CUEMIX

MAGAZINE

DEAD OR ALIVE
DEAD OR ALIVE yOu kNOw thIs pAthEtIc sAyING fROM thE GLORy DAys whEN MEN wERE wEARING cOwbOy bOOts AND shINy GuNs. NOwADAys sOME bLINDED pREsIDENts whO thOuGht thAt A pOLItIc cRIsIs cOuLD bE sOLVED LIkE MEN DID It IN thE wILD wEst AND usED thIs phRAsE As A sLOGAN fOR thEIR GORy GOALs. but thERE ARE ALsO pEOpLE ON thIs wORLD whO usE DEAD OR ALIVE tO DEscRIbE thEIR wILLINGNEss tO spREAD jOy AMONGst pEOpLE. pEOpLE whO LIVE thEIR MusIc wIth EAch pORE AND bREAthE thEy tAkE. thEsE spEcIAL pERsONs ARE thE ONE thAt wE chAsED thIs tIME tO GEt thEIR stORIEs.

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gum Tristano ECHOPLEX The Mole TWILA TOO BALDELLI OWENS RADIOACTIVE MAN
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INHALT

HERE WE AR E NOW. ENTERTAIN US.

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uNItING MusIc
DEN tItEL DEINEs NEuEN ALbuMs uNItING MusIc kANN MAN IN ZwEIERLEI LEsARtEN VERstEhEN, MusIk, DIE VERbINDEt AbER Auch MusIk, DIE MItEINANDER VERbuNDEN Ist. wAs Ist DEINE IDEE hINtER DEM tItEL?

Mit Deiner frage hast Du die Antwort teilweise schon vorweggenommen. Diese Doppeldeutigkeit ist beabsichtigt und der titel soll unter anderem diese beiden Aspekte beinhalten. Da ich auerdem tagtglich als sowohl als Dj wie auch als produzent Musik verbinde stand irgendwann fest, dass der titel einfach so sein muss.

wieso auf die Vocal-Aufnahme warten musste. so habe ich immer wieder den ntigen Abstand zu den songs bekommen, um dann mit frischen Ohren an ihnen weiter zu produzieren. prinzipiell liebe ich aber die Abwechslung und somit finde ich es auch nicht allzu schwer an zwei unterschiedlichen stcken kurz hintereinander zu arbeiten. Man ist ja auch nicht jeden tag in der selben stimmung und somit knnen an zwei aufeinanderfolgenden taFr die elf Titel des Albums hast du zehn verschiedenen Gste ein- gen auch zwei vllig unterschiedliche songs entstehen. geladen, so dass jedes Stck durch Vocals bzw. das Fltenspiel von Oliver eine ganz eigene Note bekommen hat. Man hat den Eindruck Woher kennst du all diese wunderbaren Snger und Musiker, die dass hier ein groes Fest mit vielen Freunden aufgenommen wurde, auf deinem Album mitgearbeitet haben. Sind das alles Menschen, ist dies auch ein Teil deines Konzepts hinter Uniting Music gewe- die von deiner Arbeit als DJ und Produzent kennst und quasi fr sen, mglichst viele Musiker mit den Tracks zu verbinden? das Album gebucht hast oder sind auch Freunde darunter zu finEs ging mir nicht darum mit mglichst vielen zu beeindrucken, den, die du schon ewig als Musiker kennst? aber ich stehe darauf wenn ein Gast-knstler den playbacks seine teilweise sind die snger und Musiker wunschkandidaten mit deeigene frbung verleiht. Natrlich htte ich das Album auch mit nen ich schon lnger zusammenarbeiten wollte und die ich fr einem/einer snger(in) produzieren knnen, dann wre es aber und wegen dem Album angefragt habe. Zum Glck waren alle hchstwahrscheinlich nicht so facettenreich geworden. recht schnell von den playbacks berzeugt und hatten Lust auf das projekt. Mit anderen wie bspw. Inaya Day arbeite ich schon Trotz des Facettenreichtums des Albums der sich aus der Art der lnger und uns verbindet inzwischen eine freundschaft. Tracks sowie den vielen Gsten ergibt erkennt man unverwechselbar deine Handschrift, sehr deepe Housemusik mit viel Seele. Ich Hast du alle Lyrics geschrieben oder haben die Snger auch eigene habe mich bei diesem unglaublich abwechslungsreichen Album texte geschrieben, nachdem du Ihnen die Musik vorgestellt hast? ernsthaft gefragt wie lange du an den Tracks gearbeitet hast bzw. Die texte habe ich komplett den sngern berlassen, da ich denSie erst einmal geschrieben hast? Ich meine es muss doch unheim- ke, dass jeder seine stimmung und Gefhle mit eigenen worten lich schwer sein nach dem man zum Beispiel Warrior geschrieben am besten ausdrcken kann. teilweise hat crisp, mit dem ich alle hat ein Stck wie If No Harm zu schreiben, ohne dass man in das playbacks geschrieben habe, oder ich die Gesangsmelodie vorgeSchema des ersten Tracks zurckfllt... geben. Oft habe ich aber auch diese den sngern berlassen, da Ich habe ber 2 jahre an dem Album gearbeitet und immer wieder Melodie, text und phrasierung ja hand in hand gehen. strukturen und beats verndert bis alles so schn ineinandergegriffen hat. Allerdings habe ich zwischendurch auch andere pro- Und die Blsersektion ist auch echt, keine Samples? duktionen oder Remixe gemacht, also nicht durchgehend nur am Ich stehe nicht auf samples. Natrlich kann man auch mit ihnen Album gesessen. Zwischendurch schlummerten die tracks dann kreativ arbeiten, aber mich strt dabei immer der Gedanke, dass auch mal lnger auf der festplatte vor sich hin, da ich bspw. so- jeder andere das gleiche sample benutzen kann und somit ein

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hnliches Ergebnis erzielen knnte. Deshalb benutze ich auch keine beat- oder percussion-Loops. Auerdem ist schwierig oder unmglich passende samples fr ein stck zu finden, dass ansonsten harmonisch schon steht. War das fr dich eine besondere Herausforderung mit einer echten Brasssektion im Studio zu arbeiten? Es war nicht das erste Mal, dass ich blser aufgenommen habe, aber dank phil kullmann von Raw Artistic soul hatte ich die Mglichkeit mit den Musikern aufzunehmen, die auch schon auf seine produktionen fr GOGO Music gespielt haben und die wohl zu den besten blsern in Deutschland gezhlt werden knnen. Es ist ein riesiger spa mit solchen talenten zu arbeiten. mein Labellogo entworfen hat. Ich habe Ihr die Idee zum Album erklrt und Ihr die Musik gegeben. Dann bekam ich von ihr einige Entwrfe. Grundlegend war das jetzige cover bei Ihren ersten Vorschlgen schon dabei und musste nur noch ein bisschen ausgefeilt werden. Wenn ich das richtig interpretiere knnte der Baum ber dem Wasser auch als Symbol zu verstanden werden: Brcken bauen oder spinne ich mir da gerade etwas zusammen? Nein, nein. Es soll alles seinen sinn ergeben, aber eben auch freiraum fr Interpretation bieten. Du bist schon seit 1990 als DJ aktiv. Was kam bei dir zu erst der DJ Ralf Gum oder der Musiker? Oder lief beides Hand in Hand? Hast du schon als Kind Musik gemacht? Als kind habe ich mich kaum nher mit Musik beschftigt. Als jugendlicher habe ich begonnen mich mehr und mehr dafr zu interessieren und angefangen, platten zu sammeln. schnell hat sich dabei herauskristallisiert, dass mir vieles aus dem Mainstreampopbereich zu flach ist und alles was soul, jazz und funk hat mein Ding ist. schlielich kam das Auflegen dazu und recht schnell danach auch das produzieren.

Die Tracks von Uniting Music sind in einen Mix zusammen gefasst, konntest du als DJ einfach nicht anders oder ist auch dass unter dem Konzept t von Uniting Music zu verstehen, sprich auch hier die Musik zu verbinden? Ich habe die tracks nicht nachtrglich zusammengemischt, sondern von Anfang an haben crisp und ich eine durchgngige komposition erstellt. Viele der harmonischen strukturen sind praktisch zu einem click entstanden und erst nachtrglich habe ich verschiedene beats zu den einzelnen stcken programmiert oder gespielt. Diese greifen allerdings auch immer irgendwie in- All This Love For You der letzte Track auf dem Album ist eine einander und es gibt Elemente die sich auch mal durch 3 tracks wunderbare Liebeserklrung an die Housemuisk. Fr dich ein beziehen. sonderes Anliegen deine Liebe zu dieser Musik in einem Track zu manifestieren? Das Artwork von Uniting Music lsst mit seinen milden Farben Auch hier kam der text nicht von mir. Diamond hat mir den Vorschlag schon auf die warme Atmosphre des Albums schlieen und ldt ein, prsentiert und ich war natrlich glcklich damit, da sich in meinem das Album direkt anzuhren. Wer hatte die Idee zu diesem Artwork? Leben schon das meiste um house dreht. somit war es der perfekte Das Albumdesign hat die hervorragende Grafikerin Annika kal- Abschluss fr das Album, auch wenn es eher 20 years anniversary tenthaler (www.Annikakaltenthaler.de) erstellt, die auch schon heien msste, wenn es im text um mich gehen wrde(lacht)

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Wirst du das Album als DJ Set prsentieren oder gibt es auch Plne live mit den Gastmusikern zu spielen? Wobei ich knnte mir vorstellen, dass du nicht alle unter eine Hut kriegen wrdest. Das ist leider wirklich nicht mglich, da alleine schon die snger rund um den Globus verstreut sind und sich kaum ein club leisten knnte alle einzufliegen. Auerdem bin ich auch kein begnadeter Live-Musiker. Ich bin eher ein talent im studio und kann hier keys oder percussion einspielen, aber auf einer bhne mit den topMusikern wrde ich mir dann doch fehl am platz vorkommen. Auf meiner Album-Releasetour gibt es somit Dj-sets, die natrlich auch tracks aus dem Album enthalten. teilweise spielt bei den Gigs steffen Meder schlagzeug zum Dj-set. Mit Ihm bilde ich suGAR bEAt. unter suGAR bEAt produzieren wir broken beats mit seinen Live-Drums.

eher de und ich finde, dass man die tracks dann in form eines Dj-Mixes zusammenmischen muss. Deshalb habe ich die singles von GOGO lieber auf compilations prsentiert und diese gemixt. Lange habe ich auf die gute Idee gewartet dieses problem zu umgehen, bis schlielich klar war, dass es mein Album eine durchgngige komposition sein msste. Auerdem hatte ich whrend der Aufbaus von GOGO Music einfach nicht die Zeit, ein ganzes Album zu produzieren.

