For 17 years I have been DJ'ing and travelling the world, continuing to inspire and be inspired. Through these years many DJ's/performers have come and gone, but many have remained and stood by our sound and continued to push forward and assist in its' development. For me it feels like we have come full circle and we find ourselves again with the sound of forward thinking electronic music, Techno, at the forefront of the global electronic music scene. It's important to remember that many fans have been introduced to our music through different ways, in small clubs, house parties, even large stadium events listening to people like Paul or Tiesto, but I think it's time to truly look at who are the pacemakers of Techno today, and who are really the DJ's/performers that continue to inspire, entertain and push forward.... Who inspires me? Sven, Marco, Magda, Ricardo, Matthew Dear, Luciano, Steve Bug, Dice, Raresh the list goes on!CAST YOUR VOTE FOR WHO INSPIRES YOU!http://www.djmag.com/index.php?op=top_100&story=home Thanks, Richie Hawtin -- MINUS ONLINE STORE NOW OPEN featuring limited edition exclusive PLASTIKMAN & MINUS merchandise, tshirts, jewelry and MORE! http::// www.m-nus.com
Born in 1970, in Banbury, Oxfordshire, Richie Hawtin and his family moved to the Canadian border city of Windsor, in Ontario, Canada. It was across the border, in Detroit, that Richie began to make a name for himself on the radio scene, with a show on Detroit 96.3 FM. Shortly afterward, he set up Plus 8 Records.
Decks, EFX and 909, his 1999 debut LP, was a critically-acclaimed album that launched Hawtin into a category of his own.
Also known as Plastikman -- the worst kept alias in the industry -- Hawtin went on to release several more albums, entrenching himself as a pioneer in the techno scene.
Also known as Plastikman -- the worst kept alias in the industry -- Hawtin went on to release several more albums, entrenching himself as a pioneer in the techno scene.
We caught up with Richie to talk about music, the business, his revolutionary DJ system known as Final Scratch (which hooks up an ordinary pair of turntables and mixer to a laptop), and the ups and downs of being a DJ who sticks to his guns.
For Plastikman's latest album, Closer, and for more on the man behind the music, check out plus8.com.
The Interview with ASKMEN.Com
Q: So you formed Plus 8 Records with John Acquaviva -- tell us a bit about that.
John and I met in the late '80s. John had been through the whole DJing thing, he was a bit burnt out. I was the kid from the Windsor-Detroit area who had tapped into this whole new sound, who didn't have the studio but had the drive. We were able to complement each other and started to work on some of our own music ideas in John's studio. It got to a point where we had enough music for a release, but we hit another roadblock: we had plenty of music to release, just no record label to put it on. We came up with a hair-brain idea of starting our own label to release our own music and that is where Plus 8 was born.
Q: You mentioned that you grew up in Windsor -- were you born in Canada?
I was born in England and moved to Windsor in 1979, when I was 9 years old.
Q: How was the move?
There was a huge change in my life when I moved over here, I had a rather large extended family in England... leaving that to come over here with just my parents resulted in a very small, tight-knit family. The difference between '70s Europe and the "bigger better" mentality of North America was an eye-widening experience. Being within this area, as I grew up as a teenager, the confines of Windsor were quickly met, and I tried to find ways to learn about more music and art, theater and clothes. As I grew, I just needed more. I found that by going to the big city next to us, which was Detroit. I started to spend a lot of time there as a teenager, hanging out in clubs and listening to music.
Q: What do you prefer, producing or DJing?
It really goes back and forth. If I had to pick one it would probably be producing, but they really intermix because there is a lot of inspiration drawn from each.
Q: You once mentioned you had a problem with people who recorded your live sets, because you felt that the DJ experience is supposed to be an experience. How do you feel about MP3 and file sharing online?
I think the idea of file sharing and having access to music is amazing, and is the way of the future. It gives people greater accessibility, a greater chance to learn about music. My comment about recording live sets is really based on the fact that I do feel strongly that the overall concert experience about going somewhere -- the actual physical experience -- is something you can't replicate. I like the old-fashioned idea that some things shouldn't be archived, they should be only available to those who were there.
Q: I like the fact that you use a lot of technology to make your albums the way you do, but some may argue that when a DJ releases an album, it should have that live feel...
That's an easy argument to win. If someone wants to see a live DJ, go see a live DJ. I think DJs putting out mixed albums, like a live set from a club, is really nothing more than a promotional thing. The public is mostly being blindfolded on things that are being marketed as live DJ sets... I think 95% of mixed albums out there have some type of postproduction on them to make sure there aren't any bad mixes that could have happened in a live set.
Q: What kind of music do you listen to?
As a person going out to dance, and listening to dance music and having a good night, I have had great experiences listening to Danny Tenaglia. I also like the other end of the spectrum, Jeff Mills. You'll also find Miles Davis, old science-fiction soundtracks. You know, lots of different music.
Q: I like this quote of yours: "When I leave my house, the records in my crates are the only ones I can play," and you add "I'm not a one-crate kinda DJ." So how many records do you go through in a set?
That is hard to say, I always carry two crates so I have as much potential as possible. That's a hard question... When I am doing a 6- to 8-hour set, you know...
Q: Do you prefer the longer 6- to 8-hour sets?
There are some clubs that I would definitely not want to play a longer 6- to 8-hour set because there are some places that just aren't set up for that. Sometimes the crowds don't want to hear techno or house for eight hours.
Q: What's the maximal crowd size you like playing for?
I have played for 30,000 people before, and had some great experiences. I do prefer to play for 800 to 1,000 people, where you can get some feedback on what is going on. When the crowd is larger, it is more one-dimensional.
Q: What are some of the best cities to visit?
One of the best is the Windsor-Detroit area because of the long-standing relationship I have with the people there. I was in London, England, and played seven hours in a club called The End. I have a great following in Frankfurt... those are probably my three top cities.
Q: Well Richie, we may not be one of your top cities, but you are one of our top DJs. Thanks for chatting with us.
For more on Richie Hawtin, his music, and his tour schedule, check out plus8.com.
