IDM Mailing Archive

upon recently taking notice of the new cover of the ACCIDENT IN PARADISE album by the technogod of frankfurt- a.k.a. SVEN VATH, i spent much time pondering the existence of ralph hildenbuettal (is that how you spell his name?). on most of the projects released by sven, as SVEN VATH or barbarella, or what- ever, the production credit is usually given to sven and ralph. and yet we never see ralph. all the press is given to sven, pictures in wacky outfits being the character that he is and doing it so well. i think ralph is getting screwed, though. i had heard... i think i read it some- where, that ralph was classically trained and did most of the composition of their work. if this is true, then it really sucks that he gets no attention paid to him. any comments or insight? i would love to get to the bottom of the ralph mystery... why he remains so obscure when music which he creates (at least in part) gets so much attention. manish

quoted 8 lines i think ralph is getting screwed, though. i had heard... i think i read it so

> i think ralph is getting screwed, though. i had heard... i think i read it so > where, that ralph was classically trained and did most of the composition of > their work. if this is true, then it really sucks that he gets no attention > paid to him. > > any comments or insight? i would love to get to the bottom of the ralph > mystery... why he remains so obscure when music which he creates (at least in > part) gets so much attention.

the way i understand it ralf & sven's composition works something like this: sven describes what he wants to do, even "hums" it in many cases, and ralf does the technical "writing" of it into the sequencer, etc.. they are both being "artistic" so to speak, but ralf is taking care of the more technical aspects of things.. as far as ralf not getting the "credit".. i get the feeling ralf doesn't *want* to be in the spotlight.. in the pictures i've seen of him ralf looks rather conservative.. this is all obviously speculation, but he just strikes me as the type of person who doesn't want or need to be in the spotlight.. ralf's solo ambient cd on recycle or die was already mentioned, but i just thought i'd add he has also done solo dance music (ie. progressive attack) and has worked with others besides sven on dance music also (ie. curare w/maik maurice)..

NEESH <MS5224%ALBNYVMS.bitnet@uacsc2.albany.edu> writes:

quoted 3 lines upon recently taking notice of the new cover of the ACCIDENT IN PARADISE albu

> upon recently taking notice of the new cover of the ACCIDENT IN PARADISE albu > by the technogod of frankfurt- a.k.a. SVEN VATH, i spent much time pondering > the existence of ralph hildenbuettal (is that how you spell his name?).

close.. it's Ralph Hildenbeutel.

quoted 4 lines on most of the projects released by sven, as SVEN VATH or barbarella, or what

> on most of the projects released by sven, as SVEN VATH or barbarella, or what > ever, the production credit is usually given to sven and ralph. and yet we > never see ralph. all the press is given to sven, pictures in wacky outfits be > the character that he is and doing it so well.

this seems to me to be a classic case of *pop music commercialism*. Sven's looks and famed wild life make him a much more MTV-etc-friendly personality. He also seems to have a big head about his image, like most pop stars.

quoted 4 lines i think ralph is getting screwed, though. i had heard... i think i read it so

> i think ralph is getting screwed, though. i had heard... i think i read it so > where, that ralph was classically trained and did most of the composition of > their work. if this is true, then it really sucks that he gets no attention > paid to him.

In the Trance Europe Express booklet they say that Ralph "translates Sven's ideas, which often come in inspiration spurts, into the machines and out as breathtakingly panoramic and spiritual strains of music." I say this is bullshit: Ralph *IS* writing the music. The following is also from the same interview in TEX: (Ralph speaking) "As a musician he's (SV) not playing anything or programming but he knows how to communicate with me and I know what he needs if he has ideas. Either he sings or does noises or whatever to express himself" Well, it sure as hell isn't showing up on the records. The unfortunate thing is that Ralph seems not to have a problem with getting little-or-no credit. The guy is a genius, and SV is a camera hog. "Accident In Paradise" should be "Accident In Paradise" by Ralph H, not Sven Vath. Sven Vath is about as much a musician as a guy sitting in the room with you while you write music, and saying "Yeah, i like that."

quoted 3 lines any comments or insight? i would love to get to the bottom of the ralph

> any comments or insight? i would love to get to the bottom of the ralph > mystery... why he remains so obscure when music which he creates (at least in > part) gets so much attention.

i say we start a "bringing the truth to light about talentless Sven Vath" campaign :) - Dan |=|=|=|=\=|=\=|=\=|=\=|=\=|=/=|=/=|=/=|=/=|=|=|=|-------------------------- The 8-BIt Collective - Transmission 23 - edrone dan nicholson, Clonor the Other - Finnish Techno Zyndicate 8bit@vlad.bowker.com -=>ICBM volume one available soon!<=- moddan@vlad.bowker.com "This message has been sent out - did you originate it?"

