Masterclass
Hi Steve, a remarkable career. It all began DJ wise down in Playa D’enBossa in Ibiza where you started the long road to success at a small, after hours bar down the road from Space. So how did you end up there?
That year, I spent the whole Summer in Ibiza and I brought some records. My friends had the idea of opening up that little bar to do like an ‘after party’ for Space, which was closing by Midday back then. They asked me to play and I said why not, so that’s how it all happened. Unfortunately I had to play in the kitchen because that was the only place were they could fit the DJ setup, so I couldn’t even see people dancing…ha ha!”
Your music style is infectious, a riot of electronic House and Techno – so what musicians was booming out of your speakers when you were growing up?
“I’ve was listening to various people, from Depeche Mode to Simple Minds also Pop and Funk. Then I discovered House in the late 80’s and I was totally hooked.”
Did you always want to be a DJ and producer?
“When I was younger I was recording music on tape from radio shows as a lot of kids were doing back then, and I was playing air guitar as a kid to my favorite Kiss songs – but I didn’t really have anything in mind of what I could be doing when I was grown up. I was just enjoying my life, I never even played an instrument apart from that air guitar, but when I started to discover house music, I bought a second turntable and a mixer and started trying to mix records at home and from there it all started. Looking back, I think that music was very important for me all my life, but I just couldn’t think of making music myself one day.”
Who were your DJ heroes when you were getting into DJ world?
“At that time in Germany, it wasn’t so much about the DJ’s, it was more about the clubs and the people that were going to those places and the music that was played there. After going a few times to a club you would find out who the DJ was. At the Front Club in Hamburg, you couldn’t even see the DJ because he was playing behind dark glass windows. Klaus Stockhausen was the resident and later, a young Boris Dlugosh. In my hometown of Bremen, it would have been Jan Helmerding and Matthias Heilbronn who later produced for Deep Dish and also did a record for Poker Flat a couple of years ago. But as I said, most people on the dancefloor were focusing on having a great time, dancing with their eyes closed and trying to dance the frustrations of the week off. No one was facing the DJ as most people do today.”
A brilliant new album just out ‘Collaboratory’, your fourth artist long player out on Poker Flat Recordings. The album is a collaboration of shared ideas with some very special producers and vocalists, not merely a collection of club tracks, ‘Collaboratory’ sees you step up a gear taking the listener on a well rounded journey through various headspaces. Can you talk us through the album and tell us what tracks really excite you…
“I always have tried to have some various styles and different vibes on my albums, but of course with the more experience I have in the studio, the whole product might sound more advanced of course. As an artist, it is always hard to pick out the tunes you like the best, first of all it really depends on the mood and of course you kinda like all the tracks, because otherwise you wouldn’t put them out. The only thing I can say is I really enjoyed working with all those people and I am very happy with the product. We just released the first remix EP “Swallowed Too Much Bass” with remixes by Kris Wadsworth and JorisVoorn – two more will follow by end of the year. Various tracks from the album have been remixed by artists that I really like at the moment.”
What are the big 10 tunes you are filling dancefloors with at the moment?
The Revenge – Forever In Their Debt – Home Taping Is Killing Music
Art Of Tones – Call The Shots (MCDE Remix) – 2020 Vision
Berkson + What – Ghosts – Poker Flat
TaronTekka – Shiroi – Freude Am Tanzen
Christopher Rau – Childhood – Smallville
Claire ripley – Labyrinth – Dessous
Sian – The Vigil Of The Crow – Octopus
Stimming – Buxton Pipes – Audiomatique
Motorcitysoul – Vivid (Roman Flügel Remix) – Simple
Steve Bug – Look Who’s Stalking – Cocoon
You have travelled the world twice over, what clubs and cities do you really look forward to returning to?
“I always look forward to go back to Japan, especially Tokyo. I love the city and the culture, but I also really enjoy playing in the US these days – a very great vibe and a lot of good clubs. Of course there are several other places in Europe and the rest of the world that I enjoy…”
Tell us about your favourite ‘Love Parade’ moments…
“On my first Love Parade, people were still following the trucks and there was enough space to move and even dance on the streets. At the end, it started to rain and everyone just kept on dancing. We were all soaking wet but still enjoying the Parade, but that’s long time ago and it was before it was getting more and commercial and loosing its spirit!”
You hail from Bremen, what was the best and worst thing about living in Bremen?
“I lived for almost 20 years in Bremen, then I moved to Hamburg and then in 1999 to Berlin were I still enjoy living the most. bremen is a small city about 600.000 habitants, after a while you have the impression you know every face and you probably do, but to grow up like this it might give you some extra security that you won’t have in a big city. wheni turned 20 i really had the impression that i needed a change and so i finally left…
Who are the best 3 producers in the world today?
“Me, myself and I! haha. Dan, don’t ask me that kind of question – I am not about the best and worst!!!”
What is the greatest ever German club night?
“If I have to name one, it is the legendary Front Club in Hamburg. Unfortunately they closed their doors a long time ago, but i don’t really think there has been a better place than that.”
Your label Poker Flat, a seminal label that back in 1999 saw your eternal minimal club smash ‘Loverboy’ rock the floor and was the opener on your the album ‘The Other Day’. What has, in your opinion, been the finest single you have ever made?
“Right now, I would say it is ‘Wet’ from the ‘Wet And Dry EP.”
Your musical range takes in everything from futuristic house, deep house, dirty basslines, random bleeps, electro and moody minimal – so if we came back to yours after a club what albums/musicians would you play us if…
1. We wanted a ‘Back To Mine’ chill session?
“I have a section filed under ‘chill’ on my laptop with various styles and musicians, music that works great to just sit back and relax to
2. We wanted to continue the party…
“I would tell you to go to The Panorama Bar! Ha ha!”
How on earth do you find time to DJ and run three labels – Poker Flat, Audiomatique and Dessous?
“I really don’t know, but luckily I have some great partners who are working full time on the labels I work almost 24/7 but I can’t help it, this is what I want to do and it is definitely even a part of my private life!”
As an artist who has been producing music for almost two decades now, are you still using a lot of hardware in the studio?
“I am using a lot of hardware and I don’t wanna’ miss it! I honestly think this is what gives your production’s some extra yummy in the sound! But combining hardware with software and other modern technology is so necessary these days.”
Where do you see your labels’ future in terms of releases, will it still remain viable for you to release vinyl? What reason is there that you still do so?
“Vinyl is just sounding so much better, but unfortunately less and less people care about this fact. It is hard to say if labels will be able to still produce vinyl in the future, because if you lose money on vinyl, it doesn’t make sense to produce it.”
What is yor view on downloads in the music industry…
“If you pay for downloads – fine. If you’re a DJ – buy better quality files, I don’t want to hear only MP3’s at clubs and if you think it is okay to download music for free – fuck off!!!”
Who is one artist you most like to record with?
“Robert Owens, a long time plan, but I have to write the right track first.”
Best festival you have ever played at?
“Lately, ‘The Electric Zoo in New York and apart from that, ‘Creamfields’ in Spain.”
What is next coming out from the Steve Bug camp?
“NRK just released Steve Bug presents ‘The Lab 2’ mix compilation. Then I have a 12″ coming on Cocoon, a remix for Will Saul and another one for Ribn and finally the Collaboratory remixes Vol 1 and 2.”
