Paul, Richard welcome to DMC towers. A new album just out ‘Casting Shadows Without Light’ out on your very own Respekt label, for those out there who hasn’t had their ears blown off yet, talk us through the album, what were you aiming to create…?
“We essentially wanted to create an album that collected all of the sounds that have shaped our musical tastes over the years, as we reckon this makes for a more interesting album to listen to at home rather than just a collection of club tracks. This meant combining the peak-time techno sound we’re known for with quite a few other flavours; some deeper stuff and even a couple of vocal tracks.”
How long did it take to complete the album?
“From first having the idea of writing a full studio album to having the finished copies in our hands was probably about 18 months, so it’s been a fairly long process. It pretty much consumed all our studio time for a year or so, so it’s great to see all the work finally come to fruition! ”
Two lads from Sheffield, a city steeped in music history, who were your the artists you were listening to growing up that pointed you in the direction of dance music / electronica and who were the people further down the line that helped mold your style today?
Paul: “A lot of the 80s era synth-based music has always inspired me, Tears for Fears, Ultravox, OMD and Sheffield’s own Human League and Heaven 17 are all favourites. The city played it’s role in getting me into dance music too, with the rise of Gatecrasher and Insomniacz in the late 90s and early 00s.”
Rich: “Other than some early 90’s Brit-Pop I was always pretty much into dance music. My early teenage angst tastes were mainly Prodigy and Rage Against The Machine. But like Paul I quickly became a part of the Trance revolution that was Gatecrasher.”
There seems a really exciting new bunch of live artists emerging at the moment chomping on the bit to rain in the likes of the Underworld’s and Leftfield’s of this world. I was talking to The Japanese Pop Stars a few days ago and they are honored that people are calling them the new Chemical Brothers, do you think that we are now approaching a new era for such bands, we have a new government, perhaps this is the year of change?
“Yeah, it’s great to see some of the acts that have been bubbling under for the last few years starting to come to the fore. There is definitely much more of a market for the Live Act/Band…people want to see more than just a DJ playing records these days so the more of a visual spectical you are the better! I’d be very skeptical of anything positive coming from Cameron being in No.10 though!”
You are also still on the up DJ wise, what are the 10 big tunes you are playing at the moment?
1. Spektre – Harpoon (Respekt)
2. Kaiserdisco & Flavio Diaz – Jaune (Original Mix) (Drumcode)
3. Pfirter – Mi Estudio (Original Mix) (CLR)
4. Lutzenkirchen – Hout Jazz (Spektre Remix) (Blufin)
5. Alex Di Stefano – Multiverse (Original Mix) (1605)
6. Spektre – Casting Shadows Without Light (Umek Remix) (Respekt)
7. Matt Cooper – The Brazen Bull (Original Mix) (Respekt)
8. Pig & Dan – Cubes (Spektre’s Polygon Outing) (Yoshitoshi)
9. Alan Fitzpatrick – Straw Hats (Original Mix) (8-Sided Dice)
10. Steve Parker – Fenix The Rat (Dyno Remix) (1605)
What came first, Spektre or Respekt?
“Spektre. Respekt is a relatively new venture, but one we will be continuing to put a lot of energy into…”
Best club right now in the world and why?
Paul: “For me, Space will always be hard to beat.”
Rich: “DC10 at its peak will never be beaten!”
What festival would you love to headline?
Paul: “Exit, Serbia.”
Rich: “I’ve played and rocked Exit so for me it would be Burning Man or Glastonbury.”
Best DJ or live artist ever and why?
Paul: “Best DJ has to be Carl Cox – he’s managed to remain at the top of his game for years and still rocks a crowd like no other.”
Rich: “I totally agree. My favourite DJ will always be Carl Cox….the most impressive live Act I have seen was Stephan Bodzin…the man is a genius!”
Favourite Album of all time?
Paul: “Either BT ‘Movement in Still Life’ or Suede ‘Dog Man Star’ depending whether I’m feeling electronic or not!”
Rich: “The Prodigy – ‘Music For The Jilted Generation’.
What one moment working in a club would you rather forget?
Paul: “We were playing in Belfast a couple of years ago and a vodka-redbull vibrated it’s way off a shelf and onto the decks – rendering one of them completely caked in syrupy goo.”
Which city around the globe had the loopiest clubbers?
Rich: “Mexico City…mentalists!”
Greatest DJ set ever witnessed?
Rich: “Carl Cox b2b with Green Velvet closing the dance stage at Exit last year!”
First rave you ever went to?
Paul: “Homelands, in I think 2000 or 2001. Muddiest, but best experience ever!”
Maddest festival moment?
Paul: “Dressing up as super-hero ‘El Cock’ complete with rubber cockatoo head, pants and a cape.”
Rich: “Mud wrestling at Glastonbury and losing my Nike Riffs in the mud!”
What are the most commonly played records on your iPods at the moment?
Paul: “I’m loving Delphic ‘Acolyte’ at the moment.”
Rich: “The Jamie Jones album.”
Were you once upon a time a Gatecrasher cyber kid?
Paul: “Fraid so – not even a good one either!”
Rich: “I think I was more of a shiny! If you were a cyber you’ll know what I mean lol.”
You have remixed/produced the likes of Fever Ray and Lionrock and have the likes of Sven Vath and Richie Hawtin giving you back slaps, what one artist though would you really like to get in the studio and work with?
“If we are talking techno then probably someone like Adam Beyer, Umek or Dubfire. But if you broaden the scale a little bit then someone like The Chemical Brothers, Daft Punk or Prodigy.”
You travel the world together, who has the most annoying habit?
Rich: “Paul can fall asleep at the drop of a hat…especially on flights…well annoying if you can’t sleep like me! And he is the most forgetful person I have ever met!”
Paul: “Rich is the worst at making decisions. He can’t even decide what sandwich to have at lunch let alone what sound to put in a track!”
What can we expect next from the Spektre boys?
“We will be busy touring for the next few months in Mexico and South America as well as a few dates showcasing the album. As far as studio goes we will mostly be concentrating on building our new label Respekt Recordings. We have forthcoming material from Matt Cooper, Seegee and Alex & Filip as well as some tasty remixes of the album tracks from Umek, Fergie and Reset Robot. We also have a few important remixes of our own that are in the pipeline as well. We’re having a little break from original material for a while but we have some unreleased tracks that are forthcoming on other labels still to come. I’m sure at some point along the lines a second album will be on the cards as well!”
And finally, Rich, are you really filthy?
“No I’m actually really clean….some of my friends call me Clean Rich. If we’re talking music though I can get pretty dirty…”
Spektre – ‘ Casting Shadows Without Light’ is out on Respekt Recordings now…