Wrzburg ist nicht Berlin logisch, die letzten Jahre sind sehr viele DJs und Musiker nach Berlin gegangen. Zieht es dich gar nicht in die Hauptstadt? berlin ist nicht meine stadt. Ich finde es schn fr eine Nacht dort zu sein und einen Gig zu spielen, da es eine gute club-szene gibt. Ansonsten zieht es mich nicht dahin, auch wenn eine grere Das Album erscheint auf deinem eigenen Label GOGO Music, zum stadt natrlich den Vorteil bietet, dass es ein groes Angebot an einem bestimmt ein Vorteil, die Dinge selbst in der Hand zu haben, guten Musikern gibt. aber bestimmt auch vielmehr Arbeit, da ja so eine Art Doppelbelastung fr dich entsteht? Fhlst du dich mit Wrzburg, Pardon Gntersleben besonders versicherlich ist das Label eine Menge Arbeit. Nicht nur bei den ei- bunden? Liebst du das eher lndliche Leben und die Ruhe dort um genen Verffentlichungen. In dem schrumpfenden Musikmarkt, abzuschalten? der trotzdem mit Releases berschwemmt ist, ist jede platte mit Ich bin kein Lokalpatriot, aber finde es schon von Vorteil, wenn viel Zeit im bro verbunden. Aber alle GOGO Labelknstler kn- mich wenig vom Essentiellen ablenkt. Auerdem gibt es hier mit nen sich bei jeder ihrer Verffentlichung sicher sein, dass sie mein dem Airport einen super club und somit ist wrzburg eine gute 100%t Engagement bekommen, genau wie ich fr die eigenen sa- wahl, auch wenn mir oft ein flughafen fehlt. chen mein Mglichstes zu tun. wenn ich die frchte der Arbeit sehe ist die belastung allerdings schnell vergessen. Es gibt nicht Was brauchst du fr einen perfekten Tag in deinem Leben? schneres als das eigene baby wachsen zu sehen. Entweder die Ruhe ungestrt im studio Musik zu machen oder die Ruhe mit meiner frau Zeit zu verbringen. Aber so etwas wie etwas Nervositt macht sich jetzt kurz vor dem Release schon breit, oder? bei einer eigenen Verffentlichung noch mehr wie bei jeder anderen, da man das Endprodukt nach einem langen produktionsprozess selbst kaum noch objektiv beurteilen kann. Die ersten feed- RALf GuM backs haben mich allerdings schon wieder beruhigt. Du bist schon seit 1993 als Produzent ttig, jedoch ist Uniting Music dein erster Longplayer, warum hast du so lange gewartet ein komplettes Album zu produzieren? Ich bin der Meinung, dass viele Alben im housebereich schnell Gefahr laufen zu langweilen, selbst wenn sie tolle einzelne tracks beinhalten. Ellenlange beatintros und -outros sind beim hren www.ralfgum.com www.gogo-music.net

photos copyright Ralf Gums website Interview Michael Mck All rights reserved cuemix-Magazine

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ECHO P LEX
cuEMIX-MAGAZINE 08

from poland with love.

photos copyright Echoplexs website Interview Michael Mck All rights reserved cuemix-Magazine

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whAt INspIREs yOu?

LIfE ItsELf, tRAVEL, pLAyING Out, MEEtING pEOpLE, LIstENING tO MusIc fROM ALL OVER thE wORLD, EXchANGING thOuGhts AND IDEAs, sIttING up IN thE ROOM READING bOOks wIth My OwN kIDs OR INtRODucING My sONs tO A MusIc wORLD.

Peter the first thing I remarked when I read your biography was that the first vinyl record you owned was Switched On Bach and films like 2001 A Space Odyssey influenced you in your childhood. So as a child of which career have dreamed of as a musician or as a spacemen? A bit of both however becoming a musician was more reachable so I turned my focus to that. As a child, I loved space films like kubricks 2001, tron, 2010 the year we make contact, Destination Moon, the Last starfighter, V-the miniseries, hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, the cat from outer space, Airplane II the sequel, the Martian chronicles, starman, silent Running, star wars, barbarella - the queen of the galaxy, blue planet, star trek, (especially the directors cut 1979) not only from the point of view of a great motion pictures but also music and sound effects. I started to read a about the music that was created for such films and I have found that those weird noises I was hearing came from a thing called synthesizer. Generally speaking, I feel strong resemblance when comparing spaceman to musician there are both not techno phobic and come from a different planet.

It was difficult to get a passport, visit countries outside of the communist block or bring in goods hence it was hard to bring music into poland. My father while on business trips brought records mostly from the former yugoslavia, turkey, Greece, Italy and Germany. he smuggled records in as the customs didnt allow any imported goods to be brought over. I still listen to those albums and play them out on certain occasions. they bring memories and now serve as a source of inspiration to my own kids. Later on you visited the Chopin School in Warsaw to learn to play drums and singing in choir. Was it your desire to visit that school or did your parents forced you to visit this school? I enrolled in classes of Drums, piano,Vocal and later was drafted out of 2000 kids nationwide to join Gregorian church choir. parents have observed an appreciation and love for music developing in me so they have directed me to the magic world of music. they showed me the stones or path and I just followed it. I can reckon that from that moment on they have kind of lost their only son. Was this before you received your first vinyl record? I received my first vinyl record with sythesized music called switched on bach a while before that.

from poland with love.

Your parents are not musicians but you were constantly surrounded by music. Is it right to state that your parents were music lovers and collectors? yes, especially my father who brought me first electronic and electric albums from outside of poland. his love for music was transmitted to me and just like a virus of some kind I got hooked on it. It was really nice to see emotions of my father when listening to music. It was a definite source of my inspiration.

Am I allowed to ask you which reasons your parents had to move to Canada in 1989? we have moved to Italy before hand and ended up in canada in the late 80s. Reason being quite obvious for a family living in a country controlled by the regime - In search of better life. this Wasnt it difficult for your parents to get records from the outside of was a communist time in poland. Restrictions, lack of freedom Poland? and fear. this was definitely not a place for creativity. It was all

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For me it was never just about the label or place buT the people I would be dealing with.
about surviving the system, living day by day and keeping your hA and many more. the timing was perfect. beginning of the 90s identity after all. Art, music and entertainment were against those was an ideal time to hunt down rare synthesizers. shortly after the rules of the system therefore they were forbidden. new romantic area, analogue synthesizers were not fashionable any more. there was no desire to own a Roland tb303 bass Line or How did you feel when you had to leave Poland and all your friends Roland sh 101. they were considered as obscure bass guitar imibehind you? Did already music help you to feel a little bit better? tators, which were out for grabs at most of the guitar shops. I felt ok, I mean I was young so I guess it was easier to leave it all behind. Music did make me feel better indeed it kind of saved me How huge is your collection now? And what about your opinion numerous times. using Plug Ins- do you use them or do you prefer hardware? since I travel quite a bit, my collection of synths had narrow down When have you started to buy synthesizers? to about 20 excluding some rack mounts, fx and beat boxes. I kept when attending highschool in windsor canada. I started to travel the rare ones as well as those, which I consider useful like the Roacross the us and canada. land family - tR series, tb, sh, jp, jX, Mks etc. Dont get me wrong I like the plug ins and software and use them quite a bit yet I dont What was the first model youve bought? feel this connection with folders, files and mouse. I prefer a more I bought few things at once, yet my first ever owned synth was a intimate and private contact with the keyboard, knobs, sliders, korg Modular ps 3100 which was a gift from my music teacher switches. the smell, look and trickiness of the machines make while attending to Electronic Music composition at port Moody them very attractive and unpredictable. in canada. One day while sitting up in a classroom I noticed a big wooden box on the wall in front me with a korg sign on it. I asked the analogue synths having their own soul and character can my teacher what is that? he told me that its some old and broken make a much deeper relation. As for plug ins, I used them mostly Modular synth made by korg electronics. I asked if I could buy it. for high end production, design and mastering tools. My favouriteacher replied No, I will give it to you as long as you can pick it tes are waves. Lately I had been really getting into programs like up this afternoon as it takes up far too much classroom space. few pro tools, Ableton and Reaktor especially when performing Live. I hours later, I brought it home and powered it up. there was no think the idea of building your own boxes and designing your own sound coming from it. I played, twiddle the knobs, decreased the equipment is very tempting. It feels like drilling holes and applyattack, increased decay and sustain and this machine had respon- ing modifications to a wooden boxes. I am not afraid to call myself ded with warmth and beauty. since then it still sits in my studio. a dinosaur I like the old fashion composing, yet with incorporation of new and exciting bits I feel like going back into the future. You started to collect rare synthesizers later on? What is the reason to collect them, was it the search for the sound or also the fascinati- Ive heard that you use new technologies a lot, but you also record on to hunt rare models? everything with a tape machine? Is this a rumour? Can you tell me Definetly. the korg gave me some kind of basic idea of how synths a little bit more about your way of producing music? Do you like to are made. I started to search other brands to find thE sOuND that mix technologies - old and new? I was looking for. I was searching for some original sounds and I like the warmth of analogue tape. I love real to real recorders and became fascinated by synths made by ARp MOOG, scI, yAMA- multitrack recording while cutting off the tape manually. I like to ,

