Rhythmism.comQ&A with Steve Bug | WMC + Cielo - March 20th
by Mike Saturday
Saturday, Mar 15th 2008, 06:55 PM
With minimal at the top of its game, not many can say they have done their part in getting it there quite like Mr. Steve Bug. Starting his career back in 1991 at a small after hours bar near Ibiza’s Space, Bug has come a long way. His residencies and releases in house and techno laid the ground for the minimal movement as we know it today. The acclaimed minimal tech-house master heads three labels and tours the globe regularly. He continues to play with seductive and laidback funk, dirty retro bass lines and random bleeps, as he incorporates techno, electro and basic funk into bare house grooves creating minimal seductive music.
WMC 2007 Recap - Best DJ
Mr. C reckons it was Steve Bug at Sunday School for Degenerates
With two recent compilation releases for renowned clubs (Fuse and Fabric) Steve Bug now comes at us from his own label, Poker Flat Vol. 6: Dead Man’s Hand. ‘Dead Man’s Hand’ sums up perfectly the ethos of the label, that is, to produce genre defining electronic music. If the selection, depth and field of music available here says one thing about this label is that it's here to stay and not about to start doing things quietly. Steve Bug will be playing at Cielo, NYC on Thursday March 20, 2008 with Adultnapper. Come check out what this funky German minimalist has to offer…
Q&A with STEVE BUG
You’re one of the few artists invited back to play at the 3rd annual Sunday School for Degenerates. Since you’re the reigning veteran, what do you think makes this party so special? And who are you excited to see?
Yeah, it’s my third year that I am playing Made Event. I’ve always had a great time and I think it is the perfect place for a Sunday party. There is this amazing open air area and two great rooms inside, the atmosphere has always been great and I think it is one the best parties at the WMC. I am curious to hear Sebo K. since I never heard him play before. Also I will be dancing to Dixon, Argy, Mr. C, Jamie Jones, Adultnapper, Dollz at Play and several others. Looking forward to meeting everyone back there!
Sebo K = Germany's Special K
Confirm or Deny?
Both your label (Poker Flat) and Josh Wink’s label (Ovum) will be teaming up for a party down at the WMC this year. How did that come about and what can we expect?
I’ve been playing for the Ovum parties in Miami for the last 2 or 3 years and this year they came up with the idea of doing the party together, which I thought was a great idea. Josh Wink, Martin Landsky, Shlomi Aber, Argy, Benny Rodrigues and myself will be spinning, we can’t wait. It will be good fun.
You started your career in a small after hours bar in Ibiza around 1991 and had quick success with house and techno. Now you are considered one of the pioneers and masters of minimal by many before it became the current flavor du jour. What makes this genre so special? And why are so many of its best artists derived from Germany?
My early production have often been described as minimal house, even though I never thought it was that minimal, but back then it was very melodic and deep and nothing compared to what people call minimal these days. Others were doing a lot more stuff before me that was really minimal, Basic channel, Studio One, or Robert Hood, Jeff Mills, Richie Hawtin... While some of it was more techno, other stuff was more downbeat listening tracks. But they were never overloaded with beats and effects, what the so-called minimal is today.
After Y2K, there were a lot of productions kind of similar to what I was doing, nice and sexy simple grooves with some warm, hypnotic and melodic sounds, but soon out of this, the next more techy minimal sound developed, which uses pretty much the same formula than the harder techno in the late 90’s. Driving percussion, filtered kick drums and loads of effects, almost no basslines and no melodies.
Of course there are other things labeled under minimal these days, but to be honest, I think there should be sub-genres for the people to understand the differences better. But “minimal” is just another definition like “electroclash” “tech house” and many other labels that try to sell as something innovative and new, I’m sure we’ll see and hear new labels on a music genre that isn’t even new so I prefer to ignore genre categorizations.. I am trying to play and produce the music that I like no matter what people call it out there.
