LMFAO

“LMFAO is a lifestyle. It’s a way of looking at the world through party lenses,” Redfoo told Pollstar.

Partying is the name of the game for Redfoo and his nephew Sky Blu, which is evident in everything from the title of the group’s full-length debut album, Party Rock, to LMFAO’s live shows to the duo’s social network, PartyRockPeople.com. The party rock lifestyle also comes with a uniform, conveniently located for purchase through the band’s website. On stage LMFAO proudly sport their own merch, including the signature, lens-less plastic glasses, yellow zebra print spandex shorts and bright T-shirts.

Music has long been an important part of the guys’ lives as Motown Records founder Berry Gordy is the father of Redfoo (Stefan Kendall Gordy) and the grandfather of Sky Blu (Skyler Gordy).

“I feel like I was an expert at the business before I even got into the business just because I’d heard all the stories,” Redfoo said. “And now I draw from a lot of the stories that I’ve heard as far as building our business and moving forward as an artist and entrepreneur. So [my father] definitely inspired me.”

Redfoo and Sky Blu are pretty close in age but Redfoo won’t give up their exact age difference because he says they “like to keep it a mystery. But if you saw us naked, you’d definitely know that I was the uncle.”

Although the guys obviously have a silly sense of humor, it’s really Sky Blu’s grandmother’s fault the duo is named after the Internet acronym for “Laughing My Fucking Ass Off.” During an iChat conversation, Sky Blu told his grandmother the guys were thinking of calling themselves “Sexe’ Dudes.” She replied, “LMFAO … r u serious?” – and LMFAO was born.

The guys started off as solo artists, occasionally rapping on each other’s songs. DJ AM hooked the duo up with their first DJ gig New Year’s Eve 2006 and not too long after that they threw in some wireless mics and started performing during their sets. Eventually Foo and Blu stopped DJing and started performing as LMFAO.

Each of the rappers generally writes his own rhymes and they both take turns coming up with beats while Redfoo takes charge mixing and mastering. On stage you’ll sometimes find Sky Blu on the keyboard with LMFAO’s touring DJ in the back.

As club DJs became fans of the duo’s music, a few DJs who also had radio shows started throwing LMFAO’s tunes on the air, often going out on a limb against the radio station’s wishes because the songs weren’t from a major label.

“We started taking other artists’ records and remixing them so we could develop more of a buzz,” LMFAO’s manager, Rene McLean, told Pollstar. “We did a Kanye West remix and that got a humongous reaction. It even got put into rotation on Z100 FM in New York City. We did a Lady Gaga remix, we did a Katy Perry remix. It got to the point where people were doing DJ sets of LMFAO records and remixes.”

Before the group was even signed, LMFAO’s singles on the radio included “I’m In Miami Bitch,” “I’m Not A Whore” and Fergie’s “The Girl Can’t Help It” remix.

Redfoo’s junior high buddy, will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, urged the band to sign with Interscope. LMFAO agreed after the label “gave us an offer we couldn’t refuse.”

Moodswing 360’s Johnny Maroney told Pollstar that “because the nature of their music is DJ-friendly, club-friendly, high energy, we actually built them in soft-ticket nightclubs.

“We would handpick these soft-ticket venues that had the proper production to still do a good show. We really focused on breaking these guys market by market. While we were building the soft-ticket, we were systematically also building the hard-ticket venues … with a few strategic plays and festivals. Now we’re showing people that we can cross over very well.”

Redfoo said that LMFAO “brings the party to the live stage no matter where we’re at. We’re very energetic, we’re dancing, jumping around. There’s just no rules … We might crowd surf, we might do a whole song from the crowd. You never know what’s going to happen.”

Maroney explained that an LMFAO show is not your typical concert experience.

“It’s not [like when] a band goes up, then the curtain comes down and everyone’s sort of humming among themselves and they’re waiting and [finally] a band goes back on. This is nonstop energy,” he said.

“The music is going to be flowing from the time you set foot [in the venue]. The opening acts come on and perform and as soon as they’re done, the DJ goes back into the music. So there’s not a lull. There’s no downtime.

“At the end of the night we just turn into a party on stage. After LMFAO’s show, it’s not like it’s over. They kind of fade out and DJ Air [LMFAO’s touring DJ] starts playing some of their remixes. They bring fans up on stage and the party continues.”

After wrapping an Australian / New Zealand support slot for Black Eyed Peas, the Party Rock tour continues with a round of Canadian dates in October and then closes out the year with a U.S. tour.

In between shows, LMFAO will work on expanding their brand, which includes not only a social network and clothing line, but jewelry, makeup and a PR firm.