Max Grillo’s journey into the world of mixing began when he was just 11 years old and has been an adventure ever since.
Photo credit: Max Grillo – Official
From his early beginnings sparked by an encounter with a mixer at a local market to establishing his own setup with tape records and a turntable by the age of 13, Max has shown an unwavering passion for music.
His initial interest in Dance and Funky music genres took a significant turn with the discovery of Frankie Knuckles ‘Your Love’ in 1987, leading him to explore House and Underground music. However, his career had to take a pause in 2000 due to familial obligations.
After two decades, in December 2020, Max reignited his love for music and started Max Grillo 2.0. With the rise of online music platforms, he found himself navigating a completely transformed musical landscape, but his passion for mixing remained steadfast.
In this recent interview with EG, Max shares his journey, evolving sound, and future projects.
EG: Hi, Massimiliano! Welcome back to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us again. Where are you right now? How have you been?
Max Grillo: It’s a pleasure, and an honour to be in your company. I’m fine, and right now I am very focused on the constant search for music, without neglecting any genre, and various productions.
EG: So, what have you been up to since we last spoke? We know you have been plenty busy with guest mixes!
Max Grillo: True, I am very busy with many radios that host me, giving me the opportunity to make myself known. I take the opportunity to thank them all. This means for me, a constant exercise, as playing DJ sets for 1-hour radios, means enclosing the musical path that I try to convey every time I play, starting from genre and bpm completely different from how I finish the set.
EG: Has either your sound or setup evolved since your involvement in our EG Spotlight Series?
Max Grillo: Well, I would say so. I’m madly in love with my Allen & Heath Model 1.4 mixer, the Xone K2 controllers, the Maschine Mikro Mk3, the Boss digital delay DD8, and the F1 native instruments… (The family has grown). Today the sound is very minor, darker perhaps, more constant, and when I play, I imagine “a galloping horse” as practicing Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism, praying to Nam Myoho Renge Kyo. By repeating this mantra in a loop, I also transmit it in my DJ sets.
EG: And where does the fire come from these days? What has been inspiring or driving you as of late?
Max Grillo: Inspiration and fire of recent times have given me the desire to improve myself more and more, the desire to know music, whatever genre it is, widening to 360 degrees my way of searching, to go fishing often willingly traces of the past, which then thanks to my setup, I have the opportunity to play and make the public appreciate again.
“I am very focused on the constant search for music, without neglecting any genre”
EG: Now, stepping outside of the studio for a bit…What do you think the future of electronic dance music looks like? Are all these innovations and big-screen festival performances bringing us closer or farther away from the music?
Max Grillo: My thoughts on electronic music are divided into two aspects. The first has given, thanks to the tools that we have today to create it, the possibility to express one’s inner world, to more and more people. The second, that, from this point on, passion, and creativity, as well as having a musical background, of considerable knowledge, makes its difference. Therefore the future of electronic music will be more and more accompanied by innovative sounds, with the growing turnout of more users who listen to it and more and more will listen to it, which is why today, there are more big events, more festivals, even if for those like me who are differently young in the heart has the mood & atmosphere of a club.
EG: What does the scene look like where you’re at? What do you think could be better?
Max Grillo: Improving and searching for it in any sound, genre, and style is my mantra. Since the last time we saw each other, I have never stopped, so I would say that there is not a dead end, but a continuous desire for growth, in the sense that what I say today: ok Max, this is fine, in two months, I say to myself: no Max, let’s change, let’s do it differently… It’s like this every day.
EG: It being such a hot topic, how do you feel about the recent implementation of AI in the creative side of music? Have you explored any form of AI in recent projects?
Max Grillo: I have noticed this innovation, however, I prefer to stay with what AI doesn’t have, and that makes the difference of all DJs and producers. Simply the heart beating with passion for what we do.
“There is not a dead end, but a continuous desire for growth”
EG: Finally, can you provide some insights into what’s next for Max Grillo? What can we expect from you in the coming months? Where can your fans catch you next?
Max Grillo: Willingly. Being in collaboration as a guest with several radios, soon I will be in Barcelona (I’m trembling with excitement), also I have approached, thanks to the friendship and respect I have with great DJs, the world of production. and…..?!!!
EG: Thank you so much for your time, Max! See you on the dancefloor!
Max Grillo: Thanks to you, thanks to EG, greetings to all listeners and see you on the track. Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, Max.
Max Grillo’s EG SPOTLIGHT.279 is now available. Listen here.
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