@ 33 Rude Ol Boys

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Finn Johannsen – Interview for Mondo Magazine

First thing Front club in Hamburg, what made the place magical and what made you follow Klaus Stockhausen, and his way of DJing?

There were different things falling into place then. I was always interested in club culture and music, but pre-internet you could mostly only read about legendary clubs and its resident DJs. When I first went to Front in 1987 I was 18 years old, and up to then I never heard a DJ who could really mix. Klaus Stockhausen played there since 1983, several times a week, and he had built up a very loyal crowd. The club itself was a raw basement, there was not much to distract from the music, apart from the hedonistic dancers. The place was very intense, and Stockhausen as well as his protegé and successor Boris Dlugosch were incredibly good. Of course you tend to be sentimental about times and places that intiated you into something, but I still have not experienced anything close, both in terms of clubs and DJing. Of course it also helped that those years saw very crucial developments in club music. When I started going there it was the end of that transitional period between Disco and House, which was extremely exciting. And in the following years I frequently went there that excitement persisted. Those were the blueprint years for everything we still dance to now, and I had the privilege to experience it right on the floor. And I learnt a lot of things that I still use.

How did you become part of Hard Wax, was it hard to get that job?

No. Seven years ago all my freelance activities and the according deadlines began to collide with being a father. My wife suggested some more steady work to complement and that I could ask for a job at the store, as I was a very regular customer anyway. Coincidentally Achim Brandenburg aka Prosumer quit working there at that time and they were thinking about asking me to replace him. So within a short time I sat down with the owner Mark Ernestus and the store manager Michael Hain and got the job.

I know you like to write about music, but why do you hate to write reviews?

I actually do not hate writing reviews at all. But after doing that for several years at de:bug magazine I felt I was increasingly running out of words to accurately describe the music I was given the task to review, and I think keeping a fresh perspective is mandatory in that aspect. But more importantly writing reviews does not work too well with running a label yourself, and working at Hard Wax. On the one hand I wanted to avoid allegations of being biased, on the other hand I had to keep potential implications of my writing commitments out of my other work. So I began to lay my focus on features and interviews, mostly from a historical perspective. I am not afraid of discourse and speaking my mind on certain topics if I feel it is necessary, but I am very cautious to remain objective.

Can you tell us what is Druffalo?

Druffalo is a semi-anonymous collective of six seasoned DJs and writers living in Berlin, Mannheim and Cologne, and was founded in 2007. It used to be a rather notorious web fanzine celebrating aspects of culture we felt were worth celebrating, and we were pretty merciless in pointing out aspects of culture we felt were not worth celebrating at all. The web magazine is defunct for a while now, as at some point the server we were running on mysteriously disconnected us and we thought it was a good statement to just disappear. The whole archive is backed up though, so nobody should feel too safe. Attached to it was a DJ collective called the Druffalo Hit Squad, consisting of the same six editors and likeminded guests. We did an influential mix series that is archived on Mixcloud, and we were constantly throwing parties that were pretty anarchic. Since the end of 2015 we took up a bi-monthly residency at the club Paloma Bar in Berlin, where we mostly define our idea of a modern Soul allnighter, using our vast archive of Disco, Soul and Garage House records. But there are also plans to return to the eclecticism of former years.

Do you think your Macro label is becoming a genre in itself, like RE-GRM, ECM, L.I.E.S., or Blackest Ever Black?

No, I do not think so, nor were Stefan Goldmann and me ever interested in establishing a certain trademark label sound that we have to fulfill with every release. We are more interested in working with producers that have developed their own signature sound, as long as it fits in with our own preferences. Our idea of running a label is very open, it is only determined by what we are interested in, and we are both very different individuals. We only release what we both agree on and that, combined with the consistent collaboration with our designer Hau, resulted in a certain coherence, although our back catalogue is rather diverse. We were also always aiming for the long run, and we both feel that you only can achieve that with a healthy amount of leeway and fresh ideas. Of course it is also important to have an identity, but we much prefer that to be based on reliable quality than sound aesthetics that create or reflect trends but are likely to end up as mere expectations. I do not think we are really comparable to the labels you mentioned, too. We had some archival releases, and we might have influenced some musical developments, but neither are essential to what we do.

Interveiw by Damir Plicanic for Mondo Magazine 03/17

Druffalo Hit Squad Feat. Carsten Meyer – Live At Druffaloma, Paloma Bar, Berlin, February 18 2017

@ Druffaloma 7 – Druffalo 10th Anniversary Extravaganza Pt. 1

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Berghain Flyer 02/17

Zum Vergleich

April 1996. Seit seinem Eröffnungs-Wochenende vor einem Jahr bin ich Resident-DJ in einem Kieler Club namens Tanzdiele. Ab und zu lege ich mittwochs auf wonach mir gerade der Sinn steht, oder donnerstags Soul, gelegentlich springe ich auch freitags ein, wiederum Soul und Disco. Musik, mit der ich in den mittleren 80ern als DJ angefangen habe. Hauptsächlich bin ich aber für den Samstag zuständig. Dann spiele ich in erster Linie House und Techno, gerne mit Ausflügen in deren Vorgeschichte. Resident-DJ heißt die ganze Nacht auflegen, allein. Unter der Woche von 22 Uhr bis 3, am Wochenende von 22 Uhr bis 5. Eigentlich gibt es eine Sperrstunde, aber das sieht man in der Stadt nicht so eng. Es dauert also oft auch wesentlich länger. Ich spiele jeden Samstag, und manchmal an den anderen Tagen noch dazu. Das macht es mit dem Studium etwas schwierig, aber noch kriege ich es hin.

