I am an avid longtime collector of 70s/80s Japanese Synthpop music, and being based in Europe that always proved to be quite some task, particularly in the pre-internet shopping days. You had to start from scratch, mostly starting with Yellow Magic Orchestra and their affiliated labels like Yen, Monad or Alfa, and you studied the credits of every record and learnt about new artists, crosslinks and local scenes. But finding those records in some continental crates was a rare and lucky occasion, and then when internet offered more purchasing options, it appeared to be a rather pricey habit because of shipping costs and Japanese sellers who were perfectly aware that their items were considerably out of reach beyond their own soil. But it also became very apparent that their was way more to discover, and it was well worth trying. Still, the Japanese music scene was frustratingly hermetic. I had gathered a collection over the years, but regularly you came across sellers with pages and pages of offers, complete with listening clips, and you had to admit that you were not scratching the surface, you were not even near it. I could have bought the bulk of it if possible, it all sounded fantastic, but it was not possible, and as I tried to at least learn about the artists I read in the item descriptions via web search engines, information was very scarce. For a nation so obsessed with technological progress and cultural information, there was mysteriously little given away to the outside world, only a few hideously designed websites by American or European enthusiasts who lived in Japan and fell in love with what they heard. I was really glad they made the effort, but their discographies, as thorough as they were, offered not much beyond artists I already knew about, and sooner or later every such site disappeared from sight again, only to be replaced by, well, not much else. I’m perfectly convinced that a well researched book about Japanese music would sell profitable quantities, there must be more people like me, but it can only be written by a Japanese author.
And then it always fascinated me that it was well acknowledged that Japan contributed a lot to electronic music in said period of time, but once House came along in the mid to late 80’s, and Techno shortly after, there were so few notable Nippon producers reacting to it. And as the Chicago pioneers operated mainly on musical equipment built in Japan and later neglected for the international bargain market, it was even more curious that those sounds originated so far away from where they were originally developed. No matter how hard you tried, the Japanese equivalent to the early House music masters was nowhere to be found. But you had this feeling there just had to be someone.
Years later a good friend of mine, a serious Deep House completist collector, pointed out that there were some interesting releases by Japanese artists on Hisa Ishioka’s King Street Sounds, a New York based label established in 1993, which was inspired by the Paradise Garage experience. He investigated further and found Ishioka’s sub-label BPM Records, which from 1991 on showcased a small wealth of Japanese producers taking on the trademark mellow but crisp Big Apple Deep House style established on imprints like Nu Groove, Strictly Rhythm, Nervous and a plethora of smaller labels. The producer with the most credits was Soichi Terada, and he also seemed to have the most distinctive signature sound. It is known that Larry Levan toured Japan at the end of his career, and even shortly before is death, and there must have been some interaction with the local scene, as he remixed Terada’s gorgeous 1989 track „Sunshower“ two years later, as did fellow New York DJ legend Mark Kamins. So there he was at last, the House music master from Japan. He even had his own label, called Far East Recordings, and though it only had a small back catalogue the few sound bits I could track down had me locking target on every single one of them. Terada’s sound admittedly owed a lot to its US prototypes, the whole lush smoothness of it, but it also had a weirdly bouncing funk, and more importantly, it had all this charming humour to its melodies and arrangements, and this all-embracing both respectful and freeform use of Western influences interpreted with Japanese music traditions I so fell in love with the first time I ever heard YMO.
But the other parallel was that it was as hard to find as any other record I had in my Nippon wantslist, or even worse. At least the releases pre-House were pressed in suffcient runs, but these were only done in quantities of a few hundred. Enter this fine compilation, which although interest in Nippon House had increased over the years, appeared a bit out of the blue. It was put together by my friend Hunee, a DJ and music enthusiast with a fine tendency to dig that little deeper, and he managed to secure all the essential tracks by Soichi Terada and his frequent collaborator Shinichiro Yokota. And even when reissues of rare records are quite common these days, this is really something special. Now someone please do that complete collection of Koizumix Production tracks, and make me an even happier man.
