Cuemix Magazine Eng 20

ELECTRIC ANIMALS
Foreword
When I was a child my parents took me to the zoo in Munich. I was amazed by all these different animals in one place. It was fascinating different species, colourful and strange. My dad told me many things about the countries where all these animals come from and the next night I dreamed of far away countries and places I never been. When I came into school it was normal that you had several excursions to zoos, and through the fact that we moved very often to different cities I often came into new school classes and so to many zoos! I started to hate zoos, I thought about the animals who normally live in freedom are now being looked up in a small terrain just to entertain the spectators. I hear you laughing: Wake up dreamer! zoo is zoo and people are people ... DJs are DJs and artists are artists. Sometimes I ask myself if a DJ or a musician feels like an animal in the zoo while eyes starring at him. So come in to the Cuemix Zoo with many Electronic Animals and see what we offer you without any cages and boundaries! Take care and have a nice summer
cuemix
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ELECTRIC ANIMALS >>>>> Index

FENIN PAGE 76-81
MRZ //// M-SEVEN PAGE 68-75
SCORN //// MICK HARRIS PAGE 50-57 NU:TONE PAGE 90-95
IMPRESSUM PAGE 105
ELECTRIC ANIMALS
ONGAKU PAGE 21-32
Index
DYNAMIX II PAGE 8-15 MARTIN LANDSKY PAGE 16-21
FOREWORD PAGE 4-5
SUPERSOUL PAGE 81-89
SIMON V PAGE 58-67 ONGAKU PAGE 21-32 ARTRIDGE PAGE 42-49
NAME ///// ELECTRO SAPIENS

