The genre-warping electronic music adventurer returns with a brand new ‘Neurodancer’ for 2013
Interview : Dan Prince
Olaf welcome to DMCWORLD, where in the world are you right now?
“I’m at home in freezing Germany right now, busy producing new tracks in the studio.”
You are back in the world famous Buzz Chart thanks to your remake of the epic ‘Neurodancer’, a speaker assaulting debut track that to this day is one of the hardest records to find! So, the obvious question first, why the remix now?
“Because it’s about time! Lol. I’ve been thinking about remixing it every now and then over the years but usually I’m not a big fan of remixing my own tracks so I never did it until now. Also, the sound and bpm of tracks from that time is so different from today that I could never really imagine how to translate it to a modern sound. A while back I came up with the idea of making the main melody some kind of a sing-along/latin thing as it is now in the new version, but it still took some time to get the rest done. The new version doesn’t really have much to do with the old one, also because in 1994 I used a couple of samples which I didn’t have a clearance for. Nobody cared at that time but today it’s a different story and I had to skip them. I’m pretty happy with the new version as it still delivers the same positive party vibe as the original and that was always most important to me.”
When I mentioned to the Buzz Chart office that I was interviewing you today, they shouted “ask him how he feels about being the man responsible for a tune that smashed a thousand popper bottles in Trade every time it dropped?”. So Mr Dieckmann, thoughts on that little comment?
“Haha, that makes me kind of proud! It was the same over here in Germany. I’m not gay, but I used to hang out a lot at gay clubs and parties between 1989 and 1995 because that scene was always first to discover new trends and they came up with what we nowadays call dance music. I still think the gays know best how to throw a proper party so I’m quite happy about it.”
What was it like spinning the new version to a dancefloor, where did you first play it and what have the reactions been like? The same madness??
“I started playing the new version at WMC in Miami this year. The reactions from the crowds have been really great, although I guess none of them knew the original track, which doesn’t surprise me, as the majority of the people was around 3-6 years old in 1995. But going by the reactions, it still proves that the basic theme of the track is still a great one to party to, no matter if 1995 or 2013.”
Okay let’s rewind for a moment. A lovely story how you began life as a DJ, you were working as a barman in Düssledorf when one night the in house DJ didn’t turn up. The owner asked you to stop cleaning glasses and take over the vinyl duties…can you remember the sort of records you were playing that night?
“Of course, you never forget your first time, right? It was a club in Dusseldorf in 1988 and at that time they always played a mix of ‘Electronic Body Music‘ like Front 242, Nitzer Ebb, a bit of Acid, a bit of KLF, Double Trouble, and of course the track that got me into dance music: D-Shake – ‘Techno Trance’. I played for about 2 hours and it went pretty well. Fortunately Beat Matching was not THAT important at that time.”
Was a career in music something that was in the back of your head back then or was this opportune moment just the nudge you needed?
“No I always wanted to make (electronic) music. I used to be a huge Depeche Mode fan in the 80ies and digging deeper I discovered that EBM scene and was fascinated by their all electronic sounds so I bought my first Synthesizer in 1986, the good old Roland Alpha Juno 2, famous for the Dominator Sound, started bedroom DJing a bit later and am still addicted.”
What happened next, how did you progress from a bar room spinner to start making your own records/DJing full time?
“That club where I worked was maybe similar to the Trade in London. Lots of gays and creative people like fashion designers, promoters, DJs and rock stars so I came into contact with some other guys who each owned a little bit of gear…so we threw it all together and that was the first studio I worked in. Fortunately my first tracks went pretty well so I could make a living from it and keep on doing what I like most.”
What did your family think of this new career route for you?
“Haha! My parents hated it! I quit my apprenticeship to go partying and make music. I think the whole thing I’m now doing now was never really going to be tangible for them. At the end of the 1990s they started seeing me on TV and saw that I could make quite a good living from what I’m doing, so they eventually thought it was ok.”
An interesting thing you once said… “When I started out, a very experienced German producer told me that having a top 10 hit is not the problem. Having several top 10 hits and keeping the business going and doing follow-up tracks that also are as successful as your first hit—that’s the problem.” Who was that guy?
“As far as I remember, that was Ramon Zenker, the man behind acts like Hardfloor and severeal others.”