You just released your sixth dedicated compilation from your world-renown Poker Flat label titled “Dead Man’s Hand”. Just before that you released two other mix compilations (Fuse pres. Steve Bug and Fabric’s 37th edition of their mix series). What makes this album different from those two and what can you tell us about it?
As you say, the Fuse and the Fabric CDs were mix CDs with licensed tracks from several labels mixed by me, while Dead Man’s Hand is a label compilation with only Poker Flat exclusive tracks. One CD is mixed by Clé., while I compiled the second one, meaning all I did was choose the tracks and decide on their order. I never really thought that mentioning this on the CD is necessary, it seems like it is though.
Wild Bill Hickok was an Abolitionist, facilitator of The Underground Railroad, Lawman, Gunfighter, and professional Gambler
The title “Dead Man’s Hand” has some history to it. Can you tell us the story and why you chose that name for this album?
The Dead Man’s Hand is a two pair poker hand namely “Black Aces and Eights” the hand gets its name due to the legend of it having been the five card draw held by Wild Bill Hickock at the time of his murder (August 2, 1876). When I was going through the poker terms years ago I thought this is a great story, but I kind of forgot about it. But then, a few weeks ago I was thinking about a name for the compilation, it finally came back to my mind and I thought that is a really cool title and we went for it.
Clé is one-half of the Märtini Brös, not the Bronx-born Martinez Brothers
The album is a double CD with you on the first and one of your Poker Flat artists, Cle on the second. Can you tell us a little bit about him and why you chose to collaborate on this project?
I’ve known Clé since my early days as a DJ, he’s been a resident in several clubs such as “Planet”, “Tresor” and many others back then. We did a lot of gigs together in Berlin and I used to invite him to play at my nights in Bremen or Hamburg. We soon became friends and even started producing together. We had some releases together in the late 90’s and I helped him produce a solo 12”. Soon after he met his partner Mike Vamp and they founded the Märtini Brös project. When I moved to Berlin we were both really busy with productions and gigs, but we always wanted to get back together in the studio. Last year we finally teamed up for another 12” on Poker Flat and Clé has been working on some solo tracks too. He’s one of my favorite DJs so it was just the right time to finally ask him to mix the sixth Poker Flat compilation.
Some of his solo tracks are now available on 12” with an amazing Matthias Tanzmann remix, and another exclusive track is featured on the Dead Man Hand CD.
Is there a Bug in my eye?
The first CD, your half of the album, is unmixed. Any specific reason for this? How did you choose the tracks that made the album? What was your thought process?
The original idea behind this wasn’t for it to be a mix CD, just a series of Poker Flat tracks in a certain order, and we only mentioned that I compiled it for the sake of technicality. I love compiling, putting tracks in the right order without mixing them and of course I was choosing those tunes that weren’t featured in Cle`s mix and that I thought were worth being featured. As simple as that. Nothing crazy. =)
Dead Man's Hand - Poker Flat Volume 6
Subscribe to the Poker Flat You Tube video channel here...
There are a few of your own productions on the release including a collaboration with album partner, Cle on “Behind the Curtains” and your solo production “A World Without”. How often do you get to go into the studio and were do you get your inspiration?
Since I moved house and studio last year, there was no real time to go to the studio, but this year I saved some extra time for productions, since I was really starting to miss that part. I love DJing, but I need that balance between traveling and staying in Berlin, between playing records and working on my own stuff. I get a lot of inspiration on my journeys, but it is also really important to just play around with the machines in the studio to come up with something that you like. Music needs to touch me, either make it impossible to sit still or touch my heart and/or soul. If you can listen to a track over and over again, then it’s worth being released. I don’t want to produce music that is out of date tomorrow, so I don’t really look at what is “big” at the moment, of course I am influenced by new styles, but I am trying to integrate these influences in a very subtle way and stay true to myself. To have a sound of your own is more important than following the trends all the time, at least in my opinion.
‘A World Without’ is said to have your trademark “unhurried” attitude and your own vocals were used for the sample. What is your definition of ‘unhurried’ as it relates to your productions? How did your own voice end up on the track? Is this something you look to do more of?