PRINCIPLES OF GEOMETRY PAGE 96-101 GABRIEL ANANDA PAGE 34-41
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DYNAMIX II >>>>> This is the Sound of the Underground
////Species////
DJs
////Located In////
////Name////
Florida, USA
DYNAMIX II
////THIS IS THE SOUND OF THE UNDERGROUND////
because we only have to go to our archive. We dont need to fiddle with the new plugins. We use a few of them, but dont rely on them. We rely on our library for sounds weve worked with for about twenty years. David>> We have endorsements from a few major software companies: Native Instruments, Simsyth, Arboretum. When new software comes out we test it. Weve got to check it out first hand and if theres a new software out we feel we can use, we use them. CM>>> But on stage the center of your setup is the Akai MPC? Dave>> Yeah, on stage we still use the MPC to trigger all our samples. We trigger our samples like crazy, like CM>>> Ive noticed that both of you are always carrying your laptops with you and playing with them every free minute you have. Is this a new path in your production technology? Scott>>> Yes, we use computers in our studio, but you know, we have so many analogue keyboards for so many years and we have taken so many samples and made so many waveforms and made so many sounds with memorymoog, minimoog, prophet V, modular synths, everything going back for a decade or more that we have a vast archive, or better said, library. Our own personal synthesizer library is like a synthesizer museum. So its easier for us to produce on the laptop Page 8 Page 9
pong samples. And we still do the vocals live! Scott>> ... so that way no show ever sounds the same. Its totally different because we are playing different samples, triggering different things just like Front 242. We have spreads on our keyboards CM>>> Keygroups? Scott>> Yeah, different keygroups with different sounds on it and we know which sounds to hit during which songs. You know, you can mess with it more. Its more fun because you can feel the crowd, what they like and how to react to emphasize on sound more. CM>>> So you use analogue gear, keyboards and MPC, because you can manipulate your set more than with software? Scott>> Well, maybe it will be the same when we use software, but we choose to do analogue gear because thats the way weve been doing it. And I trust, we trust analogue gear David>> a lot more than we trust a computer. There are so many background tasks running on a computer that the chances of them failing are way greater than on a hardware based piece of gear that only does one specific task. Thats why we trust hardware. Scott>> Always MPC 2000 XL! (laughing) We use the
MPC 4000 in the studio, but the 2000 on the road. David>>> As I said before, now we are even using a lot more computers in the studio. Scott>>> Weve been using more Vegas, Orion David>>> We record everything in the computer. We use a Creamware system in our studio. Isnt it a German company? CM/Scott>>> Yes (both laughing about the fact that the gave themselves the answer in the same moment) David>> Weve been using Creamware probably for about almost since the German tour Scott>> 1998. But now a lot of the stuff we are mixing down now for the future is done on a Euphonix System 5 its a console. So we ran everything on Vegas, track for track, and then we bring it to the Euphonix System 5 and ProTools, and mix it down. CM>>> Okay, but how do you convert your tracks to your live equipment? Scott>>> Ill explain it properly! The way we do it is, when we are in the studio on the console and we have everything mixed in the way we want, we then take every single sound out of the drum machine and out of the keyboards and run it through the console since its
OH, HERE IS A GOOD THING! HE WAS THE VERY FIRST PERSON TO EVER BOOK THE TWOLIVECREW. IT WAS IN MIAMI!
This is the sound of the underground
being compressed - every single sound! And we bring them back into the samplers, so we can then manipulate the show, but all the sounds coming out of the samplers have been already compressed and that way it sounds quality but we can manipulate ourselves and tweak it how we wanna tweak it. But it doesnt sound like a muddy mess, it sounds proper! CM>>> Do you have a backup on stage? David> Yes, we have two drum machines at the same time and we have a computer. Scott>> Yes, the computer is the backup, we must have a backup and the computer becomes the backup. So we have the drum machines going back and forward, one drum machine plays one song and David is doing vocoder and playing sounds from the sampler and while he is loading a song I am doing the same thing he did before. But if theres a problem, an absolute emergency in front of eight hundred people, we go to a laptop which we have ready. But thats never happened yet. Weve never had to go to the emergency system. David> So if the drum machines catch on fire and two thousand people are throwing tomatoes we will start the laptop.(laughing) Scott>> So the laptop becomes the saviour at that point. CM>>> Do you still use the Emulator? David> The Emulator - No, live we are using the Ensoniq because of its 12 Bit Sample. It sounds really grainy. Scott>> In America sometimes at local shows we still use the Emulator, but its hard for us to take abroad, because its so heavy. David>> Its heavy and large, not to mention the cables inside - its antique now. The cables are very sensitive to temperature and the circuit board can break. CM>>> From where do you know each other? Scott>> It was by accident in 1989. David>> We had interviewed a rap act at that time for DynamixII Recordings and the rapper had met Scott. And he brought Scott to our attention. The rapper heard the style of my music and he thought that Scott should team up with us. The rest is history CM>>> Dynamix II Recordings was a company together with your parents. David>> Yeah, it was a family business. CM>>> I read you started producing when you were eighteen years old? David>> Right, I started at eighteen years old. Right
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question (laughing). CM>>>The big success of Give The DJ A Break, how did it come to this do you spent a lot of money in promotion or did it just happen? David>>>No, I dont think anything is ever planned, we definitely had a promotion team behind us, you know, but the record was so unique, it instantly took off. There were people that couldnt get a hold of the record and were calling the record label, you know, the phones where ringing the whole day and getting hot. It was just a madhouse and they kept on shipping and shipping Seven months later they declared it went gold and the next thing were doing show after show. Scott>>> Give The DJ A Break changed everything, because the bassline had a melody, the kids where getting crazy because they felt every frequency Scott>> The SP 1200 Dave! The clocknoise! David>>> Yeah the clocknoise! Scott>> The clocknoise like that term called ringin base its an old term like yoda ... (laughing) the term ringing base is David>>... is basically when you are using a 12-Bit sampling chip, it does what it does. It takes small pictures of the waveform and its only able to take twelve shots at a time it starts pixelating the waveforms. It does square waves instead of a smooth waveform. Scott>> And in between those waves there was this sound called clocknoise and thats why you hear a sort of ring. David>> It sounds buzzier. Scott>> Its not just buzzier its like your hair is falling out like boom, really, really bad. Thats one of the reasons why the SP 1200 is one of the most famous still around, all the big producers are still using it. You can emulate it but it doesnt sound like. David>> And theres only ten seconds you have to make your song with. Scott>> Yeah and thats another thing, this is freestyle, this is important history shit right here. Back in the days you only had ten seconds to work with, twelve seconds of sampling time, every single sound had to count. You werent sampling crap and throwing it all over the place, you had to really think about what the hell you wanted to use to make the song a jam. Right know on this dammed laptop I got three hours of sampling, I can sample whatever. But back then we really used tricks like you wouldnt believe. Like we would take movie samples for instance and speed them up. Like the sample from 2001 Its Full Of Stars, we speed it up Itsfullofstars (he speaks like a pitched up tape recor-
GIVE THE DJ A BREAK CHANGED EVERYTHING, BECAUSE THE BASSLINE HAD A MELODY. THE KIDS WHERE GETTING CRAZY BECAUSE THEY FELT EVERY FREQUENCY
This is the sound of the underground
after high school I went to a recording store and straight from there I released Give The DJ A Break. But I also djed - since I was about fourteen years old, I bought my first 1200. Scott>> Oh, here is a good thing! He was the very first person to ever book the TwoLiveCrew. It was in Miami! David>> It was the largest Teen Club in America which was in Florida. It was a huge grocery store before and they converted it into a club. Back then there where no clubs that where that size. And one the owners were involved with the Studio 54 in New York and he moved down to Miami, actually down to Palm Beach and he opened up this Teen Club called Metropolis and Ive been djing there for about two years - this was prior to Give The DJ A Break, it was when I was still in high school. Scott>> But getting to the bottom line! (laughing) The bottom line is: David was the very first person who booked the TwoLiveCrew. David>> We booked them for like 500 dollars. Scott>> Yeah, their very first show. David>> Before that they had gigs at parties, with 40 people. Scott>> David? Wanna bring up the Drop Bass Mistake?
David>> Definitely, do it Scott>> There was a(looking at Dave) go ahead. David>> ... a period time in the mid-nineties Scott>> No no no, I am talking about the drop bass mistake off the monitor near the turntable feel the bass. Sampling this with the EMU SP1200. David>> We are giving away straight secrets! Scott>> Well it doesnt matter now. David>> Well, at that time we found out a way to we put a speaker next to the turntable Scott>> Accidentally. David>> Accidentally while we were djing there was a feedback - a 60 Hertz sine wave. And when I turned up the volume there it was and when I turned it off it was gone. And that was like the mistake of finding out, you know, we wanna that bass sound and then we found a drummachine that can sample and we recorded that sound. Scott>> But nobody knew back then, we used that sound as a bass in our tracks. David>> And we have another secret. For the track, Give The DJ A Break, we used an 808 and a 909 and morphed the sounds together. We used an old EMU EMULATOR! A Sampler with the big 5 1/4 floppy disk. Scott>> And to morph to samples like them was a big
deal. It was WOOAH ! David>> It's not mixing that, its actually taking the waveform and the other waveform and combining it. So we made the first multituned bass record ever! Scott>> Ever! David>> The bass had a melody. And before that it was like always like Bom Bom and then the bass began to sing. Scott>> But the drop bass which David has invented by mistake - you know the 60 Hertz sound - spawned the whole the entire car audio market. Like boom boom booom. David>> In Miami it was a big thing. Later on in the nineties Scott and I had ventured off into doing car audio music - music made specifically for cars for people who had very expensive bass systems. Scott>> But we were still keeping in Electro. David>> We had always made Electro, but we just made it specialized to that market. Scott>>But we never gave up Electro, while everyone was doing Trance, Techno, Drum and Bass, we kept on and on and on. You know electro turned into Hip Hop, but we kept on, we always believed in this music. Next
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I STILL THINK SORT OF THE INVENTION IS THE CREATIVE PROCESS, IT FLOWS A LOT MORE WHEN YOU HAVE A LOT LESS.
was like Its full of stars. So you get a one and a half second sample. You knew that you had so much to work with, so every sound counts. CM>>> So you think back in those days you had to be more creative? David>> I still think sort of the invention is the creative process, it flows a lot more when you have a lot less. You are constantly problem solving you try to figure how to get more out of what you have. Scott>> In this computer I have twenty synthesizers and all these plugins and all this shit and it gets to a point you are overdoing it. You are no longer trying to make a song, you are experimenting too much. Instead on looking on one piece of gear, you are like, What can I do? It makes the music not as passionate as it was. Thats hard for us because we have all the software now, but we still try to program pretending we dont have that power. So if you have too much power everything ends up in a mess. CM>>> Ive heard you work as a DJ at a radio station? David>> For two years I did a radio show that covered two states in the south. It was syndicated by Clear Channel, but I had total freedom: two turntables and a microphone and all kind of electronic underground music. But I quit. (laughing) Scott>> We werent pursuing the DJ Rockstar mentality, we were just doing what we do cause we loved doing it. We sold four million records for the last twenty years and its been a crazy trip. Some people call us the Grateful dead of electro (laughing). But we got still good things to come! In 2005 we will release an new album with 14 tracks on it. And we think this will be the best Dynamix II album ever! There are very special person on the album, John Robie. He is the person who was the right hand of Arthur Baker from Planet Rock. We did two songs with him for this new album. He made Planet Rock. He is a real good producer - absolutely excellent. The coolest part about it is that John Robie had that success in the eighties with Planet Rock with Breakdance music and the last ten years, fifteen years he became not interesting anymore. He became not over electro, not over the underground but he became ... not stagnant, he became happy, you know what I mean, he became content. But we got in touch with him a year ago, and send him pictures from our shows in Miami with 5000 kids and he was like, Oh fuck, I am gonna do it. He is an unbelievable keyboard player he is like Chick Corea or Herbie Hancock. He is one of the ten best keyboard players in the world. Dave how old is he? Fifty? David>> Fifty, maybe late forties. Scott>> So we played him some laptop shit. He was excited about it and he wanted to get involved with us. He hasnt made electro for about maybe fourteen years and he was like Yeah lets do that! To have him doing electro with us is an absolute honour.
NAMES ///// David Noller Scott Weise SPECIES //// MUSICIANS, PRODUCERS, REDCORD LABEL OWNERS
CM>>> Would you agree if I said that despite of its big success, DynamixII is an underground project? Scott>> Weve been always underground - super underground. Like I told you before, weve sold about four million records and with that, we have never done a big splash magazine thing! David>> We never pursued the marketing end as much as we should, because we are too busy working as artists and not as businessmen. We worked constantly in the studio constantly doing our art.
VISIT THEIR WEBSITE ////// www.dynamixII.com
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MARTIN LANDSKY >>>>> Truth
Name ////
MARTIN LANDKSY
TRUTH
A phone interview with Martin Landsky, January 2005. While it was snowing outside an my cats preferred to sleep in front of the heater I caught Martin in a very relaxed mood. The problem about telephone interviews is the missing face to face situation. So it makes things much easier if you have the chance to talk to a open person.
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THERE WERE NO SLIPMATES AND SO YOU PUT THE FOIL OF THE CORNFLAKES PAKKING BETWEEN THEM UNTIL WE FOUND OUT THAT YOU CAN BUY THINGS LIKE FELT MATS (LAUGHS).
MARTIN LANDSKY
CM>>> Hello Martin first of all the standard question, what projects do you work on at the moment? Martin>> (laughing) At the moment I am working on a Remix for a Spanish label and furthermore I working on a Mix Compilation on Systematic, that will appear in March. Its part of a doublemix CD. One CD is mixed by Marc Romboldt, the Labelowner, and the other CD will be remixed by me. And I also release two new tracks on Pokerflat label, presumably one in January and the other one in March. But the release date is not yet clear at the moment. CM>>>You also own a label called Effortil, normally that is the name for a medicine. Martin>>Yes right, I had to take this medicine all my life, genetically I have strong circulation problems. Thus I released all my tracks and records on, through or with Effortil, because I have to take it daily. So it was logical to me to use the name for my projects, but I didnt know at that time that a lot of Junkies use this medicine as a substitute. Finally I had to rename the label because I had some problems with the manufactures of this medicine. So today my own label is called Intim. CM>>> And how does your cycle problem show? Martin>> I have an extremely low blood pressure and the medicament pushes the cycle up again. Thus the heart frequency rises again and also the veins are narrowed. So that not so much remains in the legs and the blood is pumped into the heart again faster. It really pushes you, but the side effects are those of a bad drug. CM>>> You were born in Hamburg, when and why have you decided to move to Berlin? Martin>> Yes I am a native of Hamburg and about five years ago I decided to move to Berlin. It has always been quite plain to me that I like to live in a different city, because I realised that something was missing in Hamburg, but I didnt know exactly what, and as I told you before I wanted to see something new. I had a good connection to Berlin, because I went there very often, played and performed there many times and knew so many people. Five years ago I met my new girlfriend and we had the same idea spontaneously. It was the best decision in my life, and since I live in Berlin I really fell into love with this city. CM>>> Would you call Berlin as the music capital city? Martin>> It is correct in that sense that many DJs and musicians live in Berlin and new artists keep moving to Berlin. Berlin has the same status as Paris in France, but I dont want to say that the rest of the cities in Germany are like villages, but the status or better that creativity on a city is concentrated in such a way. But it is not so that Berlin is the only creative city, it is just in small cities that youll often find many innovative ideas. But of the quantity of the people who are resident here you
////Species////
DJ
////Located In////
Berlin, Germany
NAME MARTIN LANDSKY STYLE: HOUSE//TECHNO
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term like that. By the way, that can also be said about the club atmosphere. CM>>> You started with Breakdance Loops that you cut and recorded on two tape decks, what came first the interest in technology or in music? Martin>> Both at the same time, on the one hand the interest in music and on the other hand the interest in technology, to experience with it. Trying out things and experience with two tape recorders, it gave me so much fun. Even today as well, every time when I find a new equipment, I am a fan of analogue gear, I can touch this gear and the lamps are flashing. Every time I find something new I have to sit down to turn it upside down and to push every button, without end, like a little child. That is one part, on the other part is the music I am extremely interested in, and by the technology now can change the music creatively. That gives me an unbelievable motivation and I think both must run together, technology and music belong together for me, both are equally important. CM>>> Back to the Breakdance area, you also danced? Martin>> Yes, I placed myself into the streets with two buddies danced like hell and we fished the old ladies the money out of the bag//a german phrase that means you get money by doing obscure or nice things, but these things arent worth doing them ... (laughs) and so earned our pocket money. With the money I bought new tapes and records. That was 1983 more or less. At the time Ive begun to experiment with my fathers record player. It was a DUAL, it even had a pitch automatic controller but no stroboscope, however. At this time it was a kind of high end equipment, it was written in the manual that the pitch automatic controller can change the tuning of classical music, e.g. by a speed reduction you get a a sonar tuning or winding it up you get an easier tuning. CM>>> Do you still listen to Hip Hop music? Martin>> In any case, but I am not very deep into it because I simply havent so much time for it , but I still consume it now and then. For example the Neptunes things, are very commercial but technically very good. CM>>>Apropos production engineering, you are a trained music engineer/ tone technician? Martin>> Thats right, but I went through that training at a time when it was not yet recognized by the state. So it wasnt a real profession yet. It was kind of a voluntaries, but after that I worked as a tone technician in the studio Funk. That was one of the most renowned studios in the range of synchronization, Radio-and TV advertisement. My biggest thing was in the range of an Otto Waalkes ((German comedian)) TV series with RTL with the old Edgar Wallace cut-outs and those I co-produced them as the second tone masters. That was produced with the first digital equipment by AMS and MOD disks at that time. CM>>> Did you always wanted to become a musician? Martin>>> I was interested in music and technology very early but that it would be a job was never a thing to think about at that time. I actually wanted to go to an economics school, I already made my choice about the school and the course of studies, that didnt take too much time. But only by pure coincidence, or unconsciously, I sent my application to school too late and so I had to wait another year. Then I met a schoolmate by coincidence who jobbed in a synchronization studio, as a coffee maker, I think they synchronized the Smurfs there. He then invited me and I had a look at it for one week. I was totally inspired by the atmosphere and then I began my training there. Ive always made music additionally, it was always a hobby for me and then I got more and more involved in my dj-job. But I have never thought that I would live from it one day. Everything developed differently then, however. CM>>> How is your view about the development of " the product DJ? Martin>>> It changed totally, even how to get in. At that time there werent many and one didnt know at all how it goes at that time and nobody knew so much about technology. There were no slipmates and so you put the foil of the cornflakes packing between them until we found out that you can buy things like felt mats (laughs). Today you can get the complete starter set inclusive video as a christmas present. Some years ago the people had to have more enthusiasm and research spirit, on the other hand the people had to be in the music really. At that time a DJ worked the whole night in the discotheque and didnt get much money for it at all. It wasnt so interesting who dejayed apart from what was played, which is a large difference to today. Today there is this the vision that you become rich and famous as a DJ. Today I often miss this musical enthusiasm, youll still find it sometimes but seldom. But I do not want to talk like everything was better in former times. Because if things werent the way they are, I couldnt work so much at all.
////Moved to////
Berlin, Germany
Area: 889 km2 Population: 3.45 million
CM>>>After a trip through the past, what are your thoughts about the MP3 history? Martin>> (laughs) That is a topic where I meanwhile ... although I am not alone with my meaning, but there are things you dont really like, but after a while you accept them because they exist. I personally dont know what to do with it, I dont want to talk about it destroying the market, it just sounds total shit. To me it causes a pain in my heart if I ,as a producer, buy me expensive analogue equipment and try to get the best sound out of it in the studio, that is possible, and afterwards the whole dynamics and the sound is destroyed in the MP3 format. It is helpful to listen to audio books or for background music, but not to make music with it. I couldnt deejay with MP3 either, perhaps the layman doesnt hear it, but I am not so sure about it. But I deejay only Vinyl, also for similar reasons. Because CDs sound differently in the club, which has to do physically with the sound in the club overleaping to the needle in the club and with Vinyl it sounds simply differently. Even the handling is simply different and also a torn cover belongs to it for met, but perhaps I am not progressive enough and already such an old bag (laughs). The records are more than a tool for me. It has to do with passion and the collection that one has to do with, it is more for me. CM>>>After the IT and stock exchanges boom and the fat years you hear that Germany is in a sorry state since a few years and the tendency is worse weekly. How do you see the topic of the misery in Germany as man or an artist? Martin>>> Yes you notice it very much in everyday life. According to my opinion a majority of the problems is made by ourselves and we are not too bad off. On the other hand many things that got worse and worse economically all the time, could be seen well in advance. That continues in our industry, so the music industry. So a blister was so blown up and everybody tried to milk
the cow as often as possible, it was clear that it couldnt go on like that any longer. Also I think that, many DJs and producers, not all, who have problems , are people who didnt made their own thing, they just jumped on every train offered to them. People who honestly made their own thing and who had a good business idea still do exist, but of course they have to arrange with the new situation if the trend decreases and there isnt so much money than before. So therefore everybody earns less, but I find it totally decadent to pay a DJ 5000 for one night. That cannot be done and has nothing to do with the profession of a DJ either. On the other hand, it makes no sense when you have a street that is about 200 m long and you have twelve Espresso shops that settle down in this particular street, so many people cant drink coffee. And here also the circle closes what you said about the shares. Not everyone can become richly by shares, that would not function, either. CM>>>As a DJ you have to do many things without, how important is and was the family for you? Martin>> So in principle my parents have always supported me both directly and indirectly. Even so small things like when my father allowed me to use his record player. My parents certainly wanted me to have respectable occupation or at least to be a respectable musician. But, they are a completely different generation with a completely different attitude towards safety. My friends and family are important for me, but they must be honest with me. For example, I wouldnt be able to be together with people on a lonely island who wouldnt treat me honestly. Honesty and simple people that you are together with because everyone is like he is, that is very important to me. I find it terrible when people always expect so much from each other.
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ONGAKU >>>>> One Name. Three Labels
Name ////
ONGAKU
ONE NAME. THREE LABELS
Motorway A3 Frankfurt, 10 kilometres of traffic jam. Arriving almost 35 minutes too late I entered the office in Offenbach. I hate being late. I was so excited to meet Ata and Heiko, great DJs and the founders of the fantastic Ongaku Label. Heiko told me that my delay is no problem, there are always working late ...
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///Name////
Heiko MSO
////Located In////
Offenbach
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////Live in////
Offenbach, Germany
50.08 latitude 8.47 longitude Population: 118 429
You must know that Carl Craig and Dan Curtin were the greatest for us.
Heiko MSO
CM>>> Ongaku: one name three labels, why? How did it come to it? Heiko>>> Surely you have to differentiate something here. It is naturally a thing grown for many years. In July we just completed the eleventh financial year. In 1993 Ata and I procured our first trading licence. The whole thing out-lived a whole long evolution. At that time Ata grappled with Japanese characters and the Japanese language and we were searching for a special name. So we finally came to this word "Ongaku" and right from the beginning I had the feeling that it is a very balanced word, three syllables in one case a consonant. Super! Sounds marvellous and it is very much balanced, stands for itself and I had the feeling that you dont want to change it again after four weeks. The translation from Japanese is music so that the label music is called, but that was also intended. CM>>> But an old track of yours also had the title Ongaku ... Heiko>>> Exactly! It started like that. At that time together with Atom Heart, Uwe Schmidt, who became famous as Senor Coconut. Meanwhile he lives in Chile and he is still a very good friend of us, an absolute musical genius. Anyway he was kind of an engineer of us. At that time we were DJs and we had no idea at all and above all no instruments. So far the story of the track "Ongaku", but back to the label: One day ATA told me "Come on, we have to find a label!". We both worked in a record store and the people constantly gave us their demos. At the beginning we both didnt know about the work behind it. It was financed by a third party at the beginning, which means that we got the money of a third party to release a record. We had to look for the DAT tapes and for the layout. Some day we counted the records sold against production costs, the revenues were calculated, and finally we received (smink) about 100 Marks. ATA>>> It was super! Heiko>>> Big time! Yes and then we got to know Jan and Roman, today Alter Ego, at that time Acid Jesus, Sensorama. The two came to our record store (Delirium in Frankfurt) and said that they had a demo that sounds a little as Planet E Communications. You must know that Carl Craig and Dan Curtin were the greatest for us. I spoke to Jan like "Yes talk, pull the other one!" Jan gave me his telephone number and
///Name////
Ata Macias
////Located In////
Offenbach
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It was like that, that the music released by us on Ongaku was so different. The stuff Jan and Roman made was so special, that we decided that we have to separate it from the things we release on Ongaku. At the beginning, Ongaku actually should be open for all kinds of electronic music that pleased us. In addition. The two had so many ideas and preproduced quite a lot of tracks so that we founded Klangelektronik. At the beginning maybe a playground for them. And concerning Playhouse. It was like that: ATA and I spinned mainly House, Deephouse, New York House at that time and one day Roman came with a new track and said: "Listen to it, it sounds like when you both spin records. I think at least it should sound like this." It was called "Holy garage Suprise" and that was the first Playhouse Record. It was like with the Klangeletronik label. We agreed that this completely different sound needs its own label. Ongaku at that time was a kind of Eurotechno" like Dancefloor, that you expected or knew from Frankfurt. With Holy Garage we had the feeling that it is completely new. Something no one here has ever made before. Thats the story of these three labels. From that point onwards the whole thing became independent. On Klangeletronik more and more tracks came out that sounded roughly speaking something between Detroit and Chicago. For example Daniel Bell or Flux from Belgium. Playhouse however serves right from the beginning another sound like e.g. Miguel Martinez that was already rather "house sounded". Every time when a new demo came in and we thought it is interesting, we had to consider where it fits. Where we can arrange it stylistically. With the time it was like that, that we released the tracks on Ongaku that wipes the Dancefloor or call it dancefloorburners. Tracks that each DJ or rather Techno DJ must have in his bag. In addition, Klangeltektronik should be a label for any form of electronic music. Actually also not electronic music, like Bergheim 34 a broad playing field can be Dancefloor but also homelistening. Stuff such like the Farben which has nothing to do with club at all. And Playhouse was the Housetrail, the kind of music we really love and also spinned, with its roots clearly in New York or Chicago. CM>>> Playhouse obviously is also a play on words. But
Today we are more cleared up, while today there are much better conditions to start a label.
ATA MACIAS
was there a vision or call it a goal you set yourselves? Heiko>>> To the play on words. I can say: Definitely yes! Klangelektronik is the imitation at Klingklong. The sound of electronics should swing in the word, i.e. it isnt only Dancefloor. With Playhouse it concerns completely clearly "play House", that was also our slogan and our vision at that time. ATA>>> Vision? Sometimes we had the desire to simply create this label, "to do something" and thats how it started. But a vision resulted later, at the beginning we saw the the whole thing rather from the DJ pulpit. CM>>> So, just for its own sake? ATA>> No no, at the beginning the label was available for our friends but not for us. But you know "vision". It all get more and more entangled, it was more and more work. It was like pulling a chewing gum and then suddenly it became more and more. We became more and more professional, changed from the typewriter to the first computer at home, then a small office, then a larger office, suddenly it became too much work and so we needed someone to help us out. The first promos were mailed after that 15-16th release ... we entered a partnership received with a major label briefly, then separated again very fast ... Heiko>>> ... well, lets try it again. The original basic idea, so there was no vision like "We can make the whole thing better". That was already our philosophy when we had our record store, the Delirium. While others set on a large assortment, we set exclusively on Dance. And we did not only set on two distributions. At that time Joerg travelled around and bought the records, he went from warehouse to warehouses and bought new records. CM>>> Since when do you know each other? Heiko>>> We know each other since 1989. Our ways crossed at the Omen and afterwards we frequently met at the record store of our choice, Boyrecords. Later we also worked there, but thats a completely different story. CM>>>But at the beginning it was not a fulltime job ... rather a thing that you can do besides your other work? ATA>>> Totally, (laughs) everything as besides rather as a hobby. We have snooped around into the business and also stepped into a few traps. Financed by a third party, when it came to the first gain he made some cosy links and the distribution went bankrupt and so did we. So we had to finance it with our private money to carry on. We really were naive, but formerly it was a little different. Today we are more cleared up, while today there are much better conditions to start a label. At that time it was all new ground for us and we had to put together everything ourselves. Today you actually can go to a production company, they do everything for you. You need a vision or an idea and you construct on their know-how. When we began one can really say it was
////Name////
Dorle
Labels Dog. Lives in Offenbach
when he left "Just listen to it". When they were gone I went to ATA and said "Listen, one minute ago there were guys from Darmstadt, They claim that they sound like Planet E Communications!". And ATA just said "There are so many insane people." We both listen to the demo and were totally crazy about it. ATA said to me "Give me the number. I must call these guys!". The next day we met them and found out that we have many things in common and that we must met at parties before when we djayed at the club "Box here in Frankfurt.
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LOOK, AND THEN THERES STILL THIS MARVELLOUS WAY OF BEING A COOK, THAT I DO MORE AS A HOBBY AND THAT RELAXES ME TOTALLY, WHO KNOWS? BUT HOWEVER IT CALMS ME DOWN TOTALLY AND IT IS A BRILLIANT THERAPY, FOR EVERYONE.
ATA MACIAS
After a while we got acquainted with the right people and began to work together with them firmly, partly they are people we even today still work together with. After a while more and more producers came to us ... the balloon was blown more and more (begins to laugh) but it does not burst however! Heiko>>> I think, it was around 1998 when we decided to work seriously or not at all. CM>>> Did you ever think of stoping the label? ATA>>> No ... definitivetly not! Heiko>>> What? Of course ... and then we talked for a long time and I went to the tax office. ATA>>> But that wasnt meant to be serious. Heiko>>> ... (laughs) well ok. Anyway until that time our accountancy consisted out of two folders. We had to bring in order a few things, that we actually did. We sorted receipts and bills for nights. ATA>>> Yes, just the way you have to go through it. Rumble and stumble and meanwhile we go straight on without falling over our feet. The office works the release plan is full, with good material we think at least. But weve invested a lot of energy and strength to arrive where we are now and there was a lot of "deeps" and we also had to do things that we really didnt want to do. Or for example last year as the EFA (a big independent distributor in Germany) who also distributed and sold our records stroke sails. That was a hard blow and we were all very perplexed, the day it happened I went home in the evening I thought to myself "What have we worked for the last years?" Such assholes make a fool of us and it did not concern us alone. CM>>> The EFA Crash carried a lot of other labels away. ATA >> I really dont want to know who rose again after that. We were lucky for that the main distribution is an old friend of us and so we could react very fast and not like many others being there without distribution and having next to nothing. I think we survived because we were able to react so fast! CM>>>How many people work here at the Ongaku office? ATA>> Hm, in Germany you cant pay for a staffer just write that we just can afford one. Two trainees and one on a student basis, and the two of us. And Jan and Roman help us out very often, too. Heiko>> Both have a word to say in it even concerning important decisions. That is good so because useful discussions arise and I find it much better than being told everything by a patriarch. ATA>>(laughs) Sometimes it is funny what remains at the end of a discussion. Sometimes we discuss without ending but even that belongs to it. And on the other hand I think a real boss would scold in a moment like that, but that isnt good either. CM>>>You also work as DJs. ATA also runs besides
Ongaku the Robert Johnson Club, besides it is there still time to lead a normal life? How do you manage that? ATA>> Not at all, last year it was very extreme, it nearly killed me. Much on the road, many hours here in the office. There is just no Sunday! It goes through always once. Last weekend I was at home for the first time for ages and I felt strange, it was totally amusing I thought I was ill, Friday at home, Saturday at home, Sunday at home. Well, then at least I cooked Sunday evening for eight people, so I was busy doing something. I fear that I am a workaholic, somehow it is strange. CM>>> You love cooking? ATA >> Yes! CM>>> Any other "hobbies" to compensate? Or is label, DJ work and club occupation an hobby? ATA>> For me I am perfectly filled out. But I come to a point where I long for a change. I have the feeling it was all super up to now and I feel sometimes the need to isolate everything and to begin with something completely new. This bubbles in me again and again. Next year (2005) there will be decisions whether I continue to work as a DJ or not. I have to reduce something. The club, the DJ or the label, because I cant go on like I did this year, I must decide which way to go. I run these three ways, however, they are also rather hard (makes a break). Look, and then theres still this marvellous way of being a cook, that I do more as a hobby and that relaxes me totally, who knows? But however it calms me down totally and it is a brilliant therapy, for everyone. Heiko what are you doing, Squash? Heiko>> I would do it gladly again, but I didnt come to
it for more than a year. No, but I have two children, I calm down when I am together with my family. CM>>> The music industry generally experienced substantial break-downs in the last years. Is there something for you to complain about? ATA>> No, we cant and we never want to do it. We have always worked on a high quality standard and in the end we were right. Quality is generally accepted, is a general saying. But we have to say clearly, that what we do and thus our customers are so particular, so that most of our customers rather buy the tracks than copy it somewhere. The drop in the music industry and the crying have very much to do with the price strategy of the large labels according to my opinion and I believe that many consumers said Now its enough! Additionally we sell extremely much Vinyl, that cant be copied, so that this segment is very stable. On the CD market we could sell more if there wasnt so much copying of CDs. A copy made for a friend is ok. CM>>Formerly you sometimes copied a cassette for a good friend. ATA>>Yes right, but today the kids go too far. Exactly the same if the people download tons from MP3 files, that is only constant exposure. I do not believe that people who work with music make copies and if they do it then rather for a friend as I said before, with a bad conscience accordingly. Maybe I copied twice in my life, only to find out whether it pleases me and if it is worth buying it. But I am naturally also on the other side, but apart from that, I do need optic and I dont have that with copied CDs or MP3s.
////The human body////
The technique of Taste

