O.K. guys, due to popular demand, here's the Drexcia interview from
the "Orbit" section of the Jan. 14, 1995 Melody Maker (reprinted
without permission, of course).
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The Unknown Aquazone
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The release of Chapter Five in the much sought-after Drexcia series
is one of the most anticipated releases of the year. Dave Mothersole
is granted a rare ear-bashing from the Detroit team.
Drexcia are not your normal techno act. Having been together
for some 10 years, they've released just five records. Fiercely
independent and highly opinionated, they're the ultimate
perfectionists, working in total secrecy, concealing their identities
and discreetly putting out some of the most outstanding, unusual,
beautiful and disturbing electronic music ever committed to vinyl.
Their "Journey Home EP", out this week on Warp, has already
been hailed as one of the most important releases of the Nineties.
In a rare interview, one half of Drexcia, James - he wouldn't
reveal his second name - talks about techno, DJing, the Drexcia
philosophy and the fight against the "Caucasian persuasion".
Off To Battle
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"As far as I'm concerned, there isn't anybody out there making
original Detroit techno - apart from us, and that's not being arrogant.
It's a plain and simple fact. A lot of people making so-called techno
don't understand where it came from and what it's all about. I know this
stuff; I've been doing it for a long time. I've been with the real deal,
in the trenches, since this shit was born out of the womb. But so many
people have come in and stepped over the name of original techno and
toned it down. And that's why were here: it's time to turn up the heat."
'The Caucasian Persuasion'
--------------------------
"Ever since the blues and early jazz, black music has been
stolen and exploited. It pisses me off that we let it happen. It's
a political thing; everybody talks about it under their breath, but
they don't come out and say anything about it. As far as I'm concerned,
Richie Hawtin, Moby, and all the rest of 'em can do what they want, but
don't step into my house if you don't respect it. Don't even call what
you do 'techno'! I don't want to hear anybody saying Richie started any
damned thing, 'cos he ain't started shit. All he did was step in with
his money and his Caucasian persuasion and put himself on the market,
and now he's got all these kids riding his jock. We never had rich
backgrounds; we were working jobs for $4.25 an hour. Our mamas never
gave us money to buy keyboards and put records out. We work for our
stuff. That's why there's a big difference in the music.
"Why do Richie and his Plus 8 family come down here and throw
parties in downtown Detroit? He brings in all these kids from the
suburbs and from Canada, and that shows a lack of respect. I've been
to every one of those parties and I've never heard an Underground
Resistance record, a Cybertron record, a Model 500 record or an Eddie
Fowlkes record. It's a total lack of respect, and it's got to stop."
DJ Hype
-------
"Only guys like Leon and Jeff Mills know how to spin. Serious,
man, you have DJs who mix sound like a galloping horse. Give 'em a
record that doesn't have a 4/4 beat and they can't handle it; their
fingers get all tied up and they get all confused. C'mon, you gotta
know those records. You got to have quick reflexes and make that record
talk. Make those turntables work; you got to see smoke coming off those
suckers. These guys fly around the world and people call 'em geniuses,
and they don't even warm those decks up - they're still cold after a
whole night. They're just fader flippers."
Deep Sea Dwellers - The Drexcia Philosophy
------------------------------------------
"The reason why we give alot of our tracks aquatic titles is
because waves are constantly changing. It moves in so many different
directions, and that's the way we see our music. It doesn't go straight
forward. It takes you on an adventure. We record all our stuff live.
You have to capture that moment, that spirit, that energy. We could
never recreate one of our records. Every Drexcia record is different.
We're dealing with your personality, your emotions. We try to get you
to open your mind up and listen to the sounds, and hopefully then you
can paint a picture in your mind. That's what it's all about."
Drexcia 5, 'The Journey Home EP', is out now on Warp.
--
So there you have it, IDM'ers, the confrontational and controversial
Drexcia. One question, though. Who's that Leon guy mentioned along
with Jeff Mills? Anyone know?
- Matthew