E
I mean not just drums but also performing with the choir, playing combine both worlds. there is no preference really I simply add the piano or composing my own pieces. I feel that knowledge of a mixture of some classic sound into a raw 24 digital sound. I like melody, harmony and rhythm enables me to take Djing into anoto manipulate and abuse sounds, run pro tools straight thru a pro ther level. I think the production process really inspires me to Dj One monophonic synth or sample a pure acoustic string straight with a different attitude. when I Dj, I kinda remix each record Live into an 8 bit Emulator or sp 1200. I like to use the Ableton Live 7 and try to reinvent the composition then go back to studio aftersequencer in the arrange window with Alesis MMt8 or korg sQ wards and try to re capture that feeling or energy by throwing it 10 sequencers running on top. when composing I like to have fun back into my own music. consequently, when the tune is compowith the machines. sed then I play it out and share it on the dancefloor. It all feels like constant exchange and movement of energy. As a creative person what do you need for inspiring yourself? Life itself, travel, playing out, meeting people, listening to music Your newest release is the second issue of the Serato Scratch Live sefrom all over the world, exchanging thoughts and ideas, sitting up ries called For The Next Generation? Have you chosen the title for in the room reading books with my own kids or introducing my this massive mix? And is there a double meaning behind it? I mean sons to a music world. keeping in mind the futuristic music and the Dj technique using Serato Scratch Live? When did you start to get interested in dance music and Djing? And I have chosen this name myself. this is my first ever Dj mix compiwhen have you started to DJ? lation. My idea was to create a mix for the new generation yet keeI had developed an interest for dance music in the late 80s whiping in mind my closest roots. Going back to all of my experiences le living in Italy and being exposed to so called Dance music. It with music. Applying various approaches of mixing techniques as was early italo house, hip house, chicago and later first techno well as mixing up elements of large spectrum of desired genres. wave. I was fortunate enough to be part of the rave movement, hence, besides other artists you can hear some ambient works of experienced techno at its best time. At the age of 14, while going mine on there as Les Autres circuites, some straight and deeper one night to my favourite techno hang out club, I noticed that the Echoplex touch ups, little bit of the synewave sound including regular dj didnt show up. I proposed to the owners to mix some Niteworks, more musical pieces with my blues vocalist bsj and tracks of a cassette c60 tapes as I have recorded some really fresh sounds presented while performing as Vs project. tunes from Radio uno playing all the Detroit tunes - Larkin, speedy j, fuse, uR as well as the tracks of the early funk and electronic I dont know if I am allowed to ask you, but what are the cons and type. After giving out my first ever non official public performance, pros about using this technique in your opinion? which I guess was alright since afterwards the owners proposed As far as I see it there are no cons. with many pros in mind I can me to become their resident and provided me with some budget sum up this kind of technique by few key ideas - freedom, Expresto purchase vinyls of more say dance genre. sion, creativity, Resourcefulness, Own Definition of a mix, portability (global village). I could also quote someone asking me at Do you think that your musical education as a drummer helped some gig wow mate, how come some of those records you played you to become a DJ? sounded so fat? I got the same records and they sound pretty flat I must say that all the aspects of my music education as well as I replied, just throw down some fx on it, boost it up on the maxiprevious experiences with sound have helped me to become a Dj. mizer, maybe add Maxx bass then burn it and voila. For The Next Generation represents 83 tracks on one CD, do you think that representing this massive number of tracks is a result of using Serato or would you say that you were able to do this also with vinyl? I couldnt ever do this with decks and vinyl only. I used 2 serato scratch Live systems simultaneously to get more hands on control on all the single elements of each track. I went a bit oldschool with it added a hi tech flavour of serato system. this mixture gave me a possibility to make a mix, which definitely stands out from most of the mixes out there. I stated in my review about this album that you use the tracks like using instruments and not just like sequencing tracks am I completely wrong with this statement? Absolutely right. this was my main intention. I wanted to involve myself completely in this mix and compose a mix of electronic music while conducting a virtual orchestra of sounds. My aim was to make a journey throughout sound and space. Like captain kirk - to go where no man has gone before. It seems to me that Serato leaves the artist plenty of rope, because the set list represent a lot of your tracks and tracks of your labels and also tracks from friends. Were there any regimentation from Serato maybe it should fit on one CD? Idea of having a mix for commercial use and fit it on one single cD was indeed only regimentation from serato and EpM online. I have chosen 1000 tracks and then shortlisted to about 250 tracks. the mix consists of over 80 tracks yet the actual number of tracks on there is 250. In order to tracklist the mix thus meet the requirements of a standard Dj mix, I had to limit that number of tracks. Have you recorded For The Next Generation in a kind of spontaneous session or have you selected a kind of track list in a rehearsal before? and when you finished the recording have you played it

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mizer, maybe add Maxx bass then burn it and voila. For The Next Generation represents 83 tracks on one CD, do you think that representing this massive number of tracks is a result of using Serato or would you say that you were able to do this also with vinyl? I couldnt ever do this with decks and vinyl only. I used 2 serato scratch Live systems simultaneously to get more hands on control on all the single elements of each track. I went a bit oldschool with it added a hi tech flavour of serato system. this mixture gave me a possibility to make a mix, which definitely stands out from most of the mixes out there. I stated in my review about this album that you use the tracks like using instruments and not just like sequencing tracks am I completely wrong with this statement? Absolutely right. this was my main intention. I wanted to involve myself completely in this mix and compose a mix of electronic music while conducting a virtual orchestra of sounds. My aim was to make a journey throughout sound and space. Like captain kirk - to go where no man has gone before. It seems to me that Serato leaves the artist plenty of rope, because the set list represent a lot of your tracks and tracks of your labels and also tracks from friends. Were there any regimentation from Serato maybe it should fit on one CD? Idea of having a mix for commercial use and fit it on one single cD was indeed only regimentation from serato and EpM online. I have chosen 1000 tracks and then shortlisted to about 250 tracks. the mix consists of over 80 tracks yet the actual number of tracks on there is 250. In order to tracklist the mix thus meet the requirements of a standard Dj mix, I had to limit that number of tracks. Have you recorded For The Next Generation in a kind of spontaneous session or have you selected a kind of track list in a rehearsal before? and when you finished the recording have you played it to friends or partners to get a feedback for the mix? After making a final selection of 250 tracks, I remixed all of them to give more of my own touch and sound to it. this was also my main priority, to make everything blend ideally. this phase took about 4months. Afterwards, it was all about sitting and rehearsing all the mixes as parts of the compilation. I wrote down all the elements on paper just like writing out a notation of a composition. It is a similar way of writing out scratches by turntablelists, it gives full control of each minute of the mix. Moreover it enables to troubleshoot with greater accuracy and efficiency. After a single recording of the whole mix straight to DAt I have uploaded the mix to server and send it to few friends yet at that time mix has gone already into production. You run several labels and work as a musician, Dj, producer and

you also do film score music. I would like to know what makes you most happy about creating music. Is it the feedback of the audience or the press, or is it the moment of creating music? I mean the moment finding a new sound a new mix I mean this moment of birthing a sound. Its probably a combination of many things that makes me most happy about creating music. Generally speaking it is the possibility of creating an original sound. when I first played the synthesizer the excitement of finding any sounds was enormous. just turning machines on made me very happy. throughout the years of working with sound as a sound designer and producer the appetite for sound had enlarged. Now I spend lots of time on finding the desired sound thru means of sound effects and outboard gear. this is a sickness of some kind as the pleasure in creating a music has turned out into madness about clearly defined aspect of an element which makes up for a sound. I can give a much clearer example perhaps. If I listen to someones music now I go mad and listen to each of the elements like its layers is very hard to simply listen and enjoy. Every minute of it is evaluation of the sound. I am really curious what behind the project Jazz In Progress? Is this handmade music? Its one of my Live projects. jazz jam on stage. unpredictable get together of few musicians in front of an audience. You also run three different record labels - Soleil, Soundlite and Deaf Records. What was the reason to run three separate labels? Good question. I decided that soleil and soundlite will be my main platforms from now on. soleil will focus on the minimal, detroit, electro kind and soundlite will go into much more home sound, chilled, experimental and atmospheric direction. What about the Niteworks project you are running together with Damon Wild any new plans? since our last live performances we have gathered some nice material and have few things up and coming on synewave Digital. some of the works have just been featured on beat port on the latest synewave sampler. Ive read that you had a residency in a club in Poland and also played several gigs there, could you imagine to move back to Poland one day, or do you see yourself more grounded in Canada, or do you see yourself as a cosmopolitan as a result of your DJ work? poland, was an interesting experience as always. I have cooperated on few projects there, like Detour or for the Next Generation tour. Made some workshops for the new generation and featured for example double world champion in scratching Dj Eprom. together with Ableton Live we have created a series of outdoor performances in the warsaw Metro station. As far as being a cosmopolitan, I feel like one indeed not only be-

