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 As Technoclub prepares to celebrate its 26th Birthday we catch a word with one of Germany's biggest electronic dance music legends Andreas Kraemer as he prepares for this huge night along with Talla 2XLC, Dennis Sheperd and Gareth Emery...
He started releasing music when he was just 17 and since then has never stopped. Being brought up in Germany he has a lot of inspiring artists to choose from when settling into a music style. He set up his first label at the tender age of 17 to and formed Drizzly Records which has over 200 releases to date. When it comes to techno and hard dance music styles Andreas has been at the forefront of the German scene's development of these sounds for the past 13 years. He comes from Frankfurt and wont have to travel far to his Technoclub gig this Friday as the club celebrates its 26th Birthday.
i:Vibes: Thanks for taking some time to talk to i:Vibes. You have been producing since the early 90s. Who were your early musical inspirations growing up?
Andreas: Hey, I think I got the early inspirations in the Omen Club Frankfurt, that was the first club I hung around and found my way to music. It was all about craziness and music at this time in the German techno scene.
i:Vibes: What was the deciding moment where you knew that you wanted to make music?
Andreas: I decided to make music after when 16 years old I think. My sisters boyfriend at this time was Fernando Sanchez from 303 Nation he was with PCP Records Frankfurt at this time and I was really impressed to see how he was producing with all the synths and studio hardware. So I started to buy equipment and start DJ´ing.
i:Vibes: How did you get your foot into the Sound of Frankfurt in the early 90s? Was it difficult or did somebody help you?
Andreas: Like above, I got in contact with PCP after I got finished my first tracks. One day I meet Mark Arcadipane, he was the founder and Owner of PCP Frankfurt. I showed him my Productions and he directly signed me with the first 3 Releases for Dance Extasy FFM. After a half year I was turning 17 Years old I think and I created my first label Thai Record in Coop. With PCP at the same Time I meet Faris and Volker from Drizzly music and started some projects like Junk Project, Aquaplex and solid sleep on Drizzly and Universal Prime Breaks. Then I was 18 I built construct rhythm, Form and Jerk Records in coop with Faris and Volker from Drizzly. A long release list followed after this steps and the projects got big names and spread all over the world.
i:Vibes: The Sound of Frankfurt was taking off in the early 90s. What Frankfurt artists did you respect the most and why?
Andreas: Well... I was personal with my private taste most on the Hardsounds. There are a lot musicians who got my respect till today and this part is really balanced because different artists did different things to make techno so big like it is today.
It’s not really possible to say person XY took the biggest part to get the things how they are today.... it was Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne many people should get the respect at all by the end.....but if we talk from the music and the sound I sure got inspirations from Sven Väth and Chris Liebing and some other artists. That was every time the sound I liked at the beginning and the stuff I prefer to play.
i:Vibes: You remixed the legendary "Bladerunner" from Vangelis when you were 18. Why was this track so special? What makes this track so legendary?
Andreas: Well Vangelis is a musician he created some of the hugest Movie themes it was for me a honor to make a remix for a legend like him....and I was like WTF if I got asked to remix the bladerunner theme. At this time first I realized how deep I’m already in the music and how I was with my music already.
i:Vibes: Soon you formed Drizzly Records that spanned more than 200 releases. You had many big labels in Frankfurt, but Drizzly also had their own unique releases. Why was Drizzly so successful and what made the style of music on this label so unique?
Andreas: Drizzly was a portal for me to spread my music. Faris and Volker let me free hands to running my inspirations in musical output. We did some good business and had a good friendship and the projects got really big and smashed like a bomb.
I think it was running so smooth because no one from us count with it that the releases banged like they did. So we built project after project and the tracks got played on every club and every country. Drizzly was like a home base for me at this time.
i:Vibes: You met Thomas Pogadl and soon you would produce many tracks and remix many as well. Why did Pogadl/Kramer work so well in the studio?
Andreas: I met Thomas on Drizzly long time ago. We got the same taste and musical mind that was the reason we belong together. He went to Overdose Records anytime and we brought Schwarze Puppen, Russenmafia and many other projects there and we also released lots of records with this projects at overdose.
i:Vibes: Did you guys have a certain duty in the studio or did the producing procedure change from track to track?