The time factor, something that a lot of people don’t have. Even in clubs people rush, they want to get a kick as fast as possible, they want the big tunes, something that they know, big breaks, the obvious kick drum hitting back in. I always try to make people stay on the dancefloor and make them listen to some deeper stuff without loosing their attention before I drop in some of those tunes you know makes everyone freak out completely. I like the idea of being on the dancefloor with my eyes closed and moving my body to some deep tunes that carry me away for hours and hours. A really deep hypnotic groove that lets you forget time and space and lets you forget all your trouble and unfinished / unresolved daily things. =) I have a new name to suggest for this kind of music …“timetrap” haha
You played at Cielo, NYC last year and will be returning on March 20th this year. What were your thoughts on the club and the NYC scene?
I love that place, I think it’s one of the best clubs in New York at the moment, great atmosphere, good soundsystem and an advanced crowd, what else does one need in a club?
As mentioned earlier, you are a very busy man. With three labels what can we look forward to from you/your labels in 2008? Who are some DJ/Producers to keep an eye on?
Argy just finished a “Focus On” CD for Poker Flat. It’s a kind of a hybrid between an album and a mix cd. He produced 6 new tracks, licensed some of his biggest tunes and mixed them all together for the CD. Of course the exclusive tracks will be released on vinyl as well. Adultnapper just mixed the new Audiomatique compilation and produced an exclusive track and a remix for this. We have lot of new 12” on all our three labels which I can’t name all, but you should check them out anyways… ; ) also there are loads of other artist on several labels that I think can be able to come up with something special for this year. And since I am finally back in the studio, maybe it’s going to be me, you never know… haha
Thank you for your time. See you in NYC & Miami!
Steve Bug Tour Dates
March 20 New York @ Cielo
March 21 Chicago, Il @ Zentra
March 22 Denver, Co @ Beta
March 23 Toronto @ Footwork
March 26 WMC @ Poker Flat vs. Ovum at Vagabond
March 27 WMC @ Surfcomber Pool
March 28 WMC @ Freaky Tikki (Morning)
March 28 WMC @ AM Only @ Karu & Y (Tag-team with Josh Wink)
March 30 WMC @ Sunday School For Degenerates at Pawn Shop
www.pokerflat-recordings.com
WMC 2007 Recap - Best DJ
Mr. C reckons it was Steve Bug at Sunday School for Degenerates
With two recent compilation releases for renowned clubs (Fuse and Fabric) Steve Bug now comes at us from his own label, Poker Flat Vol. 6: Dead Man’s Hand. ‘Dead Man’s Hand’ sums up perfectly the ethos of the label, that is, to produce genre defining electronic music. If the selection, depth and field of music available here says one thing about this label is that it's here to stay and not about to start doing things quietly. Steve Bug will be playing at Cielo, NYC on Thursday March 20, 2008 with Adultnapper. Come check out what this funky German minimalist has to offer…
Q&A with STEVE BUG
You’re one of the few artists invited back to play at the 3rd annual Sunday School for Degenerates. Since you’re the reigning veteran, what do you think makes this party so special? And who are you excited to see?
Yeah, it’s my third year that I am playing Made Event. I’ve always had a great time and I think it is the perfect place for a Sunday party. There is this amazing open air area and two great rooms inside, the atmosphere has always been great and I think it is one the best parties at the WMC. I am curious to hear Sebo K. since I never heard him play before. Also I will be dancing to Dixon, Argy, Mr. C, Jamie Jones, Adultnapper, Dollz at Play and several others. Looking forward to meeting everyone back there!
Sebo K = Germany's Special K
Confirm or Deny?
Both your label (Poker Flat) and Josh Wink’s label (Ovum) will be teaming up for a party down at the WMC this year. How did that come about and what can we expect?
