say that a good crowd is a good crowd, it doesn?t matter how many people are there as long as they are enjoying it and having a good time. A good party is a good party no matter how many people are there.
RS: I noticed that Italian men like the woman with the big voices, the diva vocals, why do you think that is?
Alex Gaudino: I don?t know where you got that idea from but I am not one of them. We like singers and music but it doesn?t make a difference.
RS: I noticed that at Barbara Tucker’s Let the Singers Be Heard party, half of the crowd was Italian so I just assumed.
Alex Gaudino: Yes of course, Barbara has a huge following in Italy. She is great and very nice so maybe that is the reason.
RS: If fans want to follow you do you use Twitter or Facebook, which is better?
Alex Gaudino: They are pretty much the same; if fans want to follow me they know where to find me.
RS: What would you like to say to all of your fans?
Alex Gaudino: I just want to say thank you for all the love that they show me, they make me feel like I am doing the right thing and I love what I do.? They give me the energy to always try and do everything better.
Interview conducted March 2013 during Winter Music Conference.