Dj Solaris interview, live vinyl mix

January 5th, 2007

Interview with Kansas City’s dj Solaris, January 5, 2007.

Click the image above, or here, to download audio of the live mix. Download a zipped version, here.

WFTAW: I remember the first time I tracked you down online. It must’ve been
1999, at the time you were part of the Techno Justice League (TJL) in
the Kansas City area. This is how I came across details about DAVE the
Drummer’s first tour in the US. I think it was an n.9 party… anyway,
the Midwest crew got connected with a few classic techno parties as a
result, with the likes of Chris Liberator and Rowland the Bastard… and
you were in the middle of it. Outside of Toronto, I think of KC as a
cool spot for acid techno in North America at the time… Who were the
players involved in making those first acid techno parties, and how did
you get into the mix?

Well it was actually the Cicada Rhythm parties of the time; we of course had formed the T.J.L. and started the shameless promotion of techno. Jon Gallup and Rachel Martz were the driving force behind obtaining all the great talent we had in those days. Of course techno parties were what we all grew up having and then we all lent a hand when they threw the parties. Acid techno and Techno in general has always had a niche in Kansas City. I hope to keep the pace and keep it as a part of this city and its heritage for many years to come.

WFTAW: Needless to say, there are some crazy stories floating around about
KC. Rowland the Bastard told me the beginning of a crazy story that is
the inspiration for his “14 Trips to Kansas” release on Bionic Orange in
2000, and I think you told me part of it as well? Also, the flip side
of that release is “Walking into Windows”… I can only imagine…

Walking into windows I will have to ask Rowland about, I know the 14 trips to Kansas and the best way to explain it is that is Kansas City. The people here party like no tomorrow. Then here comes this Brit with some attitude and tears the place apart when he gets on the decks. He has been here numerous times, and people seem to never get enough of him. All the Brits have had their share of times and influences on Kansas City. I remember that night he was running around with a “wank” sticker asking a few women I know to be his “wank” girl. But that is how it was, unless someone got naked and started running around or something surreal happened it wasn’t really classified a party.

WFTAW: In addition, you’ve played with the likes of Mark EG, Chris Liberator,
DDR, as well as Marco Carolla. How has the Midwest hard techno scene
changed over the years? What’s it like now?

I am not sure it has changed per say. Clubs have been becoming more popular and some of the people throwing events here have been finding it easier to throw the larger events. Everyone here still gets down to techno. The clubs I have played here, and have had techno headliners always packed it more than when another genre was represented. I think the soul of Kansas City had always had a place for the music. The representation of techno has dwindled a bit over the years mostly due to people moving and such. Jon still works the Lawrence, KS (A suburb of Kansas City) crowd and things are starting to pick up again. Parties around here have always ebbed and flowed a bit so in time things will crest once again.

WFTAW: I guess you have to consider how the music has changed too, no?

I would have to steal a line form Shiva, that techno has always been “right now”.  I wouldn’t say changed as much as evolved. With more and more influences to work through, I have seen things move more glitchy on one end and more Bennie Bennassai influenced on another. The Schranz and the electro-techno is really big now. But I wouldn’t say it has changed. It merely takes the form and inspiration the producer has put into it. I have pulled some old records out for some sets that go perfect with what I just got a few weeks ago. With so much music out there I only see endless possibilities of things that can be played in a night. That is what makes Techno great, the open and endless amount of possibilities.

WFTAW: You were on the bill with Shiva over Christmas (right?) and also played
at THE END in KC for NYE. How were the holidays?

Shiva was great! It is always a pleasure working with her, and the night turned out great! My friend From LA was in town and got me into making a remix of “Dick in a Box” from the Saturday night live skit. It took a bit of doing but I think it was well worth it for the reaction the crowd had. I am just glad I got to drop it first, after mine another DJ that night played his remix. I know Shiva and I had a good time there. There is something about the people here that always makes you feel right at home. New Years was also a rockin’ time. I have to thank all the people that enabled me to party by bringing me the following: 6 mixers, 10 shots (4 Jeager, 2 Patron, 4 Misc.) 1.5 bottles of Champaign, and a bottle of wine, plus a partridge in a pear tree… Alex Hall from Marscruiser was down and we had a blast. I have to thank phocas.net for getting the event off at the last minute. People still showed up in droves to the club. It seems that Kansas City is always down to party at the zero hour, and I am never disappointed in my home town.

WFTAW: Have you ever seen the movie Solaris… not the one with that cheese,
George Clooney, but the original Russian flick from the 70s, its a deep,
psychological space thriller… is this where you get the Solaris
moniker, or does it have something to do with your early residency with
the Infinite Sun late nights? Tell us about those parties…

Actually it has to do with a few things. I have seen the Solaris movie, but that was only after I had my moniker. There is the Solaris Systems computer server software, but the Infinite Sun was the largest influence. It is this six room four story warehouse that has hosted some of the craziest parties in Kansas City.  Kansas City proper has always had a lock on busting parties within the downtown area. This warehouse though seemed to be nearly immune to it. The most memorable time was a party called Rebirthday, I believe I counted nearly 100 DJ’s in a solid 24 hour three day event. I remember running to the roof with the owner to meet the Fire Department Chief who was coming up on their hoist buckets. His face when he got to the top was priceless. He was able to look into the windows on his was up and couldn’t believe his eyes. There were a solid 1500 people there all three days. On noon Sunday we pulled the last record off and not one second after, BAM! Rain started pouring out of nowhere. It was one of the most insane things I have ever been a part of that happened in downtown.  After that we had a few more small events there that always had people dancing until the morning hours. So after that I took a piece of the memory and made it into the name I have went by ever since.