I’ve been playing for the Ovum parties in Miami for the last 2 or 3 years and this year they came up with the idea of doing the party together, which I thought was a great idea. Josh Wink, Martin Landsky, Shlomi Aber, Argy, Benny Rodrigues and myself will be spinning, we can’t wait. It will be good fun.
You started your career in a small after hours bar in Ibiza around 1991 and had quick success with house and techno. Now you are considered one of the pioneers and masters of minimal by many before it became the current flavor du jour. What makes this genre so special? And why are so many of its best artists derived from Germany?
My early production have often been described as minimal house, even though I never thought it was that minimal, but back then it was very melodic and deep and nothing compared to what people call minimal these days. Others were doing a lot more stuff before me that was really minimal, Basic channel, Studio One, or Robert Hood, Jeff Mills, Richie Hawtin... While some of it was more techno, other stuff was more downbeat listening tracks. But they were never overloaded with beats and effects, what the so-called minimal is today.
After Y2K, there were a lot of productions kind of similar to what I was doing, nice and sexy simple grooves with some warm, hypnotic and melodic sounds, but soon out of this, the next more techy minimal sound developed, which uses pretty much the same formula than the harder techno in the late 90’s. Driving percussion, filtered kick drums and loads of effects, almost no basslines and no melodies.
Of course there are other things labeled under minimal these days, but to be honest, I think there should be sub-genres for the people to understand the differences better. But “minimal” is just another definition like “electroclash” “tech house” and many other labels that try to sell as something innovative and new, I’m sure we’ll see and hear new labels on a music genre that isn’t even new so I prefer to ignore genre categorizations.. I am trying to play and produce the music that I like no matter what people call it out there.
You just released your sixth dedicated compilation from your world-renown Poker Flat label titled “Dead Man’s Hand”. Just before that you released two other mix compilations (Fuse pres. Steve Bug and Fabric’s 37th edition of their mix series). What makes this album different from those two and what can you tell us about it?
As you say, the Fuse and the Fabric CDs were mix CDs with licensed tracks from several labels mixed by me, while Dead Man’s Hand is a label compilation with only Poker Flat exclusive tracks. One CD is mixed by Clé., while I compiled the second one, meaning all I did was choose the tracks and decide on their order. I never really thought that mentioning this on the CD is necessary, it seems like it is though.
Wild Bill Hickok was an Abolitionist, facilitator of The Underground Railroad, Lawman, Gunfighter, and professional Gambler
The title “Dead Man’s Hand” has some history to it. Can you tell us the story and why you chose that name for this album?
The Dead Man’s Hand is a two pair poker hand namely “Black Aces and Eights” the hand gets its name due to the legend of it having been the five card draw held by Wild Bill Hickock at the time of his murder (August 2, 1876). When I was going through the poker terms years ago I thought this is a great story, but I kind of forgot about it. But then, a few weeks ago I was thinking about a name for the compilation, it finally came back to my mind and I thought that is a really cool title and we went for it.
Clé is one-half of the Märtini Brös, not the Bronx-born Martinez Brothers
The album is a double CD with you on the first and one of your Poker Flat artists, Cle on the second. Can you tell us a little bit about him and why you chose to collaborate on this project?
I’ve known Clé since my early days as a DJ, he’s been a resident in several clubs such as “Planet”, “Tresor” and many others back then. We did a lot of gigs together in Berlin and I used to invite him to play at my nights in Bremen or Hamburg. We soon became friends and even started producing together. We had some releases together in the late 90’s and I helped him produce a solo 12”. Soon after he met his partner Mike Vamp and they founded the Märtini Brös project. When I moved to Berlin we were both really busy with productions and gigs, but we always wanted to get back together in the studio. Last year we finally teamed up for another 12” on Poker Flat and Clé has been working on some solo tracks too. He’s one of my favorite DJs so it was just the right time to finally ask him to mix the sixth Poker Flat compilation.
Some of his solo tracks are now available on 12” with an amazing Matthias Tanzmann remix, and another exclusive track is featured on the Dead Man Hand CD.
Is there a Bug in my eye?