There are not many DJs who can look back on such a long and successful career as the 54 year old New Yorker Danny Tenaglia. Towards the end of last year he confirmed his extraordinary status once again during a rare visit to Germany where he played at Berlin’s Panorama Bar and Berghain on the same weekend. His enduring popularity can certainly be attributed to his often several hours long sets which still are packed with the most relevant new records of the current day. After all these years, Tenaglia still has his eyes on the future instead of the past. For this interview, though, he made an exception and looks back to the beginnings of his career.
Apparently you got hooked on dance music at a very young age. What led you into it? Were you coming from a musical household, or did you learn by yourself, by listening to the radio for example?
Growing up in the 1960s and 70s, we (mom, dad and four brothers) had always been around all kinds of music especially during big family gatherings, which were quite often. It was mostly my mom’s side as she was one of nine children. My dad only had one sister and his side was very reserved. All of my mom’s siblings were married and they all had children except for one aunt. This brought me 20 cousins, ten boys and ten girls, and when we all gathered together it was like an army! (laughs) We also had many second relatives and we were all born and raised in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, which is extremely popular these days since it is very close to Manhattan. Back then, Williamsburg was like a big version of Little Italy. When I visit Naples, Italy, it always reminds me so much of my childhood since Naples still looks exactly the same as it did 50 years ago. I can relate so well to the people there and on the island of Ischia as well.
I truly consider that this all started for me when I was only just a tiny fetus inside of what I call: “The Boom Womb Room!“ I guess I was always paying attention to beats, rhythms and melodies long before I knew what they even were. There was always music in my childhood. My mom’s younger sister Nancy was unable to have children of her own. However, she wound up becoming the most influential person in our entire family and had a wonderfully gifted voice. She always had music on. She bought records very often as there was coincidentally a record store right on our block. She even taught herself how to play piano and guitar by ear and this was initially how I learned to play as well.
Our family often had good reason to celebrate events like birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, family picnics, local catholic church festivals from the schools we all attended. I grew up listening to a lot of typical music that elderly Italian people would listen and dance to. Besides the obvious traditional music for dancing like the Tarantellas and the big band Benny Goodman swing music, there was plenty of the 50’s Doo Wop music as that’s what was big for them during this era. So I had no choice but too hear it all. Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, The Beatles, Bossanovas and lots of soul music as well, Motown records particularly. Sometimes I think maybe my family were the ones to have invented karaoke? (laughs) There were many relatives who would love to take turns and sing their hearts out. And to end this deep question, it was most definitely my very dear aunt and godmother Nancy who taught me (and many of us) how to fully appreciate God’s gift of music, how to “feel it deep down in your soul“ and how by the changing of one simple chord that could be played with „great emotion“, it could bring upon unexplainable goose-bumps and quite often – even tears!
Were you aware that the music of those years was extraordinarily important, or was it just what was around then?
I definitely knew in my soul that it was meaningful. But I don’t think I realized how important it all was for me until I passed the age of ten and was realizing what type of music I was loving the most and only wanted to hear music I liked, as I was becoming sick and tired of the Frank Sinatra music and I was not a big fan of ballads and slow music until I eventually got heavily into soul music. I knew that I had possessed an incredibly deep passion for music since birth as relatives and friends would always make it obvious to my parents by saying things like: „One way or another this kid is going to be in the music business when he grows up“, because it basically was the only thing I displayed interest in. I had all kinds of little instruments and child record players, even reel to reel tape machines for kids. However, it did not truly hit me until I was about eleven or twelve when I was quickly finished with some music lessons because I was very young and did not like the discipline and how strict they were with me. They first took me for piano and then guitar lessons. I even attempted saxophone in seventh grade.
I had a great ear for music and which melodies worked together and which ones did not. Unfortunately, I did not posses „the gift“ of mastering an instrument, but I guess that ultimately it was a DJ mixer that became my main instrument of choice that I am stilling playing with today nearly 40 years later.
When you were still a kid, you got to know the prolific DJ Paul Casella, who played a part in turning you onto the profession. Can you tell how that shaped your decision to pursue a career in DJing?