lelist and so on. As far as more club material, I have just finished a new release for synewave records under my new moniker Microplex. there few other things in works mostly Eps for my Digital label soundlite. Im definitely spending some time and working with my good friend christopher Antonio aka Galax6 on our baby Vs project. In the fall Im going back on stage with some new bits and pieces including latest RANE mixer thus mixing sounds with At the beginning of this interview I asked you about your first ex- images and vice versa. periences in music and the first impressions you had by listening to this classic electronic album and seeing this cult movies. Do you What do you need for a perfect day in your life? sometimes wish to get back this childish view on things. I mean start with a nice track. I got radios in every room of my place. My when you start to write a new track or compositions, to forget every- wife is obsessed by having music everywhere. so, one radio can thing you know and learned and do it in the way you probably may play Emiliana torrini, while the other plays Royskoop, downstairs do it as a child? Or are you able to leave all this experiences behind I can hear sinatra and my kids can be watching videos of kool and the gang. My youngest boy can grab the foot of his dog toy and you when you start to create something new? I do think about that quite a bit. what if I could go back in time to hear cELEbRAtE yOuR LIfE cOME ON - we are all surroundmy childhood yet take all those experiences, knowledge and tools ed by music. I think that personally the 3rd track from Depeche along. however, I must say that my life has really turned around Modes ultra galore cD will do the trick for me. seeing my family and now I wouldnt change it for anything else. there comes a mo- enjoying the music as much as I do can start the so called perfect ment when one realizes whats important in our lives. Its a part of day but if I hear LfO remix of DM oh yeah that one will make me go upstairs and turn the equipment on. then like a caveman I will growing up, part of human development. be back in few...I came to the stage in life that my perfect day is I treat music professionally yet with this kind of childish approach pretty much everyday. always and distance like first playing notes on the synthesizer. It definitely keeps me wanting to make music after more then a decade. the goals that I have set for myself for years to come are quite similar to those when being a kid and fooling around in a studio. I dont leave experiences behind, I just build new experiences on the their fundamentals. cause of my Dj work but also because of not feeling attached to any particular place. this is mostly because of the fact that the possibility of moving through places builds up a priceless experiences, constantly educates me and makes me more aware of the world that I live in. consequently I dont see myself being grounded in canada let alone any other country on our planet. We talked a lot about the old and the new technologies, what do you prefer more when you get interested in a new artist vinyl or digital files? It depends what music are we talking about. If this is an album of one of my favourite bands I will definitely buy the original cD or Vinyl. In the case of new dance track probably mp3 would be sufficient. when it comes to new artists on my labels then since I move around the planet, I prefer to receive the music in a digital format. when considering the music for a release, we prefer to listen to the demos in the studio. I dont personally like tolisten to someones music from a link on their webpage. this form of presentation is quite disrespectful. I know that we live in a fast paced world and I try to follow it believe me yet if someone takes time to prepare the demo should also consider taking some time to present their work EchOpLEX in a more representative matter. www.peterechoplex.com/ What plans and projects do you have next for 2008? I am taking some time off from the gigs in order to finish an Lp peter Echoplex MyspAcE website of my band thE sOuNDLItE. Its a band project involving vari- photos copyright Michael Mck ous musicians - Vocalists, jazz piano player, acoustic and electric Interview cuemix-Magazine drum player, trombone and trumpet player a violinist, turntab- All rights reserved

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FRANCESCO TRISTANO

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The title of your new album on Infin is Not For Piano? Whats behind the title, I mean the complete album is played by a piano. the whole album is indeed played by a pianist (not a piano). the real question behind the title is: is the music contained in the album conceived for piano in the first place? So with adding Strings Of Life at each concerts end, the idea for Not For Piano was born? It was only the second time when I performed strings of life when one of the producers of Infin came up to me and said: we have to record this... Less than a month later we were in the studio. the first version appeared on Agorias cute&cult session. I Is it right that the goal behind the album Not For Piano was fin- recorded the whole album about 6 months after that. ding an artistically free space for you? A kind of musical playground for you? The album owns reinterpretations of electronic music from Derrick Not for piano is the accumulation of a lot of things, and also May, Auterche and Jeff Mills, but you also created own pieces with a the beginning of many things yet to come. Musically speaking, I mixture of Jazz and classical music. But I cant help myself but the dont think you should give it a name, or a genre. Its a total hybrid! whole album, and this is my personal feeling from the first second Of course any album or concert program should be experimental, I heard it, disperses a kind of Techno or lets say Electronic Music and if possible, new. energy without any electronic instrument. Am I completely wrong or can you help to feel out this effect on the listener? But it isnt the first time that you play and interpret Jazz and elect- Have you recorded this album in a special mood or was it your goal ronic music, Ive heard that you play Strings Of Life at the end of to pair this energy with this classical instrument? each concert since 2005? Do you remember your feelings when you well, like I said, I think its pretty difficult to try to give the album did that for the first time? a genre. what does jazz mean? Electronic Music was the main insI dont play strings Of Life at the end of each concert, but I did piration for the album, but then again: how do you play electronic play it many times indeed. I had been listening to Detroit techno music on the piano? you cant play electronic music on an acoustic intensely for many years, and at some point I started playing the instrument. so I made my approximation of it. then I invited Rami tunes at the piano. I found the harmonies of strings Of Life very khalif and Raimundo penaforte to feature on some tracks, then inspiring, so I thought I could do something with them at the pi- we asked Murcof to do the post-production and mastering: Not ano. soon I realised that listening to a lot of electronic music also for piano was born affected my way of composing and improvising. How long have you worked on this album? Have you recorded it in I can picture myself that your audience wasnt so familiar to this a kind of session, or did you record the album in many takes? kind of music. Did you ever receive a negative reaction when you the recording itself didnt take so long: 2 whole days in a studio. played that track? Each track was recorded differently. some needed many takes, No. Once, a lady came up to me and asked me if the composer was others were recorded in whole takes. aware of me playing the inside of the piano like a percussion instrument. I said: the composer is actually a Dj and I dont even think he After the recording, did there any editing or mastering took place? knows Im playing his music. this was before the recording. we spent about a year on the editing and post-production. Your musical career could be compared to a Wunderkind, you did your first concerts at the age of thirteen, you did your first compositions with fifteen who is or better say was the driving force behind your musical career and education? Is your family a musicians family? I actually started playing the piano, composing, and improvising all at once I was about 5 years old. My Italian grand-father, umberto canovi, was a accordeon and bandoneon player. so if there is any musical genes, theyre from him! And of course, my mother is a real musicaddict: I cant remember one day where the stereo wasnt playing at full volume at home Be honest. When you started to play an instrument, wasnt there any moment when you dreamed of playing football with your friends than exercise the scale? I did play ball! And also many other things like painting, chess and fencing. but you know, I enjoyed spending time at the instrument, and play. You wrote a track Barcelona Trist that can be heard on Not For Piano. Can you tell me a little bit more about it? In which mood has you wrote it? I was walking around the passeig Maritim, along the beach. It was grey, and cold. then, I whistled a melody Do you miss sometimes your homeland Luxembourg? Are there any other towns besides Barcelona you could figure yourself to move to? Its always nice to return to Luxembourg, for a few days. Other cities where Id like to live? Nyc & Osaka.

I thought about the following theory: With the release of Not For Piano you turned from a classical pianist into a kind of experimental musician. This gives you the chance to work and explore music more detached and more nave, a kind of turning the hands of time a little bit back. Am I completely wrong? I think I was already experimenting around with the classical repertoire before I made Not for piano. I always had a preference for the marginal, the weird, the out. In classical music, this equals When did you get the first time in contact with electronic music? to either very old music (16th century) or, contemporary muAnd can you recognize the artist or the track? sic. thats where Not for piano comes in, and takes it one step jean-Michel jarre Oxgene, when I was a still very little. further. Do you ever went to a club to dance to electronic music? Or isnt that your cup of tea? be yourself at Vinyl, with Dj Danny tenaglia - those were crazy parties in Nyc back in 2000. Your whole life is centred with music, what other interests do you have? Or isnt there any time for other things. Italian cuisine, espresso, reading a newspaper on certain days, thomas bernhard books, jaques Rivette films, astrophysics, evolutionary biology sometimes I wish I had more time to do music!

What was the reason to move to Barcelona? there were many reasons After having spent 5 years in Nyc, I felt like returning to good old Europe. barcelona seemed like the Carl Craig did a remix for you that could be found also on his new perfect choice: dynamic city, nice people, warm climate, and a lot double album called Sesssions. How did you get in touch with of room for experimental music! him?

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I met carl in barcelona, through a common friend, who also Many. whichever collaborations will come along. but I am cerhappens to be the infin label manager. we hung out, talked, dis- tainly looking forward to do more with the Detroit crowd (carl cussed some ideas about music. then, last year, he invited me to caig, kelvin sholar) play a show in Graz. we spent some time together in Detroit. What else will happen in 2008? Besides the Remix from C and Balil you also did a remix version we are releasing pop Art, a piano duet album with Rami khalif, of The Melody. What kind of tools have you used? Was it your first who also appears on Not for piano. I am developping my pianotime that you worked as a remixer. what I hardly could believe? laptop setup in live shows. I always loved to play synthesizers. I thought of them as an extension of the piano. I was working with several machines and samp- What do you need for a perfect day in your life? lers - until I got my laptop 2 years ago. for the Melody-RMX, I used Enough sleep, papaya juice and espresso in the morning! both plug-ins and analog synths. When you work with a computer to create music, what do personally find more comfortable compared playing a classical instrument, and what do you find absolute disgusting? both the piano and the laptop are instruments - the general idea is to use them as good as you can. You already worked with together doing a show and you will do another one in May. Keeping in mind that you earned so many prices and positive feedback with your classical work as a pianist, which significance owns the collaboration with Carl Craig and not to forget the a positive feedback from people like Mad Mike, Derrick fRANcEscO tRIstANO May? www.francescoschlime.com Is it different to the acceptance and feedback before Not For Pia- www.myspace.com/francescotristano no? Or are these a different pair of shoes? www.infine-music.com carl had always been the producer for me. I regard his Landcrui- www.myspace.com/infinemuzik sing as one of the seminal albums of all times. so of course collaborating with him is very special. I dont make any difference between E- & u-Musik. Let the critics do that, if they insist! photos copyright franceso schlime & several Myspace sites Interview Michael Mck What other kind of collaborations do you dream of? All rights reserved cuemix-Magazine

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It is all about astral travelling. And love.

photos copyright sophia Drevenstam Interview Michael Mck All rights reserved cuemix-Magazine

OUT OF CANADA

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Out Of cANADA

The Mole
My fAMILy Is fROM thERE AND I wAs bORN IN MONtREAL. I wANtED tO stREtch Out MusIcALLy tOO AND I wAsNt GOING tO MOVE tO tORONtO. MONtREAL wAs thE NAtuRAL chOIcE. AND whAt A GOOD MOVE It wAs. LOVE thAt cIty sO Much. EXcEpt thE wINtERs ARE A bIt ON thE LONG sIDE.
I must admit and regret that I didnt knew too much about The Mole until I listened to your album As High As The Sky in my hands. So the next big misunderstanding was the fact that I thought at first that The Mole sounds like a projects or band name until I found out that this name is an artists name. Can you tell me something about the meaning and the history of your artists name? sorry this is a question Ive been avoiding (laughs) Are the tracks connected I mean with the titles name? yes absolutely.

