Category: Exclusive Mixes

 

 

 

Hello Sheldon. Nice to have you for our little interview series. We are also looking forward to our exclusive mix that accompanies this feature. So let‘s start with the very beginning. Where were you born and raised? How was your youth? What kind of music did you listen during that the time (being a teenager discovering his first music / records)?

Hey Jürgen. Thanks for inviting me. I’m from the Northern regions of Ontario, Canada. My father was a miner working at a uranium plant in Elliot Lake. Hidden by nature and surrounding lakes, it was a great place to live during my early youth. I’m still glowing from the mild radiation haha. Like an normal pre-teen during the 80’s radio era, I guess I was pretty much in to various styles of music. Mainly synth pop, punk rock.

 

 

You came from Canada to Germany in 2003. What was your reason to move overseas? Why at that time? Do you still go back regularly? What are the main differences between/ of living in Canada and Germany?

Needed a change of scenery. Music allowed me that opportunity to see and experience the world.

 

 

Your main artist name is Sid Le Rock but you also have several other aliases like Gringo Grinder and Pan/Tone. When did you set them up?And when do you use which one? What is the music style of each?

I’m a gemini, so the aliases fit my multi personal agenda. Pan/Tone was my earliest project. My high musical output at the time required that I create these aliases just to keep up.

 

 

The first time I realized your existence was with your debut release of “Written In Lipstick” on Ladomat2000 which was a sublabel of Mute Germany in some ways at that time. Could you please tell us something about this time and your start? How did you get in touch with Lado? Did you realize that it was the German dependence of a legendary label with bands like Depeche Mode, Movy, Nick Cave, Erasure etc? After that you had several labels to put out your Sid LeRock stuff e.g. T.Raumschmiere’s Shitkatapult. How did that happen? What was the main differences between these labels? For some special releases you also run a label by yourself, “Cereal/Killers”. How was it being on the opposite side and doing that work? Did you like it?

I was a long time fan and collector of Ladomat’s early releases, so yes I am quite aware of its legendary status. It was always my dream to release music with them.

I simply mailed Ladomat a cd demo, because that’s was we did back in the early 2000’s. They liked what I sent in and we signed a 2 album deal. The label unfortunately folded after the release of my 2nd album – Keep It Simple, Stupid. Same financial pressure of the time the happened to many great labels due to the collapse of record distribution companies.

It came as a relief that my own musical existence was not in jeopardy when I signed my 3rd album with Shitkatapult. T.Raumschmiere and I had been friends since we both meet in the beginning of our music careers, so it felt naturally to do something on his label.

 

 

During the Lado time you made a few remixes for label mates like Commercial Breakup. Later you also were in charge of a remix for Mute’s flagship Depeche Mode. Is it different – perhaps difficult – for you to work with stuff of other people (compared to own productions)? How do you start your own stuff and how do you get into the creation of a remix? Depeche Mode are known for being very progressive regarding remixers & remixes – always looking for something new and upcoming. Do you know how it happened that you became one of them? Did the remix help spreading your name and ideas?

It usually depends on the original song. If there’s key components in the track that may be useful, then this aids me in the rework of the track. If the song lacks ideas or just ain’t my thing, I skip it. In the case with my remix for Depeche Mode, Daniel Miller’s label manager contacted me at the time. He said that Daniel has been following my music and would like to hire me for a remix. I was thrilled at the opportunity, of course, but was bummed out that the track didn’t…lets say motivate. I worked through it and managed to come up with two remix versions. Happily, both were accepted. Did it help spread my name? maybe it brought me a new fan-base, Maybe it didn’t. It was pre-social media, so it’s hard to say.

 

 

Many artists complain that a music career nowadays is more based on image, instagram pictures etc than good music. You are already part of the game for more than 15 years. Do you feel a change? What is different? What do you think about social media? At the beginning of the digital revolution a lot of people said it will become better and easier for every artist. No labels, no agencies, no bad contracts etc. As said above you were mostly signed to a label. Do you think labels are still necessary? Any suggestions for young artists how to start?

Yes there is a major difference in how it has changed. It’s not really about the music, more so about your abilities as a social influencer., but be aware that that does not mean innovator. People often confuse the two. My only advise is do your own thing, have your own voice and stick to what makes you feel fulfilled creative wise.

 

 

Back to your work. You also play live from time to time but not very often. Is there a reason for it? How do you decide when it is time to play live or perhaps “just” to spin some records? Which equipment do you use live and how does a live gig look like?

I still perform live and enjoy it but you’re correct, I much prefer to dj these days. It’s much more open and allows me to take a break from my own production. Offers ideas, play longer and nowadays, a lot of venues lack to space for equipment

 

 

The initial reason for this interview was the release of your current album “Scenic Route” on Hafendisko. Please tell us something about the content. What inspired you? Which topics are assimilated? How did you produce it?

My longtime girlfriend, family and friends inspired me. It came to me as a collision of all my life experiences – discipline, humility, ego, maturity that processed this new album.

 

 

Coming closer to the end of the interview I would like to know a little bit about music you like. Could you please name 10 records/tracks that are important to you and also why?

simple. I listen to good music that fits its maker.

