Ausgehbefehl: Mike Huckaby im Funkloch

Am 26.11. spielt Mike Huckaby ein DJ-Set und setzt damit eine lange Tradition Detroiter DJs in unserer Stadt fort, die leider vor mehr als 10 Jahren mit der Schließung des Planet (vorläufig) endete. Damals kamen fast Monat für Monat Künstler wie juan Atkins, Jeff Mills, Derrick May, Blake Baxter und andere hierher und brachten uns ihre spezielle Version von Techno und House bei – und sorgten natürlich immer für Mörderparties.
Mike Huckaby war bis vor gar nicht so langer Zeit ein Name, den sich nur Eingeweihte zuraunten, mittlerweile zählt man ihn auch in Europa zu den ganz Großen.Er ist certainly not your average dj/oroducer type - wo andere Samples oder Produktionstricks für sich behalten, bringt er im Detroiter "Youthville"-Projekt den Kids bei, wie man Hard- und Software zum Musikmachen benutzt, und veröffentlicht eine komplette CD mit Sounds aus seinem Lieblingssynthesizer, dem Waldorf.
Bevor er sich auf den Weg Richtung Bochum Motorcity, Ruhrgebiet, macht, traf ich ihn im äh, Internet auf ein kurzes Gespräch.

When you started djing, quite a lot of guys from your hometown were already  very successful. There’s the old story that they were famous anywhere else in the world but not in Detroit, which was basically a hiphop town then. Is that true? Who was a big influence on you in the beginning?

Its the same story where ever you go. Artists are always more popular elsewhere. But dont get the story wrong. Djs in Detroit are highly respected in Detroit. Detroit electronic music just happened to become popular around the world, so there has been a demand for djs to play where ever a market had been identified. Detroit electro was an influence upon all Detroit Dj's. Nearly everyone followed Mojo, Ken Collier, Model 500, Juan Atkins, Kraftwerk, and George Clinton.

Since then, music making technologies have advanced beyond belief and the whole process of becoming a producer has got a lot easier, which doesn’t necessarily have to be a good thing. What do you think about the mass of stuff released every week?

Its quite outrageous how many records are released each week. But thats a good thing. In one sense, you can never say electronic music is dying can you? So its a good thing that there are so many people trying to produce music. The bad producers drop off due to frustration, while the dedicated producers adhere to the principles of production while sharpening their skills. Its a win win situation to me. Bad records keep mastering plants from closing down just as much as good records contribute to it. Sometimes all it takes is a simple attitude adjustment to stay afloat in this business. All you have to do is to avoid dwelling on the anxiety driven end and aspect of this business, and you will be fine. Ill never forget what Cliff Thomas from Buy Rite records in Detroit told me:Mike, dont worry about format changes, vinyl dying, shops closing, or distribution problems. Dont worry about none of that shit. Your job is to just remain creative. Ill never forget that.

Do you play vinyl or digital? Where do you see the advantages of one over the other?

I play strictly vinyl. I worked in a record store for 14 years, so its in my blood. Just like the interviewer in the Fact magazine article said, " once a record store guy, always a record store guy. I like the aspect of human interaction regarding music. I feel like your physical lively hood is being stolen from beneath you if you only sell digital music. But thats just me, and that happens to come from the particular angle that has been presented to me from my involvement in this business. Not everyone has to adhere to this belief. Vinyl only strategies can be dangerous for a label. Digital djs dont deprive themselves. If something is not sold digitally, and is creating a buzz, links and files will be shared. So if you are a label that is not planning on doing digital releases, the market will create a digital angle of your label for you by uploading your music and passing links around pertaining to your songs. Then you've really lost out.

On your mixes you tend to go back in time, play lots of stuff from way back. What can we expect? Do you plan your sets?

First of all, i only play vinyl, and its hard to find new releases on vinyl in Detroit. So this is the major reason why i did 2 sets like this on 2 previous podcasts. Secondly, i dont play files, and i cant stand the attitude of the dj who says, " oh thats old, that came out last week " I cant stand all of this up front mp3 pressure for exclusive djs generated by beatport, and traxsource. That shit gets on my nerves. But if you play digital music, im not trying to start a war with you. Do your thing, and ill do mine.

In a recent interview wuth FACT you counted Sun Ra (as well as Larry Heard, George Clinton and Stevie Wonder) among your heroes. You seem to feel a strong relationship between jazz and deep house.

Deep House is just a leaf from the tree of jazz. Many of the chord progressions in deep house are heavily rooted within jazz. Minor 9 progressions, 6521 progressions, and ect. It took me over 10 years to be able to tell you just that alone. You have to pay your dues in this business to get where you want to go. And im solely talking about the dues of hard work, and perseverance. Its all about learning as much as you can about what you are doing, and investing in yourself. You have to be willing to do many things without an immediate financial return. You get out of it what you put into it, and thats why ive been learning things from people that i have paid to train 
me, right out of my own pocket. I was told i was dumb and stupid for doing that many times. But i dont take that personally, because that advice came 
from guys that didnt know what the fuck they were talking about. They quit a long time ago. I am no stranger to hosting private reaktor lessons for people that have paid me thousands of dollars to learn synthesis. This would have never happened if i would have listened to certain people.

You have spent pretty much time in Europe now. Is there any influence Europe has on your music or the sets you play?

Not really. The one good thing that i can say about Germany is that it will build up your stamina as a dj like no other place in the world. You often play 

 After djing in germany, and Europe, its hard to believe that I'm being booked in other parts of the States for a 2 hour set that ends before 2 am.

much later in the night, or morning. Your set is much longer too. After you get the hang of this, you can handle anything. You can thank the panoramabar for this single handedly. The Panoramabar is a warriors club. If you've had the chance to play there more than a few times, it will lead to an experience that will have a permanent effect on you, in terms of how long you can handle playing. The 1 - 2 hour dj sets in America, all before 2 am is for weaklings. After djing in germany, and Europe, its hard to believe that I'm being booked in other parts of the States for a 2 hour set that ends before 2 am. It just seems unbelievable now.

About the workshop: is it gonna be about music making or about djing? Or both?

People will gain insight on how maschine, and intuitive beat making can radically change your production, and workflow. Participants will gain access to my workflow while using it, and the overall features and functions of maschine as a whole. Maschine Camp was a highly successful event i held in Detroit with 6 different participants over the coarse of 2 different days. So im extremely excited to do a maschine demonstration in Europe. Im sure that it will teach me a few things as well.

Is it important for participants to have lots of experience?

No, not at all. Participants dont even need to own maschine. Although the participant that either has maschine, or that is thinking about purchasing it will greatly benefit from this workshop. This demonstration will equip the participant with many aspects of music production that may have been considered hidden for quite some time.

What are you up to next? What about a new record or two?

Yeah yeah, always working on future S Y N T H and Deep Transportation releases, and remixes. I just did another remix for Vladislav Delay, so i stay quite busy.

Freitag 26.11.2010

Mike Huckaby 
@ Funkloch
Alter Katholikentagsbahnhof
Konrad-Adenauer-Platz 3
44787 Bochum