Andreas: Well its all about how you feel at the day and the experience in your free time. The inspirations are different and so the music output is also by the end.
i:Vibes: You guys formed the very unique project Schwarze Puppen. What do you think will stick in the minds of ravers the most about this project?
Andreas: The Braincracking ¾ Leadsound and the voice for sure....people tell me every time that was the beginning and the first hardstyle Track.
After this the marked got flooded with Tracks in this style and all people talked about hardstyle.......we never thought something like this will happen, in the first time Schwarze Puppen was a Fun Track and we drunk with vodka than we produced the track hahahaha....
i:Vibes: Was "Schwarze Puppen" a difficult track to produce? Do you remember the production time on this track?
Andreas: It was not really different we there drunk at this evening in the studio and joked around about some crazy klaus kinski vocals. We recorded a rough mix in the evening and showed the mix Jessy ( Owner/A&R ) from overdose the next day....the rest is history as they say.
i:Vibes: You also produced one of my favorite tracks in 2001/2002 "Club Attack" as Solid Sleep. Were you surprised that this track became such a big hit and got so much love from around the world?
Andreas: Yeah club attack was a big track and you get every time surprised if a track hits big or get a chart entry. Its not possible to sit in the studio and to say....today I make a hit. A hit gets a hit by people who like, play and buy it. So its every time a little surprise..
i:Vibes: What was the most difficult thing that you had to do in the studio to get "Club Attack" perfect to your ears?
Andreas: I’m always take the most time on the mix. The effects and the bass drum. People who know our sound and records know and hear this I think. The secret of a good production is to 40% in the mix. A hit can be a loop with some elements only, it only must catch you.
i:Vibes: In December, you will play in the Technoclub. What is your memory from the Techno Club at Dorian Gray?
Andreas: I played there like 2 times long time ago.... If I right remember on time at euphoria and one time on a PCP label night. Dorian Gray was a Cult club since I can think and it was a privilege to play there for me.
i:Vibes: Do you remember your first meeting with Talla 2XLC?
Andreas: I meet Talla the first time in the Dorian Grey in the late 90´s I think I played at this evening on his event and some other Party’s before I meet him too.
i:Vibes: How important has Talla 2XLC been for EDM in general`?
Andreas: He was very important for the scene and he was a big Part in FFM´s Techno culture.
i:Vibes: How would a Talla 2XLC/Andreas Kramer track sound like?
Andreas: I think it would sounds like.....hear me, hear me again, dance to me....a good mix from all to catch the legs :) We already did some stuff together like the Skysurfer Vs. Talla and I think it was music like this.
i:Vibes: What can we expect from your DJ set at Technoclub?
Andreas: Well I sure play a mixture from some really catchy banging Tracks.
You can expect 1 ½ hours pure Party that’s for sure hahaha
i:Vibes: What has been your most crazy DJ experience that you ever had?
Andreas: I played in Australia in a desiccated Vulkan....that was something different for me I remember.
i:Vibes: What is your impression from the trance scene in 2010?
Andreas: Things are changing, and that’s good ;-)
i:Vibes: If you could be locked in the studio with any artist for 24 hours who would you pick?
Andreas: Helge Schneider for sure,he is a big musician and he’s got the craziness to build some crazy music
i:Vibes: What are your current five favorite tracks?
Andreas: Well I can not appoint that on five tracks, I got a lot of good tunes and its about the crowd what music it needs to make the club night unforgettable.
i:Vibes:
What are your five all time favorite tracks?
Andreas: I think I must give the same answer like above :)
i:Vibes: If you had to play your last track at your last ever DJ set what would you play? Let me take a wild guess "Schwarze Puppen?
Andreas: Naaa.... Not Schwarze Puppen the track that I would play as my last one is not created yet...and it will take along time till this track is finished.
i:Vibes: What are your hobbies?
Andreas: I’m boring, my hobbies are the same like my job....music......
maybe girls and friends, if I can call that a hobby hahaha
i:Vibes: The Sound of Frankfurt had so many artists. Where would you place Andreas Kramer in the development of the sound of Frankfurt?
Andreas: I would place my name in someone who was there, is still there , and will be there, I’m like a ghost because the different projects and names I use for the releases.... so long my heard beats for the music I’m there....
iThanks Andy for the chat. See you at Technoclub.
Andreas: Yes thank you too and see you at the Technoclub.....
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