Tastyfresh.com - Cornerstone 2005 DJ Profile: heldbywill

Cornerstone 2005 DJ Profile: heldbywill

Written by David Richardson

Sunday, 15 May 2005

Vitals:

DJ/Artist Name: heldbywill
Location: Canton, Ohio
Bio: heldbywill is Dan Bartow - born in Canton, Ohio in 1979. From the day Dan was born he was surrounded by musicians. His mother taught him to play guitar at the age of 14. After learning to play guitar he quickly learned to play the bass guitar and drums as well. At the age of 16 he was recruited into the popular Northeast Ohio straightedge hardcore band bipolar. While playing bass guitar for bipolar Dan played gigs with a number of metal and hardcore acts including Anthrax, Cannibal Corpse, The Misfits, Life of Agony, Zao, Strongarm, Six Feet Deep, Overcome, disciple, and many more.

In 1998 Dan left bipolar to embark on his own musical journey, but returned to the studio with the bipolar guys in 1999 to do guest vocals on the album Six Steps to Sickness. In 2000 Dan formed heldbywill as an outlet for his pent up musical aggression. Shortly after he formed the Electronic Spirit Crew with DJ Glow, Dunamis and DJ YoYo throwing underground parties in warehouses and on college campuses.

In 2004 heldbywill teamed up with Sheltershed in the studio to produce Submersible, a track which was released on the latest Sheltershed CD HX. Currently Dan is enrolled at the Berklee College of Music online where he is studying music production and working on producing his first full length album.

Interview:

What is the thing you like most about performing?

Doing a live show is an amazing expenditure of energy. I need it... and I crave it. I can never play out enough. All of the time and energy that goes into producing tracks in the studio is just preparation for letting them explode on stage. The thing I like most about performing is when someone comes up to me after a show and tells me that they really felt my music. Someone told me once that they shivers and goosebumps once during my set... that is why I do what I do.

How would you describe your style?

Hard industrial beats, shredding industrial guitar, heavy digital synthesis, psychedelic trance and massive groove elements.

How does your faith influence your production and performance?

Every day is another trying day of figuring out what Im doing on this Earth. Faith is not some ridiculous church institution. My relationship with God is something real. I trust that God understands the fact that sometimes I want to put my fist through a wall, sometimes I want to break down and cry, and most of the time I'm a selfish person. My relationship with God is complex and most of my music and performance is a reflection of that journey... intensity, anger, confusion, hope – not directed at God but shared with God every step.

What excites you most about playing Cornerstone this year?

Sharing the stage with Sheltershed – Craig is one of my favorite people in the world. Also there is no denying it, rocking it out for hundreds and thousands of people is an unexplainable rush. When I see peoples heads and arms moving up and down and my music becomes one with the crowd... that is why I am there.

Who is the DJ/Artist you look up to the most?

Being a producer there is absolutely no way I could single it out. I might be able to narrow it down to maybe ... oh I don't know, five? Trent Reznor (NiN), Klayton Scott (Celldweller), BT, Living Sacrifice and Infected Mushroom. Every single one of these producers and groups has played a very important part in my development as a musician and producer.