Well, this is where I had then realized instantly at the mere age of twelve years old upon hearing an eight-track tape mixed continuously by Paul that I was somewhat mesmerized by because when I expected a song would end, then another would blend in. Sometimes harmonically on key and sometimes so perfectly that I kept asking my cousin who made this tape and how did he do this and how did he do that? Long story short, I called the telephone number on the 8-Track tape and Paul Casella happened to be nearby and came to our families grocery store and he brought us more 8-Track tapes. He wanted to meet me as he was amazed some little “little kid” was so impressed with him and the art of DJ-ing. I guess it was right around then in 1973 that I never showed much interest in anything else, including sports. I was not interested in any subjects in school, I was only interested in music, becoming a DJ, getting professional DJ equipment and getting gigs in big nightclubs and eventually this obviously led to my second career by nature which was producing music of my own, collecting synths, drum machines and various studio gear.
As you loved the music and heard about what was going down in the seminal clubs of that era, I guess you could not wait until you were old enough to go there yourself. Was it like you had imagined it to be? What kind of clubs could you already go to?
I was barely a teenager, so nightclubs were still a long way for me. But I can recall the anxiety and being extremely envious of my two older brothers, because they would go out often. But their interest was mainly to drink with their friends, meet girls and do what most guys from Brooklyn were doing in 1975. It wasn’t much different than what you can see in the movie Saturday Night Fever, including the fighting! However, when I was about 16 or 17 my older brothers would sometimes sneak me in to a few places which I will remember forever, and then they and other mature relatives and friends would basically chaperone me when I got my first job in a corner bar called The Miami Lounge in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It was just a few blocks away from our house and the nights were starting at 9 pm, but my parents wanted me home by 1 am. The lounge is still there and it’s walking distance from the new and already famous club Output. The lounge looks exactly the same as it did in the 1970s but it’s now also a restaurant as well. I’m not sure of it’s current name, though.
You then had the privilege to witness some of the most celebrated clubs and DJs in New York like the Loft and the Paradise Garage and numerous others. Are the first impressions of those nights still vivid? Was it every bit as outstanding as it is described up to this day?
Yes, yes and yes! The Paradise Garage, The Loft, Inferno, Better Days, Starship Discovery 1, The Saint, Crisco Disco and many, many more that had come but now are sadly all gone! It’s a shame we don’t have much footage or even great photos of so many of these nostalgic parties and venues. There were so many options back then from all the way in Downtown Manhattan up to 57th Street and from East to West, seven nights a week. We had big venues, small venues, raw underground parties with no decor at all and obvious mega places like Studio 54 and Xenon. Then as the 80s came around we saw lots of changes with all kinds of theme parties at places like The Limelight, Area, Roxy and others. Read the rest of this entry »
Travis Nelson – Travis’ Theme (Attitude Mix) Freedom Authority – Expressions (Rub-A-Groove) Foremost Poets – Reasons To Be Dismal? (City College Mixes) Paris Grey – Don’t Lead Me (2001 Version) Robot D.J.’s – Remote Control Lovechild – Sweet Ambience (Club Mix) Mystique – Passion (Extended Instrumental) The Sound Vandals – On Your Way (Deep Mix) Doctor Mixx – The Spirit In Me Incog-Needle – Can U Feel It (DJ Bonus Beats Mix) Matt Warren – Bang The Box (Bang The House Mix) New-Ro – Music Trance Keith, Kat & Blondie – Gotta Get Some Money (Eerie Instrumental) Vincent Floyd – I’m So Deep Infra-Red – The Verge 4th Measure Men – The Need (Henry Street Dreams Mix) Johnick – Tales Of Jerry Morbid Unknown Artist – Untitled North Avenue – Solutions (Instrumental) Tommye – I Need To Go Away (Principle Theory Version) Dark Side Rhythm Tracks Vol. 1 – The Real Garage Voices – You And Me Mondeé Oliver – Make Me Want You (Club Mix) Gallifré – House Rhythm Mark rogers – Twilight For Some
