Interview Jeff Mills 31/01/05
Jeff Mills- I make mixing mistakes almost every night
There are minor mistakes that happen almost every night and major mistakes that happen maybe once a month: as a DJ you become better at fixing the problem and move on as quickly as possible, so that people don’t notice; that’s part of being a DJ.
Chatting down the line from a Cannes hotel, Detroit techno wizard Jeff Mills is the first to admit he has the odd bad night, though as one of dance culture’s most technically proficient mixers he’s happy to hold up his hands.
“If I stopped making any mistakes I should probably look at what I’m doing and start trying to be a little more adventurous,” he continues. “I still love to play even if I may play less nowadays than when I was younger. But I’ll always keep on DJing, even if just as a hobby.”
Still one of the biggest name DJs both in both techno and dance music in general, he’s happy to pass on advice, stressing the importance of focus for those wanting to step into his shoes.
“The sooner you understand what is it you really want out of the profession, the easier it becomes to achieve it,” says Jeff. “If you want to become a superstar DJ, it’s possible, but there are certain things you’d have to do.”
Skrufff: Such as?
“I don’t know, because I don’t consider myself one,” he replies.
“But if you want to have a long and healthy career, one crucial piece of advice I could give is this: you have to be able to accept negative responses from the audience and people in general, and rebound from that criticism as quickly as possible. I know so many DJs who have often been severely affected by an audience’s negative response.”
Coming into England shortly to DJ at both the End and Liverpool’s Circus Club, he’ll also be meeting his audience directly at Eukatech Records, when he personally opens an Axis Records merchandise shop at the Covent Garden store. As well as selling beach towels and sandals (‘we’ve done some research to categorise the typical costumer who buys our merchandise, that’ll be older male, student or just graduated from college’, he explains) the store will be stocking his new album The Three Ages’, his latest soundtrack remake, this time to Buster Keaton’s 1923 film of the same name.
“The idea behind Axis Live is to come close to the people and reduce the distance between the internet and the customers,” he explains.
“We have a steady stream of online costumers from around the world, and we planned to go into their cities to offer special things made for that particular situation, so we’re producing very special records only released at that time and lots of other items displayed in the way we think they should be displayed, on the basis of a certain type of lifestyle and mentality they’re based upon,” says Jeff. “After London we’ll be doing Berlin.”
Skrufff (Benedetta Skrufff): As well as launching the shop, you’re DJing again in the UK this February, what kind of show do you have planned for the gigs?
Jeff Mills: “It’ll be an integration of sound and moving images alternating throughout the night. At times the video will take the lead then at other times it will be the music.”
Skrufff: How much advanced planning typically goes into a DJ set; do you ever turn up with a stack of music and improvise, track by track?
Jeff Mills: “There’s always a little preparation, typically I prepare the first ten minutes of the set and from that point it’s very much about reading the crowd and playing music or showing images based on what I see and what I find interesting at that precise moment in time.”
Skrufff: You’re also set to release a new soundtrack to Buster Keaton’s “The Three Ages”, how different is your approach when producing music for soundtracks as opposed to the dance floor?
Jeff Mills: “I tried to prove certain things in that particular soundtrack. As a DJ I can approach producing music for films in multiple ways, the same ways I can program records for an audience, which is probably slightly different from someone who only does one or the other. I look at it from many different perspectives. For “The Three Ages” I chose to use a very indirect way, not only composing the music for the interactions between the characters specifically, accenting certain kind of moves or things like that, but I also decided to create a backdrop for what was happening on the screen. The result is not a humorous soundtrack as such, but it’s allowed humour to happen on screen. I did that because I wanted to show how diverse electronic music can be and that it’s not always predictable as composing music for movies can be. Even in that type of context, with all the humour and the geniality of Buster Keaton, electronic music can be reserved and allowing at the same time.”
Skrufff: how much do you regard electronic music to be a revolutionary force?
Jeff Mills: “I believe electronic music still is a revolutionary force. As a genre, it’s gone through changes because it has evolved, and it was logical for it to reach a point of saturation because of the level of popularity it’s had. It had to prove to have solid foundations, achievements have been reached even through the hype that has surrounded it, and we’re at the point today where electronic music can be considered pretty much an art form. Deep down, there have been very important messages delivered to the people through it; it has survived, and it’s at the point where it can now be considered just as important as any other music genre.”
Skrufff: Speaking to Fabric last year, you described today’s club scene as too conformist, why do you think it’s gone that way?
Jeff Mills: “Mainly because most DJs haven’t really taken advantage of all the freedom and creativity that they were originally given. As a DJ I’ve seen the same format being repeated over and over again, even down to the DJ location in a club, it’s always the same spot, facing the crowd etc…. Of course the format works, but considering the amount of freedom we have to do things differently, with music production having faced the same pitfalls, we’re largely missing a lot of opportunities to explore our creativity.”
Skrufff: I want to mention another quote from Jockey Slut from last year: “We are at a turning point in the history of techno music- If the younger generation has less interest in supporting music then why don’t techno labels begin to create and release music targeted to an older generation?”: what does targeting an older generation involve that’s different from a younger generation?
Jeff Mills: “I think that the older generations are quicker to recognise the higher artistic forms. When I was younger, and also when I look at younger people now, you’re less interested in appreciating art. As a DJ today, when I play for an older crowd, I can play a more diverse, progressive set, I can play older classics and a wider range of music. In terms of survival for independent labels, if you’re releasing music for others to buy, you need to focus on a particular type of costumer. The tendency is to put out music to accommodate all kind of buyers, but if the indications are very strong from younger generations that they’re just not interested in one particular sound, then you need to find your own place. In the context of what’s happening these days it’s wiser to look at the generations that started electronic music; they’re the ones who probably understand it the most, they’re the ones who grew up with it and made it all happen. If they had an interest in it before, then they probably still have one now. I think it’s questionable, this general thinking within the music industry that dance music is only for young people.”