WFTAW: You are a photographer for Phocas.net, right? And you used to run the
SyQuil site. These are two party info sites in the area that really
connected a lot of people together. I heard a few years ago that you
were going to revive SyQuil, or is that just smoke and mirrors?

Well, I am the Event Director for phocas.net Photography I have done when needed, but usually our photographers are much more suited and able to let me have a night off enjoying the sights and sounds. SyQuil was founded on the pappy system that we built. It was started by a few people, myself included. It morphed into this huge monstrosity, and after that the pappy got such an ego we could not house him any longer. Tending to that workload got too cumbersome for the three of us that were doing it. We locked pappy down and decided reviving him might be dangerous. But then again, you never know when he might be the next Frankenstein. phocas.net is a good replacement and has what we need, so why fix it if it isn’t broken?

WFTAW: Are you playing all vinyl or do you do use digital DJ tools such as
Final Scratch or Serato Scratch Live? What do you think of these tools
and what’s the norm in club set-ups in your area?

I usually have an all vinyl layout, unless there is a tune I have produced that I want to get out before cutting it. So I will burn it to a CD. Final scratch and Serato I have not used. I try not to, mostly of the old fashioned DJ in me I suppose. I love the feel and way vinyl works. The digital realm doesn’t have that same analog feel no matter how you want to process it. I see the logic behind the Serato and Final Scratch, they help us DJ’s keep on the cutting edge with newer material. Eventually I probably will give in to get something along those lines, but I think they have a few more things to work out before that happens.

WFTAW: I know you are producing music right now. What is your studio setup
like? Do you have any releases out? Plans?

My setup is via the computer, and Cubase SX. I love that program, it has everything a growing boy could want and then to add to it everything you could want a hundred years from now. It is by far the most versatile production program I have ever delved into. I have a few things finished on my site http://www.djsolaris.com/. As far as releases I don’t have anything official yet. There are always possibilities, but keep a weather eye. You never know what will come about. I have been tinkering with the notion of starting a label here in Kansas City. It seems like the next logical step in my evolution, however that wont be coming about till alter this year or early next year.

WFTAW: Tell us about the Centrifuge mix? I think this was the recording you
did in Miami Beach, right?

Actually the “Live in the Womb” was recorded in Miami, but that trip gave me the inspiration for the Centrifuge mix. After that weekend I had this notion of some nice Schranz action for a CD. The name always fascinated me and reminds me of the mechanical world always chugging away while we are oblivious to the machines workings. I think Schranz is much the same way. Driving sometimes unrelentlessly until your frail mortal body can’t keep at it any longer, and you then fall down content with giving it your all.

WFTAW: What is your favorite artist/label at the moment, why?

That is a hard one to say, I strive to keep an open ear. It always seems that when I am scouring for records that I find this obscure label with a rocking tune that no one else has. I am always running across those gems of wax. If I had to choose a favorite right now, Hertz has always had my ear and I can usually find some good things from him. I know Dave the Drummer is getting into producing some electro Techno and I am looking forward to hearing some of that. I recently rediscovered my Tresor label, going through some old records. They have always held a solid sound.

WFTAW: Where can people check you out online, and obtain information about
bookings, etc…? Any upcoming events of note?

There is my website, http://www.djsolaris.com/ , my myspace (because who isn’t a myspace whore now a days) which is, http://www.myspace.com/solaristechno/ . Either one is pretty up to date as I can manage them. I am going to be in the Miami Area doing a few things during the Winter Music Conference, As for other events of note, there are a few prospects in the works…

WFTAW: Thanks bro, talk again soon…

SOLARIS - CENTRIFUGE TRACKLIST
Live vinyl mix

1 - Intro
2 - LK REC - Schlagschatten - Andreas Kremer RMX
3 - AR - Alliance IV - Gunjack Vs. Jeroen Liebregts
4 - AR - Full Charge - Vincent De Wit
5 - LK REC - Punching Dummies - Lars Klein
6 - Carnage - O.B.I. Wan Kenobi E.P.
7 - Pitchshift - Splash N Dash - Boris S.
8 - Carnage - Partystecher E.P. - Frank Kvitta
9 - Pitchshift - Tonight You Sleep In Hell - Boris S.
10 - Expanded - A. Crash - Darkness - Sven Wittekind RMX
11 - Squat Records - Mare Street - Jeff Amadeus
12 - Crowbar - Hamster Butcher - Stefan Wietek
13 - Abstract Records - Reinsteckefuchs - Frank Kvitta
14 - Crowbar - Way Of The Habak - Viper XXL
15 - Arms - Patadas - Carlos Rios
16 - Carnage - She Had It Coming E.P. - Switchblade a.k.a. Leo Laker
17 - FAK - Rocket Bay - Tuomas Rantanen
18 - Blitzkreig - Das Letzte Gefecht - Robert Natus
19 - Blipped Out - Oli Brand
20 - Arms - Bend In The River - Lars Klein
21 - Cluster - Squat Attack - Jeff Amadeus
22 - Blackout Audio - Draw Out Your Breeches - Robert Natus
23 - Cluster - Did You Spill My Paint? - Co-Ax
24 - Blackout Audio - Pointless - Robert Natus
25 - Arms - Bend in the river - Lars Klein

Entry Filed under: All Posts, Audio