Es ist bezeichnend, dass Larry Heard von den zahlreichen Plagiatsvorwürfen ausgespart blieb, mit denen sich die Chicago House-Pioniere nach den ersten Erfolgen gegenseitig überhäuften. Seine Musik war und blieb einzigartig. Es war offensichtlich, dass hier kein DJ mit schnellem Enthusiasmus Tracks zusammensetzte, die möglichst nächstes Wochenende das Warehouse oder die Music Box befeuern sollten. Hier hatte jemand eine Vision, die über die hektische Betriebsamkeit und die Effizienzprioritäten der Gründertage von House weit hinausging. Und es ist ebenso bezeichnend, dass dieses Album nur eine Zusammenstellung von vorher auf Singles veröffentlichten Tracks ist, und trotzdem ein ewiger Meilenstein geblieben ist, der bis heute als endgültige Referenz fortschwingt. Die fragile und reine Schönheit von Deep House-Prototypen wie „Can You Feel It“ und „Beyond The Stars“ ist nie wieder erreicht worden, und die psychedelische Rhythmik von „Washing Machine“oder „The Juice“ war auch schon dort, wo die anstehenden Wellen in Detroit, Chicago und überall sonst auf der Welt noch hinrollen würden. Blaupausen-Alert!
I wanted to do a mix that was more mid tempo. A revolutionary concept for me at that time, believe me.
NRSB-11 – 685-471 2 Shades Of Rhythm – Exorcist Eric B & Rakim – Follow The Leader Sugar Bear – Don’t Scandalize Mine Mr. Fingers – What About Is Love (Even Deeper Mix) DJ Sotofett Presents Bhakti Crew – Sunrise Mix Four Tet – Love Cry Cos Ber Zam – Ne Noya (Daphni Mix) Olonga – Feel The Melody Far Out Disco Monster Orchestra – Keep Believing (Can You Feel It) (SS Translation By Theo Parrish) Joe – MB James Din A 4 – Untitled MM / KM – Birds Flying In The Sun Like U Know How Magazine – Happen Nearly Ra.H – Spacepops Dreesvn – Untitled Tase – Oh Boy Duplex – Below The Photic Zone Electribe 101 – You’re Walking (Ambient Groove Mix) Tommye – I Need To Go Away (Principle Theory Version) Specter – Do You Really Know? Ron Trent – Pop, Dip And Spin The Detroit Experiment – Think Twice Larry Heard Presents Ona King – Premonition Of Lost Love (Extended Adult Mix) Ethyl Meatplow – Queenie (MK Vox Mix) Designer Imposter – Good News (Pink Alert’s Good News Remix) Stephanie Mills – All Day, All Night (Def Mix) Inner City – Hallelujah (Spiritual Sample Mix) Pressure Drop – You’re Mine Kathy Diamond – Over Soul 223 – Almost Like It Used To Be Crusho – Someone To Love (Crusho TR Treatment) Xosar – Elixir Of Dreams John Beltran – Placid Angles Michaela Mélian – Convention Swing Out Sister – Notgonnachange (Classic Club Mix)
For the majority of releases in club music history, rhythm is a crucial ingredient. Two of the labels included in this mix even proudly carry it in their brand names – Strictly Rhythm & Rhythm Beat. But, in most of the said releases, rhythm is the backbone, the carrier for other sounds that establish the groove – basslines, keyboards, pads, vocals etc. Yet, the rhythm is prominently dictating the pace, taking turns and breaks, sometimes even shifting in tempo. Especially in the late 80’s to early 90’s, House and Techno often had music on a record’s tracklist that was originally destined only for skillful DJs – bonus beats, rhythm tracks, instrumental versions. Some only formed a reprise of the original material, taking up some of its key sounds for mixing double copies into little symphonies. Some were only the rhythmic skeleton of the original, displaying little more than beats, claps, percussion. Most of them were only a small portion of the original track in terms of length as well. Then there were original tracks that were just interested in being rhythm and not much else. Reducing a track to its very basics in the process, and neglecting the musical elements that, in most ears. make a track a TRACK. For some, that might be too little to attract attention, but for others, that might be all that matters. If well programmed and arranged, pure rhythm is just that: something pure. Something engaging, too. Something that can knock you out of your natural habits of listening. Something that urges you to move. Something where the rhythm is just a part of the whole picture.
