Taste Test: Tobi Neumann

Taste Test: Tobi Neumann

12 November, 2010 | 2.59AM

• Written by: Beatportal
• Filed under: Music News: taste test, tobi neumann

Next Saturday, November 20, Tobi Neumann is taking over.

The Cocoon regular and veteran of the German underground will be playing all night long as the featured guest of A Night With..., a monthly series held at secret underground locations around London. (Click here for tickets.) Like previous guests Cassy, Ivan Smagghe, and Steve Bug, he’ll be digging deep into his crates to provide an eight-hour soundtrack for the night, from 10pm until 6am—no opener, no live set, no intermission. Old-school, baby.

We asked Neumann what he’s got in store for the set and quizzed him on his musical upbringing as the next subject of our new feature, Taste Test. Read on for the full interview.

So you’re going to be playing the full night. What do you have planned?

The exciting thing about playing long is that you can make looong waves of different styles, ups and downs, softer and harder… Of course, for this occasion, I bring a special prepared selection of records with me, but the decision of what I play I do right in the moment, inspired by what just happens and how everything feels. That’s what makes it so special to DJ.

Are you doing any kind of training exercises to get in shape for the gig? Or are long sets second nature for you?

I am living in Berlin and here we are used to play long sets. This year I played a couple of very long sets at the lovely Club der Visionäre. Also I am a Robert Johnson resident and there I also used to play the whole night. So an eight-hour set shouldn’t be a problem. After a while the time starts to run anyway. Hopefully I am inspired and in a good mood, as well as the audience!

What format are you playing these days

I use vinyl and some CDs. I don’t like the sound of Traktor at all! It takes all the life and the swing out of the sound, especially when the computer synchronizes the tracks.

Could you name two or three cuts you’re looking forward to dropping in your A Night With… set?

There is this mysterious and amazing bootleg with a Marvin Gaye acapella witch might be a good choice for this night, plus some new tunes Onur Özer gave me. Also I wanna try maybe to drop some tunes from my history before electronic music, but this should be a surprise!

What was the first record you remember having as a child?

Mozart, “The Magic Flute.”

What was the first record you bought with your own money?

Queen, “News of the World.”

Which style or genre of music was your first great love?

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart & the Beatles.

How have your musical tastes changed since you were a teenager?

Pff… I am 45 years right now and the way was really long. In the ‘70s I was into rock, into the Beatles and later very much into Bob Marley, Queen, Pink Floyd etc., and also into funk from Herbie Hancock.

In the ‘80s I became more influenced by music like Tuxedo Moon, Nick Cave & Bad Seeds, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Police, King Crimson, Robert Fripp, Talking Heads. Also into Miles Davis and some weird jazz from New York. My producer-heroes of the ‘80s were definitely Brian Eno and Trevor Horn.

At this time I was already interested in the production of music. In the ‘90s I was more and more also interested in pop and electronic music, and from ‘96 on I started to buy techno and house records. Now besides house I buy a lot of music—jazz, Latin, etc… I am just very much into music my whole life!

What was the last record (or MP3) you bought?

“Revolver Jax” from Christian Burkhardt & Einzelkind and the fantastic album by Mark Broom on Saved Records, on vinyl of course!

How many tracks/records do you typically acquire every week—both promos & purchases?

Actually I almost stopped listening to digi-promos. I receive around 400 mails per week with MP3s and I am completely tired of it. Most stuff just sounds similar and doesn’t have any value to me, and also it confuses me so much! I went back to weekly record shopping at Hard Wax, Freebase Records, Rotation, Melting Point and Decks. And also I still receive some vinyl promos. On top of that I buy used records on Discogs.

I am so happy to play vinyl. Last Saturday after my set at Cocoon Club in Frankfurt I went to buy records at the fantastic Freebase Record store and found amazing stuff for more than 150 euros. Later in the evening, at the party where I was booked, I played almost all of them. Records are physical, you buy and have them, they have a face, you can touch and play them. That’s the real shit for me!

Name your three favorite tracks at the moment:

Just a little example:

Alex F. & Lopazz “Dinosaurs” [Poker Flat]

Santos “Primitive Cannible” [Monique Musique]

Nina Kravitz, “Zlobini Mikrob”

Three favorite classic tracks:

Maurizio, “M4” & “M5” [M]

Lil’ Louis, “French Kiss”

Hollis P. Monroe, “I’m Lonely”

Which track (by another musician) do you wish that you had made?

“Last Christmas” by Wham. Every year, George Michael gets at least 5 million pounds for copyrights. His pension, perfect!

What’s your favorite record from this year that isn’t electronic dance music?

Gonzales, Ivory Tower [Boysnoize]

Current reading or last good book read?

Frank Schirrmacher, Payback.

Favorite iPhone app:

I use Nokia.

Favorite video game:

I didn’t touch a video game in the last 30 years, but before, it was Space Invaders. Don’t know if this still exists.

Favorite piece of gear:

My modular system, my Roland Jupiter 8 ,and of course Technics 1210 SL.

Preferred headphones:

Sennheiser HD 25 Pro.

Favorite clothing designer:

Firma Berlin.

Favorite city/country/club to perform in?

Thank God that there are many favorites and not only one.
But to let you know, I love to play in London!

What country would you be thrilled to play in, just for the food?

China.

Strangest thing you’ve ever eaten while on tour:

Grilled guinea pig in Peru. Ahhrgh!

Strangest thing a fan has ever given you:

Used Underwear!

Frequent flyer survival tip:

Never choose Iberia, they suck big-time!

Weirdest rumor you’ve ever heard about yourself:

I don’t care so much about rumors!

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