5. Wyatt Jenkins - From Techno to Tech

Life Done Different

Love it or hate it, house music has become one of the most popular genres of our time. But it wasn’t always like that. This music was once deeply underground. Even the name, house music, is a nod to the illegal warehouse parties it was once played at. So how did we go from there to the festivals and multi-billion dollar industry that we see today?

I’m joined today by Wyatt Jenkins. Wyatt was not only firsthand witness to the evolution of electronic music, he played a key part - starting as a DJ in 90’s and early 2000’s, and then as a founding member of Beatport.com - the electronic music marketplace that helped propel house music to mainstream status.

Wyatt takes us back to what it was like to be a DJ in the early days of EDM. We talk about the relationship between technology and music, what raving culture was like in the 90’s, why following your passion is bad advice, the pitfalls of the party lifestyle and what it feels like to build a successful business only to be fired from the same company.

This was a raw and wide ranging conversation, and I learned a ton, so I hope you enjoy this episode with Wyatt Jenkins.