While I went through my shelves recently to select records for a gig, I stumbled upon several records that had: a) basic rhythm tracks in a DJ tool sense b) tracks that were just made out of rhythmic elements or c) bonus beats and versions of regular dance tracks. Some of these tracks were just astounding, even if they did not much more than show what then young kids could jam together with their Rolands, or showing off that their tracks were still extraordinary with all the juicy bits and arrangements left out. It struck me that such tracks still exist, but way less than before. In some cases, producers may not want to spread out their ideas for tracks that only few people use or listen to, and DJs may not require it any longer anyway, because they can extract every element of a track with software and loop it into infinity if they want to, without even setting their drink aside. This mix, however, is not for showing how you make extended versions with bonus beats, or how you beef up a track with a different rhythm tool underneath. It is a tribute to the bonus beats and rhythm tracks on their own. That beatin’ rhythm Richard Temple once sang about in a revered Northern Soul song, albeit without hearing a drummer get wicked, but a drum machine.
There are enough great tracks around to record several sequels to this mix, and it is well worth digging for your own personal favourites. I might do a sequel with just the acapellas I found in the process. But that’s another story.
Daft Punk – Revolution 909 Charly Brown – The Twilight Zone Markus Nikolai – Rood The People Movers – C – Lime Woman Moodymann – Dem Young Sconies Green Velvet – Answering Machine Jedi Knights – Big Knockers Double 99 – Ripgroove Goldie feat. KRS One – Digital DJ Sneak – You Can’t Hide From Your Bud Kenny Dixon Jr. – Track 2 Track Arj Snoek – People Know Rick Wilhite – Dreams Of Yesterday Seven Grand Housing Authority – Ambient Disco E-Dancer – Heavenly Callisto – Ambent II Sluts’n’Strings & 909 – Past The Gates As One – Freefall Vincenzo – At Throb Faze Action – Plans & Designs Forever Sweet – Untitled Fresh & Low – No Going Back Tyree – Kan I Git High Callisto – The Cimmerian Âme Strong – Tout Est Bleu Abacus – We Cookin‘ Now Abacus – When I Fall Blaze – Lovelee Dae Big Moses Featuring Kenny Bobien – Brighter Day Carl Craig – Butterfly
We go back in the days when DJ rooms only existed as an expanding Facebook page. Finn Johannsen, author, label owner and DJ from Berlin sent us his wonderful room, packed full with records. Of course we’ve had a little interview with him…
Tell us and our readers, when you started DJing:
“I’m playing records in public since the mid-80’s”
What else can you tell us about you:
“I’m an author for several mags (de:bug, resident advisor, sounds like me, groove and numerous other print and web publications). I’m also co-running the label Macro Recordings, and working at Hard Wax. I live in Berlin”
The size of your record collection?
“I think around 8000 records”
What equipment do you use in your room?
“2x Technics SL-1200 MK2 turntables, 1x Ecler SmacFirst mixer, 1x Yamaha RX-495RDS Receiver, 1x Harman Kardon HD7300 CD Player, 2x 1970′s Bang & Olufson speakers, 2x JBL Control 1 Pro monitor speakers, 1x Sony MDR-7506 headphones, 1x Technics Stereo Cassette Deck RS-TR373, 1x Technics Cassette Deck RS-B675″
You are a well respected music writer writing for publications like De:Bug, RA and your own blog (among others). Has music writing always been part of what you do, and what came first? The writing or the djing?