DE lA PLANTE
How did you get in touch with electronic music? And when have you started to produce own music? first time I heard dance or rave music was in high school. A british exchange student brought a couple of mix tape with her. when I first heard it I hated it. I was into jimi hendrix and Led Zepplin you see... and I thought this was some pretty sissy stuff.. I was being stubborn of course....and difficult. but once I opened up I fell for it. I started to produce when a friend pointed out a cheap s900 at a pawn shop called the captains. the captain used to do late night tV commercials of himself riding around in his car stopping to hug fans. he was a big fat man with a captains hat and we all knew and love him as the captain. Dont know if his store is still open but I got a good deal on that s900...still have it in fact. Great sampler! the album is a grouping of lots of tracks from different times. some new - some old. some stuff from the vault that Ive been dying to get out and some newbies that I just made while organising the album. Nice that they all fit together in the end Ive already asked you about the titles name and the meaning behind it I am really amazed about the context between the titles and the music, besides that the tracks a re wonderful dance tracks. Is there a connection between the music and the titles? For example if I take Alice, you need him I think that someone tries to internalise Alice that she should go back to the one he let go so the track repeats its melodies like a discussion thats hard! Or When it tastes good you deserve it the title sounds delicious as its music Or let me ask in another way do you paint music? So youve been raised in a family with a lot of music and art around this is up to the listener to decide. up to you to find your own meyou? aning in what Ive offered. Ive put all the pieces together for you. Nope. Almost none. My mom did give me some beatles tapes As for painting music... Im not sure...Ive never painted really... all one summer... and a friend gave me a bootlegged Leonard cohen but failed art in high school so I stuck with the sciences tape... otherwise I listened to classic rock on the radio. Ok lets get technical can you tell me something about the instruYou are an origin of the West Coast from Canada, but you moved to ments youve used for this album? Have you used hardware or have Montreal later on. What was the reason to move? Artistic or perso- you worked with software? I ask because of this special warm sound nal reasons? of tracks. both. My family is from there and I was born in Montreal. I wanted I use a mix of both hard and software. Lots of drum machines and to stretch out musically too and I wasnt going to move to toronto. synths. And I use a lot of samples as well so I get a lot of warmth Montreal was the natural choice. And what a good move it was. from that. And I had a great old mixer, which is really the magic Love that city so much. Except the winters are a bit on the long glue to it all side. What about your feelings shortly before the release of the album Uhh, sorry for the topic jumping. Lets come back to your album. have you felt a kind of strain or excitement? Or have you been more Ive already asked you that youve been producing a lot of tracks and excited during the working and mastering process? EPs before you released your album. I asked myself if you started been more confused than anything. I mean writing music is fun As High As The Sky as a new project or have you used ideas, track for me so thats no stress.. doing all the shit that comes with the fragments etc. youve developed years before? album like interviews and pictures..that part sucks pretty bad. but

The sounds you used are very varied from flutes to steel drums from classic synths to kind of submarine minimal synths. But the complete album owns a very specific kind of patina dont get me wrong I mean a kind of organic LoFi sound. Have you manipulated the sounds during the recording or the mastering that they sound Ok, after I found out that I made a mistake when I adopted that in this special way? The Mole isnt a band or project I got curious and saw that you did the recording process gives it the sound. I tend to think it is sloppy a huge number of releases in the last years but As High A s The Sky but it seems I like sloppy. is your debut album. Why did it take you so long to release a complete album after releasing so much material? Have you been un- Are you fascinated by using LoFi or better say dirty sounds? And sure about the way the album should sound? Or were the releases from where comes this fascination? before the album a kind of test to find a direction for the album? Im not sure Im fascinated but lofi though I do like some sebadoh. Ive been avoiding albums for some time. Amongst other things I am fascinated by records and how they age. the sound of dying Ive felt too immature to do one. I find it to be a lot to ask of people vinyl is pretty unique and every one is different....speacial. someand with so mediocre albums out there i just didnt want to add times I record just the noise from the records. the space between to the pile. plus Im much more familiar with vinyl, cds are rather the songs. Or the skips. Or the room tone of the recording if it is alien to me still, so making records just made sense. In fact the still there.... these all play a big role in that dirtiness in my music. only way i could complete this album was to think of the vinyls Layers and layers or dirt making up some kind of moving mush first and then adapt it to the cd format Do you also try to reproduce this special sound when you Dj or reMostly before I listen to a new album I spend a lot of time with present your tracks live? watching the artwork and reading.... or better say kind of analy- Djing always sounds different for me... and live well...I cant help sing the titles and tracks name before I listen to the music. Maybe but sound just as sloppy live as I do on record. Actually when I play a mistake... I really asked myself who painted the artwork for your live I sample records real time with some guitar pedals just so I can album? And whats the meaning behind the painting? reproduce those differing noises... make it feel more like a dj set. frank did the painting. shes done all my wagon repair covers and I really love her work and consider myself lucky to call her a friend. Mainly I would say that your tracks are deeply grounded in House As for the meaning behind it you would have to ask her. music. A very own and fascinating style of House, that deeply touched me. Are you an admirer of House music? And whats behind the name of the album? Love it. some of my best nights dancing have been house all the way. Its all about astral travelling. And love. but Im an admirer of music in general. I love some country too.

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WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR A PERFECT DAY IN YOUR LIFE? LOVE

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otherwise it has all been a strange trip with of course the gold of weve been friends for more than 15 years now. I used to sneak out being able to hold the finished product in my hands. still feels ali- in high school and stay up late drinking cheap beer listening to en when I hold it now, but wow it sure is nice. him dj at the local club. hes a great dj that guy. I got really curious when I heard about your project using five turntables live Can you tell me something about it? Do you work back to back with another Dj or do you handle these five turntables by yourself? I do it by myself. the records I use are all locked grooves or skipping records so beat matching isnt an issue. because it is an improvisation thing I do have a my hands full with the mixing and effects. Especially since every part is only one bar long ... it can be quickly boring if I dont hussle around and keep it moving. How will you represent your album with a kind of DJ set or more like in a kind of live situation with a laptop? Im touring as a dj and live right now. but my live set isnt just a laptop ... I never could get into just the laptop thing. Didnt work for me. too short of an attention span I suppose. By stopping by at your MySpace profile I read that you are married. Do you also have kids or is this not your cup of tea? Im not actually married ... thats just a joke..(laughs). And no kids that i know of.

So you work with loop records or do you use normal records? I make changes to a lot of records for this. using stickers and ra- What do you need for a perfect day in your life? zors blades to make loops. My copy of purple rain still skips on Love! the last chords of the title song. I also made a loop record a few years ago for this very thing. Got a whole bunch of super talented people involved in the project. the nice thing about the skipping records is with a little eq work all those skips turn into drums... the bass that comes off a sticker when the needle pops of it is great for kick drums ... its no 808 mind you but it works pretty good for this project ... and it is pretty experimental anyway. Experimental and psychedelic! Another topic that I found really amazing is the fact that you are planning to start a 7 label of Disco Edits. Have you started this project already? Ahh just working out the kinks now. Already have great music from koosh and Eddie c. Will you run this label by yourself or is this label a project youll run with other music lovers? thE MOLE Me and koosh are doing it together. One foot in berlin one in sooke. www.myspace.com/eslamolita So Disco Edits are the roots of House music? yes and no (smiles) photos copyright sophia Drevenstam You have also collaborated with Paddy from wonderful Cobblesto- Interview Michael Mck ne Jazz. From where do you know each other? All rights reserved cuemix-Magazine

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photos copyright sophia Drevenstam Interview Michael Mck All rights reserved cuemix-Magazine

to the farawy towns. Now war is declared.

LONDOn CALLING

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LONDON cALLING

RoBERT OWENS
My fAMILy Is fROM thERE AND I wAs bORN IN MONtREAL. I wANtED tO stREtch Out MusIcALLy tOO AND I wAsNt GOING tO MOVE tO tORONtO. MONtREAL wAs thE NAtuRAL chOIcE. AND whAt A GOOD MOVE It wAs. LOVE thAt cIty sO Much. EXcEpt thE wINtERs ARE A bIt ON thE LONG sIDE.
During the intro of Night Time Stories the listener can hear something likeRobert Owens , Robert Owens who is he never heard of him. Whats the story behind that intro? Does it really happen that people know the great tracks they hear but didnt know the singers name or is the intro more meant as a wit? sometimes I have found that people have not put name to face, or they may have just forgot, I am an artist from the 80s, its a hold new generation people checking out the house vibe, all in all it was Night Time Stories is your first artist album after ten years? What just a fun light hearted idea. was the reason for that long break releasing a complete album? Often in life its about timing, this has been the right time because The album is separated in three chapters I guess; the tracks after of the right people coming into my life, even though for the past the intro, then the tracks after the interlude called Survive and ten years I was still putting singles out, just not an artist album, I Happiness. Am I completely wrong? And can you tell me something about these interludes and the concept behind the sequencing needed the right manager and label. of the tracks? The album is released on the German label Compost Records. How My intention was to take the listener on a musical journey to tell you life stories for survival, as if you were reading from a book, did it come to that? feeling that you or me might be dealing with. And why have you choose this label. I mean, dont get me wrong but I expected your record would be released on an English or American How long have you worked on the album? And wasnt it big effort to work with ten different producers? record label. for me it was never just about the label or place but the people Im fairly fast when it come to working on an album, after putting I would be dealing with, after a few meeting I found compost to together a list of people I wonted to work with, it fell in place, I be a family that I wonted to be a part of, and Im very happy with put the vocals together in a few hours then sent each producer the parts, so I just had to wait for them to do a final mix, all of them every one there! Robert, your new album is called Night Time Stories. Whats behind that titles name, telling stories for the night-time? Or are these stories about the night-time? the ideas come from when I was or you a child and your parents told you bed time stories to help you sleep, my stories are about helping people that believe in me, what ever they are going through I hope they can find comfort in my experiences, good or bad.

