Tell Me Again (Steve Bugs Told Ya Remix)

Steve Bug, like his record label Poker Flat, has been a pioneer in electronic music for quite some time, putting out consistently outstanding music releases over the years. In 1999, he created a sound and blueprint that has influenced dance culture ever since, and the label continues to take the trustworthiness that DJs and music lovers alike desire today. It's no coincidence that Poker Apartment debuted at a time when dance music trends were shifting toward a more minimal, European-inspired house audio.

As a DJ, he has expanded the sound of Poker Flat and its contemporaries beyond the European club scene, garnering him a recognition that has led to invitations to perform all over the world. In addition to his Bugnology serial, he has also contributed to compilations from Cocoon, Fabric, and Fuse.

Meoko caught up with Steve Issues to learn more about what it'southward like to run multiple labels, his most recent release 'Montafon', and how the music industry has inverse over the years.

1. Before we begin, I'd like to thanks for taking the time to speak with united states of america, Steve. Nosotros're big fans of your work…

Thanks, my pleasure.

ii. At to the lowest degree 28 years accept passed since you lot began working in the music industry. Going dorsum to some of your early on releases from 1994-1995, it is evident that yous are a real minimal/ tech-business firm pioneer. Who influenced you when you were younger? What tune would yous choice if you lot had to pick only one that was a watershed moment for you?

Oh, I've been influenced past many producers. I started buying house & techno records in the late eighty's, so I witnessed the development over the years. And that'south the reason it I impossible for me to proper noun a single tune. I think my audio is an essence of influences of all the various styles, from the deeper NY fashion house, the jacking Chicago tracks, the Detroit techno and many other things that followed.

3. You just released a new track called 'Montafon' on your Poker Flat Recordings label. Tell us about the thought behind the rail and how you would interpret it.

I'one thousand non sitting in the studio thinking "what am I going to write today?". The music that I write basically happens in that moment. Information technology sometimes turns out to be deep, other times energetic like this one. Fifty-fifty though it changed a bit from its early 'final' stage, which was slighter deeper, I try to get out the interpretation to others. I got a lot of great feedback from deejays that I respect, and in general it seems to hit a sweet spot for many people out at that place. It definitely works in clubs too as on huge festival stages, and all of that makes me happy.

4. It's been more than ii decades since Poker Flat Recordings has been around. By launching the label and releasing your iconic track "Loverboy" in 1999, yous were able to push the envelope and create a gloomy, yet incredibly funky and groovy sound. What inspired you to start the characterization in the first place, and what'due south the concept backside it? Practise you have a favorite EP or one that has special significant to you?

Afterward putting Raw Elements to slumber, we wanted to alter a few things for the new imprint, like not experimenting with releasing too many styles on one label for example. At that time people seem to take a problem with labels that were as well diverse sound wise. So Poker Flat was set up for minimal, yet driving tracks, that had a nice groove, and a hypnotically element. But the primary reason to kickoff a label in the first place was to release music that nosotros loved. And non much has changed since. Just with an expanding artist roaster, and the techno & house sound developing over the years, the music nosotros release, and produce, has changed a chip as well. I could name many singles, that are special for me, only with 200plus releases, the listing would be endless. A good thing is that so many of the tracks of our back-catalogue still sound fresh today, and still work swell in a set.

five. There are so many names and so many incredible releases on Poker Apartment Recordings. I believe there are over 240 releases, according to my research. Describe the characteristics you search for in music when operating as an A&R at Poker Flat Recordings and its sublabel Sublease Music. Any productions coming upward in the pipeline?

Firstly, I really exercise have to like information technology. I don't care if it'south written by someone who already has a proper noun, or if it's written by a newcomer. Music first – always. That also counts for music that you take to decline, merely because you don't 100% experience it, or if it doesn't fit the audio of the characterization. It'due south hard to say no to artists yous respect, but if the music doesn't fit, or specially if you don't 100% feel it, information technology doesn't make sense to release information technology. I think it's important to stand fully backside every release when you're running a label. The sound of Poker Flat is hard to depict, information technology's more a feeling, it tin can be melodic, simply never cheesy, it needs a nice groove, and something to deport you away. Sublease is more rails based, we release rather uncomplicated tunes, that work neat in a mix. If that makes sense? We have a few releases lined up on Sublease Music, and I am listening to Demos for Poker Flat right now. Proficient stuff.

6. What was the procedure like for starting your new label, Sublease Music? Did it start as i thing, and evolve into something else? What's the story backside the characterization's cosmos, and what do you think its primary message is?

Nosotros got so many demos that weren't for Poker Flat, not that they weren't skilful plenty, they but had a different feel to them. And equally I said earlier, it'south difficult to let go of expert music. So, we decided to found a new label especially for these tracks. I think people would file it under minimal, deep tech, or sometimes deep firm.