The functions of the human tongue. Which kind of flavours can be selected?
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Heiko>> It has also a meaning. ATA >> But evenly not for everyone! Heiko>> Yes, nevertheless if I buy a CD, it has a package. That is arranged, that has a design. Without cover and pakkaging it loses live. For a while I burned down my Vinyl in the studio on CD so that I can also listen to it on the road, I marked the date on it etc. in each case. Then I found out very fast that I simply had no relationship to the music because it is anonymously on a CD without cover, tracklist etc. like a data record. CM>> Unsatisfying? ATA>> In any case unsatisfactory, but we are here three persons in the room who think differently. Heiko>> They have grown up differently. ATA>>And the "I-Pod generation" you can name it like this it, has a differently approach, they get another message ... I think it's bad. MP3 and I-pod is nice and good, but with them a big error is transported. Constant exposure: you press the button and here you go: click click click a fast switching through it and you get no more information. But in our age all things get faster and faster and a young person notices these developments completely different, like Heiko already said, a completely different generation. In the music television today half of all songs are cover versions. It is simply such a tide and also it is even extremely difficult for the consumer to filter. The output of electronic music became so enormous world-wide, a giant forest! And on the other hand record and production companies that manufacture Vinyl have higher editions than ever before. Fifteen years ago Vinyl was declared dead. CM>> What relationship is your Vinyl and CD output? ATA>>> Naturally we sell more Vinyl. Heiko>> 70 to 30. ATA>>> Sounds properly. We are specialists. We could sell even more CDs, but in Germany places are hard to find, small shops that are really specialized and do something for electronic music. Heiko>> General for the music. ATA>> The CD market cannot only run over Saturn, Media, Hansa, WOM, that are pharmacies, there is nothing going on. Many record shops could have established themselves on the CD market, theyve passed the chance to deal with the CD as a DJ tool, instead they order Vinyl. For example we supply a shop in Paris that focused on special CDs and sells 300 to 5000 units and that in one shop only. That comes from the fact that they cut back their music horizon and only sell the CDs they are absolutely behind and dont hit the people with an excessive supply. I think that is the reason why that shop works so well, with CDs mind you. Heiko>> Basically a selection like with a goldsmith or in a good restaurant. In a good restaurant for example you have no menu with 150 meals, you get three, four menus, generally. ATA>>> Right, that what I just said goes for everything. Even for our music, we are very specialized, the quality is very high and therefore it works well with us constantly. I am very strained soon we will open a webshop and then we see ourselves selling products. We can meet next year again and then talk about how we fared and if we succeeded with the sales of CDs the same way like the big electronic discounts. Perhaps it works. CM>>> Speaking about electronics, you have a link on Thorens ... ATA>>> (lifts his fist) well of course ... what else, must be like that! CM>>> And who is the Apple-fetishist? On the start screen of your website you can see the desk with a Powerbook and a Newton lying next to it. ATA>>> I am the Apple-fetishist. CM>>> Do you still use the Newton? ATA>>> Not anymore, I gave it to my crazy cook. An old gay man, absolutely fantastic guy, who has already cooked here for our label and we meet to exchange recipes. Anyway I gave him the Newton so that he can note and call up hid recipes everywhere and all the time. The thing was brand new (sminks) ... actually it belonged to one friend who programmed the website for us. CM>>> What countries do you supply your records to? Heiko>> Worldwide, Europe completely, South America, North America but they have s strange policy concerning purchase, former Eastern Bloc countries, CIS works very well. A friend of us, Morpheus, has told us that he heard our records in a club in Shanghai. The Infrastructure is always as well as the education structure, for example here in Germany our radio culture is completely f*c**d up. So if our education structure was like our radio culture, we all could not write, we couldnt converse and we would sit on the trees. The reason why everythings run down here is that the idiots have the power over it all. I dont comprehend, I wont learn this anymore in my life. You can see that it works in Holland or Belgium, Italy, Spain or England. Subcultures develop, alternatives develop and young people are engaged and inspired, try out new things and have desire for music. When the Olympic Games were opened you could hear in the background for four hours Techno, I dont know why but obviously this music is now presentable. But on the radio there are no alternative broadcasts here, that make the people to open a new record shop or a club. And, besides that, if someone has the courage to do such a thing he doesnt get any cultural support from the city for example an available room. Music cant neit-
////Mother Nature////
The World of Vitamines

Fruits and vegetables serve the human body with several vitamines.
her be developed nor reproduced if there is no stage for it! CM>>> In Norway musicians are supported by the government when touring through other countries, as an unknown musician you cant do gigs in Germany for 50 . I havent heard of such thing in Germany. But hasnt Niedersachsen's former father of the country not been appointed German Pop commissionar? Heiko>>> (laughing) ... a few years ago I was in Mexico for the Goethe institute, we had workshops and lectures there, why do you mix records, why do you find it good, and there people who were madly interested, there was an exchange. Such a thing is missed here, I keep repeating it. ATA > > Unfortunately I have to go now ... come on, Dorle. (his basset hound). CM>>> Surely you are swamped with demos? Heiko>> Sure, even when you dejay, when you go to have a meal. Some feel competent enough to hand you over some CDs. And, of course, the normal way by post, we are not Underground Resistance, we make it accessible for the people, but there is no warranty. Since weve started the web site it became stronger still, usually we get between ten and fifteen demos per week. Sometimes we are not able to listen to all of them. It simply cant be done, we should have to sit down with the others and listen to the demos. CM>>> But how do you discover new artists, when you are on the road, by friends or anyway by the demo? Heiko>> No, no it is possible with a demo way there is only one restriction, we are all so critical assholes, so
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SURE, DEFINITELY WE ARE CONVINCED OF OUR LABEL.

HEIKO MSO
from a demo. We look for things that we havent heard yet, we dont want to want not repeat ourselves all the time with what we release. But it is difficult without sounding arrogant. But there is already, Prosumer from Saarbruecken now on Playhouse, who has sent tracks to us and we were thunderstruck. Unbelievable although it sounds like a Chicago record from 1988 simply brilliant however. CM>>> Who does the layout of your releases? Heiko>> 90% of it is done by ATA, it is a another hobby of him. CM>>> How much influence do you have on the productions of your artists? Heiko>>> (laughing) Good question. The thing is we are also artists here, so we try not to influence the respective artists and their production. But there is also the case, for we are DJs too, that we tell the artists to file a little on it. But when this happens, they normally ask us, so we dont influence them after the slogan "do this, do that". CM>>> You work as a DJ in the clubs and here in the office you are surrounded by electronic music all day long. Isnt it enough sometimes so you listen for example to Vivaldi at home? Heiko>> We differ much from each other, I think this is also one of our strengths. Roman for example comes from the classical music, he is a trained classical pianist. In former times Jan singed and played guitar in an Indie Band. ATA and I come from the dance music, and I had even more superficial influences than he had. He came quite early in touch with deep black music. But if you ask for private music to relax, it totally depends on the mood, there are days when I listen to own Mix CDs and there are days there I listen to Beck or Eurythmics, music that is contrary to what I make. CM>>> When you spin do you promote your label? Heiko>> (laughs) Sure, definitely we are convinced of our label. CM>>> You both are successful as DJs and as a Label, are there any goals for you that you have in your mind? Heiko>> Goals are the most important things in life, they motivate, to reach a goal is often really boring. Because then you realize that the way to the goal was the actual satisfaction. So I always most enjoy the way we take and go that is open for us every day. To go the own way, that perhaps is harder or takes longer and does not lead to the goal at all sometimes, thats what it is about. And we are all much wrapped up in doing it this way and not an other one. There is final goal, I hope that I still have the desire to deejay for a long time, but I also know, that it is finite, but to publish, to get to know new artists and bring them together that is uncannily satisfying for me. To discover artists and to support them is my goal that hopefully never ends! VISIT THEIR WESITE /////// www.ongaku.de
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Describtion ////
FAREWELLS
I met Gabriel a few days before Christmas. Speaking with him in cologne in a caf called the Hallmackenreuter. A few months before I also met here the Neue Mitte crew, a good place for interviews, it gives you a warm feeling. Gabriel is one of the most sensitive persons Ive ever met. We talked about his career, plans and when the tape was out we talked about trust and friendship. Gabriels music is Techno you can dance to the whole night, but its more than just dance music. His new record has a lot to do with farewells ... A few minutes past eight I realized that the parking garage will close at eight. I jumped off, a short farewell. I manged to get out just in time and when I drove home I thought about farewell ...
GABRIEL ANANDA
Name ////
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GABRIEL ANANDA >>>>> Farewells
CM >>> The classical question, when did you feel qualified to make music ? In your bio one can read that you for the first time had an music vision once as a child during an illness when you had a high fever? Gabriel>>> I thought about the reality of music. I think that was my first psychedelic flash released by a fever. I laid on the sofa and listened to classical music. My parents have always listened to classical music a lot and suddenly I thought everything could be completely different and better. I mean the way you notice music. CM >>> So not the kind like one makes music but how one hears and processes music? Gabriel>>> All things can be completely different, everything I had accepted as truth so far were uncertain and I have noticed that that is not the truth at all. Truth is a pure thing of definition and that was for me such a shocking moment. I was still rather young at that time, I think I was seven years old when it happened. CM >>> Did your parents listen to music a lot? Gabriel>>> My father listened to French chansons and my mother listened to classical music nearly all the time, but both listened to classical music very much. CM>>> And when did you begin to get interested in music?
Gabriel>>> I began to play music seriously when I was approximately fifteen years. At that time I listened a lot to Nirvana and things like that and then I played them on the guitar CM >>> And how came the jump from the guitar to the electronically produced music? Gabriel>>> I have always been fascinated by Science Fiction and by visionary things and by things that change the perception. One day I saw a report about some illegal raves in England. I also listened to Prodigy and such things, but I could not differentiate that really. I didnt know at all what is Prodigy and what is Techno. Certainly Ive tried to buy the right records, but it wasnt the way it should be, but I felt that there is something. Then I went to Munich to the Tribal Gathering, but it wasnt the kick it was somehow amusing. Then in 1995 I was in Berlin at the Loveparade. Well, I found it rather nice and pleasant. At night I went to the swimming pool SEZ and on the next morning, a Sunday, Sven Vaeth should play then. At that time I did not know, however, who Sven Vaeth really is (laughs). Anyway, someone convinced me to stay. My friends drove home and I had only 1,50 DM in
DIFFERENTIATE THAT REALLY. I DIDNT KNOW AT ALL WHAT IS PRODIGY AND WHAT IS TECHNO.
Gabriel Ananda
the pocket only. I got to know some guy and he said to me Everythings easy, you can stay with me and my girlfriend and I thought to myself No school next Monday. Yes and on the next day Sven dejayed and it was unbelievable. I danced from noon to midnight, the atmosphere really was indescribable, the people were nice to each other, beverages were passed around ... it perhaps sounds ridiculous, however, it was such a family feeling and Sven Vaeth laughed and animated the people. An unbelievable guy. But most of all the music hit me, that was what I had searched for. After that I placed my guitar the corner and wanted to make exactly the same thing. Then I was stuck again, I didnt know at all what records he had played, in the record shop they asked What was it? (laughing) They told me about several styles and I didnt understand anything at all. But on the other hand I hated this specialized knowledge Even today I try to make music that cannot be classified immediately. I rather like tracks that have a bit of everything magic. CM>>> Do you have a vision when you make a new track? Gabriel>>> Absolutely, but there are no abstract forms, things, not a picture that can be classified. CM>>> So the guitar stood in the corner and then? Gabriel>>> I went to buy a Novation Bassstation, but I didnt know how to handle it. By chance, a friend of mine bought a cheap soundcard and Cubase and with him I began to make music rather rudimentarily so completely from zero. That was, however, far from being published. Then I got an Atari and a Boss Drumcomputer and began to produce my own tracks on a small Behringer mixer. With this equipment I produced my first record in 1997. It was on Hrspielmusik No. 6. The projects name was Harry Belafontes. The name was given to me by the record company, my name appeared nowhere. It was not very nice, however, but who cares? This happened to me again on three other records, I better dont comment these things, but long live the egoism. (laughs) CM>>> But the jump of 12 hours dancing in Berlin, having no idea whats going on, up to the first publication in 1997 is real madness! Gabriel>>> Do you think so? I know people who bought their equipment and a half year later they made a record. So I am probably rather slow. CM>>> If you like to see it in that way. Gabriel>>> Maybe they also had a previous history ...
ONE DAY I SAW A REPORT ABOUT SOME ILLEGAL RAVES IN ENGLAND. I ALSO LISTENED TO PRODIGY AND SUCH THINGS, BUT I COULD NOT
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////Lives in////
Cologne, Germany
Area: 405 km2 Population: 1,1 million Religion: 45% Protestants, 37 % Catholics, 18% Other Height: 77 m above sea level
two years. Gabriel>>> At the time I must say I was genuinely possessed. I made a track each day, does not take that now not too literally, but making music for six hours each day was simply normal. I simply screwed and screwed, however, it couldnt be published because it was produced absolutely. It simply made me lucky. CM>>> What have you done in real life at that time? Gabriel>>> At that time I went to the high school, I neglected it quite a lot. But at that time it was already clear to me what I wanted, I wanted to make music. School, who cares? It came to the point that they fired me from school, shortly before my university-entrance diploma. On the one hand it was a shock for me on the other hand, however, it was also a turning point in my life, I took my life into my own hands. Starting from there my life also improved continuously. CM>>> What equipment do you use at the moment? Gabriel>>> Oh, that is explained fast. I have a PC, Cubase, an old version. Cubase because I worked before with it on the Atari, I nearly use it as a sequencer only, recording acoustic instruments with it now and then. But my equipment mainly consists of the computer as sequence and the old MPC 2000 as a Sampler, in the studio as Sampler, Live also as a sequencer. A 24 channel mixer, a Virus, still the first model, and four effect devices, of it two sound devices, an echo as well as a harmonizer. Thats it. CM>>> Do you play your sets live and as a DJ? Gabriel>>> Right, formerly I played a lot live. However, meanwhile I present my sets to a large part in a DJ set.
CM>>> And what is more fun? Gabriel>>> Live can be extremely much fun sometimes, but its also very hard and complex. Yes and it makes me nervous if it doesnt work properly, because I ... my yardstick is very high. I am also dissatisfied. When I perform with my live equipment I never reproduce my records. For five appearances I produce own pieces. But as said, I would like to do it always a 100%. CM>>>Youve been illuminated by Sven Vaeth (laughs) and now you are on his new compilation? A large honour? Gabriel>>> In any case, unbelievable. I am so pleased about it. CM>>> Have you already met him personally? Gabriel>>> Unfortunately not yet. Many of my colleagues already had the pleasure, but it took more time with me always. Anyway, I have giant respect of this man and I find the things very good that he made until today. The man simply is very important for the Techno scene and I owe to him my job! Without him, the Techno scene would be as it is today, not for me, not for you. He sacrifices his whole life and his energy only for this scene. CM>>> The Karmarouge label is the co-work of you and Alex Multhaup!
///Name////
DJ
////Located In////
Cologne
has already organized hundreds of parties and naturally he is an outstanding musician. One day he came to me and said Lets make a record label and I said Cool. We will do it but then I found out quite fast that it wasnt the kind of work I like. Paper stuff, taxes and I have to say I was were very disorganized at that time. Finally he worked alone for label, I continued to support him as good as I can and meanwhile we also have taken Tom into the boat and it works all very well. CM>>>Where do you knew Alex from? Gabriel>>> I have known Alex since 1996, he lived near my hometown, I became acquainted with him through Graziano Avitabile from the Platzhirsch Label. Later Alex and I lived together in Hoexter and used to party a lot. Yes and tin 99 I moved to Cologne. CM>>>Why? Gabriel>>> Because my father said to me: Son, its beautiful with your music, but you havent finished school for an university-entrance, you know nothing, you are a nothing, you have to learn a real profession. So make at least SAE a tone technicians training, that is exactly the right thing for you. So I did what he told me but after a time it was boring, it was too theoretical for me and I wasnt interested anymore. I simply wanted to make music. Anyway I went to school until the end, also because of my dad. But Ive realized I will fail, I am not lazy or so, but I am not good just learning by heart. CM>>> Me neither Gabriel>>> Yes, and this was the reason why I was absent at the examination. Yes and then I was in Cologne, later Alex also moved to Cologne. Then I began to cooperate in several projects, Klong, Trapez ... Schaukeldrehen, Highway to Heaven was also very suc-
ONE DAY HE CAME TO ME AND SAID LETS MAKE A RECORD LABEL AND I SAID COOL. WE WILL DO IT BUT THEN I FOUND OUT QUITE FAST THAT IT WASNT THE KIND OF WORK I LIKE.
Gabriel Ananda
cessful and of course Karmarouge. I had a couple of bad jobs and I fought my way through it. And then I had the Sssholz release with Marcel. It was really funny because we both thought we would have a problem with one another and I said something to him and he meant No, lets make a record (laughing). And, how can I say it, it was a hit and that was also the big turn, I got gigs, people treated me completely different.
CM>>>But the Karmarouge release is your first complete album, your debut? Gabriel>>> Yes, before that debut Ive made Remixes and Maxis/EPI and a few side projects only. But the album is my first double vinyl statement that I stuck to. I worked for a long time on it and I thought a lot about it, all in all, it is a compilation of tracks from one and a half years, tracks Ive collected that I stick to and that have a substance. I have of course selected the tracks in such way that they also function in the club, I mean Vinyl is a DJ Tool, just a few people listen to vinyl at home. At the beginning of February there will be a CD version with bonus video and bonus track additionally, so Homelistening purely (laughs). But, jokes apart I have already considered that the next album will be more the sort of a homelistening album, simply more calmly. CM>>>What does the title mean? Gabriel>Nobody can keep this title in mind, it is volcanic, it is the volcanic farewell. That comes from the fact that, at that time I made the album, I had to take leave of friendships, which werent friendships, of a women whom I loved very much and so on. The title track is rather personal, nearly all titles have their own history so they are all very personal. But you know the queer thing is that always things happen to me that hurt me, perhaps it sounds stupid but when I lived on the country it wasnt like that. CM >>> The city is merciless ... Gabriel>>> (starts laughing) Perhaps you are right, but it makes me very thoughtful. CM>>>On the country you dream of the big life, in the city is you are a part of it and living according to the rules. I am rather again a country bumpkin. Gabriel > (laughs) and you know what the worst thing is, Berlin provokes me unbelievable (we both laugh). CM>>>Knowing that I wonder nevertheless a partially sad background for the Songs and everything club-suited? Gabriel>>> You mean moving in opposite directions, however I simply love melancholic things with power. Also like Nirvana. CM>>>I was sad when Kurt Cobain shot himself, how were you? Gabriel>I was down and out. But above all, I was angry because I never saw him live. CM>>>But isnt it a contradiction dance music and melancholy? Gabriel>>> But you dont go to a party to be happy. I also go to parties to live my frustration or my sadness, my melancholy but also my happiness, just to dance everything out. Nirvana was not merry either and the people danced. CM>>>You became more famous now, has that changed your life personally? Gabriel>>> Yes people expect more from me, but I have also more power , I am at many parties, I come around much I earn more money, a completely different position than before. In addition it is, more responsibility somehow I became stronger. On the other hand we talk here about superficial things here like a construct. CM>>>What do you like more a large club or a small party crowd? Gabriel>>> Definitely a tiny club and people who are interested. CM>>> Have your parents noticed that you are successful with your music now, and are they proud of their son now? Gabriel>>> Yes clearly, and I am so glad that they have always supported me although I never functioned like they wanted it. Look over there in the back there is Hans Nieswandt, I played along on his new record and we will play a few gigs together next year ... VISIT HIS WEBSITE /////// www.gabrielananda.de, www.karmarouge.com
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Artridge >>>>> Three Chords and more
Name ////
ARTRIDGE
THREE CHORDS AND MORE
///Located in////
Berlin, Germany
////Style////
Electronica
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sages, will not strike oil with us. But naturally we would not exclude that altogether for the future! Chamber Music. Is that already a confession of style or a further sign that you can hide humour skilfully in an artistic statement? ARTRIDGE>>> Things have not become easier (sigh). In principle today everybody wants an assessable raster, that promises familiarity to them, even the successful Avant-Garde (that has mutated to a saturated Derriere-Garde). The infamous label that people tend to stick on everything. The term "Contemporary Chamber Music" remains one of our favourites, though. Perhaps one could also have called it Anti-Pop or Unpop! But that is quoting the notorious 3_letter_word out of context again. In the long run one should banish obsolete discussions over the pop term once and for all or leave that exclusively to the intellectual vacuum of various editorships or: even better, where it truly belongs: Into a book of Diedrich Diedrichsen so nobody will ever read it! On the other hand one should not take everything so seriously. Sometimes this whole industry reminds us of a burlesque piece of Punch and Judy show. Matter of fact, we had to read/bear with a broad (or rather painful?) grin who we were compared with and which selfappointed Style Taliban we had pissed off this time! Subtlety not being the most notable trait of a true fundamentalist... Those who take our things with a grain of salt are likely to discover small stories and tendencies in the off, that dont seem to pop into your face on a first listen. Thats why we take our time for a production. Today, nobody restricts us anymore. Besides, we are not working in a vacuum, either! CM >>> Finally I would call your music as U that deserves an E, however Artridge>>> Thanks, but does the first exclude the lat-
Name ////
ARTRIDGE
Artridge: a project with a wide musically range, done by interesting people. We decided to do the interview by email. One mail, two questions. Answers received, next two questions In the end I received more than thirty sheets! So we had to cut the Interview, what a shame. But even the shorter version should make you curious about two people who are amazed by the fact what you can do with three chords or more!
CM >>> Artridge is a two-man project. You were both members of the Band Arsenal before .... What is your background? Are you professional musicians, arranging artists ...? What else do you do? Did you study music? Artridge>>> As far as music is concerned: Yes, we really did learn the old fashioned way, before the computer did all the work. A reflex brought us back to real instruments and move a step away from software. This blend characterises our music to a high degree. What we did apart from that has changed very frequently in the last years. Actually you could call it destiny that we have met at all during the production of a radio play ... Our occupation in visuals and audio engineering, however, played the main part and mostly brought home the bacon. Graphics and arts were always close, but others are better at that. Besides, interfaces always posed a huge attraction for us. And within the boundaries of these fields there are still sufficient distinctive characteristics. Emphasis through juxtaposition. This is a vital component of the Artridge concept and of course clearly reflects our musical background. With Arsenal that could not be realised satisfactorily, since there was also a tendency to defend stylistics with religious fervour. The designation two-piece is not entirely correct, either. Apart from the fact that (with Artridge) we are now only co-operating with (likeminded) people, who have understood or even spiritualised our way of working, our musical collaborators evidently none of them from Berlin, essentially a bunch of expats from down under - have given us tremendous support. The best known amongst them probably being ambient master B.Ashra. CM >>> You are not originally from Berlin? Artridge>>> Thats correct. There are Australian,
British, Czech, Swedish, Frisian roots. Salted with a pinch of New York flavour and poured over with original Dutch vla. Apparently some rather bizarre blend. In short: We have travelled much, so far. After all, we try to remain true to ourselves. CM>>> When and why did you come to Berlin? Artridge>>> At the beginning and the middle of the 90s it was some quite interesting spot. West Berlin was ungently kissed from a deep long slumber and rubbed its eyes in disbelieve. And on the other hand one slowly started to realise that phantasy still paints the most beautiful picture. A scenario of confused souls torn between extremes like euphoria and fear. Lets say, it was pure voyeurism that drove us there. CM>>> It is striking that your homepage welcomes everyone with the words ... Its amazing what you can do with three chords ... or more. For one part this statement has a humour that slowly melts on the tongue. Am I completely wrong? Artridge>>> Not at all. You are actually the first to mention it! We thought nobody would realise that the slogan is intentionally misleading. It does explain however very graphically that we do not deny our roots. This entire industry constantly indulges in artificially designed public images and pretentious poses. But actually nobodys forcing you at gun point to join! On the other hand: As soon as you leave the studio and air something (and a publication is nothing else) you partly lose control over it. Therefore, slogans, track titles and other manifestations are meant as a pointer only. And hopefully point those into the right direction, to whom such details are still relevant. Thus the 3 chords are meant as signal for those, who occasionally take time to think twice or listen twice. Those who expect striking mes-
CM>>> On the other hand this line (Amazing ...) was the original title of the limited Arsenal album. What does that title mean? Where and how are these Mystery Masters available? ARTRIDGE>>> In fact, they are no longer available! Yes, the stupid Arsenal story: An extremely unpleasant affair. There were heated arguments about publishing, the release and musical orientation in general, which drifted towards legal argument. Kind of absurd when you consider that more than 80% of the material in question came from us, originally. Nevertheless, we didnt get an acceptable break or settlement so we were forced to overdub all parts (originally performed by the others) ourselves. A unique, and very annoying obligation at the time. Today we sometimes wonder where all CDs have gone. We saw about 50 CDs with our own eyes. Some have supposedly gone out as promos. Where they finally ended up, though, cannot be determined anymore with certainty. This story came to its inglorious end for us. Perhaps you can understand, why today we desire to only cooperate with people, whom we can basically trust This whole story is pretty grotesque and continuing to be a well of deep black humour for us. CM>>> Artridge means ... ? ARTRIDGE>>> A common misspelling of cartridge. Well look into it, promised! CM>>>You make, as you say yourself, Contemporary
The human Nose

