@ Lighthouse Festival 2022 – Croatia

@ Power House

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Rewind: truly-madly on “Hats”

In discussion with truly-madly on “Hats” by The Blue Nile (1989).

How did you come across this album for the first time?

In my early teens I was quite nerdily into hi-fi – it didn’t stop there to be honest – so there would always be a copy of „What Hi-Fi“ knocking about, covered in drooled saliva at the valve amp page. The magazine had a small music review section – I don’t recall usually paying much attention to this but for some reason I read the entry for „Hats“. I don’t remember what it said but something in it must have appealed to my inner angst – nor did that stop there either – at that time. Surely the word ‘melancholy’ was used. So I bought it blindly (the cassette). At that time I was listening to bits of everything, early House, Synth Pop, Indie, and I was buying vinyl but had this odd mental divide that meant I would buy albums on cassette and singles on 12”. And actually I only finally bought „Hats“ on vinyl fairly recently – random find at Rough Trade Portobello in London.

Why did you choose „Hats“ for this interview? What are its special credentials for you?

It would probably be too difficult to choose a House or Techno album, which might be the natural thing to do, and this was the first that came to mind otherwise. I still think it’s quite obscure in a way, despite being part of the mainstream, and seemingly more popular than I realised.

My first encounter with The Blue Nile was probably hearing „Tinseltown In The Rain“ on the radio, from their first album „A Walk Across The Rooftops“, released in 1983. Do you like that as well?

I like all their stuff but don’t remember anything pre-“Hats“. I now know Tinseltown was some kind of hit but don’t directly recall it from the radio, etc. But occasionally I’ll hear it, in a cab or something, and think there is more to it than simply having listened to it from the album, that maybe I did hear it around the time it came out. That first album, and „Hats“, they are the best ones for me.

For me it is a topic worthy of thorough academic research how the electronic music of the Synthpop era and beyond is so often pared with very charismatic lead voices. Is this only for contrast, or is there more to it?

Erm, is it too late to change my album? Read the rest of this entry »

Finn Johannsen – Live @ Afterlife, July 4th 2015, Humboldthain, Berlin

I played a set at this open air party on the hottest summer day in Berlin that year, in a wooden shack without ventilation. It was hardcore. But for the circumstances, quite a good set!

@ Afterlife

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@ 30… Truly

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Finn Johannsen – Dawn Patrol

I recorded this as a guest mix for the website of my dear friend Michael Joyce aka Truly-Madly, who was then a true aficionado of all things deep. He became a famous DJ much later than me, but once he did (and he is probably more famous than I ever was by now) he seemed to have deleted the mix from his website to cover up traces of my influence throughout his career. Story of my life.

Ok, kidding. Love ya, Trudy!

Picture is my old friend Jan Carter Boche (left) and me leaving one of our favourite kebap shops in our hometown Kiel. We never did eat anything anything there, but they had cheap and cold beer. I loved that “Escape” shirt, bought in London sometime in the early 90s. I instantly wore it to the next fish and chips shop right after I purchased it, and the elderly woman behind the counter asked me if her food was so bad that I wanted to run away. Not THAT bad.

Sensory Elements Vol 1 – Explain It
Infra-Red – Love Honey
Funtopia Feat. Jimi Polo – Do You Wanna Know?
Beautiful People – I Got The Rhythm (Club Mix)
Underground Inc. – Magie Noire (Rick Lenoir Mix)
Ronald Burrell – Quiet Song
Jovonn – It’s Gonna Be Right (Be Smoove Dub)
Debbie Gibson – One Step Ahead (Masters At Work Mix)
Ecstasy Boys – Seven Steps To Heaven
Language – Tranquility Bass
Liquid Variety – The Best Part Of The Trip (The Best Part)
Boo Williams – Home Town Chicago
Glenn Underground – May Datroit
Tribute – Rain (Dub)
Stardust – Love Will Find A Way (Sweet Embrace Mix)
Aphrodisiac – Just Before The Dawn (Exclusive Remould)