quoted 2 lines i say we start a "bringing the truth to light about talentless Sven Vath"

>i say we start a "bringing the truth to light about talentless Sven Vath" >campaign :)

I don't know if I'd say that Sven Vath is talentless. He's arguably one of the most popular DJs in Europe at the moment, and he obviously carries a genuine love for the music. Jonathan eabu751@orion.oac.uci.edu

i understand not wanting to be in the limelight, (spotlight as well as the club, for you new yorkers out there!) as far as ralph goes... but the media- club magazines etc. seem to pay little attention to him to begin with. when you release material for the world to hear people will be talking about you invariably, but it seems that nobody even talks about him, and i think that really sucks. manish

quoted 8 lines In the Trance Europe Express booklet they say that Ralph "translates Sven's

>In the Trance Europe Express booklet they say that Ralph "translates Sven's >ideas, which often come in inspiration spurts, into the machines and out as >breathtakingly panoramic and spiritual strains of music." I say this is >bullshit: Ralph *IS* writing the music. The following is also from the same >interview in TEX: (Ralph speaking) "As a musician he's (SV) not playing >anything or programming but he knows how to communicate with me and I know >what he needs if he has ideas. Either he sings or does noises or whatever >to express himself" Well, it sure as hell isn't showing up on the records.

how do you know? were you there at the studio when the record was being made? to take a real life example, the Hardkiss record God Within that some of you may be familiar with was done at our studio. i ran all the gear on those sessions - chose the sounds, operated the sequencer, and played most of it. but i didn't write the song and i don't want my picture on the record. scott hardkiss would hum or sing lines and i'd play them and he'd say "yeah" or "no, more bouncy" or whatever. i imagine that this is exactly the same situation that Sven & Ralf has.

quoted 6 lines The unfortunate thing is that Ralph seems not to have a problem with

>The unfortunate thing is that Ralph seems not to have a problem with >getting little-or-no credit. The guy is a genius, and SV is a camera >hog. "Accident In Paradise" should be "Accident In Paradise" by >Ralph H, not Sven Vath. Sven Vath is about as much a musician as a >guy sitting in the room with you while you write music, and saying >"Yeah, i like that."

sorry, that's a crock. look at classical music - the composer writes the score on paper and other musicians bring it to life. but it's not "the 9th symphony" by fred's philharmonic orchestra, it's the 9th symphony by beethoven. sven is the composer in this case. ralf is the performer. i don't see a problem. if ralf is getting what he wants from this deal (and i've never seen him state otherwise) then who are you to object? go buy ralf's "progressive attack" CD if it makes you feel better. Jon Drukman jdrukman%dlsun87@oracle.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This calls for a very special blend of psychology and extreme violence.

WILL-E <kia@eden.rutgers.edu> writes:

quoted 8 lines popular = talented? I think not. Have you heard Sven Vath DJ?

> popular = talented? I think not. Have you heard Sven Vath DJ? > The boy doesn't even know how to beat match and he played some whacked > ambient records with some sped up beats on top of that on the tape I heard. > Just another big name DJ with a lot of hype attached. Unless the tape I > heard wasn't Sven but I've heard other people mention that he doesn't beat > match. I'm not saying that beat matching is the end all and be all of > being a DJ but it sure is a good start and it seems more likely the case > is he hasn't bothered to learn just like his music making situation.

don't count your svens before they've spun.. having heard sven vath dj live i can verify he doesn't beatmatch (or at least almost never), but i can also say he spun one of the most spellbinding, glorious, beautiful sets i have ever laid ears upon.. and i've heard some pretty decent djs in my day (garnier, sasha, kimball collins).. all i can say is i'd personally take a nonbeatmatching sven over just about any other dj in the world with a few exceptions.. he went from 7am to 1pm on a sunday morning and everyone i know that was there has said the same thing: it is something i will never forget as long as i live..

quoted 5 lines don't count your svens before they've spun.. having heard sven vath dj

> don't count your svens before they've spun.. having heard sven vath dj > live i can verify he doesn't beatmatch (or at least almost never), but i > can also say he spun one of the most spellbinding, glorious, beautiful > sets i have ever laid ears upon.. and i've heard some pretty decent djs > in my day (garnier, sasha, kimball collins)..

Certainly seconded. Sven is one of the best techno DJ's I've heard play live. I think the point is probably that he knows how to build a set better than most other DJ's. He plays the right choons at the right time in the right order for the right audience. And he plays long sets. If you get a chance to see him live, go for it. You wont be dissappointed..... Cosmic