Sascha Funke interview: Will the real Berliner please stand up?

Sascha Funke interview: Will the real Berliner please stand up?

22 April, 2008 | 2.25AM

• Section: Music News Topics: Berlin
• Written by: Ben Raven

There are more foreign DJs per square mile in Berlin than any other city, so it’s hard to find a real Berliner amongst them.

Step forward Sascha Funke the, Bpitch Control star, with a guide to his hometown and his recent album ‘Mango’. 

Describe the Berlin techno scene right now. Who’s making the best moves?

One of the biggest plus points about the Berlin scene is that no one is the best.

We have so many labels, DJs and clubs, and it’s changing all the time.

It’s never boring to go to a record shop or a club — something interesting will always happen.

But, of course, there are some labels or clubs which are more connected then others.

For me as a native Berliner, I’m quite happy that the city has developed the way it has.

I feel like I live in the techno heart of Europe.

What was it like growing up in Berlin?

I started listening to techno music in 1992 via Marusha’s ‘Rave Satellite’ radio show to get information about the scene and to find out things like where the Hard Wax record store was or where the interesting clubs were.

Paul Kalkbrenner and I started our own parties in small youth clubs in east Berlin, where we played from 7 pm until midnight.

After, we went to clubs like Bunker, Walfisch or E-werk.

During that time, it was very easy to find special venues in old east Berlin factories or warehouses.

Everything was fresh and exciting.

The city definitely inspired the sound of the clubs.

All the styles like house, techno or trance or breakbeat were not so separated as now.

The family was smaller but more open minded.

What’s your favourite Berlin club today?

At the moment, it’s Watergate.

It has the best mix of sound, music, light, staff and crowd.

Once, when I was playing there with Housemeister three years ago, I played David Bowie ‘Helden’.

During that track, Housemeister’s girlfriend got on the microphone and asked him if he wanted to marry her — I think it was the biggest surprise of his life!

Where’s your favourite place to relax?

Treptower Park is my favourite park.

It’s huge and is beside the River Spree.

Inside, you can take a step into Communism history with the Russian memorial square built for the soldiers of the Russian army after the second world war.

Who’s your favourite Berlin DJ?

DJ Disco.

He was the DJ who influenced me the most.

He was resident in the old E-werk club in the 1990s and his sets changed my life.

He always played very late after the headliner DJs like Sneak or Carl Cox until 2 pm. 

Tell us about the recording of your new album?

For first four months, I produced it in Aix en Provence.

I moved there with Paul Kalkbrenner to have a little break from the big city of Berlin.

I could concetrate more on the music, and the nature inspired me.

I collected a lot of ideas and sketches and went back to Berlin in June 2007 and then finished all the tracks in the following four months.

I worked on each track simultaneously to get a real flow on the album.

For me, it was very important to do something different from the other singles and remixes I’ve made over the past four years.

What’s your favourite track?

It changes every week!

At the moment it’s ‘Take a Chance With Me’.

What five places can you recommend to a visitor to Berlin?

1. For dinner: Al Contadino Sotto le Stelle. Auguststr. 34. Nice Sicilian Italian food in Mitte.

2. For art: Hamburger Bahnhof. Invalidenstr. 50-51. From now until August 24th, there’s an exhibition from the famous photographer, Wolfgang Tillmanns.

3. For shopping: Andreas Murkudis. Münzstr. 21, 1. und 2. Hinterhof. Nice fashion and accessories for men and women.

4. For sightseeing: The top of the Reichstag building. This is the only parliament house in the world where the people can visit their government from above.

5. For record shopping: Rotation Records. Weinbergsweg 3. Gentle sales staff and a very sorted stock of records.

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