The Chainsmokers: Party People

The Chainsmokers are Rhett Bixler (born, 1987) and Alex Pall (1985). They went to New York University, where Rhett studied journalism and Alex art. Now, the duo regularly spins parties at all the premium venues in New York City and The Hamptons – venues like Tenjune, Kiss and Fly, Mr. West, Marquee, Dune, Georgica, and Eldridge. Their music is influenced by Cut Copy, Jay-Z, Bloody Beetroots, TV On The Radio, James Brown, LCD Soundsystem, The Black Ghosts, Fake Blood, and Kings of Leon.

What’s the best thing about what you do?

• Alex: We aren’t surgeons with life saving responsibility, obviously. But people are really counting on you to show them a good time – and when you do that successfully, and someone comes up and thanks you, it’s really a great feeling. Oh, and all the free stuff.

• Rhett: Not feeling guilty about stealing music; I promote it, so I feel my theft is justified.

What do you do when you’re not DJing?

• Alex: I work at a contemporary art gallery in Chelsea.

• Rhett: …walk my girlfriend’s dog.

What’s your drink of choice?

• Alex: WHISKEY. Cheaper the better.

• Rhett: Diet coke and soda water – not mixed, that’s gross. Also, milk in a wine glass.

What inspires You?

• Alex: I feel like everything around me can inspire me at the right moment.

• Rhett: A good melody, a nice guitar, walking,… Mozzarella sticks.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever played?

• Alex: Halloween 2009 at The Park with Paul Sevigny, Jesse Marco, B-Roc and Harley & Cassie was a complete disaster, because the sound was miserable beyond comprehension and we had been looking forward to this night for so long. We couldn’t jus let it pass without a valiant effort to remedy, so Rhett and I got the go-ahead from J. Schwartz, who was in charge, and we ran home to grab all of our equipment – speakers, turntables, amps you name it – and we brought it back to the venue,… One hour later, I was having the most fun I’ve probably ever had DJing.

• Rhett: 2-way tie: an all-around madhouse World Cup party at the Boathouse in East Hampton – there were tons of drunk white people, and making drunk white people dance is my specialty; also, a filthy dubstep party at the venue Temporary Spaces 2, in Los Angeles. I ate tacos after. Los Angeles taco trucks = game changer.

Jay-Z or LCD Soundsystem?

• Alex: Jay-Z epitomizes everything I would like to do and be one day, just maybe a little more modest.

• Rhett: Girls, Girls, Girls or Drunk Girls? I’m gonna have to go with the HOV on this one – sorry, Mr. Murph.

What’s pissing you off these days?

• Alex: People who hire you for work but then bounce checks (scum of the earth), ungrateful people, General Lee at 6 am,… and Bloomberg for making cigs $14.25 at my local gas station.

• Rhett: Drunk girls, hoop earrings, bros at Passion Pit concerts, lame people who take ecstasy and going to Electric Daisy Carnival, radio stations on Long Island, fake breasts on women over 35, Subway – the sandwich shop – for not putting the roast beef on the 5 dollar footlong menu.

… And getting you off?

• Alex: http://www.youjizz.com …Wait, was this not literal, ok well I do love a comfortable moment of silence, outside.

• Rhett: The booty pics Riley Steele posts daily on her Twitter.

Do you have a motto?

• Alex: So FAR, so GOOD.

• Rhett: “An eager beaver can collapse the whole dam.” – Drake. It’s so perfect, in so many ways.