NIGht tIME stORIEs

seem to be easy going down to earth of people. Ohh, I have never stopped, someone made that up and put it on the internet, I love what I do and would never stop, until death do Have you written all the music by yourself? And what inspired you us part. for the lyrics and the tracks, I know it sounds like a typical journalists question, but I was really impressed by the beauty of the lyrics. I wrote one song, music and lyrics, on all other tracks the other Is it right to call you a faithful christian? producers wrote the music and I wrote the lyrics, life inspires my No, thats not correct, just a believer in love, and everything that feelings when I write, things I see everyday and people I meet all falls in place with that. help me create ideas. Do you think that 2001 changed the way people live their faith in You decided to work with such great producers like Jimpster, Ian their religion? I mean in a negative or also in a positive way? Pooley, Charles Webster.. just to name a few, have you also thought I think now in this present time people have a clearer view of self, about producing the complete album by yourself when you deve- and everything comes down to you treating people in this world loped the idea for Night-time stories? Or was it clear from the be- like you wont them to treat you, if your happy with you, that should ginning that you wanted to have a lot of people onboard for the be your only concern. project? you know, it was the idea from the start to have different produ- Can you remember how does you experienced the 11th September cers. 2001? What have you felt and done at that day? If I am right informed you already lived in London and before that time you were also Have you invited all these producers to work with you in your own a citizen of New York. studio, or have you sent ideas and tracks and around and each I checked with friends to make sure they were alright then prayed worked in his own studio? for all the other people, it was a very sad day, I remember watching I sent them the vocal parts. the news over and over going from station to station looking in disbelief. Would you describe yourself as someone who needs a lot of people around you, I mean during a working process? I was totally astounded when I read that you first worked as a DJ No the smaller the amount of people the better, when I write, Im and then you started to sing as a House vocalist. Larry Heard inby myself most of the time. vited you to sing for him did you know him before? And where have you met first? Lets do a little trip in your past. You stopped your musical career in No. I didnt knew him, a friend of mine introduced us, then we got the beginning of the Nineties to run a Christian bookstore. I asked together and tried some ideas, I played them on some of my club myself if you started the bookstore because you were kind of frus- nights, people seemed to like the vibe and it just grew from there. trated from the music business and the musical scene or was this bookstore an affair of the heart? You work as a producer, as a singer, songwriter and DJ. So it must

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be right to state that you need music like the air to breath. But from where comes this big love for music? Were your parents or some of your relatives musicians? No, it all comes from the heart and a love for life and people, I have often said people are my lifeline. and give me a little history on Munich, when Im there its just for meeting and playing so I havent seen much. In April you did a tour with Theo Parrish and Omar S. in Germany. In which way have you performed as a singer or as a Dj? I did both, it was wonderful, I performed at the dj booth. And how did you get interested in working as a DJ? I have always loved music everyone around me knew that so fri- Do you represent your new songs to the audience or will do another ends and family would always ask me to play the music at parties tour later on? Will there be any gigs with your live band? yes. A lot more dates, me by myself and some with a real band. or get togethers. Would you say I love singing more than producing or djing? Or do What else can we expect by Robert Owens in 2008? More music! you see the whole thing as a whole? Everything is unique in its own right! What do you need for a perfect day in your life? People call you the voice of House music. Is this an honour to you or rest, tV and food. is it sometimes a kind of bane to you that people always implicate you just with House music and forget about all your other projects A last question. Could you promise to me that we have not wait ten years for the next album? and work? I am not sure but its nice people feel that way about me. (smiles) we need to get the label to promise that, Im always ready, if it was up to only me I would have another album out right now! You are in music business for more than twenty years now, but what were your feelings a few days before the release of Night-Time stories? I was on the road djing and sing, making myself and people feel happy and Im doing the same thing now. RObERt OwENs Compost Records is based in Munich. So I guess that you had to travel to Munich before the release of the album for doing some http://www.myspace.com/robertjowens meetings or whatever. How do you like Munich? I mean a lot of Germans prefer more Berlin because Munich is so typical German with Robert Owens Myspace website Beer and Leather trousers So I am really interested in your photos copyright Interview Michael Mck opinion about this town. cuemix-Magazine Next time I come there will have to get you to show me around All rights reserved

For me it was never just about the label or place buT the people I would be dealing with.

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RA DIO TIVE AC MAN

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photos copyright fabric London Interview Michael Mck All rights reserved cuemix-Magazine

a man on a misson. a man with a beat.

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RADIOActIVE MAN

A MAN ON A MIssION
I thINk sOMEtIMEs thEREs A cOMpEtItION GOING ON tO sEE whO cAN MAkE thE MOst tEchNOLOGIcAL REcORD, AND thEREs A LOt Of fuNk AND bAsIc GROOVEs MIssING. but sOME pEOpLE ARE VERy GOOD At cOMbINING thE twO. I DONt thINk IM ONE Of thOsE pEOpLE sO ILL kEEp It sIMpLE.

R I like things to change and happen. Dancing music doesnt have to be soul-less or noisy or minimal... Pop sensibilities are ok in my book.
RADIOActIVE

Now after four years since the release of your last album Boob Trap you released your new album called Growl. When have you started to work on this album? In the last 5 years have been juggling doing two Lone swordsmen stuff, live and also djing, so it took a while to get some stuff together that I was happy with.

behind the album? titles are hard to settle on. I wanted to keep it simple, like one word, and it just kind of stuck. I think it suits the music too.

And who made this wonderful artwork? And can you tell me something about its meaning? well its done by a good friend of mine, who goes by the name of So youve been working on the tracks for Growl besides all your subway Lung. hes been involved in tLs artwork and also my last other projects and jobs. Do you prefer working piece by piece on a album. hes also done videos and general design for loads of peopproject, stop it for a while and work later on or do you sometimes le. I like his crazy approach and general silliness. sometimes electronic artwork is so stiff ... wanted it to be colourful and playful. felt unhappy that you could work on your own material? yes, sometimes its good to leave tracks and come back to them with fresh ears, but I like to work fast. I like it when tracks write The tracks of are really complex full of hidden treasure you wont hear with the first listen through, a real home listening album. On themselves! just doesnt happen all the time. the other side the tracks are also dance tracks. Maybe this question I could picture myself that if someones working for four years on an sounds a little bit stupid. But how have you managed this high-wire album that the biggest problem could be the number of possibili- act? Have you thought about it when you started to work on the ties, influences etc. grows with each year You know what I mean, album, I mean that you like to combine these elements or would like I could change the track Ive done three years ago because I you say that this is more an effect that comes out of your musical socialisation and out of your skills? Like I just can make music in have a new plug in? true, but Ive always been schizophrenic musically anyway so I no this way I guess Ive always taken the structure approach to my music. I like deal with no scenes. seen? things to change and happen. Dancing music doesnt have to be soul-less or noisy or minimal. pop sensibilities are ok in my book. When is a track finished for you? when I get so pissed off with listening to it! Nah I guess you just The other that really fascinates me about Growl is this dirty know. Dont like putting the kitchen sink in things. sound. Yeah I mean sometimes one sound really sounds very basic I really would like to find out whats behind the albums title or better say LoFi, but I dont mean it in a negative way: I mean Growl? Is it connected to the sound of the album or is it a story like playing a synthesizer and a drum machine without effects and

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polishing it with plug ins. But together these sounds build up very complex soundscapes. An amazing effect Am I completely wrong when I say that you used basic sounds without using too much effect I order not to wash out the sounds? No your right I think I went quite back to basics with this album. I think sometimes theres a competition going on to see who can make the most technological record, and theres a lot of funk and basic grooves missing. but some people are very good at combining the two. I dont think Im one of those people so Ill keep it simple, also I dont like flicking through a million plug-ins when you could be working on the next sound or riff. So have you used more Hardware synths and Drum machines or have you used plug ins and programmed them that the received this dirty sound? Its a mixture of the analogue and digital worlds ... anything that makes a good sound is fine with me. I tend to use the same machine for the bass which I love- its a studio electronics Atc 1 tone chameleon. I am not sure if an artist likes to answer that kind of questions, but lets try .You produce and remix music for such a long time. But when you compare your first and second album to the new one, would you say that you learned something new, that you changed your sound and get more practice doing your own music..? Hope you understand what I want to express with this question ... totally. I think u become more at ease with yourself and self-confidence. but maybe I got lazy too? you need to keep the fire burning! What do you like more working in a project with others or by yourself in a studio? both I love working with other people, bouncing ideas etc. but its also nice to get self-indulgent too! From where do you know the wonderful Dot Allison whos doing the vocals on Nothing At All? Dot has been involved and around our studio for many years. Mr weatherall worked with her band ONE DOVE before I met her, so I guess its through Andrew that we all became friends. Have you written the vocals? No those are dots lyrics ... I never was too much a wordsmith. Andrew also appears on the track Double Dealings, have you ever thought about that people ... no blockheads might say ... Ah you see its just a side project of the Two Lone Swordsmen? No but actually that track was going to go on our latest album but never made it. I didnt want to waste it - there are quite a few decent tracks that just sit on a dat somewhere or in the hard drive, forgotten.. Andrew has always been an inspiration and maybe that comes through on the music.. The album is released on your own label Control Tower, I think this bears the advantage that you have more control, on the other hand isnt it much more work for you as label chief and artist in one person? Or do you like to have control over things ... hmm ... maybe thats the reason for the labels name? well its on my label but fabric have been involved in getting things sorted for me for this album. before its a label that releases 12 records, which was a lot easier to manage. Im not very good at managing the admin side! Leave me in the studio with a big bag of hash and Ill stay in my bubble! As I said your music sounds very organic and different to productions

a man on a misson. a man with a beat.

of other electronic artists. So I asked myself which instrument you learned first? I learned to play the blues on the guitar when I was bout 13 ... still love the blues! currently loving spiritualizeds, songs in A and E album.

