In a move that has surprised fans and music industry types, Swedish House Mafia have posted a message on their website announcing their upcoming tour will be their last. “Today we want to share with you that the tour we are about to go on will be our last,” the black-and-white message said. “We want to thank every single one of you who came on this journey. We came, we raved, we loved.”
The brief message alluded to what will likely be their farewell DJ tour. “The final leg of this journey will be announced in August.”
Whether or not you were a fan of Mafia’s’s music, Axwell, Sebastian Ingrosso and Steve Angello achieved more success than most pop groups, headlining Madison Square Garden, Milton Keynes Bowl and Coachella and regularly selling out shows all over the world. They also created the revered Masquerade Motel party brand and linked up with Absolut Vokda for a campaign.
Though the Mafia’s members are being quiet about their decision, what is know is that the trio has changed management recently and some of the members have been taken to task for allegedly playing mix CDs and not DJing duirng their shows.
Before Winter Music Conference DJ Sneak called out Steve Angello and Swedish House Mafia in an interview, leading to testy exchanges with Angello on Twitter. In Big Shot‘s interview with DJ Sneak, he described the Mafia “a DJ fraud.” (Angello’s publicist said Angello had no comment.)
While some fans will be upset that their favorite group will no longer be touring and, presumably, not recording music (all of the members have solo careers), there’s a good chance DJ Sneak and a few other non fans will be walking around today with a big smile on their face.
The group’s last post on Twitter reads as follows: “Thank you. And goodnight.”
The usually politically correct world of DJ culture was turned upside down at the end of March when DJ Sneak and Swedish House Mafia‘s Steve Angello began exchanging barbs via Twitter. Sneak, who is revered in the house scene for his years of remixes and productions, took mega trio Swedish House Mafia to task over what he felt was the triumvirate’s lack of musical authenticity. Sneak’s tweets prompted Angello to defend his group’s honor and the exchanges on Twitter between the two DJs became heated and personal.
In this exclusive interview, Sneak explains his side of the story, the origin of the feud with Swedish House Mafia and why he has no regrets about what he said and tweeted. Big Shot reached out to Steve Angello’s publicist asking if he’d answer the same questions we posed to Sneak, but our request for an interview was denied.
From what I can tell the feud with Steve Angello began when you were joking around on Twitter with Junior Sanchez. What exactly happened?
It really did not start there — it started in an interview for DJ where they asked me about the state of the music industry and a few other industry related questions. I answered honestly and, of course, they just took a particular quote and blew it up. I guess they knew the quote would get people’s attention.
Steve Angello tweeted “it’s stupid of you calling people out like that on twitter, we always respected you but you show a side that’s fucked up.” Did you call him out specifically?
I did not call any individual out; I just called their group a DJ fraud. If you are going to do pre-recorded sets then call yourself a live act or a performer, leave the DJing to real DJs. There are many DJs out there that can rock a crowd and do what they have to without faking it.
“You can never expect everyone to agree or like what you say, I was just stating my opinion and knew there would be those who would disagree.”
As news of the feud spread some people wound up saying nasty things about both of you. What is your reaction to that?
It comes with the territory. Again I simply stated something that everybody knows is true but no one had the balls to put out there. I always give respect where respect is due, not just in house music. There are great DJs using technology but [they] are still doing things live. In my opinion you are suppose to be creative, give the people something new, something unique, not something that has been created prior to the moment while you stand there and act like you’re doing something special.
Reaction to the feud has been split. Do you think you unknowingly touched on opinions in DJ culture — underground music vs. mainstream dance music; superstar DJs vs. niche DJs — that have gone unspoken until now?
I’m fine with the fact that not everyone agrees with my comments; you can never expect everyone to agree or like what you say, I was just stating my opinion and knew there would be those who would disagree. I feel a split should happen: choose your side but be real about it. If you are doing it for fame and money then just admit it, the truth will set you free.
Do you wish that you could take back the first — or any — of those tweets?
No, I stand by my comments. I did not make this a hate [or] smear campaign, I simple gave my opinion and maybe the reason why it got so much attention was due to the fact that there is truth to it. I didn’t mean for it to blow up like it did, I just felt that some info needed to be shared, the rest was out of my control.
Where does the feud stand now with you?
I don’t wish bad upon anybody. Everybody has got to make a living; just be real about who you are, why you’re in it, and don’t front like you’re The Rolling Stones or someone of this caliber. I have spent many years respecting and admiring this craft and music; I just got upset and fed up of watching people shit on something I love. I said what I wanted to say, people reacted, and now I’m quite positive everyone will go back to doing what they feel that have to do. Those who are fake will continue to be fake, and the others will keep hustling for the love.
Anything you’d like to say to Steve about the feud?
There is no beef, only truth and lies.
How do you intend to work past it?
I’m not bothered. I said what I had to say and that’s it. It’s up to public opinion where it goes now. I will just keep being me and take care of what I gotta do.
Will what happened change how you tweet or communicate on social media?
No, I will still be real about things, support the many talented people of the world, respect the people that have earned it, and continue to be me.
The good vibes typically shared among DJs every March at Miami’s Winter Music Conference and Ultra Music Festival have taken an unexpected turn in the opposite direction with DJ Sneak and Swedish House Mafia’s Steve Angello embarking on a war of words — or tweets, actually.
The two world renown DJs began mixing it up after DJ Sneak and Junior Sanchez began exchanging casual tweets mentioning Swedish House Mafia on March 27.
Sneak later tweeted to Sanchez:
One thing led to another and Sneak began amping up his criticism of Swedish House Mafia on Twitter. That didn’t go down well with Steve Angello, who fired backed at Sneak.
Several DJs have weighed in on the row including Roger Sanchez who tweeted: “The truth is we r ALL in this 2gether- we’ve spent YEARS building this – now that the world FINALLY.” He later added: “djSneak is also Fam & he deserves respect & every1 I entitled 2 opinions but I agree w @steveangello.”
Perhaps one of the more humorous comments about the brouhaha came from Dennis Ferrer: “JESUS ALMIGHTY!! For once It isn’t me starting sh*t on twitter. I don’t feel alone anymore.”
APRIL 3 UPDATE: Read our exclusive interview with DJ Sneak about his feud with Swedish House Mafia here.
