You started your early musical career in ochestra percussion and studied classical music. Thats a huge change to your live performances within house music now. What was the sudden change in direction due to?
Well, I was kind of forced to find other ways of enjoying music after I had a terrible accident on my left hand. This could be quite tragic for a percussion player you know.....Well, i was not a soloist nor was I planning a carrier in Orchestra percussion anyway, but after the accident, i got my first drum machine...middle nineties this was.....
Living in london and Berlin over your career, what are the main differences in the house and techno cultures in your opinion?
In London there is a huge culture arround House Music , while Berlin is really a paradise for Techno heads. This doesn't mean that you don't get good Techno in London or nice house in Berlin......England's tradition in house music, has a lot to do with northern soul, broken beats, dub, Garage, along side with the Afrocaribbean community and it's roots in a fine blend of spiritualism and hedonism...Berlin 's attachment to Techno, is due to a blend of Political and cultural reasons....From the one side you have the geeky German intellectual who explores theories to their limits (from Philosophy to sciences and vice versa) and on the other, the East German youth culture, with the fresh memories from a Political Joke that had been played on their backs....those peoples, who have lost their trust in dogmas and believe systems, are mainly responsible for this special music terrain...
You will be playing a live show at the latest Michael Jackson themed DDD party this month, what can we expect from the show in dedication to the great man himself?
It's gonna be a good one at DDD party, the MJ thing is great as a party idea but i would be very careful when i throw a vocal or beat of his in my live set.... never done it, mainly because of respect.....but DDD could be a nice oportunity to try something out......
You also run your own parties in Berlin, 'Strictly No Dancing'. Whats the idea behind these parties and the name?
Strictly no dancing has now come to an end........It was a good idea 2 years ago, when I felt that people should add a bit more soul and heart to their music, production, djing....about all these young boys to know what they are sampling and not just rip everything no matter what......Funnily enough, the last year in Berlin, everyone was making these kind of nights where the dj would just play jazz, of soul, disco etc......so apparently , there is no more need for a night like this...people got the message, they are doing their homework right now, as we speak.......I have already moved to the next project, even more musical and more intimate......
You tore the roof off at the 2020 Vision party at this years Sonar, was that one of the highlights this year for Ekkohaus?
Theparty with the 2020 vision crew, was definitely one of the highlights of 2009 for me....along with the show in Fabric (earlier on May) , were the 2 most amazing experiences, for different reasons....
Can you explain what the Secret Cult is that your allegedly a member of?
I do not give away my secrets so easily, mostly because if i give it away, it will mean no longer something to you, while if you discover it on your own, you can really appreciate the magic, otherwise it's there but you won't see it......Let's just say that i stand for some spirituality in the music we dance.....it's not all flat beat and maths.....move slowly to the middle of the dancefloor, close your
eyes, listen to the beat...oooops, it's magic allready......
Where is your production at, at the moment? can we expect anything new soon?
Remixing dutties was a new experience for me, and I learned a lot of interesting things that i will be happy to include in my production....however it did hold me a bit back on the time plan.......So, at the moment i m cooking my next releases on Cargo Edition, Morris Audio and 2020 Vision, as well a powerful collaboration with a good friend and talented producer, Santos Resiak.
You can catch Ekkohaus at....
DDD 'The Baddd Birthday Shindig
Saturday 14th November ‘09
Ripperton, Ekkohaus (live), Simon Baker,
Simon Morell, Ryan Shaw and Mathew Playford
Room 2 - Pete’s 50th:
Crazy P, The Revenge (Instruments of Rapture),
Ryan Hope & Ste Roberts
Secret Location ~ 10pm-6am
Tickets £8-£10 advance from Resident Advisor