+two holes called nostrils +separated by the septum Sniff, sniff, sniff Take a wiff!
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ter? And how do you rate the underlying intention. Which raises the question whether WE should discuss this topic here. Admittedly a highly popular subject primarily in GEMA circles in particular when it comes to splitting the annual royalty cake. In above mentioned circles you apparently have to belong to the right mob to be considered "serious" (at all) - the rest automatically getting granted with the "light entertainment" sticker, or so it seems. Every now and then one should analyse who is actually benefitting from such dividing lines. Or briefly: Those who say E also have to say U (as long as Artridge is in the room) CM>>> Therefore I ask all the time for a presumably one of me subtle humour, since your music needs a high degree of attention and is not the kind of music that you put on for dancing, cleaning etc. Artridge>>> This is what we hoped for! It is of course always nice to meet people who share this point of view. Basically spoken, our music is exclusively for them! CM>>> Unfinished soundtracks for unshot films: How did to occur the idea anticipate a soundtrack to a film? Artridge>>> The play with the subject simply fascinated us. And it was our intention to also turn the pictures before sound dogma upside down. Surely, we are not the first ones doing that, Brian Eno for example has done it with Music for films, but originally he was also influencedby Satie (Furniture Music). We only continue this in our own fashion, but we dont go as far as to create pictures. The concept was developed while we were working on a radio play. It was in the preproduction of said play that we noticed how effective a story can be told with sounds only. CM >>> Everyone who listens to music, mostly instrumental music, has a notion on his mind what was on your mind first: a notion or the music? Is there a film script? Artridge>>> At the beginning there was the music! And a basic tendency or mood for each track. With everyone music will produce other notions. The question, we had
WHEN YOU ARE CONVINCED OF ACTUALLY CREATING SOMETHING THAT COULD ULTIMATELY INSPIRE OTHER PEOPLE AND EVENTUALLY SPARK SOME NEW, EQUALLY INNOVATIVE THING, THEN THERE IS NO CONCLUSIVE REASON TO KEEP IT HIDDEN IN THE CLOSET.
ARTRIDGE
on our mind was: Should we limit ourselves and propose something absolute, cemented, our own ready-made associations or would that principly contradict our own intentions? Weve chosen the book-like approach. Therefore: No, there absolutely is no film script. CM >>> When I come to think about the two preceding questions I realize that the film is not shot and the soundtrack is not completed. Who completes the soundtrack ... the listener? Artridge>>> Oh yes, that soundtrack is definitely completed! It cannot be more complete! The correct question would be: Who completes the visuals (= the film)? Does someone have to complete it? We will not delude ourselves and spread the rumour that we are in desperate need of a producer/director, now. On the other hand, were always open to new suggestions ... CM >>> I have read that soundtracks will never be played live by you? Artridge>>> There are several reasons for that. First, because it could not be realized satisfactorily. That would require an arsenal (again this ugly word) of gear and staff. What you should bear in mind is that recording this album cost quite a bit of precious time. Takes, that did not cut it with us, were chucked out and re-recorded again from scratch. Probably the best comparison would be the painting of a picture. Trying to re-enact such a thing with samplers and laptops on stage, would result in a rather unfocussed Polaroid snapshot only. CM>>> Wouldnt a radio session be an incentive at least? Artridge>>> Since there would be no public, that would be a pure promo stunt, now wouldnt it? The expenditure would be in no proportion to the result. Our things are rather complex and this density cannot be recalled (with the flick of a switch). Or its purely canned playback, but that would be fraud, wouldnt it? But so what? If nobody can watch us anyway, then we can spin the CD and in the meantime run out and have a drink at the local pub. 61 minutes and three seconds. Should be sufficient for a few pints. CM>>> What fascinates me on the album, is that every track is rhythmic. Even with a minimum of drums or no drums at all, only by sequencer lines or only by the melody, the rhythm remains. A comparison is permitted to the former classical pieces of Klaus Schulze. Are there influences with you from that part? Artridge>>> Cheers! It was our goal to obtain the most suitable result with the means available and to merge influences from the most diverse directions of styles that shaped us. Actually it is impossible to determine what came from the inside, what came from the outside or where exactly it came from in the first place? Possibly we also mixed a little Schulze with what music essentially transports: Melody, harmony (the legendary three chords) and the rhythm mentioned above. Yes, opinions may differ. With "Finished Soundtracks" we delivered our personal statement. We believe that even daring cross-overs are not automatically detrimental on the the contrary. A small detail, that is often overlooked in the redundant discussions between E- and U- music. The best things usually develop when somebody starts to deliberately ignore these rules and dogmas. When you are convinced of actually creating something that could ultimately inspire other people and eventually spark some new, equally innovative thing, then there is no conclusive reason to keep it hidden in the closet. Then it has to be published, even if there are few people who are interested in it! That is one of the main reasons, why we publish our stuff. Economically speaking it makes no sense. CM>>> What tools, software or hardware, did you use to create these unbelievably dense strings with? Artridge>>> Actually nothing really exotic. Years ago we sported a Mac with an age-old version of Logic, but for about one year we have been working with all kinds of systems. Whatever is available. So it might occur that acoustic tracks are recorded in Pro Tools, the Midi arrangement comes from a Cubase machine and the final mix is done in Nuendo. Fortunately the issue isnt as religiously tinged as it used to be in the 90s! Today, hardware serves as only a tool for us, like perhaps a screwdriver or a power drill. There are hardly any emotional connections like you may have to an old guitar or
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a piano. We also still possess a lot of old hardware, a Yamaha Sampler and an old EMU box for example. The mix is what matters most. When you take the trouble to program your velocity layers in a sensible way you certainly get "more bang for your buck". The mix is send to our outboard rack and routed through aged, tried and trusted, but particularly creamy sounding valve equipment. Sometimes, things are also treated and reprocessed via noisy, crackling analogue stompboxes and fed back again into our old British mixing console. At the end, we get a warm dense sound, with a certain degree of grain that has a vintage, almost vinyl quality. For rooms we usually utilise a TC M2000 or M 5000, but lately we have started experimenting with a new technology, called convolution reverb (a folding echo more or less). With recorded impulse responses of certain environments, you can trigger a "snapshot" of the resonance and reflection behaviour of different real rooms (sort of a sampling procedure). The results are rather convincing, but like with all native plug-ins bought with a considerably heavier CPU load. Cant do that in real time, though! (well, not yet) CM >>> Who played the drums? Do I hear a little jazz training in it? Artridge>>> What is not programmed, is from Harley (King) of course. The truly original nutter! I met him in a Caf in Fremantle (port of Perth, Western Australia) some years ago. Originally hes from Bunbury, a remote god-forsaken dump down the coast. And jazz? He actually hung with the post punk crowd and doesnt care too much for electronics, generally. Since he is a devoted admirer of both John Bonham and Ginger Baker, we hit it off instantly! Well, we think he is capable of everything!
THE PRICE OF A CD? ... WHAT DOES A PIZZA COST TODAY WHEN YOU ORDER IT? 6 TO 8 EURO? A CD SETS YOU BACK BETWEEN 12 AND 16 EUROS! SO MAKE IT FUNGHI TWICE.
CM >>>On your website I discovered a reference hint to your present work with the title B.W.T. What does B.W.T mean? Will the style of B.W.T be different from the one on Soundtrack? Artridge>>> "BWT" stands for "Butterfly Wing Theory". In the film Step Across The Border the metaphor is explained very nicely by film maker Jonas Mekas. The Butterfly Effect (the film) was released last year. Pure coincidence and nothing to do with our associations, thematically. Everyone may interpret according to his own personal taste. But everyone is also welcome to depict a particularly delicate specimen of a butterfly, that unfortunately got elected head of state somewhere in the world.
And tragedy took its course with it. Action reaction, cause effect - to give you a few catchwords. As far as work on the CD is concerned: Originally born in two sessions in 2003 and 2004 the whole thing compiles a musical picture book, illustrating our reflections of the present situation. We are not particulary happy about what has happened since 11 September 2001 (to say the least!). We are currently in a period of utter social stagnation, latent fear and panic mondering. It is impossible to ignore that or blank it from your perception altogether, if you want to be and stay informed! Mind you, our medium of choice is music. So we're not going to write a book about it. CM>>> Is there anything in the music business or the consumers behaviour today that gets on your nerves? ARTRIDGE>>> To begin with consumers behaviour: The general "Cheapo Cheapo, grab while you can" or "All for free" attitude is getting up our noses, enormously! Apart from that the mechanics of the music business have remained prettY much the same over the decades. Only that there are much more releases than ever before. At nearly the same price tag, they go under in the mass without being heard! Now compare the price of a CD to the price of a pizza when you call a delivery service. 6 to 8 Euro? A CD sets you back between 12 and 16 Euros! So make it Funghi twice. With the little difference that you can devour it over and over again! And dont forget that the musicians only receive just a slim percentageof the actual wholesale price! Now, isnt it rather perverse that thosewho have actually created and recorded music are usually compensated with peanuts, only? And to top it off, some self-righteous folks came along impudently claiming that stealing and freely spreading your stuff on the net is perfectly fine (with them) - for cd prices are too high, anyway! How do you address them and how can one still argue with this lot? A short note about this unpleasant topic: 'Finished Soundtracks' could be illegally downloaded on barter/p2p networks before official release date! In fact, at that time nobody even possessed a copy of it (not even our distributors). Only a few pre-release promo copies had been mailed to the mainstream press! Once bitten twice shy. Draw your own conclusions...
LINK TO THEIR WEBSITE //// www.artridge.org
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SCORN / MICK HARRIS >>>>> Deep water
Name ////
SCORN//// MICK HARRIS

