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On the Road With: Steve Aoki

The DJ as rockstar concept is a stone fact at this point and few turntable heroes have used this idea to greater effect than Los Angeles based artist Steve Aoki. From hipster speakeasies, to award show after parties, he's rocked them all. All the while rubbing VIP elbows with gliterrati of every strata.

With the recent release of his debut album, Pillowface and His Airplane Chronicles, he's more in demand than ever. Yet, somehow he still manages to run Dim Mak, the record label he founded which helped jump-start the careers of such indie heavyweights as Bloc Party and The Kills. As a man with more than a few frequent-flyer miles, we enlisted Aoki for our inaugural On the Road With feature to see how he manages to go so hard and still always look so fresh for the paparazzi.

What records have you been cranking lately on the tour bus, backstage or before you perform and what's so great about them?

From Monument to Masses and Wagner. They put you in a trance.

What's your favorite piece of stage clothing and where did you get it?

Dim Mak necklaces. I have five because the chains always seem to break somehow. Made from ToyMe.

What's the best place to eat on the road?

Au Bon Pain - there's one in every American Airlines terminal. Almost.

Do you write music on the road?

Yes. I'm as archaic as a notepad and my BlackBerry for ideas and I bust out Ableton when flights are long enough. International business class is my favorite environment actually.

What's the best way to kill time in a boring spot?

Full Tilt Poker. Only poker that is available for Apple computers.

What's the most inspirational truck stop?

Any in Texas. That place is bigger than France for fuck's sake. Need a break from the desert landscape.

What city has the best and most responsive crowds?

Montreal, Singapore, Manila, Toronto, Tokyo, San Francisco, LA.

Which venue has the cleanest facilities?

They're all pretty dirty with the exception of Summer Sonic Festival in Tokyo, Japan.

More importantly who provides the best rider?

I have a standard rider for every gig. If they don't bring my Gatorade and vodka, I just don't perform as well.

What do you miss most when you're out on tour?

My bed.

What's the first thing you do when you get home from tour?

Work with my staff on Dim Mak and Dim Mak Collection. Then studio. Then sleep. In that order.

—Chas Reynolds
02.05.08