 

 

Already the last question… it is about your plans and your future. What’s coming next? Some interesting projects in the pipeline? Nice gigs you are booked for?

Re-release & re-edits of my personal favourites from my Pan/Tone & Sid Le Rock back catalogue is underway. Beyond that, wherever the wind blows, I go against it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Dennis. Nice to meet you virtually for this small interview. Let‘s start at the very beginning. Where were you born and grew up? What kind of music did you enjoy in your teenager years?

Thanks for having me, it’s always a pleasure to work with you and the novafuture blog.

I was born and raised in a smaller city near Tübingen in South Germany.

When i was four years old i started playing drums and created my own style of punk/metal music. Later my two siblings influenced me into the punk scene. At a young age i already started to visit some festivals and concerts.

 

 

Assuming that you cannot live from the earnings you get with music, what’s your profession? Or do you study (what?)? What are your spare time activities/hobbies/interests beside making music?

I’m working as a event technician so its kinda familiar with the clubbing scene. I’m spending a lot of time with my friends cause this is a really important thing for myself and of course my music.

 

 

You have 3 EPs out on Codec992, Schizophrenia Crew (now Antagonist Field) and Lebendig. How do you select the labels for your stuff? Are your tracks nearly finished and then got signed by the labels or do you produce on request? If they sign existing tracks are these tracks some kind of demos where some changes are needed or finished ones? Are labels nowadays really necessary to release own stuff digitally? What is the role of a label now – what’s the advantage released on labels instead of doing it yourself?

I always have a bunch of tracks to go. Sometimes i produce on request so i can create an exact mix between my style and the label himself. I think a track is never completely finished. You can always make the track better or change some things on it. I do not think that you need a label to bring your stuff to the audience.

If u have a label to release your work you definitely can reach more people but for me the important thing is to reach the right people. It doesn’t matter how much, it depends on who and why.

 

 

Let‘s go deeper into your production process. Where does your inspiration for a new piece of music come from? How do you start to work on a new track? What are the next steps til your track is finished? You use vocals in some of your tracks. Where do you find the samples or singers?

My inspiration comes from listening to a track, trying to get into the producer’s mind, but ultimately not getting what he wants to say. It sound strange but that’s the actual thing that gives me the punch to create something new.

For me the leading thing of a production is to bring over a message. A message with which the listener can do whatever he wants. Every track from myself has a different effect to every single person so everyone can create his own picture of it.

I generally start with an idea that I have recorded on my iphone, and try to implement it as well as possible. In most cases the finished product is no longer comparable to the idea I had at the beginning. All vocals I used In my own productions are self-recordings. Except the LOVE IS JUST A WORD project. These vocals are made by a very talented girl from Stuttgart called LENA BEE.

The track with luca was a very spontaneous one. I posted a melodic idea I had on my instagram and he instantly texted me that I should send it to him, he wanted to sing over it. I thought yeah it could be nice with some german wave vocals and its also a good thing to create a mixture between my perspective of ,,wave’’ and his special part for it. I love him, he’s my favourite secco-boy!

 

 

Your music style is a mixture of EBM-ish tunes and techno. What is your personal connection with EBM and Industrial music – music that is based in the 70ies and 80ies with strong comeback in the last months?

For me it’s the perfect mix between the roughness of punk and techno. I’m really into music that isn’t well known. For me music doesn’t have to be big or famous. It has to be understandable.

 

 

You come from the southern Germany. Could you please give us a short overview how you see the scene there? Where do you go for party etc?

The main techno scene is really hyped there at the moment but for me I cant really cope with the popular scene. When I go for party I mostly go to LEHMANN CLUB or visit the BASISLAGER events in Stuttgart. Hopefully ill be back in Stuttgart soon but for now I will focus on my start here in Berlin.

 

 

You already played live e.g. at Synoid / Griessmühle. How do you prepare the sets on the technical side and also personally?

I didn’t prepared any special things for this gig, because I knew that the audience was really open minded and ready for everything. I really enjoyed it there and I can say that I’ll be back in berlin very soon!

 

 

Please name 5 techno and 5 EBM records that are essential for you and tell us why.

We have so much good music out there and I can’t decide witch ones speaks to me the most but here are three of my all time favs at the moment.

01. Limelight Roles by Habits Of Hate
02. Variant by These Hidden Hands feat. Lucrecia Dalt
03. Die Konsequenz ist Logisch by Rosa Nebel

 

 

You are a young guy, a digital native so please let us know what you think about the twist between analog fetischist and modern DJ using digital technology.

ANALOG is the opposite of ANA sagte die Wahrheit!

 

 

Yes we are already at the end of the interview. So please share your future plans with us! What’s coming next?

I don’t want to say to much but there are big pans for the future!

I have a side project which is called “FEIND” for some Noise/Experimental stuff.

Hopefully I’ll have some free time in 2020 for some productions or maybe some performances. I’m also looking forward to my lebendig-family, we had a really nice year together and we don’t stop!

Let’s see what the other half of the year will bring over.