Luke Eargoggle on European electro, Egyptian Lover and being bitten while DJing

Luke Eargoggle on European electro, Egyptian Lover and being bitten while DJing

4 September, 2008 | 9.10AM

• Written by: Dylan Joseph
• Filed under: Music News: faceless mind, luke eargoggle

Luke Eargoggle from Faceless Mind speaks on the state of European electro music, studio tactics, working with Egyptian Lover and being bitten by punk dogs while DJing.

Open Concept Recordings:  It’s 2008 and Stilleben records has been around for 10 years now.  Congratulations!  Would you say your vision for the label has come to fruition yet?  If you have other goals that remain unfufilled, what are they?

Eargoggle:  Thank you!  Actually the other day I was listening thru the back catalogue and I must say Iʼm really proud of Stilleben records and what it’s become. 

For me the honesty and music always comes in first place and I think that is why Stilleben have such a strong position for some people in the world.  Goals are not fulfilled, more records in the pipeline as I write this.

The mission with Stilleben is to stay strong and release pure forms of electro music!

For all us peeps who might not get to visit Gothenburg, how is it there these days for “the music scene”?  Do you still get a chance to rock tha house in your hometown very often or are you focused more on world domination right now?

Gothenburg is a music city in many styles and aspects, if you get to know the right people thereʼs always something nice happening but otherwise it can be hard to find sometimes. 

I’ve been a bit more focused on producing and the world last years but i still run a electro bar “Midnight Express” every second week to have a nice place to meet the freaks and keep alive.

You were featured early on with the Bunker label out of Den Haag whom we all have a very profound admiration for.  Can you tell us a bit about how that all came to be?  I’m sure there must be some good stories with those guys.

I sent my demo to them and they really liked it. 

That was the beginning of all between the Holland and Sweden connection. 

There are many stories for sure!  One little thing that happened first time I played in Den Haag was that I was bitten in the ass by a loose running punk dog during my gig!  Pretty strange feeling while concentrating. Heheh.

How have things changed in the last 10 years or so from your perspective?  Is the music moving forward in a positive way or do you have some criticisms?

About the state of the music industry… We operate outside of the conventional model, but things are changing all around.  People wonder if vinyl will survive.

In the midst of all the changes, do you think it is moving towards a healthy environment for artists now or is everything getting more fucked up?

Eargoggle:  I guess my music changed some but Iʼm really trying every now and then to get back to the roots of where I started to see what will happen and how it feels. 

Producing is a crazy thing, like painting with sounds. 

Very powerful sometimes when everything goes right.  I think experimenting and dreaming away in studio are essential ingredients for me. 

Music moves the way you like it, as long as you make it!

Digital is the future in many aspects I guess but vinyl is the true love and will never die completely. It’s for the freaks!

In more recent news, you have recently recorded an album with a true legend of electronic music and someone I know you’ve respected for a long time: Egyptian Lover.  What was that like?

Our group’s name is Egypt Ear Werk and the 12” is called ‘Werk Of Art’.  Itʼs a really big thing for me - I canʼt believe itʼs true sometimes thinking of it, but it is.  CRAZY!  Record is out any day now on the Swedish label KUST. 

It’s been great meeting the true Lover and working some with him hopefully there will be more.  We have some plans…

Some guys like to keep this kind of talk up on the shelf, but we are shameless studio and synthesizer nerds here.  Can you tell us about the first synth or drum machine you played with?  The ones your friend left you?  The first you came to really love?

First drum machine I played with was a Roland TR-808 actually. 

Before I started to make music I had a lot of friends producing but I never thought I could do it myself. 

My first love was some sound from the Juno 106, some kind of romantic string/pad.  I remember I just sat and kept on playing and playing.  Those where the days!

So you play chess, right?  Tell us a bit about all that!  If VCS 2600 and Big Blue met in a match, who would win?

I play some chess but my son Elliot is the man here more than me. I always liked the game very much but been a bit afraid of it as well because of its depth and so on. My son taught me not to fear it, just play - itʼs fun.  Kids are great!  We have much to learn from them that we once knew but almost forgot.

VCS 2600 would win at the end with help from the Rooks before a pawn become a Queen!

Elliot must be getting old enough to wonder about what Dad does in the studio and what all that cool equipment is.  Do you think he be featured on Stilleben some day?

To be honest he doesnʼt care too much. He is already on some sleeves and have even appeared on some records as well, in refrains etc.

Nobody is getting any younger on this planet.  Since you’ve been wearing the Daddy-pants for awhile now. Has it been difficult trying to balance music and family life? Do you have any advice for people trying to do rock family life and do it right?

No it hasnʼt been that hard.  I always needed my own space even though Iʼm a father so I separated those things a little from the beginning. 

I think many get too much into being a “parent” and lose their own interests when getting children. 

For me it feels wrong to do that.

Iʼm still Lukas even if life changed big time after having my son. 

Itʼs possible to do all just with a little sense of balance. 

And time also get more worth after having a child since you donʼt have all the time in the world anymore. 

You become more productive and concentrated I guess.  At least I do!

My advice is: Just focus and donʼt get too (crazy about being a) parent.  You are your own self as well!

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