DEEP WATER
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Name ////
MICK HARRIS
Who has read the last Cuemix? Be honest If you read the Oliver Ho interview youll get behind the secret obsession of the editor. Listening to old Napalm Death records. In December I emailed Mick Harris the former drummer of Napalm Death who became a restless producer, electronic act and remixer. I asked him if he is interested in a telephone interview in which we can talk about his career and life. I expected that this email would never be answered. Completely wrong, everything you expect when your thoughts are guided by pictures you have in your mind is at the end the picture YOU have drawn. In January I talked to a funny but also meditative person about music and fishing.
CM>>> Mick what will happen with Scorn 2005? Mick>>> Well, we will release a live radio broadcast, a radio session Ive done for a radio station in London. A presentation of old and new Scorn tracks. Ive got some gigs coming up in January and February and the fishing season starts until June and thats a perfect time to think about new ideas. And then I will I will sit down and start working on a new Scorn album. CM>>> About the fishing, I saw the picture on your website with this real big fish Mick>>> Its a barbel. Its a river fish. The Rhine River has barbel, I think. Its a very hard fighting fish, probably the hardest fighting fish in freshwater. Its not a still water fish because it belongs in river water and I have a major, major, major obsession with this fish. CM>>> But the barbel on the photo really looks big! Mick>>> Yes, it was kind of a record. It was the biggest barbel which has ever been fished in that river. Its a big personal achievement. Its something that took a couple of years. Hopefully someday Ill catch a bigger one? CM>>> Do you relax when you go fishing? Mick>>> Thats my whole incitement to go fishing to get away from all to escape or get out of the city and get away from cars, traffic and people. Its just me and the water and my fishing partner Alan. He enjoys fishing as well. Its just a getaway from it all. We all need something
like this. But also musically it gives me a lot of influence. You sit there just staring for a long, long time, meanwhile youre thinking. It gives me space and ideas sometimes big ideas (laughing)! I fished all my life but the last two years I really put a lot of time into fishing and less into music. So the last two years, I took a backseat and slowed down producing tracks. But the more I fish the more I come back to music. Its time to get into a new studio. At the moment I am looking for a new studio to rent to start creating new track.s. CM>>> So you dont have a home studio or something like that? Mick>>> I have a home setup, but very basic - very minimal. But I cant work at home. I like the idea of getting out of the house and just reading a paper or a book meanwhile getting some ideas while I am travelling by bus on the way to the studio. And then I can work on a fresh track or continue with an idea from the day before. I like to get out of the house and go somewhere where I can make some noise basically. CM>>> To separate the things? Mick>>> Absolutely, ou got to! And thats where fishing comes in as well. Its different when you are at home. I tried to work from home and its been very, very unproductive. It got me depressed. I cant work at home. I had many studios over the last few years. I believe five or six. I like the idea of going there to separate the two things
////Species////
Music.
////Located In////
Birmingham, UK
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////The barbel live in////
The Rhine, Germany

this river runs through cities like Cologne, Dusseldorf and starts in Switzerland
YES, IT WAS KIND OF A RECORD. IT WAS THE BIGGEST BARBEL WHICH HAS EVER BEEN FISHED IN THAT RIVER. ITS A BIG PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT.
and I discovered John Peel in 1979 which totally opened my mind up to get interested in a lot of alternative, indie, dub, reggae and industrial music. I didnt grow up with rock music. I never owned any rock records. I was very much into punk and hardcore music in 1979. It was a big landmark for me. It opened up a lot of barriers and took down boundaries and finally I found music that was aggressive and fast. It was music I felt from my heart. I always looked for fast music. And one day I discovered Napalm Death who were looking for a drummer and had already played some gigs with local punk and hardcore bands. Ive been watching Napalm Death at local venues around 1985, and I was talking to them first in September 1985 and by November 1985 Justin from Napalm Death was asking me if I was interested in playing drums. I said straight away Yes please! I left school in June 1984. You know, I was always interested in cooking and music, always music, music, music and cooking. But I was always very unfocused in school and I worked for one year as a chef in a restaurant. But back to Napalm Death; I joined them and we had a good time and I left Napalm Death because I had other ideas. I listened to a lot of ambient music and Brian Eno. This was a very big influence and a turning point. So I got more and more into samplers, loops and those kinds of things. I got my first sampler, four track cassette and efx about the end of 1988. I was playing loops and playing with electronics, messing with samples and still played more and more with that, still doing the Napalm Death thing but I lost the desire for that. I wanted to start using Loops and samples with Napalm Death but they basically told me Shut up Mick (laughing). They told me to use that in a separate project. We are not doing it with Napalm. Napalm was a great experience in my life but for me it was time to move on. So Scorn was born. CM>>> You worked under so many different names. What about the Lull project? Are you still working under this name? Mick>>> Oh yes, I think Lull and Scorn are the two projects I really want to put some energy into. These are totally different projects. Scorn perfectly moulds atmospheres and soundscapes. But Lull is a very personal project with a totally different sound. For example, as Lull, I am working a lot with electro acoustics. This year I need to create a new Lull. There are so many songs which are waiting to be reworked inside the computer. So for me its time for a new Lull and a new Scorn! CM>>> And what about Quoit? Mick>>> Its not a thing I really worked on and progressed much in the last few years. I feel sort of left behind or that I sort of lost touch with drum and bass. I know that I like drum and bass, but I guess Ive worked in such a minimal way and drum and bass has moved on and its not as minimal as it was in the early days and so I feel like Where can I go with this project? But I still do like a good drum and bass track when I put it on, but I stopped buying drum and bass in 1998. It has moved on and a lot of things changed. We talking about six or seven years that I have not been buying drum and bass. So I cant say Quoit is finished but I dont feel 100% comfortable with it and thats the reason why I havent moved on with it. I am not so sure
coming home, going back and continuing again. And I like to work and work on a project until I feel the project is complete. CM>>> Can it happen that you forget time in your studio? Mick>>> It depends on what I am doing. Sometimes it could only be three or four hours and sometimes there is no limitation to the hours. But you see I have to consider when to travel, since I dont drive. If I could drive, I could choose more when to work but so I have to rely on public transport. Sometimes I would like to work at night. In this case, a drivers license would be ideal. But I am always saying Mick next year, Mick next year (laughing). I really got to start taking some driving lessons, because then I can do a lot more work in the studio ... and secondly I could a lot more fishing. CM>>> I know many people who still dont have a drivers license. Mick>> Yeah, I know also a lot of people I just feel its a bit of a drag for me. (laughing) CM>>> I asked myself many times how it came to the change in your musical career. You started as a drummer with Napalm Death, a very fast band playing music described as Grindcore and besides your collaboration with John Zorn (Painkiller), the things youve done after you left Napalm Death are nearly all in the genre of electronic music. How did you get interested in electronic music? Mick>>> Ok, I guess its not a big history about Mick Harris musical travel. I got into punk music in 1978
ITS SOMETHING THAT TOOK A COUPLE OF YEARS. HOPEFULLY SOMEDAY ILL CATCH A BIGGER ONE?
MICK HARRIS
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with it. Do I continue, do I put it down or leave do I leave it? Theres a kind of a gap, but I wouldnt mind to experimenting some more with Quoit ... but lets see what happens to it. CM>>> As you told me John Peel was one of your big influences. What have you felt when you heard that he died? Mick>>> I was fishing that day and I received a text on my telephone so I got a lump in my throat and started to get tears in my eyes. He meant so much to me. He gave me a lot of good times and encouraged me. He gave me a lot confidence. Without John Peel we wouldnt be talking on the phone big, big respect to John Peel. CM>>> Have you met him personally? Mick >> Yes many years ago. It must have been 1988 I think in Ipswitch at a hardcore festival with Extreme Noise Terror. But he never was at the John Peel Sessions. They were organized by him. He was the producer. He usually played the sessions for one or two weeks on the radio. For us (Napalm Death), it was a great honour because he broadcasted our session for two or three times. CM>>> Did you learn music by yourself? Mick>>> Totally self-taught. Everything Ive done came from the heart and when I see something new, I love to get behind it. I never ever had any rehearsals on drums. CM >>> With which sort of gear did you started to produce electronic music? Mick>>> Oooh! In 1988 my first sampler was a Roland D10 with two seconds sampling time. You had to put these disks in very primitive. Then I got an Ensoniq EPS 16+ Workstation. That was a great machine very creative and fun. I used it for the first two Scorn records. After that I had the Ensoniq ASR 10. It was my first stereo sampler in 1995! (laughing) CM>>> And today? Mick>>> Ive been through so much stuff. Roland drummachines Ive been through Akai drummachines and samplers, the MPC I am not a big Akai fan but the MPC is a fantastic piece of gear a rock solid machine you can rely on. I didnt use it in the studio but I used it live. Now Ive gotten very, very much into software and kind of things working with the computer, like everybody else does. I work with manipulating devices, because I cant work just inside of the computer. I like to separate everything so I like to use an external soundcard in conjunction with the software that I use inside of the computer. Yes, I got very much into working with software, but I still use hardware like an EMU sampler, Novation BassStation (which I really love), all the external effects But I dont use too much gear two EMUs 64, two BassStations, a mixing desk, effects and a compressor. I dont believe in compressing complete mixes. I just compress beats and drum hits. I dont like the sound of completely compressed mixes. CM>>> Do you always use this big mixing desk when playing live? Mick>>> Yes, I still like to utilize the possibilities a mixing desk offers you, so I use delays and all these effects and can mix everything from channel to channel. Its a sort of live playing. CM>>> When I look on the old Napalm Death covers or even the Painkiller covers, I asked myself are you a dark minded person? Mick>>> I am not a dark minded person. Ive got a dark humour (laughing). Dark humour is a big part in my life and youll find it on the Scorn albums. Normally I am very quiet but I am hyperactive person. As a child I was very, very nervous. But I am not morbid person. No, I am a very happy person. I have my family, my music, and fishing. CM>>> On one picture I saw you and a little girl. Do you have children? Mick>>> Yeah I have two children. My son is fourteen and my daughter is seven. CM>>> And what kind of music do they listen to? Mick>>> My son hates music and fishing. He is into football and computer games. Hes a normal teenager and a really good boy (laughing). He is like his mum very quiet and sensitive. But my daughter is very hyperactive. She wants to know everything. But I wouldnt say she is into music and I wouldnt say she hates music. She is very young. She watches television and listens to childrens pop songs. Theres one I constantly say rubbish, rubbish, rubbish (laughing). And my wife always say to me Mick dont tell her its rubbish! VISIT HIS WEBSITE /////// www.mickharris.net
I AM NOT A DARK MINDED PERSON. IVE GOT A DARK HUMOUR.

MICK HARRIS
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SIMON V >>>>> Because he can
Name ////
SIMON V
BECAUSE HE CAN
Simon named the German wunderkind of DnB lives in ... Tbingen. A place in the south of Germany. An own label, an own radioshow and a club with residents like DJ Storm. In February I met Simon in his apartment in Tbingen and we talked about his career and his forthcoming album ...
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Name ////
SIMON V
CM>>> Simon, it is due to your current label boss Oliver Lightwood that you were affected by the Drum N Bass virus? SIMON V>>> Yeah right, we know each other from school, in former times he organized many school celebrations and so you couldnt pass by an active person like Oliver. And later in 1994/1995 Oliver began to organize Jungle parties in a squatted house here in Tbingen. A friend who lived in my street knew Oliver and his brother very well, so one day he took me to one of his parties. First, I didnt understand what happened around me a drumkit fell down the stairs and the womens voices were pitched up (laughing). CM>>> Since 1998 you publish your tracks on Santorin Label, in that time you were 19 years old, very young for a release. SIMON V>>> Hm, well. I have already published things before ... actually I went the reverse way. I published my first pieces in the internet, then I published my first cd and it was only then that I came to the vinyl. So principally a world upside down, because everybody moves from Vinyl toward to the internet today. CM>>> But how did you publish tracks in the internet in the middle of the nineties? SIMON V>>> It is like that. My parents gave me a ATARI ST, but I didnt know what this MIDI Port was good for. So at the start I just used it for playing games. After some time I got a modem and then I learned about demo crews that made chiptunes through some mailboxes. These were people who tried to get the best sounds out of the Yamahachip of the ATARI. I fully got into the scene or better demo scene and began to produce tracks/demos on the Atari. In the demo scene the primary object was to get the most out of the chip that is limited to three voices, at that time we eagerly changed the tracks by use of the DF (Data Exchange through Telephone Modem). We produced the tracks on a program called Noisetracker, a four channel tracker program, with this program we were able to use samples, the sound was a little bit trashy because the resolution was not very good. On Noistracker I produced my first Jungle tracks, and at that time I tried out everything that came to my hands, Techno, Ambient, House all the same. The main thing was to feel the category and to see what happened there. The great thing about the tracker and demo scene was, that you made music with people from the whole world, all considerable Freaks (laughs). CM>>> When did you put the Atari aside? SIMON V>>> 1993, my brother and I bought the Atari Falcon and it was constantly out of order and so we changed the Atari for a PC. It was totally terrible at the beginning, to turn on the computer and then this terrible DOS prompt appears. On the PC I also worked with Tracker again at the beginning and I looked around if theres a demo scene on PC basis. In Nuernberg there was a crew called D-LUSION. They have developed the X tracker for the PC. The funny thing about it is that two of this crew are still active, today they work with Native Instrument and one of the two develops Traktor. CM>>> Is that also the reason why you published an article about producing on the Natives Instruments website? SIMON V>>> No, the contact came off differently. It happened during a Drum N Bass evening in Berlin when I addressed them together with Kabuki. Until
NOW AFTER YEARS I AM ON A LEVEL AGAIN WHERE I CAN LOOK AFTER THE MUSIC AGAIN AND NOT AFTER THE TECHNICAL PROCESS. DRUM AND BASS IS A MUSIC THAT LIVES EXTREMELY FROM TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS.
SIMON V
The Hand
The human being work its fingers by remote control. There are no muscles inside the fingers.
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ked exclusively with Native software. Generator of Native once was called Reactor, I loved to use it very often for example I used it on my first Santorin publications. CM>>> Generator was quite powerful and the CPU was not overloaded so fast. SIMON V>>>Definitely! Today it still runs on every flabby piece of gear. CM>>> Your first album wasnt published on Santorin at that time? SIMON V>>> One night was produced on ones own account together with MAZ sound at that time. It is an album where you find all the Greatest hit of my Trackersongs, some of them I had produced again for the album. New records would be the wrong description, because it is a totally different working process. There were already my first Drum N Bass track on it, but this album is a cross section of everything that I made at that time Ambient, electrical, experimental ... CM>>> But then you committed yourself finally to Drum N Bass? SIMON V>>> Hymnus was the Santorin publication 001, that fitted perfect as a debut. The piece manifests also a little bit the typical Santorin sound. CM>>> And since then Drum N Bass is the style you committed yourself to. SIMON V>>> Music is a drug basically, and I happened to go to the Drum N Bass parties more and more and I couldnt get away from it. The funny thing was when I made my first tracks in this style, I didnt see what was going on according to the motto do they kid me. You know no harmonies, no singing and if there were vocals they were pitched up ... how now? And that excited me, Techno for example: I saw it fast. I dont want to demote Techno now, for me as a musician it is to see what provokes me most. I became addicted after Drum and bass, the speed and intensity. CM>>> When was that? SIMON V>>> In 1997/98 when we began with Santorin, at this time I made the general qualification for the university entrance and I also made a lot of music at that time. A creative high phase where everything flowed, I
didnt have to think to much. At the time I was also rather new, I didnt know so many other Drum and bass of pieces. The problem is if you when you are an artist and listen to music of other artists that already affects you, so it is a learning process. I simply have to tell you my most favourite saying of Confucius: There are three kinds of learning. The first one is the most difficult one and that is to think. The second one is to copy. The third one is to experience, that is the most bitter one. And to think is the hardest one and occasionally there were certainly also times to imitate. I mean, a long time I was busy intensively with mixing and mastering, because I have always wondered why the English records are always louder and sounded more glaring sounded than ours. Now after years I am on a level again where I can look after the music again and not after the technical process. Drum and bass is a music that lives extremely from technical innovations. CM>>> You also work with hardware? SIMON V>>> (laughing) In 1999. However I already sold everything in 2002, I only kept my Mackie boxes HR 824 and the Yamaha digital mixer 01V. I had a completely digital setup and have a fully equipped EMU Sampler, for me the most high-grade sampler with the best quality ever at that time. The digital mixer simply has the advantage, when I am blocked I can store simply everything and can continue to work two weeks later and besides it co-operates perfectly with my RME. In addition, digital working has also the advantage if you have a technique crash, everything is up again very fast because it is evenly stored. It is funny that a singer has to be in the right mood when he is in the studio, but so has a producer, many people forget that. If you are straight in the flow and the technology breaks down then also the momentary mood is gone. (laughing)
////Species////
CM>>> So now you exclusively work with software again, what kind of? SIMON V>>> Currently I use Cubase SX and Propellerheads Reason, that is merged with Rewire in Cubase, and still Natives Kontakt Sampler. Kontakt 2.0 is in the beta phase, presently it happened a lot at
Music.
////Located In////
Tbingen
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////The Human Body////
The Human Loung

