2007: The Year in Quotes on Beatportal

2007: The Year in Quotes on Beatportal

21 December, 2007 | 4.24PM

• Written by: Terry Church
• Filed under: Music News: 2007

Granted, there are three months in which we didn’t have quotes, because at that point, Beatportal was merely in planning stages.

But to our surprise, lots has happened since April.

As we close out 2007, we present to you some of the most memorable moments from our year in interviews.

April

When Beatportal started in April, we got things rolling off with a bang.

One of the first acts we spoke with was Spank Rock, of whom Alex firmly puts his intentions in place.

“Making music and DJing should be fun.

“If it isn’t fun, maybe you should think about doing something else.”

Simian Mobile Disco also clearly believes in fun, as we garnered from our interview with the off-the-cuff duo.

“The biggest buzz I get from DJing is when you drop a track half-way through the set that would have bombed had you played it at the beginning.

“It’s like you got away with it, and tricked the audience. So we’d start with minimal stuff, but drop in a ghetto-tech track near the end.

“We played the tune from Willie Wonka’s Chocolate Factory at Bugged Out once, and it went down a treat.”

May

French artist D’Julz had this to say about the clubs in his home country:

“I’ve always found it funny how there is a huge gap between the ‘French’ sound you hear worldwide, and the music you actually hear in French clubs.

“With the whole filtered disco thing, you had very talented French producers making music and bringing attention to France, but they weren’t DJs and never played in clubs.

“There are no filtered disco clubs in France, music has always been much more eclectic and diverse.

When we asked Plan B what his thoughts are on rap that glamorizes gun culture and the gangster lifestyle, he had this to say:

“I enjoy gangster rap the same as I enjoy gangster movies. I don’t take it literally or let it influence me to hurt people.

“I am someone who can make my own decisions and I was brought up well enough to know that robbing and killing people to make a name for myself is not the way a man behaves.”

We asked Detroit techno originator Kevin Saunderson about what it was like when he first started making techno music.

“Back then it was a lot harder to make music.

“We had to use tape machines ‘n’ razor blades to slice and splice tapes together to make tracks, you know.

“The kids making music these days wouldn’t know how the hell to do that.”

June

Pieter of Plastic Operator had some ideas about why his music should be on MTV.

“Because it will entertain your toddler all night long, or so one babysitter told us. Also because Pete Circuitt directed the ‘Folder’ music video.

“It feels like he created a whole mini universe for the song to live in. He is one seriously talented Kiwi.”

July

Konrad Black started off his interview in unique style, as only a traveling DJ can do.

“Holz shit. zo, i äm in the effing dj booth of Privilege in Ibiza about to play while hijacking somebody’s internet hook up to send this! iäm on a German computer hence the weird characters.”

Later in the interview, we asked him why he started making electronic music, to which he aptly replied:

“Because I effing love it that’s why!”

Acid house and electro artist Dusty Kid kindly answered our inquiry on whether he had ever given drugs to his cat.

“In one of the many after parties I’ve thrown at my place I’m sure somebody has tried to do it. But Moma is already on a natural high.”

Malente talks about his start in music.

“It was so much fun to do DJ mixes and make tunes from samples by tape deck in my spare time.

“Sometimes I sang over it, so it was not done for the dancefloor so much.

“I did this for me and some friends. Electronic music? Nobody used that term. I made music, didn’t matter if I laid metal guitars over hip hop beats or mixed German schlager with new beat.”

We talked to Amy Grill, who’s behind the electronic music documentary in progress, Speaking In Code, asking her if she thinks dance music can change the world.

“I believe that there certainly can be a palpable Utopian vibe that floats over some mass and even small gatherings (open air raves, festivals, watching your favorite DJ or producer perform), but is that going to translate into world changing global unity and peace? No.

“It does however promote a global sense of community and a sense of belonging for people who love electronic music.

“The DIY spirit of techno did change the music industry and thus the world on some level.”

Armand Van Helden revealed to Beatportal how he’s not always comfortable doing promotional stints behind his releases.

