Hard House is the duo’s first release since signing with Three Six Zero Music/Warner Bros Records. In their three years as GTA, Mejia and Toth have kept the releases flowing while also touring nearly nonstop. They’ve released cult-favourite tracks on some of the dance world’s biggest labels – Diplo’s Mad Decent, A-Trak’s Fool’s Gold Records to name a few.
Many are billing them as the next Major Lazar. Here the GTA boys speak to Tilllate Magazine…(this from Sept 2014 edition, see link at bottom of page)
Do you guys ever stop touring? You certainly keep yourselves very busy…
We hardly ever stop touring! And whenever we have a break we are in the studio working on music! We’re so grateful to be doing what were doing though so it hardly feels like work.
We love the UK crowds. They show us so much love and really rage with us. We have played in London, Birmingham, Newcastle, Manchester, Glasgow, Liverpool, Cardiff, and a bunch more! Being that our country is so massive, it’s amazing to see how every city and crowd can be so different when they aren’t very far apart from each other.
You say that all you need to prepare for a show is thirty press-ups and a tequila each. Have you tried it the other way round?
Ah yes we used to take the shot first but we found that it’s hard to do pushups while trying to survive the magma-like soul burn of tequila. So now we do it after 
From hard drink to hard house – you’ve just released the incredible Hard House with Juyen Sebulda. We’ve been enjoying that here. Can you tell us how this project came about and how has it been received?
We had a week off in Johannesburg, South Africa when Juyen first sent us this idea he had made. We loved the melody so much that we asked him if he wanted to collab on it. He said sure and sent over the parts right away! It was originally an Electro House idea at 130 bpm but we thought the synth line would sound a bit dirtier over a 140 trap beat. Fattened up the synth a bit and sequenced a whole track out of it and that was that! We have had tons of support on it from other artists. It’s been one of the biggest tracks in our sets and we still play it every night!
We love the little Good Times Ahead house you’ve used in the artwork. What’s the story behind this?
Well the vocal says Hard House and our art guy, Mr. Dvice, just took it to heart and merged it with our “Good Times Ahead” name! Check him out he’s dope!!
Do you still live in Miami and is your studio there?
We actually both just moved to Los Angeles. We also finally upgraded from our bedroom studios and got studio space. It feels great to have our first Good Times Ahead HQ. It’s so crazy to think that we are actually able to even have a studio space, a few years back we would’ve probably never thought it possible.
You both owe something to Ultra Music Festival in your progression to become producer/ DJs. Can you tell us how it all started for you both?
UMF has been such a major event for us in our lives. Without it we probably wouldn’t be here! For Matt, he attended his first Ultra in 2008. It was his first time really experiencing dance music on such a massive scale and it’s really what drove him to produce music. For Julio, he worked hospitality at the Carl Cox Arena in 2009.
What exactly is Death to Genres and should you make a track with this name?
Hmm… I feel like we should make a Death To Genres anthem of some sort but we still haven’t found the right song I guess. DTG is something we came up with to describe our music and our musical taste. We really love all kinds of music, from Frank Sinatra to Slipknot to Above & Beyond to KC & the Sunshine band… anything! As a producer as long as you’re putting your best work forward and it’s true to yourself that’s all that should matter. It allows us to be free to make any kind of music we like.
Do you get asked about North America and the EDM scene all the time? What do you say and are you tired of the question?
Ahh, the classic “How do you feel about the EDM scene in NA” question! Haha it’s a fun one and we feel that it’s just very in demand at the moment. With anything and because of that there seems to be a lot of people flocking to it, which we don’t really mind. We don’t think too much about it or be too critical on anything because next month it can completely change. Good or bad, no matter how you see it, we really just want people to have a good time. Good Times Ahead
When you play in Vegas is it much different to Miami?
It really depends where in Miami we play. If we play in our favorite spot, Grand Central, then you can play whatever you want and people will get really ratchet. If we play one of the more upscale bottle service clubs, like in Vegas, then we have to be a little more choosey with the music. We love both because they are different challenges and if you can master both types of clubs then you really are a good DJ.
What do you both do away from the studio and the decks?
Matt: l like spending time with my girl and family and doing adventurous stuff. Like hiking, kayaking, etc. I also really love video games but I hardly really have time for that any more!
Julio: I watch too much Netflix! Or play video games and shop till I drop.
What’s next from GTA and is there anyone you’d like to work with in the near future?
We have TONS of new music we have been working on. We have been trying to focus on working with vocalists and mixing that with the craziness of our sound and I think we’ve come up with something recently that hits that perfect spot! We are constantly working with other people. We’re currently working with Skrillex, Diplo, Martin Solveig, Wiwek, another Juyen Sebulba collab, Flosstradamus, and Yellowclaw! Like we said tons of tracks!
Finally if you hadn’t progressed with your current career in music what would have been your alternative job?
Matt: I probably would be a professional hamburger flipper with major in Basket Weaving. Lol
Julio: I love music but if I had to do something else, I’d probably be a banker or something and change my name to Sonny Stacks.
LISTEN:
CONNECT:
TILLLATE MAGAZINE: GTA interview featured in issue 319 Tilllate Magazine, Sept 2014:
http://www.calameo.com/read/000390171586f6fbaa2ba
https://readymag.com/57226