- all the cells in the human body requires oxygen. - every minute one breathe in 13 pints of air - the lungs contain almost 1500 miles of airways and over 300 million alveoli.
KATRIN ALSO SANG AT THIS TRACK. CHARLES SIMMONS STILL ANOTHER SOUL SINGER, AN ABSOLUTE TALENT, PARTICIPATES ON THE ALBUM.
Simon V
CM>>> I jump in the topic again ... SIMON V>>> Just do, I am always open for associative jumping! CM>>> Between the Santorin releases you also made several Remixes for Turntablerocker and for the 3p label. And on the hard Edged you had a rather, soft release in 2000 Looking back very soft as far the sound is concerned. SIMON V>>> Yes that is a lighter number, for late hours in the club. I had my neoromantic phase, and I think that one may be a romantic person as a German you dont need to hide that fact, however. CM>>> The proud father speaks (laughs). But without self-praise there are some tracks of you that you are particularly fond of? SIMON V>>> Yes of course, Bomb on The Beach a classical that I like very much. It was done in a very short time and somehow it affects me much. Treasure Island was super, it was haunted and searched by the Pendulum guys ... until they had it. Treasure Island is a small treasure island because so many samples are hidden in it which you hear only if you listen to it very carefully. Pressure Alarm is a party burner, rather euphorical. Pulse Code is a further favourite, is difficult for the DJ because it has a fifths bar. CM>>> When will your new album come out? SIMON V>>> Because we can will be released in March. It took a lttle while, there are many new pieces on it, some classical tracks on that I simply didnt want to do without it. There are vocal tracks on it with a singer called Shoot the Kitten, that is Katrin from Stuttgart. I got to know her from a German Subproject that I worked with. She is a little bit crazy and listens to totally crazy electronic music. She didnt have to do anything with Drum N Bass until now, however, I believe she acquires a taste for it currently. (laughs) Keep the Faith caught on very good, DJ Bailey had already played it at his radio show. Katrin also sang at this track. Charles Simmons still another soul singer, an absolute talent, participates on the album and there is a track with an absolute genius drummer called Jojo Mayer from New York. I have two pieces with live drums on the album, it is rather exciting.
CM>>> Whats the reason that you decided to take some Santorin classic tracks on the album? SIMON V>>> If you look at it like this, its a Drum N Bass debut album on Santorin. The whole Drum N Bass spectrum is on it, but no messing around with Downbeat or something like that. CM>>> Can you find some words for a distinctive Simon V style ? SIMON V>>> Ill try it ... I would say it is always very melodic, I am in love with harmonies. It is always a balancing act between Home listening and dancefloor,
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also the driving bass lines for the Dancefloor. For me the tracks must work at home and in the club. Also I always try to arrange the Intro in such a way that it is no pure mixing fodder. You cant call it songs but rather tracks, but sometimes an Intro can be the most exciting part of a track and the rest is a journey. CM>>> How do you adjust your tracks when you finished them? Simon > I have two DJs who tell me whether the piece is correct or not (laughs). However I am still much in the internet and chat with other musicians and we dispatch pieces mutually, like in the old Demoscene days. You cant call Tbingen a metropolis in Europe, rather an island. So therefore the contact to others is very important. In addition, have already played different pieces over the telephone to others very often CM>>> You can hear right away what part gets lost and what part will succeed in a track. SIMON V>>> Right, actually the best method. You can be sure that it is played on bad equipment. CM>>> You just mentioned the island Tbingen. SIMON V>>>Santorin Island, that is where the name comes from, no joke. Santorin is Olivers most favourite island. CM>>> ... It is strange somehow. A Drum N Bass label, an own Nighter with residents such as DJ Storm and a own radio show. SIMON V>>> It is really marvellous, usually Drum N Bass music is music for a city but it can even be found in Tbingen. It was a lot of work to built up a scene here and then to keep it going. In former times Tbingen was an absolute Reagge center, all considerable artists really came to Tbingen. CM>>> Simon the Wunderkind. In 1999 De:Bug wrote one of the most inconspicuous and best producers of the German Drum N Bass scene. SIMON V>>> That was a beautiful complement! But
I try to close my gaps in the theoretical music training, I learn piano intensively to be able to play tracks
inconspicuous was a good description of my person. I cant say so much to the rest (laughing). Noybody couldnt really imagine how I look and who I am. At that time you heard the wildest rumours about me, two meters large and burly. CM>>> ... the Drum N Bass Dr. Walker. SIMON V>>> ... (laughing) and then comes such a small funny guy who kids the people all the time. CM>>> Well, then dont miss it. It seems to me that you dont follow any style or dresscode. You nearly look like a mechanical engineering student or however in any case no type of the scene. SIMON V>>> I know that. It is also a thing that I hear again and again. There are also funny stories, Andy / DJ Telmo, for example, studied BWL (the science of industrial management) and when we were out I was the BWL student and he was the musician (laughs). Who cares? CM>>> It doesnt bother you? SIMON V>>> Wel,l it is totally superficial, you can change your style and outlook what finally counts is music and substance. Aphex twin isnt any model, either (laughs). We are not in London here, everyone should do what he wants, because things that got stuck lead to nothing new. CM>>> How does a normal week look in your life?
SIMON V>>> I have a split week, with my brothers and colleagues I sell Linuxserver as complete solutions to companies to connect them to the net. In the second part of the week I make music, a marvellous division. Besides that I remain independently in my music because I dont live from it. CM>>> The record label Santorin was founded by Oliver, and you became co-partner in the meantime? SIMON V>>> Yes, we are a super team, Oliver, Telmo as DJs, Doubles J at the microphone and I in the studio. We have had an Onlineshop with Santorin for a time now, by the way my brother programmed it for us, you can listen to it in the net and then order Vinyl, CD or MP3. Payment is effected by Paypal e.g. We are quite pride on it, because it is very important for an independent label to have its own sales platform. It is also very important for us to be independent. CM>>> What happens apart from your next publication? SIMON V>>> I try to close my gaps in the theoretical music training, I learn piano intensively to be able to play tracks in a better quality and since a few months I have been taking singing lessons, which is also good for my body feeling in itself. CM>>> What makes you lucky as a musician? SIMON V>>>Yesterday I had a good experience. We were in Stuttgart and Oliver has djayed. Naturally he also played tracks of Because we can. An acquaintance of me. A musician and journalist from Stuttgart stood beside me and meant: Sometimes there are evenings that mean nothing to me, the music doesnt affect me at all, I think Ill leave now. Then one of my new tracks was played and he went to the dancfloor, though he did not know that the track was from me. He returned and said: Nothing said this evening will be great! In those moments, I know that the whole work that one put it is really worth it ...
in a better quality and since a few months I have been taking singing lessons, which is also good for my body feeling in itself.
Simon V
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MRZ / M-SEVEN>>>>> Painting Music
Name ////
MRZ M-SEVEN
Describtion ////
////Style////
Electronic
////Located In////
PAINTING MUSIC
Maurizio knows the music business very well ... and he is obsessed by art.A multitalented shy person, with a wide range of musicality. After getting always a good press and nominated for several prices he always stayed with both feets on the ground.
Montreal
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Name ////
M-SEVEN
CM>>> Maurizio, besides being a musician youve worked as a writer, a music producer, A & R, project development co-ordinator. So am I right when I say youve seen the music business from both sides? I mean being an artist and on the business side ... and which side do you prefer more? MRZ>>> I really enjoy creating, therefore I prefer the artistic aspect. Creating is an incredible process; conceptualizing and shaping an idea while staying true to the emotion is a real challenge. When you are composing music, you are inspired; the mindset and emotion during conception fuse to become part of the recording. In one way, it fuels the artistic expression and sets the level of intensity. I never believed that art and business go well together. It comes down to survival and supplying a demand. I am always very impressed and appreciate the initial trendsetters, artists, composers and producers who are honest in their approach. They manage to overcome obstacles and are capable of achieving both great music and the big bucks that go along with it. Success has a price. You need to constantly improve or re-invent yourself while maintaining your popularity. It can be done if you are able to overcome and endure without too much psychological, physical and emotional distress. CM>>> In your career as a musician youve been nominated several times for some awards like the Junos and Much Music your work was reviewed in the big magazines like DJ Mag, Billboard etc. But whats your personal definition of success? MRZ>>> For me, success is being honest, motivated, constructive and expressive while maintaining a good lifestyle. When I say good lifestyle, I mean having the opportunity to live the way you want ... to do whatever you want or think is important. This, of course, is subjective. Ive always been behind the scenes, so Im not very fond of attention. That being said, I dont consider myself a success to the world, but a success to myself. When distractions are no longer distractions and when the outside world has less of an effect on how I think and react, I always come back to myself. When I completed my album Activate, I experienced a form of success. CM>>> Please correct me if I am wrong, but you worked on so many projects and made so many records, that I have the feeling that you are an artist who is more in the background; I mean you dont believe in personal cult or media hype? MRZ>>> Youre right. In fact, Ive often felt that while I was trying to be many things, I ended up losing myself along the way. In most professions and disciplines, one follows a designed path, studies hard and if the individual is good at adapting and processing information, he/she has a career. That is not the case in music and art. Although it might seem simple, its actually quite difficult. There is no set path and after the initial stage of educating oneself, its all trial and error. It comes down to personal discovery and how good you are at knowing and expressing who you are. I see media hype as a structured path that gives credibility similar to a certificate. It labels, advertises and states, this is of value, and manipulates or promotes all to convince the individual receiving the information that it is something as basic as good or bad. Information is important, but its subjective and can be easily manipulated. When information is distributed on a mass scale it automatically gains greater credibility which - although subjective is capable of influencing collectively. CM>>> When I compare the Activate Album and the new Ion Flux and Probing Outer Worlds tunes which youve released on Oh! Records, there is a massive change in style. Activate was very relaxed and the new ones are real dance records. How did it come to that change? Are you a person who doesnt like to produce just one style of music? MRZ>>> Its the opposite, actually. Ion Flux was an old track that seemed to linger. It received great club play and feedback in New Zealand, so I revamped the tune
FOR ME, SUCCESS IS BEING HONEST, MOTIVATED, CONSTRUCTIVE AND EXPRESSIVE WHILE MAINTAINING A GOOD LIFESTYLE. WHEN I SAY GOOD LIFESTYLE, I MEAN HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE THE WAY YOU WANT ... TO DO WHAT EVER YOU WANT OR THINK IS IMPORTANT.
MRZ / M-SEVEN
and it was released on Oh! Records based solely on demand. Probing Outer Worlds was my first collaboration with Max. My album Activate is my first solo album. It is an honest approach in discovering my likes and dislikes, and distancing myself from my past experiences in an industry that I believe was damaging to my individuality. I like many genres of music. In the past, I produce with the idea of music being a product first. I became very influenced, commercially speaking, in doing my part, supplying a demand and following a trend, all for the reason of generating more money. As a result, this method of thinking over the years desensitized my sense of taste; meaning I had trouble figuring out if what I was producing was a reflection of what I liked or what would sell. If something you create sells, its good right yet, in my case, not if I am unable to relate to it and doesnt reflect who I am as an artist. CM>>> So what are your plans for 2005 more releases on Oh! Records? MRZ>>> Yes, a couple of new tunes in the works more electro and minimal approach. CM>>> Any plans for a complete album at the moment? MRZ>>> No. Not at the moment. CM>>> Once again back to Activate, your track invisible is on the Caf del Mar, Volume Once. How did it come to
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this? MRZ>>> I submitted my album Activate and received very positive feedback; they really liked track 9 entitled Invisible. I like the label and they are one of the few labels responsible for commercializing down tempo and mix matching tracks that most never really paid much attention to. I enjoyed dealing with them. CM>>> Ever been to Ibiza ? MRZ>>> Unfortunately, no. Hopefully I will have the chance to indulge one day. CM>>> Maurizio your name sounds very Italian, any roots in Italy? I ask because I saw in your bio that youre also a graduate in fashion design (Italy). MRZ>>> Yes. I am a first generation Canadian of Italian descent. Both my parents are from a small town about 40 min outside of Rome. I returned to Italy in my early 20s and studied fashion design. It was a great experience, Italy is a beautiful blend of art and culture. CM>>> You have been releasing tracks for almost 13 years. When did you start to play music and to arrange tracks on your own? Have you learned a classical instrument? MRZ>>> Having been raised in an Italian family, I started playing the accordion when I was 11 years old. I didnt like it much because it felt like a sense of duty. I studied music theory and performance at the Montreal Conservatory of Music. I played many traditional songs, but they werent very interesting to me. I was often told by my teachers that if I would seriously apply myself, I could become a very skilled performer and could excel at the piano. Yet I didnt pay much attention and that was when I started making my own songs. CM>>> And what type of gear did you start with? MRZ>>> I purchased my first serious keyboard at 17 - a DX-7. I used to rent 4 track recorders, sequencers, and drum machines - pretty much making sense of it all as I went along.I worked with and tried almost all vintage synths. We had a great sounding Mini-Moog. I also worked with an Oberheim Matrix, Oberheim Xpander (what a great company.), various Junos, 909, 808, 707, etc. Whatever was labelled as the next best thing I rented, bought and traded. I had access to a lot of great gear,
WE ALL HAVE COUNTLESS IDEAS COMING IN AND OUT OF OUR MINDS. SOME PEOPLE ARE AWARE AND OTHERS DONT FULLY COMPREHEND OR CARE, BUT WE ARE ALL EXPERIENCING SOME INFLUENCE, INSPIRATION AND EFFECT.
MRZ / M-SEVEN
MRZ>>> I met Max K./mk888 several years ago on the Montreal scene and weve been good friends ever since. Last year, mk888 opened Oh! Records and since then weve been collaborating on projects together. CM>>> Are there more collaborations planned between you and Max ? MRZ>>> I get along with Max very well, so yes I believe so. I take things one step at a time. CM>>> On the other side you create Art like Collages and Oil and acrylic paintings and youve made frames (wood frames) for EnCaustic Paintings (I guess its a technique with wax?). Have you studied art? Ever had some exhibitions with your work? MRZ>>> Yes, Ive always been into art. If I feel I can do it, I dont even think twice about it. I did study, but dont enjoy learning in a structured environment. My love for it, however, is very real. Ive been producing art for over 10 years. I never had an exhibition, but Im planning one in the very near future. Im presently working on a series. Producing art and music at the same time is difficult since there is only so much creativity one is able to express in a day or week. They get in the way of each other, although I hate to admit it. My new series is mixed mediums and I always include a little text (writing) that helps to express a story or theme. Every piece has a meaning and its not obvious as you have to decode what is being said. Im developing this at the moment. CM>>> What do you like to express with your pictures? Where do you get inspiration for your art? MRZ>>> I express myself and my perspective. We all have countless ideas coming in and out of our minds. Some people are aware and others dont fully comprehend or care, but we are all experiencing some influence, inspiration and effect. My inspiration stems from exposing myself to different things and then interpreting the information in my unique way. Discovery inspires, feeds and motivates. CM>>> What is the biggest difference (for you) between creating music and creating art (pictures)? MRZ>>> I really like your question. The only difference is in the senses that we use to interpret the information. Other than that there is no difference; its simply a story with a beginning and an ending. If youre in a club tripping out and are able to feel the music, you are experiencing a story. If you are looking at a painting and able to feel/relate to the artwork, you are experiencing a story. Art is emotion; it makes you feel things, it takes you inside yourself and brings out aspects of your personality. Art is incredibly important to the human race. Its everywhere. Such a contradiction because the average person does not see or value art. Many take it for gran-
The Human Brain, Part II

- humans have the most complex brain of any critter on earth - the brain is divided into 2 sides.
but at the time I did not have enough musical maturity to maximize their full potential. CM>>> Still using some pieces of the old equipment? MRZ>>> I sold everything; the only synth I kept is my JD-800. I dig it, and in my opinion, it still looks and sounds great. CM>>> And today, which type of gear do you use? What can you tell me about your recording setup? MRZ>>> Pretty much my JD and the rest is software. Software doesnt provide the same depth and cant be compared to hardware. Its easy to be fooled at the beginning since most plug-ins are deceiving by giving you a maximized sound. With the right Vstis and Fx plugins you can really do great things, but when it comes to a warmer, punchier sound with substantial depth, welldesigned hardware gear and good classic synths rule. CM>>> Where do you first meet Max, aka MK888 ?
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The Human Brain, Part II

- made of more than 10 billion nerve cells and 50 billion other cells - weighs a little less than 3 pounds
are not fully aware of. We are consumers and part of what makes us consumers is the speed at which we process. We are slowly desensitizing ourselves. More is required to satisfy, but quantity of production is not quality, and as a result we are failing to experience and appreciate. CM>>> Besides meditation, sports (biking and running) and writing one of your hobbies is cooking what kind of cooking? MRZ>>> The great thing about living in Montreal is that its multicultural. We have incredible diversity when it comes to food. I like to mix and match, so Id say Im a pretty good cook. I prefer dishes that dont require too much time to prepare...hummus, grilled vegetables ... nothing extravagant. Im a vegetarian, so its hard being disappointed with a good vegetarian dish. CM>>> Personal question: You are interested in existentialism ... What does that mean to you? MRZ>>> Existentialism is philosophy, its about the individual experience/human existence. Its about choices, consequences and interpretation. Anytime you are expressing an opinion, your opinion is based on personal experiences and you are developing a philosophy. You share your interpretation just like Im presently sharing mine and I may influence you just like you may have influenced me. Interaction creates a subconscious effect because it has the ability to influence and lead you to discover something new or uncovered. Within you is a universe of information. We are discovering and becoming ourselves at every moment, so we are constantly experiencing and developing our unique philosophy based on experiences. We are all art, philosophers and an experiment that continues to unfold. You dont need to be able to create or perform to be an artist, you dont
need to be able to write or even speak to be a philosopher. You already are the instant you become conscious. We come into existence; we are programmed. We communicate in ways so we may understand one another and then at one point it all becomes meaningless. This I believe happens to everyone. We search for meaning and in the process we rediscover ourselves. Like art and music, we begin our story. What really upsets me is the notion that we are limited beings. People who believe this are slowly regressing and becoming limited individuals. CM>>> Are you interested in politics? MRZ>>> No, not really. Im waiting to be interested. Logically I believe a well-developed computer software program can help resolve world problems better than any human can. People are filled with personal issues and external influences that it becomes very difficult to be able to reason in a mutually beneficial greater good. I mean that is the objective to become more intelligent in all our efforts through trial and error, and create a better system/society that is more productive and fair. Politics was a step in the right direction, but like all things we need to mature and move on to something greater. The world is one and as we progress we become more connected; what affects a part of it affects us all. We need to overcome todays definition of politics and to constructively contribute individually and collectively if we wish to obtain any serious movement and change. I believe we are at the breaking point as everything will quickly deteriorate if this does not occur soon. CM>>> When you see what goes on at planet earth. Are you an optimist or more of a pessimist? MRZ>>> That depends. If I let myself be influenced by what I see around me, my answer would be I am a pessi-
mist. What is very important is that I do not let other individuals actions or lack of action have power over my perspective or mind set. I am a part of it and I am also responsible, like we all are, and if everything begins with thought, then I envision a much better place. We have no choice but to be constructive and positive with ourselves and others; if not, how else will we obtain a positive effect? I used to be a pessimist because I felt powerless. Now I hope to be great in my optimism because I wish to be powerful. Everything begins with the mind and our will sculpts the land. CM>>> Any statements you would like to add? MRZ>>> I would like to add that being an artist is a very challenging journey. Competition is healthy but not when it prevents you from growing and discovering your identity. Being a great artist is about discovering, accepting and developing your uniqueness. I often believe that the experience itself is the reward. Someone told me that having a business is not about making money, but about solving problems. Its very similar to what I believe ... that we exist to overcome obstacles and only though a constructive mindset can we become greater individuals. Our surroundings can teach us many things, but they are unable to teach us about ourselves. This is our responsibility and in this way, we are all the same. VISIT HIS WEBSITE /////// http://www.ohrecords.com
TITEL COSMIC EQUATION PICTURE
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FENIN >>>>> Grounded and down to earth
Name ////
FENIN
////Species////
Describtion ////
MUSI.
////Located In////
GROUNDED AND DOWN TO EARTH