“I turn into a sissy girl if I’m forced to do these promotional things because I feel like I’m a victim of my own clown. I feel trapped.

“But I understand that I have to do it – I call it ‘screwing on the clown nose’.”

And on the state of trance, John 00 Fleming makes some astute observations.

“It got named trance because you got completely lost in a wonderland of music.

“People tranced out and got lost in musical bliss.

“That’s what trance used to mean, but now it means a cheesy vocal, an obvious breakdown and a rubbish video.”

August

Minilogue seem to put their ‘Space EP’ in an almost prog-rock context:

“The ‘Space EP’ is a record with two tracks telling different stories about space, bringing you on two very different journeys.

“The title track ‘Space’ brings us to an epic journey that reveals all the colours and beautiful sights of the universe.

”’Star Command’ on the other hand goes on the darker and deeper side, and to me that track is like traveling slowly in a space shuttle while small things are happening outside, objects moving and turning as they pass on their endless flight.”

While Samim, who gained a lot of attention in 2007, talks about ‘Heater’.

“I was hoping to get some people smiling. That it would get this much attention and polarise opinions so strongly was unforeseeable.

“I’ve encountered reactions on ‘Heater’ ranging from “Bavarian folk dance music” and “polka house” to “chanson techno”.

On asked why Stonebridge loves vocals so much after taking a listen to ‘Music Takes Me’:

“I believe songs will last forever and tracks will be forgotten once they’re played out.

“It’s not that I only love vocals, but more the emotional impact a song has, compared to an instrumental.

“Saying that, I do play a more instrumental sound as a DJ, but an album is something you listen to at home or in your car so I didn’t try to re-create a club vibe on it.”

Beatportal also had the chance to catch up with broadcasting tastemaker Pete Tong, asking him how he manages to stay enthusiastic about the Essential Selection on BBC Radio 1.

“It’s that hunger to find new music, that fidgetness to find cool new tracks that has kept me going.

“And the Internet has totally refreshed the industry.

“I sit now on top of all this dialogue going on on the net, and the process of playing hot new music on the show has become validated.”

September

We asked Paul Arnold of Chew the Fat! Who he’d have play at the next Fat! Party, dead or alive.

“I need a week to think about that, but off the top of my head, it would consist of some of the people who have helped to shape my musical tastes — playing sets that they were playing 15 years ago.

“John Peel, Andy Weatherall, Carl Craig and LTJ Bukem.”

October

October proved to be an especially busy time for Beatportal.

When nabbed Marco of Italoboyz to ask them where they got the vocal sample from for their operatic anthem ‘Viktor Casanova’.

“He he, it came from heaven, not from earth.”

Beatportal also caught up with underground label favorite Wagon Repair to ask for suggestions on listening to music from the label.

“Be open to anything and don’t be surprised if you hear mistakes in the music – that’s what humans do.”

And when Wagon Repair is mentioned, Cobblestone Jazz is never far behind — and Mathew Jonson is as silly as ever in letting us know how their recording sessions for ’23 Seconds’ went off.

“The most memorable part for me was watching Danuel [Tate] dancing around like an old hippie raver with his shirt off.

“Once the shirts come off in our studio, it’s time for business.

Were you perplexed by Marc Houle’s ‘Techno Vocals’ this year? We spoke with him for some insight.

“‘Techno Vocals’ is just a light hearted comment on the cookie cutter pitched vocal effect.”

Or did you wonder why ‘Ribcage’ struck a chord with so many people? Dubfire [main picture] revealed the method to his madness.

“‘RibCage’ is really two separate and distinct songs, and I just decided to keep them joined at the hip because I’ve never really heard anyone else attempt to do that before.

“The track only makes real sense played in its entirety.

“‘Rib’ is the setup, and creates a certain vibe that reels the listener in, while ‘Cage’ keeps them on the dancefloor.

“Plus, it’s a great ‘bathroom’ record for us DJs!

“I’ve never been a fan of DJs who don’t play certain tracks in their entirety, mixing in or out quickly; that’s not the way the producer intended to have it played in a club.”

Stanton Warriors take note of the changing music industry and digital downloads, and how they affect fans and artists alike.