7. In 2020, yous released your offset solo album in the last 8 years called 'Never Ending Winding Roads'. Can you tell us more about it and how long did you spend on the new album?

The anthology was by and large written in the commencement lockdown in Federal republic of germany, information technology was the commencement time I had more than 4 days in a row in the studio, and that really gave me the push to write some tunes that were slightly outside of my other, more society-oriented productions. And you definitely hear a few melancholic notes on information technology as well. All together I think I spent about 6 months on it, perhaps a bit more. It was the last anthology that I wrote in my erstwhile studio. It was the perfect finish to 14 years in the aforementioned place. I think information technology works great as 1 slice, and I truly wish more people would listen to long players in full instead of but putting their favorite vocal in their playlist. They would notice out and then much more about the artists.

8. Yous brand music authentically, yet your sound has evolved through fourth dimension and throughout your albums. Exercise you lot believe that producers are becoming too genre-specific?

I can't speak for other producers, simply I would become stuck and bore myself if I'd try to write simply tracks in one genre. Maybe that's why some producers had issues writing tracks during lockdown. I started more tracks than in the years 2016-2019. Some are proper Deep House, others take more classic House Vibes, some are chord-based dub house tunes, some are more than melodic, and some are fifty-fifty under 100bpm. I love to experiment with sounds and rhythms, even if it leads to something that is similar to what I wrote earlier. Sometimes it helps to dive into unknown waters to go a better swimmer. I personally call up producers should be more open up to what truly comes out of them instead of trying to fit into a box that has been created effectually them. The music out at that place would be definitely more interesting.

9. Do you think you've settled more than into the production/label management routine over the years, or practise y'all still enjoy the order environment as much every bit you lot did before?

To me these things ever belonged together. It's not 1 without the other. Being a disk, a producer and running a characterization. Information technology's all fun, and it'due south great that I am still able to do all of it. During the Pandemic I spent more than time the studio, but I am happy that gigs are slowly coming dorsum. That feeling when you lot're deejaying, and connecting to a oversupply – priceless.

10. DJs nowadays rely heavily on social media hysteria and branding as a marketing tool, sometimes even more than than the music itself. Practice you believe that branding has overtaken music as the most important gene in the music industry?

It definitely has. In full general, information technology seems that we're at a stage were music itself is not and then important anymore. People want to run across big names, they want to be a part of an feel that they saw on the social media, that has basically nothing to do with what information technology feels similar to be in a proper guild with no phones, or cameras allowed. People used to become to clubs to let loose, to forget their problems, to dance their asses off. Only today, specially on huge festivals you'll discover many people who have pictures or videos of the main act, and leap up and down occasionally on build ups. Instead of having an experience themselves, they want to capture something that is non possible to capture, especially not with a smart telephone. I mean, how many times are yous going to sentinel your videos, or are yous just trying to take hold of a suitable moment for your socials to become likes? Information technology's a problem of our world today, but it's also a trouble of electronic music being too mainstream. It attracts people who basically don't care about the music. Don't get me wrong, it tin exist a peachy experience being at a huge festival with your friends, but you lot don't need a phone for that. Also,promoters seem to book people with a certain following on the socials, well it makes sense somehow, since many people would only go to see someone who has a stiff post-obit. But the amount of followers stands in no relation to the quality of the work of someone. There are swell artists having an enormous amount of followers though, just there are also great artists and deejays, who basically accept zero appreciation for they work, just because they're bad at social media. Maybe they even hate information technology, and don't desire to be a office. Many people hoped that subsequently this pandemic at that place would be more appreciation for true talent. But every bit far as it seems, that was just a dream.

xi. Deutschland has been praised for its quick response to the coronavirus outbreak, with billions gear up bated to assistance the country's art industry. What are your thoughts on Germany beingness a leader in supporting the art and music industries throughout the lockdown?

From the outside and compare to many other countries information technology might announced that Deutschland has done everything to keep art, civilisation and music alive. Truth is they did aid some pretty well, others completely fell through the supporting system. All the same better than most countries, but definitely not great.

12. The world is your oyster at present that you've seen it all and have had the good fortune to exist successful in the music industry for a long fourth dimension. Recollect your musical journey will always be completed? Are there any goals you lot accept for the time to come that you'd like to achieve?

I truly enjoy writing music, and deejaying, and the longer I'm doing this, the more I think I might practise it till the everyend. I might non be able to tour as much anymore, but I will definitely continue to write music, fifty-fifty if it'southward just for my own listening pleasure. Business firm & Techno is running through my veins, it is a big part of who I am.

Words by Monika Zander

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Source: https://meoko.net/interview-steve-bug/

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