Der Club war schon vor sehr langer Zeit ein Club, dann ein Billard-Salon mit Spielautomaten, dann eine Cocktail-Bar. Es hängen zwei wuchtige JBL-Boxen über der Tanzfläche, mein Arbeitsbereich ist daran angrenzend in den Tresen integriert, der sich ungefähr durch die Hälfte des Ladens schlängelt. Ich verfüge über zwei MKs und einen etwas überdimensionierten Ecler-Mixer. Es gibt keine Monitor-Boxen, ich mixe halb über die Tanzfläche, halb über Kopfhörer. Der Club fasst ca. 100 Leute und es gibt jede Nacht Programm. Der Freitag läuft gut, deswegen muss man Samstag zeitig kommen um erst einmal wieder aufzuklaren, da die Ausrüstung in Zeitraffer altert, die Instandhaltung hingegen in Zeitlupe. Ich habe ein paar hundert Platten hinten im Büro deponiert, um weniger heranschleppen zu müssen, bringe aber trotzdem immer zu viel mit. Es gibt Slipmats und Kopfhörer, aber die taugen nichts, bringe ich auch mit. Ich wohne nicht weit weg, aber weit genug, ziehe aber trotzdem alles mit einer Sackkarre aus dem Baumarkt und einem viel zu schweren Alu-Flightcase hierher. Zurück nehme ich dann manchmal ein Taxi, je nach Erschöpfungszustand.

Meine Gage bewegt sich etwas undurchsichtig zwischen Eintritt, Umsatzbeteiligung und Getränkeumsatz und ist ziemlich elastisch. Der Eintritt liegt bei 5 Mark, das finden viele Gäste ziemlich übertrieben. Mein Rekord liegt bei 400 Mark für eine Nacht, aber da war es auch wirklich voll und ging sehr lange, ansonsten eher 100 bis 200 Mark, manchmal auch weniger. Das Publikum ist etwas unzuverlässig. Meistens ist es gut bis sehr gut gefüllt und man sieht vertraute Gesichter, die jeden Samstag wiederkommen, weil ihnen die Musik gut gefällt, und weil es gut bis sehr gut gefüllt ist. Zur Zeit gibt es keinen Club mehr in der Stadt, der bewusst eine Nacht einem Musikstil widmet, und das mit amtlicher Auswahl. Dieses Missverhältnis hilft, aber oft reicht auch eine private Veranstaltung, auf die sich alle einigen können, und das Publikum und die Gage dezimiert sich erheblich. Es gibt auch keine richtige örtliche Szene für die Musik. So ungefähr 20 Leute in der Stadt kennen genauer, was man auflegt, dem Rest gefällt es einfach, und man tanzt gerne dazu. Die Angst, alles könnte nächsten Monat wieder vorbei sein, verübt daher stetigen Druck.

Das Publikum setzt sich aus Studenten und Individualisten zusammen, letztere zum Teil noch nicht so lange nachts unterwegs, viele aber auch schon wesentlich länger. Der Zulauf von Leuten aus den anderen etablierten Clubs der Stadt und den Touristen von den Fähren ist übersichtlich, wird aber toleriert. Das Verhältnis auf der Tanzfläche männlich/weiblich ist ungefähr 50/50, beim DJ- und Tresenpersonal ungefähr 30/70. Die Schwulen in der Stadt gehen mehrheitlich auf schwule Veranstaltungen, Afrikaner kommen meistens sonntags zum Reggae, Türken und Araber meistens wenn Hip Hop läuft. Es werden viel Alkohol und Drogen konsumiert und manchmal gibt es Ärger, aber nicht zu oft. Sobald es draußen wärmer wird, halten sich viele Leute auch vor der Eingangstür auf, oder beim Döner-Imbiss gegenüber, aber in der Gegend ist nachts eh viel los, und Nachbarn, Ordnungsamt und Polizei lassen uns weitestgehend in Ruhe. Noch.

Die Flyer für meine Veranstaltungen fertige ich mit Fotos aus Büchern und Zeitschriften im Copy-Shop an, ökonomisch schwarzweiß. Montags mache ich mit dem Fahrrad eine Runde durch die wenigen Plattenläden der Stadt und verteile sie dort. Ein paar großformatige Exemplare hänge ich dort auf, wo schon seit Jahren die Leute nachts vorbeiziehen. Meine Platten kaufe ich, wenn es das Monatsbudget erlaubt, bei Wochenendausflügen in Hamburg, oder telefonisch bei Hard Wax in Berlin. Den Rest des Bedarfs versuche ich mühsam in den lokalen Shops zu decken. Das mit dem Internet gehe ich vielleicht später im Jahr noch an, aber noch beziehe ich alle Informationen über Musik über den Besuch anderer Partys, Bücher und Zeitschriften, Radio oder Tipps von Freunden.

