Lollapalooza founder discusses new house focused project: “I hate EDM”
Prior to Lollapalooza‘s milestone anniversary of 25 years just last year, the founder of the iconic Chicago festival Perry Farrell spoke with the Chicago Tribune about the legacy of the event and his plans for after.
Formerly a member of the rock band Jane’s Addiction and starting Lollapalooza on a whim, the world renowned festival has now expanded to six countries, reaching far beyond its original realms of rock and alternative music. Lengthening the festival to four days for the very first time this year, Lollapalooza is set to showcase a wide variety of names in the EDM realm such as DJ Snake, Justice, Porter Robinson, and Gramatik to name a few.
Revealing in the interview an understanding of the necessary changes that must come in the festival economy over a year ago, Farrell shared then he was working on a new “project” separate from Lollapalooza that will be a “completely new experience.” During the interview, Farrell suggested it would launch 6 months from now, although no further word has been made as of yet.
Expressing disinterest in EDM in general Farrell expressed an interest in keeping EDM at the door at the event, stating,
“The only way to change things is by changing things myself. At my new project, there will be great house music. I hope I will keep EDM at the door. They will be turned away.”
To this day, Perry’s name is associated with the Lollapalooza stage that hosts the bevy of EDM talents during the festival, although he’s expressed he’s less than thrilled about what’s coming out of EDM.
“When they said they wanted to name a stage after me (when the festival relaunched in 2005), I was honored,” he told the Tribune. “I like the adulation. But now you say, ‘Perry, what’s going on with your area here?’ Believe me, I’ve got questions myself. I hate EDM. I want to vomit it out of my nostrils. I can’t stand what it did to what I love, which is house music, which was meditative, psychedelic — it took you on a journey. … I sometimes cringe at my own festival.”
Farrell, of course, understands EDM’s role in expanding Lollapalooza’s reach over the years. A key to its growth has been its ability to book the types of artists most popular with its young fan base, with hip-hop and EDM leading the way. With nearly 40 percent of its ticket buyers reportedly under the age of 24, and 34 percent between the ages of 25 and 34, according to figures supplied by C3 in 2016, it’s no wonder Farrell is no longer identifying with their desires.
It should be interesting to see what comes out of the mastermind’s house music-centric project, after all, Lollapalooza was supposed to just be a one-time ordeal.
H/T: Mixmag
Featured image by Red Bull TV.
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Lollapalooza founder Perry Farrell ‘hates EDM‘
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