Got a few things done, not sure which way itll go, but then I never have really. just love making things that make me happy and hope that other people will be into it too.

What do you need for a perfect day in your life? sunshine, good friends around me, and blissful music blasting! And when and at which age have you explored electronic music? Enjoy life- its not that long! I was 11 or 12 when the whole electro thing happened so it was hard not to be affected by this new phenomena! break dancing, graffiti and dressing like a b-boy! Are there are any special events you are really looking forward to, for example Ten Days Off or the Sonar? Or do you prefer more the small ones? sonar was amazing; I think it was the biggest crowd I played to. what a buzz! And yes 10 days off will be wicked too; the belgium crew are proper music loving party heads! but I think I do prefer the smaller gigs, much more contact with the crowd etc. How will you represent the album on tour with a Live-setup or do you represent it in a Dj set? both. Mostly live sets with my ramshackle set-up! RADIOActIVE MAN Besides touring and representing your album, what else can we expect from you in 2008? www.myspace.com/radioactiveman23 Ive been working on a dub album for like years so Im hoping that will come out this year too. Not jumping on the dubstep thing cos Ive had a love of dub and reggae for many years ... photos copyright Fabric London And have you started to work on new tracks for the next album? Interview Michael Mck Or do you think the next tracks for a new album will be done in All rights reserved cuemix-Magazine a row?

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IN EVERythING thERE Is sOME bAD AND sOME GOOD. yEs NOw thERE Is A LOts Of OppORtuNIty. but tOO Much.
photos copyright sophia Drevenstam Interview Michael Mck All rights reserved cuemix-Magazine

BALDELLI

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thE EVERLAstING Dj
DANIELE,whEN wAs thE IDEA bORN tO cREAtE thE ALbuM cOsMIc DIscO? cOsMIc ROck!? wAs It yOuR IDEA tO cREAtE thAt ALbuM OR DID EskIMO REcORDINGs AskED yOu tO DO A MIX?
the idea for this project born at the Make up club. Dirk from Eskimo Recordings was listening to my deejay set and sometimes he was very excited to know which track I was playing currently, but every time I had to answer him: this is a re-edit track Ive done! Later on I explained to him that Marco Dionigi and I had done a lot of re-edit tracks for our own use. he was really impressed and the idea for the album was born. Whats the story behind the title Cosmic Disco? Cosmic Rock! is it a kind of looking back to the golden area of the Cosmic Club? A bow to the music? And who made this cool album cover? Was it your idea to do it in this way with this two spacemen? Its done to understand exactly what is the cosmic sound I have played in cosmic club Italy. Maybe it would be necessary to listen all the 137 tapes of the period 1979 1984 to understand that all the music styles are inside the cosmic sound. so when they asked me: how we can call this project? ... cosmic Disco? I said: Nah. cosmic Rock!. yeah and a about the cover. I think that the designers, and Dirk and me, we were all thinking at the same time to do something in the same way and so it came to this artwork. I would like to ask you some questions about your history and career later on, but when I think about the album cover with these spacemen I had to jump a little bit in the topics as one of Italys first DJs you influenced the sound and technique for many generations of musicians and Djs. I think this could only be done be a person who thinks futuristic. Nowadays I sometimes get the feeling that people act like the live in the future and arent fascinated in visions and walking new paths anymore. Can you agree with my statement? yes. I think so. yes! the Sixties and Seventies when people dreamed of flying to mars and build new cities there and things like this. I mean this lifestyle influenced art and music a lot. for sure! Music gives me a space sensation. cosmic club was for me a real cosmic-starship you know where I was in full immersion with the music and whereI had my experimental journey to every kind of music! You collaborated with Marco Diongi for that album. How must I picture myself your collaboration, have you worked like doing a back to back Dj set or did he made f.e. the first or the last half of the mix? we see each other almost every Monday. I always take with me a bag up to 200 pieces of vinyl, I take them from my 60.000 records I have and I must admit that I sometimes even don t know what I own and we really wasted a lot of time, day and night, listening to them. And then we decide which track we like to re-edit (laughing) and sometimes a very good bottle of Valpolicella wi ne really helps us! From where do you know each other, have you worked together before doing some sets or mixes? In the Nineties Marco Dionigi was very famous in the Alter Ego club in Verona ( Italy ). when we meet each other casually, he told me that he is a great fan of mine. from that time when he came for the first time in cosmic club, when he was fourteen years old. you know its funny, he know everything about me. sometimes I have to ask him about the title of a song I have played at my own tape (laughing). usually we dont work together. sometimes I was guest in his club, but maybe now it is really time to start deejaying together!

So would you describe yourself as a person who was always fascina- Do you like to work in collaborations or would you describe yourted by futuristic ideas? I mean not just in music, also these ideas in self more as a someone who works on projects on his own?

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For me it was never just about the label or place buT the people I would be dealing with.
I like to work in collaborations. with Marco Dionigi I have decided to do some projects, like in the past fuNkADIbA and pedivelle Records. with another friend paolo bratti I did some other kind of projects, you know he is a talented musician. My funky side album and cosmic sound Album. you can see and listen on my website (www.danielebaldelli.com) Listening to Cosmic Disco? Cosmic Rock! is really a fantastic journey into music, rare tracks mixed with a futuristic sounds. Besides the fact that this album is made for dancing and having fun is it also a kind of ... let me find the right word, a kind of lesson for people about good music and that there is more dance music than just Techno music? I like and appreciate your definitions (smiles). I ve heard some rumours that you doesnt like all this modern Techno and House music? In general or more these productions of the last years? Or is it more about the sell out of music that started with the Techno and Rave movement in the Nineties that you dont agree with? I cannot say that I dont like house or techno. there is always something good in every style of music. I only can say that I like good music! And good music means not only bum bum. It is necessary that music owns melody and is made by real musicians who play real instruments. The tracklist of Cosmic Disco? Cosmic Rock! can be read like a menu of a perfect diner. Is there a track on this album you would describe as your most favourite one? A track that HAVE to be in your mix? Of course I like all of them, but if you make me choose only one. I can say kevin harrison, but if you let me choose another one, I can say Alicia bridges and if I can choose the third one spider and maybe also ... (laughing) You started Djing in 1969 in a era where people didnt knew who to call the DJ a Dj. Can you tell me how things started? How did you get interested in playing records? And where did you get in touch with clubs and turntables for the first time? yes, I started in 1969. It was the owner of tana club that ask me if I would like to play records in his club, because he knew about my big interest about music. I could imagine that it wasnt easy to get rare records in that times you started to play records. From where did you get your records and how have you been updated? I mean was there a kind of promotion pool for Djs in the Seventies to keep Djs updated. I dont think so? No there wasnt any or not to me! I think a lot of music I have played was not exactly music produced for the dance floor, as it happen nowadays, I mean I was buying an album of jazz or pop or fusion or country or some electronic experimental work by some experimental artists. I found a lot of music that I have proposed to my fans. After being six yeas in business you became resident in the club Baia Degli Angeli. I just found a few photos of the club and were amazed by the atmosphere. Can you tell me something about the club, the people who came and your impressions? And how did you become resident in this famous club? I became resident because two American resident deejays of the baia Degli Angeli called bob Day and tom sison. before they went back to the states they introduced me to the owner of the baia club.you know this club was very innovative at that time. And it was open until six o clock in the morning and the place for the deejay was a glass elevator so you could see the dancefloor of the first and the second floor and move the Dj booth, it was fascinazise. Was this club besides being a great place to party with style also the birthplace of Cosmic music? Nowadays I like to call my style cOsMIc sOuND . somebody has had the bad idea to plagiarize my trademark as cosmic music. they play a kind of music really very distance from me and really not my cup of tea! Could you tell me more about the idea behind COSMIC SOUND? what I have done in the five years at cosmic club is simply searching all the music I like, different styles and always looking for the best way to mix them together. this was and is my goal and I think the search wont end. The cosmic club must be a kind of melting pot for new ideas, especially using up to five turntables to create mixes. How must I picture myself these mixes was it a kind of jam session with two or three Djs mixing or have one Dj used five turntables? yes. I also had this idea to play with four turntables in one set, of course together with another deejay and me. A real mega mix was done live with about 50 tracks played in 15 minutes. Would you describe the days of the Cosmic Club as a highlight in your life? What do you feel looking back at this area? Maybe outside of Italy nobody knows about it but I have never stop to play cosmic sound. I mean that I still usually play cosmic sound every saturday night. And I have also others night based on funk & disco! Why was the club closed in 1984? because of some drug stories. A lot of people using drugs went to cosmic. Although most of them stayed outside the club hanging around this circumstances created a lot of problems with the neighbours of cosmic club. As a child has you dreamed of a career as a musician or something like this ? During my set I have often used drum machine , keyboards and sampler keyboard. so I have always dreamed to be able to play good an instrument (laughing). So what was the reaction of your parents when you started to become a professional Dj. Where they upset? I mean at this time a DJ wasnt a real profession. No, I had no problem. I was a student and as being also a deejay I had enough money to keep for myself. You are known as a DJ who mixes different styles of music together in order to create something new out of this different sources. I think that can only be done by a person who is curious and doesnt care about barriers and boundaries. Would you describe yourself as a curious and boundless person? you have done a perfect portrait of me. thanks! Dont get me wrong with this question but you are in this business for nearly forty years now, did you never thought about quitting this business and doing something completely different? Or do you need music and records like the air that you breathe? I hope in the future I can work for a Radio station. Especially all night long! You developed several path breaking techniques as a DJ for example using Equalizers in your Dj sets. Would you describe yourself as a person who is always interested in technique and gadgets? I mean also new telephones, cars, etc. Or is your fascination in new techniques more focused on technical DJ equipment? I dont care about new cars or new phones and stuff like that I always preferred to buy records and more records!

ting!
In 1979 you founded with others the legendary Cosmic Club in La-

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I think a lot of music I have played was not exactly music produced for the dance floor, as it happen nowadays.
DANIELLE bALDELLI