“I can shop in bed!

“Beatport is great, but it’s all the blog sites that give your shit away for free that fuck up a lot of people.

“I still like having a piece of vinyl or a CD, though.”

Beatportal checked in with Gildas of France’s Kitsuné, known for both music and fashion.

“We like club culture and music that makes you dance and emotional.

“We don’t care how the music is made, or if there are guitars or computers making it — it’s only the result that matters.

“I agree with our friends from Soulwax; they don’t care if the track they play is a big hit that everybody knows, because they don’t have that kind of snobbism that would push them not to play a track because it could be considered a commercial one.

“That’s how we feel.

“We like to be surprised.

“We like to hear new mixes.

“We’re just open-minded.

“We hope to be here for a long time, and there’s too much at risk to focus on just one style of music.

“If your focus is limited and your style is no longer hip, your label is finished.

“We want Kitsuné to be a looking forward label.”

And while in France, we checked in with Chloe, another artist who has made inroads within the electronic community, asking her how she would kill time if she were stuck in a waiting room, and in the process, we learned about the making of her album ‘The Waiting Room’.

“I think I would take my guitar. I’ve played guitar for a very long time, but I’m not an amazing guitarist.

“I wanted to learn guitar because I wanted to produce the music I was listening to at that time.

“When I discovered electronic music and how to make electronic music, I wanted to do a bit more than just work on a four-track mixer.

“There are many more possibilities.

“I played all the guitar bits on my album, except on the track ‘It’s Sunday’.”

We spoke with German producer Burnt Friedman about his album ‘First Night Forever’ and learned of a happy accident.

“Only a few weeks ago, I listened to the vinyl test pressings.

Because I was so familiar with the songs, I chose to check the pressings using the wrong speed, which means I pitched the record player from 45 RPM to 33 RPM.

“This is the great option you have with vinyl — one actually has two programs on one disc.

“However, the tracks seemed hot and groovy to me, so I decided that I will dedicate an entire long player to this kind of sound world in the near future.”

November

We asked Josh Gabriel of Gabriel & Dresden about some of the technical and overall aspects that went into the making of ‘Summit’.

“I think of music like a graphic designer.

“I see the shapes of the sounds and the story that I am telling. I wanted to make a track that was like an audio rollercoaster, taking you from big to small and back again.

“So, the idea was simple; get big, get small, get big, get small and then take you somewhere you did not expect – and then the ride is over.”

We happily learned that Steve Lawler still seems determined to blaze his own path.

“The problem is, people like to put artists and music in boxes, don’t they?

“When I released my ‘Lights Out 2’ compilation people were like ‘Oh Lawler’s gone all electro house’.

“I used to be pigeonholed as a tribal house DJ too.

“Maybe I’m constantly paranoid of people trying to tag me, so that’s why I’m constantly on a mission to shock people.

“‘Femme Fatale’ will shock people.

“And I’ve been working a lot with techno.

“As long as I keep moving, people will keep trying to tag me as this or that.

“But in the end, it’s still me, Steve Lawler.”

Interestingly enough, we spoke with Omid 16B that same month, who has a different approach to, well, being different.

“I’m not trying to purposely do anything differently.

“All it stands for is I don’t want to stop trying new ideas and new solutions to everyday things.

“Music is a part of all of us and we all add to what’s made and what’s heard so I’d rather evolve with new ideas than stay in tradition because it’s a safer place to be.

“Let’s not cause any problems with this, and uplift a few spirits instead.

“But I guess whatever the universe wants is what the universe gets. I don’t care for being different I’d actually prefer if we could all merge.”

December

We close off the year with Radio Slave, who has made an essential impact in 2007, and is sure to make a larger impact in 2008.

In this changing world of the industry and of music-making, Radio Slave keeps it simple.

“I believe you can make electronic music with any kind of equipment, be it digital or analogue, and there’s too much emphasis on what software producers use or what you have to use.”

Of course, we haven’t even approached the many video interviews that Beatportal has done over the year. We suggest you mosey on over for an ear and an eyeful.

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