The first CD, your half of the album, is unmixed. Any specific reason for this? How did you choose the tracks that made the album? What was your thought process?
The original idea behind this wasn’t for it to be a mix CD, just a series of Poker Flat tracks in a certain order, and we only mentioned that I compiled it for the sake of technicality. I love compiling, putting tracks in the right order without mixing them and of course I was choosing those tunes that weren’t featured in Cle`s mix and that I thought were worth being featured. As simple as that. Nothing crazy. =)
Dead Man's Hand - Poker Flat Volume 6
Subscribe to the Poker Flat You Tube video channel here...
There are a few of your own productions on the release including a collaboration with album partner, Cle on “Behind the Curtains” and your solo production “A World Without”. How often do you get to go into the studio and were do you get your inspiration?
Since I moved house and studio last year, there was no real time to go to the studio, but this year I saved some extra time for productions, since I was really starting to miss that part. I love DJing, but I need that balance between traveling and staying in Berlin, between playing records and working on my own stuff. I get a lot of inspiration on my journeys, but it is also really important to just play around with the machines in the studio to come up with something that you like. Music needs to touch me, either make it impossible to sit still or touch my heart and/or soul. If you can listen to a track over and over again, then it’s worth being released. I don’t want to produce music that is out of date tomorrow, so I don’t really look at what is “big” at the moment, of course I am influenced by new styles, but I am trying to integrate these influences in a very subtle way and stay true to myself. To have a sound of your own is more important than following the trends all the time, at least in my opinion.
‘A World Without’ is said to have your trademark “unhurried” attitude and your own vocals were used for the sample. What is your definition of ‘unhurried’ as it relates to your productions? How did your own voice end up on the track? Is this something you look to do more of?
The time factor, something that a lot of people don’t have. Even in clubs people rush, they want to get a kick as fast as possible, they want the big tunes, something that they know, big breaks, the obvious kick drum hitting back in. I always try to make people stay on the dancefloor and make them listen to some deeper stuff without loosing their attention before I drop in some of those tunes you know makes everyone freak out completely. I like the idea of being on the dancefloor with my eyes closed and moving my body to some deep tunes that carry me away for hours and hours. A really deep hypnotic groove that lets you forget time and space and lets you forget all your trouble and unfinished / unresolved daily things. =) I have a new name to suggest for this kind of music …“timetrap” haha
You played at Cielo, NYC last year and will be returning on March 20th this year. What were your thoughts on the club and the NYC scene?
I love that place, I think it’s one of the best clubs in New York at the moment, great atmosphere, good soundsystem and an advanced crowd, what else does one need in a club?
As mentioned earlier, you are a very busy man. With three labels what can we look forward to from you/your labels in 2008? Who are some DJ/Producers to keep an eye on?
Argy just finished a “Focus On” CD for Poker Flat. It’s a kind of a hybrid between an album and a mix cd. He produced 6 new tracks, licensed some of his biggest tunes and mixed them all together for the CD. Of course the exclusive tracks will be released on vinyl as well. Adultnapper just mixed the new Audiomatique compilation and produced an exclusive track and a remix for this. We have lot of new 12” on all our three labels which I can’t name all, but you should check them out anyways… ; ) also there are loads of other artist on several labels that I think can be able to come up with something special for this year. And since I am finally back in the studio, maybe it’s going to be me, you never know… haha
Thank you for your time. See you in NYC & Miami!
Steve Bug Tour Dates
March 20 New York @ Cielo
March 21 Chicago, Il @ Zentra
March 22 Denver, Co @ Beta
March 23 Toronto @ Footwork
March 26 WMC @ Poker Flat vs. Ovum at Vagabond
March 27 WMC @ Surfcomber Pool
March 28 WMC @ Freaky Tikki (Morning)
March 28 WMC @ AM Only @ Karu & Y (Tag-team with Josh Wink)
March 30 WMC @ Sunday School For Degenerates at Pawn Shop
www.pokerflat-recordings.com