Februar 2017 bin ich seit 14 Jahren in Berlin, und immer noch DJ. Ich schreibe selber über Musik, ich betreibe ein Label mit, und ich arbeite bei Hard Wax. In den Jahren dazwischen hat sich so ziemlich alles verändert, was meine Tätigkeiten ausmacht.

Aber erzählt mir bitte nicht, dass früher alles besser war. Es war bloß anders.

Text für den Berghain Flyer 02/17

@ Bass Cadet Recordstore Waves Goodbye

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Druffalo Hit Squad – Live At Druffaloma, Paloma Bar, Berlin, December 31 2016

@ Druffaloma New Year’s Eve Extravaganza

@ Panorama Bar

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Colonel Abrams – 10 classics you shall never forget

Colonel Abrams – You Got Me Running (1982, Tape)

There is a whole lot of claiming who did what when and where first as far as the origins of house music are concerned, and I do not intend to complicate the matter even further. But Colonel Abrams produced an 8-track tape with Boyd Jarvis and Timmy Regisford as early as 1982 which included this, and a lot of the legendary DJs in New York City and Chicago and beyond were rinsing it. Just saying!

Colonel Abrams – Music Is The Answer (1984, Streetwise)

There is a whole lot of claiming who did what when and where first as far as the origins of house music are concerned, and I do not intend to complicate the matter even further. But Colonel Abrams produced and released this track as early as 1984, and even more of the legendary DJs in New York City and Chicago and beyond were rinsing it. Just saying!

Colonel Abrams – Trapped (1985, MCA)

Still a house prototype, but now he paired his inimatibly determined vocal style with the shoulder pads and fierce dance moves of the day and stormed the charts. It was about time!

Colonel Abrams – Speculation (1985, MCA)

The second hit of his breakthrough and glory year. Handclaps galore and another bold funky groove, mixed by NYC club music protagonist Timmy Regisford.

Colonel Abrams – Over And Over (1985, MCA)

A mighty fine demonstration that Colonel Abrams could well navigate his way beyond punchier dancefloor imperatives. A slick and beautiful R&B ballad, both in tune with other productions of mid 80s post-disco reality, yet still very much him doing the own thing he created.

Colonel Abrams – I’m Not Gonna Let (1985, MCA)

This is basically a sequel to „Trapped“, but not a few people would say it is even more irresistible. I am most probably one of many going out to clubs in the mid 80s who observed this did not go away for a long time, and got them all dancing everytime it was played. And it still does.

Colonel Abrams – How Soon We Forget (1987, MCA)

Only adding a bit of the piano stylings introduced by the Chicago house producers he paved the way for, Colonel Abrams still rode his sound in 1987. Only by then he faced a lot more competiton in terms of club music, and his efforts to satisfy the pop market with slower R&B tracks suffered from the lack of distinctive hits. Sadly he seemed to get lost in the middle and his promising career slowed down considerably. Still, this is up with what led him there in the first place.

Funktion Feat. Colonel Abrams – As Quiet As It’s Kept (Soul Creation, 1993)

After a failed attempt to revive his career as a soul singer on a 1992 album on the Scotti Bros. Label, Colonel Abrams retreated to being a vocal feature for hire on house records throughout the 90s. Even if his voice still stood out as ever, many of said releases were lacking the potential to re-establish him on a level worthy of his beginnings though. Thankfully he found a fitting production counterpart on a string of records he made with the US Garage dons Smack Productions/Mental Instrum. And yes, this is the original template for DJ Dove’s holy grail „Organized“.

Mental Instrum Feat. C.A. – Should Be Dancin’ (Freetown Inc, 1994)

Another supreme example for the congenial drive and fierceness of the collaborations between Colonel Abrams (his real name actually) and the Smack camp. Eventually there was album compiling their finest moments together, but it also failed to get his career on track again. By this point he settled on guest spots on club music records, or had to, with mixed results. Sadly nobody had the idea to give him the opportunity, team and budget to reinvent himself as the soul singer he should have been, and he vanished from sight in the years to come.

Omar S Presents Colonel Abrams – Who Wrote The Rules Of Love (2011, FXHE Records)

It was one of the most memorable moments of my time working at Berlin’s Hard Wax record store to discover that Omar S had done this record together with Colonel Abrams after the latter’s several years of silence, and then listening to it, floored by how good it was. In a way his career had gone full circle, with beautiful music produced in way that made both the song and his breathtaking voice shine. I was really sure that this record would not be the last time I ever heard him on a new record, but then it was. I was shocked to learn about the troubles he had, and that they eventually led to him passing away, and I cannot separate this song from his incredibly sad story anymore. But what a song!

Electronic Beats 12/16