I write about music in public since the mid-90’s, and I started playing out in the late 80’s, so definitely DJing came first. My output as a writer has also been not as prolific as it turned out to be after I moved to Berlin in 2003. I knew Jan Joswig, the fashion editor at de:bug at that time, from former days in my hometown Kiel and he asked me to contribute. I started out writing reviews and then turned to features and especially interviews, some of which got quite some attention. So that eventually led to writing for other print and web publications too, like doing the “Playing Favourites” series for Resident Advisor, my “Rewind” series for sounds-like-me.com, Groove Magazine, and a lot of other media. The Website you’re referring to is not a blog in the sense that I write about everything that goes through my head, it is more like fragmentary online archive of my activities from the 90’s until now. Writings, Mixes, Gigs, the label, and a plethora of other things. It is not that I’m that vain to want everybody to know what I do and did, it is kind of a reminder for myself that others can follow if they like. Excuse the irregular updates at this point, but I slowed down all said activities a bit to have more time for my lovely wife and daughter, and I took up working at Hard Wax, too. Consider me well busy.
Can you please tell our readers what is D*ruffalo and who stands behind it?
I can’t possibly tell, at least not anymore. When D*ruffalo was unleashed 4 years ago, it was some sort of a media experiment initiated by a semi-anonymous collective of writers, producers and DJs based in several German cities, intended to be a platform to share love for what should be loved, free of any conventional restrictions. Soon some lack of love for what was deemed not as loveable showed up as well, but basically it was conceived to be the Fort Alamo of sincerity. Decidedly non-ironical, accidentally post-cool and fiercely anti-hype. At some point The D*ruffalo Hit Squad and the according Druffmix series was brought to life, to shine a light on music no light shined upon. But it totally spiralled out of control. I don’t know what it is right now, or if I am still a part of it even. But apparently D*ruffalo celebrates its sheer existence and the 50th Druffmix with a party at Berlin’s Soju Bar on February 11, and there are negotiations about a regular residency there. If the unpredictability and confusion of the D*ruffalo members allows. Which is probably unlikely, maybe. I can’t possibly tell.
You are running Macro Records together with Stefan Goldmann. How’s the process been running a label and what can we expect from Macro in 2011?
When we founded Macro we decided to only release music we find worth releasing, at the potential risk of longer stretches with no releases at all. But then the label took up so much momentum that we now have more releases lined up for this year than in the years before. March will see a new EP by the rather sensational Elektro Guzzi and Stefan’s magnificent “The Grand Hemiola” 2×12″, you can hear excerpts of both in the mix I recorded for you. We will follow that up in April with a live album by Elektro Guzzi and a compilation of the late works of the composer and conductor Friedrich Goldmann, Stefan’s father, who sadly and much too early passed away in 2009. We are also in the process of preparing several other projects for later this year, which are not yet ready to be unveiled, but well worth waiting for. We worked very hard to achieve a position in which we can do whatever we want, and as long as this strong support will stay with us, we will do just that. Expect the unexpected.
You’re known for your eclectic dj sets. What can you tell us about this set you prepared?
My sets, be it in a club or radio context, can be quite diverse, that’s true. But I don’t believe in eclecticism per se. Meaning, I don’t want to attract opposites just for the sake of it. If you neglect a certain coherence, structure and narrative you will end up sounding like a jukebox, however interesting it might be musically equipped. I like thinking of a concept when doing a mix, as subliminal or not it might be. With this one, I just intended to combine an experimental streak with a dancefloor functionality, while providing a glimpse of unreleased Macro material and tracks of artists I consistently admire, and tracks I still find as interesting as the day I first heard them. Which in the case of this playlist, was not too long ago. At any other time the set would probably have sounded differently, but this was what I then had in mind for this purpose and I hope it makes as much sense to the listeners as it made to me when I recorded it.
Stefan Goldmann – Mining The Vein / The Grand Hemiola Raime – This Foundry (Regis Version) Shackleton Vs. Kasai Allstars – Mukuba Special Theo Parrish Ft. IG Culture – Traffic Elektro Guzzi – Boom Room Margaret Dygas – Hidden (NSI Mix) Farben – Kursbuch 1&2 Son Of Sam – Nature Makes A Mistake (Âme Mix) Marco Bernardi – Klinsfrar Melode (Sprinkles Deeperama) WK7 – Higher Power (Hardcore PCK Mix) Pinch – Croydon House
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