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The grind does not stop for Bingo Players.
After the passing of fellow comrade Paul Baümer, Maarten Hoogstraten continues to pump out beats under the band’s old moniker. Bingo Player’s first single as a solo project is the hard-hitting track “Knock You Out.”
GroundSounds was fortunate enough to catch up with Maarten for an exclusive interview to discuss his latest single, thoughts on EDM and more. Check it out below.
First and foremost: You just had your first child in mid-April. How are you enjoying fatherhood so far?
It’s absolutely great! All the cliches about becoming a parent are so true. You get a whole new perspective on life.
Your partner and co-founder Paul Bäumer passed away late last year and asked you to continue making music using the name Bingo Players. What were some of the challenges of going forward with your career after Paul passed, and how does his influence continue to impact your music?
I was not sure if I could do it all by myself and live up to the expectations. I took some time off to clear my head and think about it. Gladly Paul and I talked about continuing Bingo Players before he passed, and he told me that if I could do it, I should. I realized we worked so hard were we are right now and had so many plans for the future, I decided to carry on.
You just released the new single “Knock You Out” in April. Does the song have special meaning to you as your first solo effort, especially with all Bingo Players has been through in 2014?
Certainly. The lyrics are very powerful, they are all about overcoming adversity… whatever that may be in your life.
What do you enjoy most about the Netherlands?
Being at home. I live in a small city, where it’s quiet and easy-going. It’s the perfect contrast to life on the road.
Can you tell us about the creative and writing process behind “Knock You Out”?
Both Paul and I were working on the song for about a year… we worked with Sia who co-wrote the song with us. She’s a fantastic artist and we really clicked on this record. Although it took a long time to finish we made most of it really quickly… then came lots of tweaks!
Which do you find more rewarding artistically: Producing an original track from scratch, as with “Knock You Out,” or adapting another artist’s work and releasing a remix?
Both are challenging and fun in their own way, but of course making something original that’s in your heart and head is far more rewarding.
What is it about EDM that attracts and inspires you to it most?
Without a doubt it’s the community. The connection between all the artists and all the fans. At shows, online or just through the music there’s a special connection and community with dance music that I think is unique to this genre.
What people, places and books have inspired you most as an artist?
We were inspired by electronic artsits like The Prodigy, Daft Punk, The KLF. But also, a lot of 70’s and 80’s bands. We both love rock and metal from the 80’s. Fun fact: Hysteria (our label) is named after the Def Leppard album we love so much.
You’re currently in the midst of your Hysteria in Europe tour, which also boasts a few U.S. dates in Las Vegas and Chicago. How’s the tour going, and are there any noticeable differences between European and U.S. concert audiences?
For sure there’s differences, but those differences are what makes touring so fun and special. If it was the same crowd each night, it might get stale… but in different cities and countries people react to different songs and bring a different energy to the shows which inspires me so much.
After the tour comes to end what is next for Bingo Players? What can fans anticipate?
More touring… more music! Lot of shows coming up which can be found on the website (www.bingoplayersmusic.com). I just finished a remix for Gorgon City which you can hear on the SoundCloud and of course more Bingo Players music including a big remix package for Knock You Out!
http://www.bingoplayersmusic.com
http://twitter.com/bingo_players
http://instagram.com/bingoplayers
