One of the most shocking moments of Ultra Music Festival this year back in March was Armin van Buuren‘s surprise guest appearance of David Lee Roth of Van Halen. Fast forward two months and the two legends now have released a brand new collaboration in one of Van Halen’s most iconic tracks ‘Jump‘. Armin takes the incredible rock song and puts a dance spin to it to fit a modern day party.
While in Las Vegas last weekend, we had the special opportunity to interview the two legends to talk to them about their newest remix together as well as discuss with them the similarities of today’s dance music scene compared to the rock music scene decades ago:
The new remix of ‘Jump’ just released. One of my personal favorites songs ‘Jump’. Tell us how this collaboration came about.
Armin: Well it’s very simple, when I was a little kid I heard the original and I was surprised that nobody actually did an official remix sort of to translate it into the modern dance music world. So I was quite bold and I asked my publisher if he knew somebody who got the stems and he knew somebody. So I got the original stems which was exciting because I’m a bit of a nerd like that. I like to listen to all the individual how how a track like that message an iconic track is constructed so I took some time to actually sync everything up because it’s not written on the click track.
David: I’d start playing that ‘Jumper’ if I’m not going to lie first I’m crazy. I’m surprised though and then we’ll recreate it the rift. OK. You’ll notice that after the end of every solo and every famous Van Halen song the horses get turned around they know they’re going back to the stable and they move faster. And we let it happen. Yeah it’s a crescendo. You start it or you’ll be out four beats a minute faster than it started yet keenly. When we went into the studio Ted Templeman biggest thing was pulling the reins because Van Halen Live is always a little faster than you might expect that horse. Yes speed it up for the crowd. Well no it’s not a hundred. Hundred and twenty six or 128 depending on the final crushing plant in the Midwest that you’ve got your desk front. Oh that’s not a coincidence either. That’s danceable music that was my forte in the band. Take it hard rock power trio material and making it really danceable girl friendly. That was an imperative. So out of most of the Van Halen hits that you know are super girl friendly. In fact something like Jamie’s crime that’s a rumba music.
This is your first time at EDC this weekend Dave. What are you most excited looking forward to?
David: This is a collection and a demonstration of neighborhoods and communities that everybody talks about. We talk about world peace and that’s a great answer to anything. If you’re doing an interview in mine. And you run out of the answers just say world peace you should. Dave How come you guys did this track. Well in the name of world peace. DAVE. DAVE How come that drag bombed. Well people were more interested in world peace that way if you were listening to ‘We Are The World.’ What’s happening right now is a lot of collaborations in the urban R&B world which is fine and I think it’s great. But I wanted to take the jumping collaborate with the job the way I see it.
Armin: It’s like perfect. Yeah. Nobody saw that one coming and it’s a part is a phase where I mean in my career where I guess I’m just a little bit more comfortable in sort of figuring out my comfort zone but sometimes it is fueled by you’ll see me do more this year. Obviously you get the Armin that you’re into because I always come home the end of the day cause my loyalty is to transport what fuels my passion for trance. It’s trying to look to where the boundaries are or boundaries that other people set for me and I remember I’m a little rebellious in the sense that I feel it’s my obligation as a performer as an artist that I need to shock people a little bit and working with David Lee is something that. Not a lot of people saw it coming but I guess that’s what makes it exciting and you guys can decide what you thought it was a good collaboration or bad. It’s up to you.
David: Think of it as you find that chocolate and the first time somebody said you should combine that with peanut butter, the world said it’s pretty good. Nowadays somebody is driving around an 800 foot sailboat named Buttercup.
So I know a lot of what my appeal was growing up in music was that classic rock, our parents were like look at how cool it was especially with Van Halen and I think that was a little bit of our appeal coming up into EDM music as well. What would you say the comparison is in your mind having seen it 30 years ago with Van Halen and now that something like EDC, what are the similarities between the two cultures?
David: I think you got rid of the boring rock band O nine and a half times out of 10. Maybe there’s one guy in the band that’s really interesting to look at. You’re lucky. Lucky if there’s two. And the rest looked like. They walked out in the back of a play. The rhythm section routinely looks like they came around from behind the counter at Pep Boys. Finally somebody in our government said let’s get rid of that and spend the money on lights.
Armin: I think there is an end. There was an energy to Van Halen and specifically David Lee on stage back in the day when you saw him perform. That is still in the song and it’s still with David as we speak. I mean we did it at Australian. You saw the reviews. I find it exciting to do this because it feels to me like it’s the appropriate message for this generation as well. Might as well jump a lot of rock and roll from my genre. My community looks at us to our craft. Look what we can do. My personal approach is the opposite of that. It’s all about “how are you, I got somebody you should meet, here’s a song.” That fits perfectly with modern.
David Lee Roth has been staying active in more ways than just music. The iconic rock legend has announced his own podcast show called “The Roth Show“. You can check out all episodes of the podcast on his site here as well as on YouTube now. In addition to the podcast, David has launched a brand new innovative entrepreneurial project to keep tattoos brighter and lasting longer than ever! His brand called INK includes various products to ensure the permanent artwork on your body remains in pristine condition all year round. Click here to view all the INK products to keep your tattoos in tact for years to come.
Armin van Buuren’s remix of Van Halen’s ‘Jump’ is out now so be sure to stream it below! We hope to see more collaborations between the two legends in the near future!
