DEADMAU5 Biography:

The Canadian-born music producer and artist Joel Zimmerman, better known throughout the world as Deadmau5, isn’t easily over looked. His performance gear consists of a captivating, esthetically crafted, circular mouse head with massive ears, alien eyes and an ear-to-ear grin.

The now 30-year-old Zimmerman is credited for putting Electronic Dance Music back into the mainstream about five years ago. He is said to have redefined the genre entirely by taking the sounds and styles of the underground and serving them to the public. His work is known for inviting the outsiders into the party. He has used music paired with theatric, live performances to usher in a new era in EDM.

Before Deadmau5, Zimmerman found interest in computer programming, software development, and music production.

At age 15, Zimmerman began his early musical experimentation. He created chip tunes, which Zimmerman defined as “musical compositions made using the chips from old computers,”  in an interview with Ibiza Spotlight. EDM artists Crystal Castles and MSTRKRFT also incorporate this composition into their music.

At 18, Zimmerman headed to Los Angeles. His chip tunes attracted the attention of Nu Metal producers and Tommy Lee.  Zimmerman would eventually collaborate with former groups Mötley Crüe and Methods of Mayhem in a 1999 Rap-Metal album. Lee and Zimmerman remain friends and recently released two club tracks under the name “WTF?”

In 2006, Zimmerman and a friend started making mockery House music tracks. Zimmerman and Steve Duda, a music producer from L.A., made the track “This is the Hook,” under the artist name B.S.O.D. The artist name stands for Blue Screen of Death and was a homage to the Windows error message that can appear on a PC computer. This joke-track climbed to the number one ranking on Beatport.

Zimmerman soon realized there was an existing audience easily within his reach. He began creating his own music.

The artist name DeadMau5 in fact has a story behind it. A little, dead mouse fell on Zimmerman’s computer keyboard. This act of nature inspired the name. Its spelling refers to meeting the requirements of online chat room compatibility.

Presently, Deadmau5 is at the forefront of EDM in every way. His beats, which meld House, Trip-Hop,  Dubstep, and Techno, are often composed on the spot during live shows. He is known for using the most cutting edge music production technology in which he helped to conceptualize and create.

A Deadmau5 gig is known for using a montage of light towers, lasers, and strobes to create visuals that pulses and morph with every note of the music. His live shows and tours attracted the attention of MTV. Deadmau5 was invited to be the house DJ for the 2010 MTV VMAs, putting the iconic mouse head in front of millions of unsuspecting people across the US and the world.

Deadmau5’s critically acclaimed and awarded albums—4×4=12, Random Album Title, and For Lack of a Better Name,—have all earned him top credentials in the music world, including three Juno awards, three International Dance Music awards, five Beatport Music Awards and four Grammy Award nominations. 4×4=12 was nominated for best Dance/Electronic album, “Raise Your Weapon” was nominated for best dance recording, and the remix of the Foo Fighter’s “Rope,” was nominated for best non-classical remixed track.

Deadmau5 is also the founder of Mau5trap Recordings. His label launched EDM artist, Skrillex, into the spot light.

Deadmau5 has spent over two decades working within the music industry and sees no limit on future opportunities.