Jorn Van Deynhoven Interview
Jorn Van Deynhoven is a trance DJ and music producer.
How long have you been DJing and how did you get started?
I started as a vinyl DJ back 2000. I worked many years in a record store and got one day an offer to play a b2b set in a club together with the resident dj who bought every week his vinyls in our store.
What do you love about trance music and what makes a good track?
I listen to Trance since early 90s. I listened to tracks of Dance 2 Trance, Jam&Spoon or Sven Väth (who was at that time a Trance DJ). Together with my best friends, I travelled every week 250km to Frankfurt (Germany) to enjoy this kind of music. I was influenced by Eye Q Records and Hardhouse Records. I loved each release of these labels.
Nearby in Berlin they founded a Trance scene too. With Cosmic Baby, Paul van Dyk & Kid Paul (Energy 52). I was impressed with their input, too.
A good track steals your heart and mind in the first second. For me it's mostly a string or chord progression.
What are your favourite trance tracks that you have released?
I can't name a specific one or two. I am a music lover and I love what I create in the studio. Each track has his own vibe. And each is special for me.
How do you decide on which tracks to remix?
The remix fee! ;-)
Which DJs inspire you?
Carl Cox and Sasha (UK)
What do you love about performing live?
To interact with the people who come to my show and want to hear my music. I love to play for the people. I don't play for myself.
What have been your favorite festivals and/or clubs to play at?
Festival: Armada Beach Festival in Mar del Plata (Argentina). I played infront of 35,000 people in the morning at 5 when the sun rises up. An unforgettable moment for me.
Club: Ministry Of Sound (London) - A dream came true, because I had the opportunity to play there 3 times.
What's the best part of touring?
To see beautiful places and meet people like you. (The owner of this website attended one of his gigs in May 2023, and highly recommends going to one!)
For my OZ/NZ tour my wife flew with me and I could share all moments together with her.
Its also great when you travel to the other side of the world and they stand in-front of you with open arm and wants to listen to your music.
What have been some of the challenges that you've experienced in your career?
To handle my own illness. I had an aortic dissection in 2018 and survived. You have to know that 90% of all people die. I had the chance and survived and I am really thankful for that.
I fully recovered in 2 years. I forgot how to walk, to eat and to pee. I still have neurological problems with the short term memory. That's the reason why I don't travel alone anymore. My wife is with me.
Where have been your favorite places to travel to?
I love to be in OZ & NZ. A personal dream came true to travel one last time to those countries. I'd never believed that, specially not after my illness.
If someone came to you and said I have the skills, how do I get started with performing at trance gigs, what would you say?
In general I would say: Show me your skills on a Technics 1210 MK 2 and we will see. If you can interact with the people too and play additionally some good music... Then go ahead. The skill isn't to play in-front of 10,000 people. The skill is to play in-front of 100 people and all 100 people dance to your music.
Do you have any funny rave stories as a DJ?
Yes, when I played in Sydney I stopped the wrong CDJ Player during my set and it was quiet for 2-3 seconds. I've never mixed up the CDJs in my life. But I restarted the track again and this fail was forgotten within seconds. Haha.
What's your favorite Trance Track of all time:
The Future Sound Of London - Papua New Guinea