Lars aka Fenin is the man who brings Dub and Techno together, but not in the way you heard million times before. He works in a very oldschool way with just a few effects and overdub techniques on his mixing board. It seems to me that this man caught the sun and placed in his heart I talked to him in February 2005.
BERLIN
CM>>> Lars you are actually a Reggae guitarist? LARS>>> Yes, it is like that, in former times I played guitar in Postrock and New Wave Bands. In 1993 I moved from Hamburg to Berlin, I am thus a genuine Hamburger citizen (laughs), and then I began to get interested in Dub and Reggae. I went to many concerts such as MAD professor, Dub Syndicate and Burning Spear. I found Dub madly interesting and so I joined a Reggae band over an advertisement. CM>>> Do you still play guitar sometimes? LARS>>> Sure, but I am not a member of a band anymore, sometimes I play something in for other peoples recordings, but those guitar parts are mostly being sampled for loops and things like that. But I dont play a real part with strophe and refrain on the guitar anymore, theres also too little time for it. CM>>> And how did you come to producing electronic music? LARS>>> That came by the Dub and Reggae, there is a lot of work with effects in it. On the other hand the Reggae lyrics often were suspect to me, so that I was concerned more with the instrument music, thus the Dub. And so from Dub I came to Electro and also to Techno in the middle of the nineties. But decisive to me to produce electronic music were the effects, the mixing techniques and also this reduction that I got to know by Dub music. Also, the minimalistic of Dub and Reggae is found in the electronic music again. Maybe it sounds funny to you that there is a bridging between Reggae and Dub, both is rhythm music. CM>>> Apropos bridging, it has also taken place with your publication on Meteo in the row Exploring different Styles? LARS>>> I published my first record in 2000 with Shitkatapult and after that in about 2002 I met Daniel Meteo of Meteo sound. And that of course was great, because Daniel also has his roots in the DuB and Reggae and Meteo sound produces also electronic DuB in the broadest sense. Thats why you can hear my influence and roots on my two releases on Meteo Label very intensely. On Shitkatapult there is rather electrical or minimal stories. CM>>> In April/May Shitkatapult will release a EP and afterwards a complete album. Has there been any change in your music since your release. LARS>>> There are now four tracks with vocals on the album and my production engineering has improved, it all sounds a bit more homogeneous. However, I dont want to say it sounds better, both has its charm, but the production is better. I bought new equipment, I also made also a few tracks on the computer. From a musical point of view, I would say that the album is something like a panorama, a spectrum of my musical preferences, Reggae, a few Downbeat tracks, Electro and Techno. CM>>> So, away from that minimal drawer? LARS>>> Clearly, there are two tracks on the album that really have the character of a song. I have tried to show what Ive done during the last three
////Species////
DJs
////Located In////
BERLIN
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years. And it was very important to me that you can also listen to the album at home, thus no pure dance album. CM>>> Have you worked with several singers? Lars>>> No, Ive just worked with Gorbi, thats the name of my singer, I know him from the Reggae time, when Ive played in that Reggae band. A very soulful singer, actually a Reggae singer, you also hear it. Actually, he doesnt have to do so much with electronic music. CM>>> In the past, I have always seen you performing exclusively with hardware. Will that go on? LARS>>> Yes I used to be a defender of this theory up to now, but now Ive bought a laptop. When I do gigs abroad, I cant carry along all the equipment. Much equipment was damaged when I travelled, but to be honest, Ive carried around to many things with me. It was the attempt to bring the songs right out of the studio on to the stage. In the future, I will work with the MPC, effect devices, my analogue mixer and my laptop. For example when you are at the airport to check in it is more handy. That was always a giant disaster (laughs). I really dont know how Martini Brs handles all that when they are on tour! CM>>> They nearly need a nightliner with trailer ... LARS>>> ... (laughs) unbelievably, but they are at least two people. It often happened to me when I was hanging around at a railway station with my rack at night, that I couldnt even go to have some coffee, because I couldnt leave the thing unattended. CM>>>> This means you will sync the laptop with the MPC? LARS>>> They are synced, on the MPC I run the beats and on the laptop I run the synthsounds and the drum breaks that are a bit more experimental. With this setup I will perform in Barcelona in April for the first time.
The Human Kidneys

- are two bean-shaped organs - one on each side of the backbone - each contains from one to two
I THINK NETLABEL IS A THING WITH A FUTURE ... I SURLEY WILL PUBLISH TRACKS ON THIS PLATFORM IN THE FUTURE TOO.
LARS //// FENIN
CM>>> And what software do you use live on the laptop? Lars>>>Ableton is ideal for working live. With Logic or Cubase you cant do live so much. But apart from that, I am looking forward to work with something new. CM>>> How do you manipulate your tracks when you perform live? With a controller? LARS>>> I am planning to manipulate the tracks with the effects from Ableton directly at the computer and I use the mixer with added effects such as delay and reverb. CM>>> By the way, is it an Apple laptop? LARS>>> No its a PC. All my colleagues with Shitkatapult possess Apple, but I didnt want to buy new software. In the studio, I have had a PC for a long time actually I come from the MAC when I started.
CM>>> Will Gorbi perform with you on tour? LARS>>> At my release party on the Marke B label night he will be there, thats when I will introduce him. But up to now the promotion did not yet start yet so far so that the people know that they can book me with a singer live. I have already had two inquiries. But I am planning on it, of course it depends on the set, how it will be booked. CM>>> Another topic. You placed tracks for free in the Internet with the Netlabel Textone? LARS>>> I think Netlabel is a thing with a future, and just through Final Scratch more people will come to use it. I surley will publish tracks on this platform in the future too. With Textone also the quality of the publications is correct, they publish the work of good artists and they also feature a good forum.
CM>>> You moved to Berlin in 1993, has Berlin kept its charm after 12 years? LARS>>> Oh well, I became older too and I am not going out so much anymore, but I think sometimes you see the things in the past a little clarified. It lost a little bit of its atmosphere of departure and everything got a little bit more in the groove. I still live at the Prenzlauer Berg and some things have changed, but that doesnt mean that it is always negative. Some things certainly have became better. There are less art actions and illegal parties now. But still many great things happen here! CM>>> What is the biggest event for you this year, the coming release of the record or are there still bigger events? LARS>>> I will become a father this year that is a very important point in my life. Before that I would like to play as much as I can and l then we will see what will happen ... VISIT HIS WEBSITE ////// www.fenin.net
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SUPERSOUL >>>>> Feel the Message
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SUPER SOUL
Describtion ////
FEEL THE MESSAGE
////Species////
Producer, record label owner
Omar aka Supersoul, we meet February 2005 in a lounge of a four star Hotel in cologne. He and MC Stres were tired from the Tour and we three looked a little bit misplaced in this lounge between businessmen waving their mobilephones to call a waitress ...
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SUPERSOUL
is really close to Jamaica, in a plane its like less than an hour. Its really close so its not that difficult to go back and forth, and Jamaicans usually do to go back and forth from Jamaica to Miami really often. So what happened was that we always got what ever happened in Miami, new movies, new music, new trends, someone would always bring it back to Jamaica shortly after. So it wasnt really hard to kind of keep up with what was happening. So even at that time I was influenced by a lot of same things kids in Miami where influenced by, like breakdance, electro, funk, hip hop all that stuff. You know I am not saying weve got everything. We didnt have the same radio stations. We had a little glimpse of the picture (laughing). CM>>> And MC Stress is also from Miami? OMAR>>> Oh yes, actually he lives like down the street from me less than a mile away. Well, actually we worked together like last June and we did a tour together. The reason that Stress and I first started working was because we were both doing this tour together and then I wanted to work with an MC on this tour. The label that Stress does a lot of music on is called Botanica Hibero. So basically the owner of the label and I were talking and when I told him that I was looking for a good MC he offered me to work with Stress. So we did this tour together in France and when we came back I was happy with the way everything went. So I was like Yeah man I want to do definitely more with him. CM>>> You also recorded a track On 40 Acres and a Moog V 2.0 together with Stress. OMAR>>> Yeah, we recorded that track last year. What I did was that I kinda took the last album I did, which was called 40 Acres and a Moog and then I took that
CM>>> Omar, you were born in Jamaica and your parents left Jamaica when you were nine years old. What was the reason that your parents decided to leave? OMAR>>> The primary reason was, at that time a lot of Jamaicans left Jamaica because just for fear that Jamaica will be occupied by Cuba. What happened was basically Fidel Castro visited Jamaica and then there were these ties between the prime minister at this time and Fidel Castro and then there were always rumours starting all over the island that maybe the prime minister was gonna be influenced by Fidel Castro. And who knows what would happen? So a lot of people started leaving and my parents left a bit after three four years after that. You know, they left in their opinion because they thought it would be better for my sister and I. School and all the opportunities things like that. That was their main intention. CM>>> But they had to start from zero in the States? OMAR>>> Yes, which was actually very difficult for them. It was really hard for them to adjust and to understand the new system and how it worked. You know they started out trying to be independent with their business, but you know, it was really difficult to get adjusted to the American business system and the whole thing. So it took them a while to kind of a get back on the track. CM>>> I heard you when you were a child youve been influenced by records some neighbours brought to Jamaica from their journeys? OMAR>>> Yeah definitely, pretty much even when I was living in Jamaica, like l lived in an area that was a kind of international neighbourhood, a lot of people where from different countries. And my parents also travelled a lot. Ive been to the States a few times as a child. Miami
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OMAR
////LIVES IN///
MIAMI,USA
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I TRY TO ALLOW MYSELF NOT TO RESTRICT MYSELF.

and make it available on an international skill, proper distribution, proper promotion and that whole thing. So what I did was like adding new to the updated tracks. CM>>> You also work pretty much as a engineer and a producer, so what about your feelings about performing on stage? Is it a new or a different experience to you? OMAR>>> Well I mean Ive been doing shows for a long time, but one thing I havent been touring with an MC for a long time so that experience is new for me and the other thing is I never done long major tours overseas together with an MC. Ive been doing live shows for about six years, at least, you know trying to reproduce, recreate the things live, thats kind of difficult. But Ill try to represent my songs in a like a dub show. I use the multi-track of the songs and then in the live situation I mix and edit and use a lot of efx. Thats mainly what I do. CM>>> So when you work with MC Stress in a live situation you both have to react on what the others doing. Or do you have a special way to communicate when you perform a song? OMAR>>> Yeah, you know thats all a part of it. Thats all part of a live situation, a lot of that has to be improvised, even if you practice and trying to have a steady set, you know, but sometimes you dont do everything the same way you plan on doing it. Its just impossible and thats the beauty of live too is that there are gonna be times things dont exactly line up the way they should, sometimes you pull it off and its perfect and sometimes you dont. Yeah of course we have a general idea in our heads what we gonna do but usually theres a lot of room for improvisation and to coverasation (laughing) CM>>> So what kind of gear do you use live? OMAR>>> I use laptop, a G3 Powerbook with 400MHz. Ive used it for a while. Its fine and good enough for me now. Like I told you before I use it like a big tape machine, because I have all this different tracks and then I have this digital mixer to punch things in and out. Its the most like practical way especially when I am travelling, because believe me in the past I tried travelling like with an 8-Track before and a sampler and a laptop and it was a nightmare. It pretty much ended up that my 8-Track was damaged, it was such a hassle. So the laptop is really a lifesaver. Everythings there the mixer, the efx, the tape machine so its like everything in one, so I can do exactly what I want to do. CM>>> Do you use midi controllers or do you work with the mouse? OMAR>>> I work with the mouse, the only thing I use is a mixer like a DJ mixer and I use the EQs a lot. Its a nice part of the whole dub thing - kinda change the tracks as you go, kind of doing different tricks with the EQ. Of course a part of the whole hip hop thing is bringing things in and out at the right time, when it feels right drop the track out. CM>>> Some people call your music underground hip hop. Do you feel comfortable with this label? OMAR>>> If people say underground hip hop, and they heard my music it wouldnt nearly fully describe it, because there are so many other elements that are in
it. Underground hip hop is to me is a lot more limited. I personally would describe it like CM>>> Always the same question ... OMAR>>> Yeah (laughing). The easiest way to describe it, the elements that are influenced it are basically Hip Hop, Dub, Dancehall and Electronic. Those elements .mainly Hip Hop and Dub are the main elements that inspired the things like what I do, so its a combination of those four elements and sometimes there are two elements that come together. Sometimes it is more Hip Hop and Electronic, sometimes its more Hip Hop and Dub or sometimes more Hip Hop and Dancehall. Its all those elements who are always present. I try to allow myself not to restrict myself. I mean even a lot of people are like limited like just in one category like Hip Hop, Dancehall and Electronic, I dont really find any kind of enjoyment doing just one thing, I was influenced by many things. CM>>> I read that youve listened in the nineties a lot to industrial music. How do these two things go together? I mean today you are producing a very warm sounding music and industrial is more cold sounding. OMAR>>> Its a good question. I listened to a lot of things from Skinny Puppy to Meat Beat Manifesto, noise things like Einstrzende Neubauten or John Cage a lot of different people. The thing I liked about industrial music is that it was the only music that was experimenting. People from hip hop or dance music were really afraid to mix things. At that time there was no one else really doing it. It was techno, house music all very separated. So industrial was the only thing that was bringing in elements of like Funk, Soul, sometimes
Hip Hop, thats what I kind of liked about it. CM>>> When I look at some titles of your tracks I asked myself are you a religious person? Are you influenced by Buddhism or something like that? OMAR>>> Oh yeah, definitely. Ive been studying vatic philosophy for the past maybe eight, nine years and you know in the past these Vaters are origins of the different religions from India like Buddhism or Hinduism. So a lot of my inspirations comes from that, the spiritual teachings, but mainly my inspirations are just life in general, is definitely a result Ive learned. But sometimes it trickles over into my music in terms of like song titles, track ideas or the roots of the songs. But you know it depends, sometimes I just transfer my moods into a sound or a track. CM>>> You named your album 40 Acres and a Moog. It seems to me that you also have a passion for synthesizers ? OMAR>>> (laughing) Oh yeah, definitely. I love analogue synthesizers. I mean especially the Moogs in particular, my favourite piece of gear ever is a Memorymoog. I use it a lot, I really like the sound I get. Its very organic but it is also very electronic too. To me it has a certain sound I havent been able to find on any other synthesizer. Obviously the title is inspired by that and other things. CM>>> Do you collect synthesizers ? OMAR>>> Over the years I had many many different synthesizers and vintage keyboards, but I sold most of them. What I do is I get a keyboard and kind to see exactly where the limitations are. I try to get as many
The Human Skin, Part I

- 2 to 3 billion skin cells are shed daily - a cell is born in the lower layer of the skin calle the dernis
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went straight to do music. Mainly I do a combination of things. I have my record label Metatronix. I produce and I also do mastering. So mastering is probably 50 % of my time and income, because I master a lot for labels in Miami. So this kinda helps to keep the money coming in. synthesizer so much that you cant really get anything new out of it anymore and you want to move on to something else and you get rid off it. There are just a few keyboards and synthesizers I keep right now, the one with the sounds I like or are unique like the Memory Moog, Korg MS10 I dont like to collect synthesizers. Many people collect synthesizers and never use them. CM>>> People who collect things scare me. OMAR>>> Yeah exactly, me personally I am quicker to throw things away than to keep it, because to me its that I dont like to give myself to many options, because the more things I have the harder it is for me to make up my mind. I mean that not just for music I mean in life too. CM>>> What about your studio setup? OMAR>>> I still do a lot of things analogue. I still use a Soundcraft Ghost recording console and I have an AKAI S3200XL sampler, I also have an original Waldorf Microwave the analogue one. I still have that one too and will keep it (laughing). I have a few outboard effects and compressors but nothing special. My G3 laptop with Logic on it, but I also still mix and record a lot analogue. CM>>> You work also as engineer and producer for other artists. Have you learned or studied music production? OMAR>>> No, what happened was when I started to release my tracks, I wasnt happy with the way my tracks sounded. So I went home and started practicing. I tried to learn mastering because I wanted to control the way my records sounded that was my main intention to learn it. Yeah, I taught it myself pretty much through practicing, practicing, practicing and I trained my ears. CM>>> Do you live from music and producing? OMAR>>> Ever since I graduated from high school I CM>>> Do you have relatives in Jamaica? OMAR>>> Oh yeah, definitely a lot of family is moving back to Jamaica. Two close cousins live there. Actually one my cousins recorded on a few of the tracks of the album. He is on track 45. CM>>> Am I right 45 is a track about Jamaica. OMAR>>> The song is about the situation in Jamaica. Right now Jamaica is in a really bad economical and political situation. Theres a lot of crime and violence in the cities. That song 45 is talking about the police brutality. My cousin talks about cops getting into the ghettos. You know the crime rate raised dramatically so the cops assumed a position of judge and jury. They execute people just on suspicion not on proof. The rich and the upper class in Jamaica put so much pressure on the police department, they just feel like its easier to get rid of potentially problematic people. Even if theyre suspicious they have been known to be criminals in the past they actually feel that its easier just to kill them than to examine and send them to jail. So they just want to get rid of problems so that song is about police brutality. In particular it was inspired by a big massacre that happened in Jamaica just where these police officers went into a house where the residents, these young men, where suspected killing another man. So the police officers went into the house and all the residents around in that area heard and saw what happened. The police went into the house and killed everyone. The police published one story which was completely different. This was a big thing and really shocking. CM>>> In which year was it? OMAR>>> About three years ago. CM>>> I ask myself two questions: why do people from the rich countries always prefer a vacation in poor countries and when they come back youll never hear a story about problems. Maybe they sit two weeks in their resorts. (Omar is laughing). And when I think about
THE POOR PEOPLE LIVE IN KINGSTON. JUST PROMOTE THE PRETTY IMAGES OF JAMAICA, THATS BUSINESS.
that story you told me before, the strange thing is in TV you always see the people from Jamaica smile! OMAR>>> (laughing) Believe it thats all a part of the government strategy. What they do is they want to keep this image of Jamaica, a beautiful place with no problems. Its like, I hate to say it, its like just come leave your money and go!. Because there are so many money problems, big problems, they dont really care about the problems as long they keep it in the ghettos. The problems are just problems when they come out of the ghettos up on the hills where the rich people and the politicians live. But as long they stay in the ghettos killing each other, it is fine. CM>>> Just keep the problems in the ghettos? OMAR>>> Exactly. Keep it in the area. The resorts are in a whole other area. There are no resorts in Kingston. The poor people live in Kingston. Just promote the pretty images of Jamaica, thats business. CM>>> Its perverts that come to the poorer countries here everything is cheap - beer, eating, girls, whatever! OMAR>>> Yeah, (laughing) but Jamaica is really bad now because its not even so cheap anymore because of its economic situation, because the dependency on these loans from the world. Everything is imported now, so the whole country is living off imported products. Its more expensive than in the states. Its really disturbing, a lot of big problems with the country now. CM>>> So one more time back to the albums title, whats the whole meaning behind 40 Acres and a Moog? yyOMAR>>> Basically it means a lot of different things to me, but the original where it came from is 40 Acres and a mule. This is what every slave was supposed to be given as reparations for slavery, which never really happened of course. I always thought to myself if I would receive reparations for slavery thats just a fuck, you know what I mean? But even on a much deeper level, it describes a lot of things, like also like me as someone of the African dissenter living in America making this electronic music. CM>>> On 40 Acres ... is one track called Soundclash Champions. What about the effect on the girls voice? Sounds like some Antares effect. OMAR>>> (laughing) A lot of people picked up on that, but honestly when I was in the studio I didnt realised it (laughing). Oh no, I realised it, I was adding the pitch correct effect but when you use it to much it really becomes hard, like in this Cher song, you know, very unnatural. So when I used this effect on that voice it sounded correct to me, but when the album came out a lot of people asked me about the effect (laughing). Its kind of strange. CM>>> At the moment you are working on a remix album? OMAR>>> Yes its a big remix project, featuring some dancehall artists like Anthonny B. We basically have vocals from three dancehall artists and weve chosen like quite a few different producers to do remixes of these tracks. The intention was kind of take this straight dancehall lyrics and remix them in really stretched possibilities, different styles, different flavours, I just want to experiment with the possibilities of dancehall with different producers. Its a big Metatronix project. CM>>> Also plans for a new Supersoul album? OMAR>>> We are working on a new one now. It will be definitely out until the end of the year for sure. But its still a lot of work to do (laughing).
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NU:TONE >>>>> Brave Nu Drum N Bass
Name ////
NU:TONE
Describtion ////
BRAVE NU DRUM N BASS