A worrying comment you made on your Facebook site last week… “so after 3 months of musical abstinence, I get back just to realize that things are even worse now. Where has proper club music gone?!? Searching Beatport for good new tracks between repetitive Deep House releases, ‘Housecore‘ and cheesy prog-pop-crap has become a real pain in the ass. Time to get back to business.” Is it really that bad out there?
“To me it is, most of the time. Nowadays it seems like every grandma and her grandson can make a track and release it on Beatport, most of the results are barely inspiring and sound all the same as most of the so called EDM Producers just run behind trends. That’s why it all sounds the same. Of course you have to adopt to what’s going on in the clubs, but I always try to compromise between that and staying true to myself, instead of copy and paste producing.”
You have had some wonderful gigs this year, Prague, Miami and LA spring to mind! Where have your favourite shows from 2013 been…
“That’s always hard to say for me. To me it always depends on the crowd and not on the location. Sometimes you can have more fun playing in a small basement club in Prague with 150 people than playing a huge festival with 30.000 people.”
What is the current top 10 you are spinning…
Wippenberg – Neurodancer 2013
DubVision – Rifler
Rene Amesz – Dextro
Criminal Vibes – Do It
Hot Since 82 – Hot’s Groove
Thomas Gold – Remember
Sandro Silver – Payback
Frederico Scavo – OMG
Kryder – Aphrodite
Moguai – Can’t Stop
Biggest tune of the year?
“Wippenberg – ‘Neurodancer 2013’.”
DMCUSA recalls the time when you first played in America around 10 years ago? It was at Webster Hall in New York and the warm up guy was spinning Michael Jackson and Madonna house mixes. You came on and cleared the floor with your lovely trance tunes with long breakdowns…the crowd just didn’t know what to do without that ongoing beat. Things have changed in America since then huh, what are your thoughts on the huge rollercoaster EDM ride over there…?
“Well it’s the biggest scene right now and a lot of money making is involved. It’s a bit like in the beginnings over here in Europe. The whole thing is pretty new for most of the people so they’re not spoiled yet and pretty open minded. If something is that big there’s always a lot of hype to it. At some point there will be a peak time for it and then it will collapse, the wheat will be separated from the chaff and we will see what stays. It wouldn’t be the first time I’m going through it so I’m pretty relaxed and watching everything from a healthy distance.”
What is coming out next studio wise from you…?
“I’m already working on a follow-up to Neurodancer and several other tracks. Biggest goal for 2014 is raising my output. I’ve been a bit lazy this year but I collected a couple of nice ideas for tracks which will all come out in 2014.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I love deep house, but there’s more to it than always the same kind of FM bass and pitched down vocals that nobody gets.” Deep House has been one of THE sounds of 2013…is it time to be looking for a new sound to hang the trendy hat on for 2014?
“Deep House has around for quite some time already. The new Deep House sound has become very popular, maybe because it’s such a welcome change from the big room stuff which currently seems to become harder and harder. I’m a big fan, not just since 2013. I always try to keep my eyes open to a big variety of genres and that one was always tempting to me as I still like that kind of analog sound it has. I wont do Deep House under the Wippenberg hat, but I always thought about doing something just for fun under a different moniker. We’ll see if I find the time next year.”
Who are some of the producers out there you are giving high fives to right now?
“For 2013 definitely Hot Since 82 and Solomun.”
Okay let’s check into your musical mind…what is the record that…
You wish you would have made?
“Wham – ‘Last Christmas’. I wouldn’t have to care about retirement anymore.”
Reminds you of being broken hearted?
“Telefon Tel Aviv – ‘You Are The Worst Thing In The World’. The name says it all.”
You are most proud of creating?
“That must be ‘PONG’.”
You are ashamed to love as it is so cheesy?
“Fergie, Q-Tip & GoonRock – ‘A Little Party Never Killed Nobody’. Just because I love Fergie and I like the track title.”
And finally – you hail from the small town of Aachen who every year awards the Charlemagne Prize – an award given to a person each year thanking them for their valuable contribution to work in Western Europe. Past winners have included Sir Winston Churchill and Bill Clinton…as a one time resident of Aachen, do you think you may be in with a shout one day?!?!?!
“I look at the list of nominees every year and I’m never on there! No seriously, I was just born in that city but never lived there. I’d feel greatly honored if they chose me but I guess there’s a lot of people who still do greater things for Europe than I do!”