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DANIELLE bALDELLI
I usE VINyL, cDs AND fINAL scRAtch. I ALwAys buy A LOt Of VINyL, but I ALsO LIkE tO usE thE cD pLAyER, I DONt cARE whAt thE OthERs usE OR sAy!
Do you use exclusively use vinyl when you dj or do you also use other medias? Whats your opinion about djing with a laptop, or the digital DJ systems like Serato Scratch and Traktor? I dont mind. I use vinyl, cDs and final scratch. I buy always a lot of vinyl but I also like to use the cD player, I dont care what the others use or say! I like to say that the only important thing is the music! Vinyl, cDs, serato? it is ok when you let me feel emotions! With the new medias like the internet and digital music it became easier to build communities and share ideas, but sometimes I have the feeling that the spirit and the warmth of things get lost through these masses of information and possibilities. Do you think that the times of radio promotion and mouth to mouth propaganda were better times than today? Or do you think that people are still select with their heart and ears in the end? In everything there is some bad and some good. yes now there is a lots of opportunity. but too much! I dont know if all the people are able to use them and enjoy. On the picture on the album sleeve you can be seen with a cigarette under your spacemen helmet, are you a smoker? sorry, but this is a big mistake. I dont smoke anymore. I was a smoker and now I am glad that I quit smoking! DANIELLE bALDELLI Do you think that the non smoking laws in Europe affects also the club culture? I mean for me its still strange not to smoke when I am in a club or went outside or into a smokers tent? In the beginning in Italy everybody was angry about it and the owners of the club were afraid to loose a lot of business, but now everybody is ok. It is very nice to go back home without smoke stink on your dress. http://www.myspace.com/djdaniellebaldelli What are your nexts plans this year? Will you promote the album together with Marco playing in several clubs also outsides of Italy? I think and hope this will happen soon. What do you need for a perfect day in your life? LOVE AND pEAcE AND MusIc! or is this much too normal?

photos copyright Interview All rights reserved

Danieles MySpace Website Michael Mck cuemix-Magazine

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twILA tOO

hARD-wORkING wOMAN
whAt DO yOu NEED fOR A pERfEct DAy IN yOuR LIfE? wARMth fROM thE suN AND fROM thE pEOpLE suRROuNDING ME, A GOOD cOffEE, GOOD fOOD AND Of cOuRsE, GOOD MusIc!
with and did several collaborations until today is bob humid. Did you meet him first in cologne or did you knew each other before? I was coming quiet often in Cologne for personal reasons. I first met him there, in the well-known Liquid Sky Bar, which is unluckily closed. I asked him later if he would like to help me on the production of my album, he accepted. That was also the time where he was finishing his first album, and I enjoyed so much one track of him that I composed vocals on it. It was the start of a precious you work as a singer, author and composer. besides about your collaboration. work as a singer, about we will talk later more detailed, I would like to know more your work as an author and composer. In which It seems to me that you love to work with different musicians and different styles of music. Is this a result of your musical socialisaprojects you are involved? Im currently involved in 3 bands, plus my solo-project Twila.too. tion? I mean did you always been interested in different styles of The first band is Featherweight (http://www.myspace.com/fea- music? therweight1), with Bob Humid, dance-floor orientated. We are at Yes, I always loved to listen to a lot of different music styles, I also the present time not active, as we are producing together my debut started to sing 14 years ago in Indie-Rock bands. But my taste for album, and we have unluckely not so much time beside the pro- electronic music and my choice to be involved in electronics came duction of the album. The second band is Spectar (http://www.mys- around 1999. I love all styles of electronics, and I love to experiment pace.com/spectarmusik), with Wolfgang Thums, deep experimen- with my voice on different shades of music, as a challenge to always tal electronix, in current state of production. The third one is Ernest renew myself. Drake (http://www.myspace.com/ernestdrake), with DJ Phoney, electro-disco-punk, also in state of production. In each band, we And at which age have you discovered electronic music? work on the compositions of my partners, or also on my own. Then, I discovered it in 1988 by going to parties with the movement so at last but not least, my solo album Crossed lines, where I compo- called New beat. but my taste for it came later in the nineties sed most of the tracks. I hope that the production of this album will with trip-hop and drum&bass, and decided myself also to turn to this direction of music after discovering bands like portishead, be finished this year. Massive Attack or sneaker pimps. since you moved to cologne youve been quickly involved in projects from the scene in cologne. One of central figures you worked And how did you get into the world of music? have you started to Olivia, the first thing I remarked was your artist name youve chosen: twila.too. I really would like to find out whats behind this name? Is there a special story behind it? I love the phonetic and the meaning of the word twilight. As already used, I made some research on internet and found the first name Twila which is not really spread. I directly loved it and then added the word too to make it a bit more personal.

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I had bad luck in Belgium, as the network of musicians is very small and difficult to approach.
person to compose vocals on his music. I can just let it go on the mood that I want, whenever I want. It is a very positive feeling to be able to do it alone. And on which label will the album come out? Is it based in Cologne? we do not have a label yet for now, it is today very imprecise where it will be released. I know that you love to perform live, do you have any plans for a tour to represent your album? yes, I plan to perform this album live when it will be ready. I would like to perform it with bob humid on the machines and a bass player, and maybe some nice visuals. Topic jumping, but I am really curious about the reason that you moved in 2001 from Brussels to Cologne? For personal reasons, or to study? I moved for personal reasons and also for the musical opportunities that I have here in cologne. there is a lot of musicians specialized in the electronic music, and it was easier for me to be based in cologne. What do you personally like most about Cologne? I like the mentality of the people that I met here, very relaxed and creatively in ebullition. Brussels not so far from Cologne, do you also have contact to some artists and musicians in Belgium? No, not so much. I think that I had bad luck in belgium, as the network of musicians is very small and difficult to approach. I did not meet so many musicians there... Sounds like a typical journalistic phrase, but I mean it makes sense to ask a restless person like you: what else can we except from you in the near future? More shows, more collaborations. twILLA.tOO www.twilatoo.com I always compose a lot of vocals and music, and unluckily not all my work is released. for the next months, there are 2 releases, flip flop crash in collaboration with Ziggy kinder (normally in july) and Amazone with thora on his project Little picnic (will be released this month on a lounge sampler on Geyser rec. and normally in september on his album). for the shows, the live-set with Ernest Drake will be ready very soon and I cant wait to perform it live soon... What do you need for a perfect day in your life? warmth from the sun and from the people surrounding me, a good coffee, good food and, of course, good music!

sing in a school choir or have you started to learn instruments? or have you been raised in a musicians family? I have not been really raised in a musician family. I have learned flute and piano and musical theories as a child. but I stopped when I was a teenager. It is a bit by chance that I started to sing later when I was 20, on the request of a friend of mine. I started to make the backing vocals in his band. Right now you are finishing your debut album called Crossed Lines. Can you tell me something about the musical direction of this album? Most of the tracks are what I would say futuristic dark electronix, it is a mix between wavy elements, elaborated beats and a slight trip-hop influence. And whats the concept or better say the story behind the albums title? the title of the album is also the title of a track of the album. the story in this track is about communication between persons which is tricky and unclear. Like a sound coming from the radio which is indistinct because of a wrong frequency. If it could be so simple just to switch the frequency with people as it is for the radio, I think that life would be much easier.... How many songs will appear on Crossed Lines? And are all tracks with vocals or will there also be some instrumental tracks? we fixed the amount of tracks at 12. All tracks are with vocals, as vocals are for me the central point in the composition of the music. Have you produced the album by your own or did you had any help by other producers and artists? there is 3 different producers involved. bob humid has produced most of the tracks until now (5) there is still 3 tracks with him in preparation, Numinos his studio-partner, has produced 3 tracks and Leschet&wilde have produced one track. I needed their help,

as Im not a sound engineer myself, and that I dont like so much to work on the mixing side of music. for some tracks, the producers have also preferred to change the composition of the music or to add some instruments; it was a very interesting discovery for me how the tracks evolved. And when have you started to work on Crossed Lines? Is it a resume of your work over the last years or is it a complete new album with new tracks you wrote in the last months? I wrote these songs in 2000-2001. we started working on it with bob humid in 2002, then, for different reasons, very sporadically. we are more active on the production since March 2007. As we both have to work, the time that is left for the production is very tiny unluckily. What about your creative development, I mean you mainly work as a singer, so do you first write the lyrics of a new song or do you first have a new melody in your head? It depends on the tracks, but generally I first look for an idea for a melody, then write the text following this idea. but for Desiring the world? for example, I had both melody and text idea at the same time. So do you create new songs spontaneous for example in the car or train or are you more a person who needs the quietness of a studio and a creative mood to create new music? It goes also in all directions! I can have some ideas by making house working for example (very inspiring for me, strange, isnt it?) or by just sitting down in front of my computer. You collaborated and released so many tracks on different labels and compilations. But does it feel different or better say more exciting to release a complete own debut album? yes, of course, it is very exciting to work on my own ideas. I decided to start working on my compositions because then, it goes on the mood that I feel and Im not dependant anymore on another

www.spectar.de www.myspace.com/twilatoo www.myspace.com/featherweight1 www.electronic-ladiez.net photos copyright Interview All rights reserved Twila.Too MySpace Website Michael Mck cuemix-Magazine

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ERschEINt IM cuEMIX-MAGAZINE MEDIENVERLAG schERbstRAssE 37, 52134 hERZOGENRAth GERMANy fON: +49-172-2412380 www.cuEMIX-MAGAZINE.cOME MAIL: INfO@cuEMIX-MAGAZINE.cOM herausgeber: Michael Mck Verantwortlich, Redaktion, Interviews: Michael Mck (V.i.s.d.p) Anzeigen und Marketing: Gabriele kochs Layout: holger kochs fr Neu web: stephan kochs fr EinGrafi kbro www.eingrafikbuero.de Verantwortlicher gem 10 Absatz 3 MDstV: Michael Mck

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