////Species////
DJs
////Located In////
CAMBRIDGE, UK
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NU:TONE
inch, with a little bit of luck. CM>>>One of the tracks on your forthcoming album Countdown is done together with Logistics your younger brother. But thats not the first time youve worked together? DAN>>> Thats right weve released a few tracks under the name NuLogistics its a word game. CM>>> Is it easier for you to produce with your brother or is it different than working with other persons? DAN>>> Its different. We both work very different ways and thats always very interesting so the combination is very different and its always big fun. CM>>>I heard the rumour that your younger brother Matt is also the reason that you got in touch with Drum N Bass? DAN>>>Yes thats right. He was really into it while I was in the States and when I came back, he played me some stuff and that was it, really. CM>>>In which year was it? DAN>>> It was in 1995 ten years ago. CM>>>What about your own label BrandNu? DAN>>> Ive released a new single with two German artists Cyncopics and Young Ax and thats out a few weeks a go. The next release is planned in a few weeks, it looks good. I try to keep it busy. CM>>> Young Ax from Santorin? DAN>>> Yeah. He released there a lot of his work. CM>>>You have a degree in music and worked as a teacher, still have time for this work? DAN>>> Yes I taught music technology for four years but I gave it up one month before I got signed to Hospital in 2003. CM>>> When you were a schoolboy you were a member of the college choir. Was it your free decision or was it the will of your parents to join that choir? DAN>>> I think what happened was my parents had some friends with a son who was a little bit older than me and he was singing in the choir already and so I also joined this choir.
CM>>>Was joining the choir the first time you got in touch with music? DAN>>> I had been playing the piano for three years or so at that point. But singing in the choir was the first professional time in my music career, because we signed a lot of services so it is a lot of work under a high pressure. CM>>> Ever added your own vocals to some tracks youve made? DAN>>> Well, Breathless has some vocals of mine on, but you have to listen very carefully to hear me. CM>>> On your press shots and on the cover off your forthcoming album, you look like a spaceman walking through a normal English town. Whats behind it? DAN>>> Its just kind of ... I guess making fun of the contradiction of a Drum N Bass producer living in Cambridge. Its very peaceful and beautiful and here I am making noisy 25th century music. CM>>> One more time back to your childhood, were your parents also musicians?
I love Hospital records. They always brings you a very warm and soulful sound. In January Hospital offered a phoner with multitalented Dan alias Nu:Tone. So I called him three weeks later on his mobile phone, while he was in a pub celebrating his brothers birthday! Many thanks for cuting off the party for twenty minutes.
CM>>>Youve done several releases and remixes but now you are going to release your first complete album on Hospital records. So its like a debut album. Are you excited about it? DAN>>> Yes very much. Ive worked on this for a very long time and I am really happy that it is finished yet. Now its matched to be out. (laughing) CM>>> How long have you worked on this album? DAN>>>Well, I guess, all-in-all, a year and a half. But really kind of working on it concentrated probably three months the last year. CM>>>And do you have a favourite track on that album you would like to recommend? DAN>>> (laughing) Probably, Spread Love. One of the first one things I have finished for the album, but I think it still sounds fresh hopefully! CM>>> There are many tracks with vocals on it, and you worked together with singers like Natalie Williams and Rose Windross (Soul II Soul). How did it come to collaborations with these great singers? DAN>>> Hospital records helped me a lot. They have a lot of weight in the music industry. Not only in Drum N Bass all sorts of music so they made these connections and then luckily some good music came out of it. CM>>> How did you get signed to Hospital? DAN>>> I put out quite a few releases on other labels before that and they heard some of them, but eventually it was when I sent them a demo CD and also sent High Contrast a different demo CD as well. So he took it to Hospital and they listened to it and then they listened to the CD I send them to. So they invited me to meet them. CM>>Hospital has a very unique sound. I describe it like Soul and Jazz meets Drum N Bass a very soulful mixture. Do you think you matched your music into that scheme A reason that they signed you? DAN>>> Hmm, I think so. But they have a specific soul sound but they also got people like Cyantific or Logistics and all have a different music account there. Its got an extra not just one sound. But I agree with you they have a very unique and warm sound ... CM>>>Youve always been interested in Jazz? DAN>>> Yeah, I was djing a lot of soul, funk and jazz. CM>>>And you also played in a piano jazz trio? DAN>>>Yes thats right the Don Schwartz Trio CM>>> Are you still playing with them? DAN>>> No we havent played for a while actually, but we still exist and I hope we will record some day a seven
////lives in////
Cambridge, England
42 23 north latitude 71 west longitude from London shire town, in the county of Middlesex
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I GOT ENGAGED NEARLY A YEAR AGO NOW AND I AM GETTING MARRIED THIS SUMMER SO MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE OCCUPIES MY SPARE TIME.
lot music I guess creative, not specifically a musician family. CM>>>Who was the music hero of your youth? Dan>>> Definitely Quincy Jones. CM>>> I know that one of your big Drum N Bass heroes is Fabio, but can you name me some people you dream of to work with? DAN>>>Id love to do something with Jazzanova - definitely. They are incredible. CM>>>How do you present your album live? DAN>>>I am touring at the moment through UK and Europe as a DJ the next two months. CM>>>Do you use vinyl? DAN>> Yeah, just vinyl and dub-plates. I spent a lot of money cutting dub-plates and I used to play with CD until not very long ago but then I switched back and I am much happier feels better, looks better sounds better. I think a lot of people have a problem when they pay you hundreds of pounds to play in their club and you come up with a small bag of CDs and pressing a few buttons. Its not very interesting. It doesnt feel right to play CDs. CM>>> And which gear do you use in the studio? DAN>>> Ive done everything with the computer. I dont use any hardware apart from two speakers. I use a combination of Reason and Cubase SX. A lot of people say Reason is a toy, but when you know what you are doing a lot can be done with it. CM>>>Besides touring, producing and running a own label what do you do in your spare time? DAN>>> I got engaged nearly a year ago now and I am getting married this summer so my beautiful wife occupies my spare time. CM>>>Thats the best way to spend time? DAN>>> Yeah, you know that CM>>>So am I right next year youll be thirty? DAN>>>Yes next year I will be thirty. CM>>>Do you think things will change with thirty? DAN>>> No everythings changing already. I am worrying to feel older than I was. But to be serious age is just a number it doesnt bother me.
The Human Skin

- the bodys largest organ - each square centimeter has 6 million cells, 5000 sensory points, 100 sweat glands
VISIT HIS WEBSITE //////// www.hospitalrecords.com
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PRINCIPLES OF GEOMETRY>>>> Electronic Mathematics
Name ////
PRINCIPLES OF GEOMETRY
Describtion ////
ELECTRONIC MATHEMATICS
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PRINCIPLES OF GEOMETRY>>>> Electronic Mathematics
Our influences? Elp and most of Def juxs crew / Anticon / Chocolate Industries / Egyptian Lover / BOC / Christ / Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkind / John Carpenter / Kancheli / Cluster / Purple Confusion / Mils / Kopernik / Sebastein Tellier / Aphex Twin /
Emailinterviews! Easy to edit but always the fear of writing down boring questions. Giliaume and Jeremy helped me to get rid off this fear. And they make wonderful music!
CM>>> The first thing I noticed is that you call yourself Principles of Geometry. Geometry and mathematics are not really considered emotional topics. However, your music is very soft and soulful, an antithesis. Whats the reason for choosing this name? Are you fascinated by geometry? POG>> The mathematical and geometrical way of looking at music is important to us. Geometry can be emotionnal as the beauty of geometrical shapes, to resume you could imagine being in a classroom in 82 studying at your desk while looking out to the sun. For us doing music is a study process and we try to reach the sun. CM>>> Whats the history of Principles of Geometry so far? When did you start this project? Did you know each other before? POG>> We didnt really know each other before starting this project, we got to know each other doing it. We started to mess around with sounds to release the creative energy we felt we couldnt release in our daily lives. CM>>> What gear did you use to produce the album? It sounds (I mean that in a positive way) very retro? POG>> Its hard to explain why it sounds the way it does, thats just how we hear it and it unfolds that way naturally as we compose it. We sometimes borrowed instruments we werent very familar with, that discovery process enabled us to be very open on our creative choices. We believe there can be the sound that will wrap up the song in any type of gear, movie or any where.. CM>>> I also took notice that the opener is called Arp Center. Whats the story behind it? POG>> Can be your favorite summer resort near the rocky mountains, or a place hidden in the forest. CM>>> Any special stories connected to the titles? POG>> Yes, there is a story behind each title, it resumes our cinematic vision of each track. And such visions are very personal to us. CM>>> Just one more time back to the retro thing, your favourite piece of gear is ? POG>> Our Ears. CM>>> What about your musical influences? I have also remarked some Hip Hop influences in the rhythm, am I right? POG>> Yes you are! Our influences? Elp and most of Def juxs crew / Anticon / Chocolate Industries / Egyptian Lover / BOC / Christ / Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkind / John Carpenter / Kancheli / Cluster / Purple Confusion / Mils / Kopernik / Sebastein Tellier / Aphex Twin / Bola and more ... But its always very difficult for us to sum up our influences as they still evolve. CM>>> How and when did you get interested in electronic music? POG>> Our taste for electronic music mainly comes from the movies we liked during our childhood, as the music in them was the representation of a rather ideal
Name ////
POG
Concerning Art, Lille was last year the european capital of culture, it wasnt perfect, but it did sort of awaken the creative spirit of the city. Owing to that numerous spots have opened and they carry on spraying a dynamic that was a little in lethargy lately, lets hope it goes on. CM>>> May I ask you what you do for a living? Are both of you fulltime musicians? POG>>> Our jobs are not interesting enough to be discussed, we think. You might get bored very quickly. CM>>> You live in Lille, which is as far as Im concerned not the French capital of music, so I wondered how you got signed by Tigersushi. When and how did you become acquainted with the label? POG>>> After having done a few tracks, we sent a demo tape to a few of labels including Tigersushi, we didnt have the desire of releasing of album at the time, we just wanted to know what professionals thought the music we did. We didnt know what to think of it, part from the fact that we enjoyed it. Tigersuhi has contact us and it was the only label that we felt interested in creatively and that give us the opportunity to put in concrete forms the ideas we have in mind. And we just love Charles and Joakims moustaches. CM>>> It is very easy to listen to your album. You can actually listen attentively and find new aspects every time you do that. On the other hand it is also perfect background music, e.g. you can think about interview questions while listening. So I try to say it in a correct way: You avoided to be too cerebral (which means music being art), but made your music open to everyone. Did you think about that aspect when writing your songs or is your music just the way you feel? POG>>> We dont really have a set artistic direction for our songs. What we try before all is to generate emotions (which is to us the definition of music) and pictures. We feel whats essential, is that our tracks sound right, at least to us. CM>>> In May you will also visit Germany for three or four dates. Ever been in Germany before?
and futuristic vision. These were the first emotions we liked before all. Then growing up weve always been in search of such emotions but we havent always been listening exclusively to electronic music. CM>>> Do these influences find their way into your music? POG>> Now that you know about our influences you tell us, what do you think? CM>>> In the press information I read Boards of Canada. Hm, I disagree, because your rhythm structure and the sounds are completely different, but maybe some people compare the musical categories. (But that is only my opinion.) How do you feel about being compared with B.O.C? POG>> Its a quick shortcut. It enables most people to locate us in a musical scene quickly. We guess its part of the game. To some people that kind of shortcut is a reliable mean to define our musical category. Its pretty lazy, its true, even more knowing that in melodic electronic the comparison with BoC is often made, its a practical icon. The problem now days is that we compare BoC with everything. We hope that our album will be taken a different way and not as the work of the french version of Hexagon Sun. Its not the case anyway ... but we do appreciate their music very much. CM>>> What about the art/music scene in Lille? Do the people give a lot of attention to electronic music there? POG>> There are things moving in Lille but we dont actually get out much, we prefer listening to music at home and try and make some. Do the people give a lot of attention to the electronic music here? Yes maybe ... We hope not to be the only ones.But we have to admit that Lille doesnt overflow with electronic artists, its obvious.
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////live in////
Lille, France
* founded in ca. 1030 * Population: 189 000 * large university
peculiar vision of Germany, artistic and clinical, set and in order like a creation of Walter Gropius or a building from Mies Van Der Rohe. Its a very personal vision, a subjective imaginary, but we like it. Its the first time we go there to play sets, well see. CM>>> How do you perform live? Which gear do you use on stage? Do you play melodies live and how do you manipulate sounds? POG>>> The next performances well be doing in Germany are sets, we are now preparing everything for when we will be playing our music live, to make it as enjoyable as possible. Well most probably be playing melodies live and well try to translate the best we can our songs in that difficult task. Well give you more information when well have covered all the little details. wed also like to add movies and pictures to our performance and that too requires a great deal of precision ... and work! CM>>> I read that at the moment youre working on some sound productions for movies and on a sound and visual installation. What kind of movies ? And when and where will the Installation be shown? POG>> We prefer not to go too much in that subject,
knowing its still in the state of project. The idea will be to work on films we particularly like and to give them a new musical translation. CM>>> What about the artwork of your album, your definition of a perfect day? POG>> Its a picture by Justine Kurland, shes done her photography course in Yale which is a school we appreciate a lot. They have an approach to light and staging that we feel is very interesting, emotional and cinematic. That picture finds its way in our visual imaginary, the pictures we have in mind while composing are quite often in that spirit. CM>>> The press info also paid a lot of attention to your beards. A trademark? Or problems with the razor? POG>> We are Moustache People. Using Moustache Language. But were fond of our hair too. VISIT THEIR WEBSITE ///// www.tigersushi.com
STYLE ///// ELECTRIONICA SPECIES //// MUSICIANS
WE ARE MOUSTACHE PEOPLE. USING MOUSTACHE LANGUAGE. BUT WERE FOND OF OUR HAIR TOO.
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GOODBYE
Thanks for reading Cuemix Nr 03 ELECTRIC ANIMALS
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ELECTRIC ANIMALS

ELECTRIC ANIMALS >>>>> Index

MRZ //// M-SEVEN PAGE 68-75

SCORN //// MICK HARRIS PAGE 50-57 NU:TONE PAGE 90-95

IMPRESSUM PAGE 105

ONGAKU PAGE 21-32

DYNAMIX II PAGE 8-15 MARTIN LANDSKY PAGE 16-21

FOREWORD PAGE 4-5

SUPERSOUL PAGE 81-89

SIMON V PAGE 58-67 ONGAKU PAGE 21-32 ARTRIDGE PAGE 42-49

NAME ///// ELECTRO SAPIENS

DYNAMIX II >>>>> This is the Sound of the Underground

DYNAMIX II >>>>> This is the Sound of the Underground

DYNAMIX II >>>>> This is the Sound of the Underground

DYNAMIX II >>>>> This is the Sound of the Underground

VISIT THEIR WEBSITE ////// www.dynamixII.com

MARTIN LANDSKY >>>>> Truth

MARTIN LANDSKY >>>>> Truth

NAME MARTIN LANDSKY STYLE: HOUSE//TECHNO

MARTIN LANDSKY >>>>> Truth

ONGAKU >>>>> One Name. Three Labels

ONGAKU >>>>> One Name. Three Labels

ONGAKU >>>>> One Name. Three Labels

ONGAKU >>>>> One Name. Three Labels

////The human body////

The technique of Taste

ONGAKU >>>>> One Name. Three Labels

The World of Vitamines

ONGAKU >>>>> One Name. Three Labels

SURE, DEFINITELY WE ARE CONVINCED OF OUR LABEL.

GABRIEL ANANDA >>>>> Farewells

GABRIEL ANANDA >>>>> Farewells

GABRIEL ANANDA >>>>> Farewells

Artridge >>>>> Three Chords and more

Artridge >>>>> Three Chords and more

////The human body////

The human Nose

Artridge >>>>> Three Chords and more

Artridge >>>>> Three Chords and more

LINK TO THEIR WEBSITE //// www.artridge.org

SCORN / MICK HARRIS >>>>> Deep water

SCORN//// MICK HARRIS

SCORN / MICK HARRIS >>>>> Deep water

SCORN / MICK HARRIS >>>>> Deep water

////The barbel live in////

The Rhine, Germany

SCORN / MICK HARRIS >>>>> Deep water

I AM NOT A DARK MINDED PERSON. IVE GOT A DARK HUMOUR.

SIMON V >>>>> Because he can

SIMON V >>>>> Because he can

////The human body////

SIMON V >>>>> Because he can

SIMON V >>>>> Because he can

////The Human Body////

The Human Loung

SIMON V >>>>> Because he can

MRZ / M-SEVEN>>>>> Painting Music

MRZ / M-SEVEN>>>>> Painting Music

MRZ / M-SEVEN>>>>> Painting Music

////The Human Body////

The Human Brain, Part II

MRZ / M-SEVEN>>>>> Painting Music

////The Human Body////