It’s not often you bump into the number one DJs in the world at a party and have a chance to chat with them. Brothers Dimitri and Michael Thivaios started working together in 2006 and as Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike they’ve created a unique style of madness to their DJ sets and original productions. Favorites of megafestival Tomorrowland, they’ve created the official anthem five years in row. Reaching number one on the DJ Magazine list hasn’t gone to their heads. They are still humble and down to earth, focusing on their upcoming artist album.
RS: Thinking about your track “Arcade,” what is your favorite retro video game?
Dimitri Vegas: I would say hands down Mortal Kombat, I could give a whole list but if I had to pick one it would be Mortal Kombat.
RS: What about you?
Like Mike: The Punisher.
RS: I saw that great picture of you as a superhero, if you were a superhero what superpower would you want?
Dimitri Vegas: I like Wolverine’s power with the immortality and invulnerability, I think that is the most effective one or maybe Superman.
Like Mike: I like that guy from Heroes who takes everyone else’s powers.
Dimitri Vegas: Unless there is no one around with powers then you are fucked.
RS: I interviewed Lost Frequencies and hesaid that you were one of the biggest helps in getting them started. Who helped you get started in the Belgium DJ world?
Dimitri Vegas: Not necessarily in Belgium but I would say that we got a lot of help from the Swedes back in the day like Axwell, Angello, Ingrosso and Tiesto. We had a lot of help from everybody.
RS: And now that you’ve worked your way up to be the #1 DJs in the world, do you feel pressure to repeat that next year?
Dimitri Vegas: For us the most important thing is to get the album ready and to make the people proud that they voted for us and do a lot of good shows. If we have another year as number 1, then great!
RS: What should we look forward to on the album?
Dimitri Vegas: A lot of new music. We are going to try and surprise the people.
RS: How did you get Ne-Yo on your track?
Dimitri Vegas: It was very organic, we were in LA working on a couple of tracks and he reached out to us. He had a free night in the studio and we played him a couple of songs. When he heard the “Higher Place” original idea and he loved it. Then a couple of hours later, we were done.
RS: You did “Café Del Mar,” “Miracle,” and “Don’t You Want Me.” For your album are you doing another ‘90s updated?
Dimitri Vegas: That’s not the concept of our album. For our sets we really like the retro touch so you will hear more of those songs coming but that is not what we are doing with the album.
RS: I am dying to ask you, what was in your mind when you took that picture in front of the White House?
Dimitri Vegas: Goals.
RS: So you are going to fight Trump for the presidency?
Like Mike: I think it is going to be Kanye in the next election.
RS: That would be madness. Where did the name “House of Madness” come from?
Dimitri Vegas: We have always stuck with the whole madness concept, we have "Bringing the Madness" from Belgium and we sort of took a variation on that. The thing is that It is a madhouse in Ibiza every week so House of Madness was perfect.
RS: When they make the biography movie of your life which actor will play you?
Like Mike: DiCaprio
Dimitri Vegas: I knew I should have called him first! I’ll take Johnny Depp then!
RS: What would you like to say to all of your fans out there listening?
Dimitri Vegas: Thank you for all of your support on “Higher Place” and thank you for listening. See you at our shows!
Interview conducted March 2016 during Winter Music Conference.