Skrufff: Tossing another quote at you, you told Techno Tourist in 2001: ‘‘the things that we fail to try does the greatest damage to our future, not the things we do and fail”; looking at your career, you seem to have always succeeded: what projects do you consider as failures?
Jeff Mills: “There’s been many failures and things that haven’t worked out in my career, but as an artist who releases music and also runs a label it’s my job to smooth that over and move on to the next project as quickly as possible. So many people are never aware of their mistakes. Most of the time I assume that the idea was solid but the timing wasn’t right, so I generally keep those ideas and try to re-introduce them at different times. It’s better to make those mistakes, to experience problems and be able to handle them so that they won’t happen again. Without them you’re on a dangerous course, certainly in my career I see those mistakes as crucial and as a learning process and as long as they’re not too severe and don’t send you to jail, it’s ok.”
Skrufff: I read in the same interview that your 2001 album title ‘Every Dog Has its Day’ means ‘everybody eventually gets their share of good fortune’; how big a role has luck played in your career?
Jeff Mills: “I really couldn’t say, but I know that I prepare a lot to allow certain situations to happen and when they do I can take advantage of it.”
Skrufff: You basically create your own luck…
Jeff Mills: “I leave lots of room for luck to come into the equation. I’m never quite sure if it’s luck or just being open enough to be able to accept any type of situation and make the most of it.”
Jeff Mills’ new album ‘The Three Ages’ (the new soundtrack to Buster Keaton’s 1923 film) is out now.
Benedetta Skrufff (Skrufff.com)
There are minor mistakes that happen almost every night and major mistakes that happen maybe once a month: as a DJ you become better at fixing the problem and move on as quickly as possible, so that people don’t notice; that’s part of being a DJ.
Chatting down the line from a Cannes hotel, Detroit techno wizard Jeff Mills is the first to admit he has the odd bad night, though as one of dance culture’s most technically proficient mixers he’s happy to hold up his hands.
“If I stopped making any mistakes I should probably look at what I’m doing and start trying to be a little more adventurous,” he continues. “I still love to play even if I may play less nowadays than when I was younger. But I’ll always keep on DJing, even if just as a hobby.”
Still one of the biggest name DJs both in both techno and dance music in general, he’s happy to pass on advice, stressing the importance of focus for those wanting to step into his shoes.
“The sooner you understand what is it you really want out of the profession, the easier it becomes to achieve it,” says Jeff. “If you want to become a superstar DJ, it’s possible, but there are certain things you’d have to do.”
Skrufff: Such as?
“I don’t know, because I don’t consider myself one,” he replies.
“But if you want to have a long and healthy career, one crucial piece of advice I could give is this: you have to be able to accept negative responses from the audience and people in general, and rebound from that criticism as quickly as possible. I know so many DJs who have often been severely affected by an audience’s negative response.”
Coming into England shortly to DJ at both the End and Liverpool’s Circus Club, he’ll also be meeting his audience directly at Eukatech Records, when he personally opens an Axis Records merchandise shop at the Covent Garden store. As well as selling beach towels and sandals (‘we’ve done some research to categorise the typical costumer who buys our merchandise, that’ll be older male, student or just graduated from college’, he explains) the store will be stocking his new album The Three Ages’, his latest soundtrack remake, this time to Buster Keaton’s 1923 film of the same name.
“The idea behind Axis Live is to come close to the people and reduce the distance between the internet and the customers,” he explains.
“We have a steady stream of online costumers from around the world, and we planned to go into their cities to offer special things made for that particular situation, so we’re producing very special records only released at that time and lots of other items displayed in the way we think they should be displayed, on the basis of a certain type of lifestyle and mentality they’re based upon,” says Jeff. “After London we’ll be doing Berlin.”
Skrufff (Benedetta Skrufff): As well as launching the shop, you’re DJing again in the UK this February, what kind of show do you have planned for the gigs?
Jeff Mills: “It’ll be an integration of sound and moving images alternating throughout the night. At times the video will take the lead then at other times it will be the music.”
Skrufff: How much advanced planning typically goes into a DJ set; do you ever turn up with a stack of music and improvise, track by track?
Jeff Mills: “There’s always a little preparation, typically I prepare the first ten minutes of the set and from that point it’s very much about reading the crowd and playing music or showing images based on what I see and what I find interesting at that precise moment in time.”
Skrufff: You’re also set to release a new soundtrack to Buster Keaton’s “The Three Ages”, how different is your approach when producing music for soundtracks as opposed to the dance floor?
Jeff Mills: “I tried to prove certain things in that particular soundtrack. As a DJ I can approach producing music for films in multiple ways, the same ways I can program records for an audience, which is probably slightly different from someone who only does one or the other. I look at it from many different perspectives. For “The Three Ages” I chose to use a very indirect way, not only composing the music for the interactions between the characters specifically, accenting certain kind of moves or things like that, but I also decided to create a backdrop for what was happening on the screen. The result is not a humorous soundtrack as such, but it’s allowed humour to happen on screen. I did that because I wanted to show how diverse electronic music can be and that it’s not always predictable as composing music for movies can be. Even in that type of context, with all the humour and the geniality of Buster Keaton, electronic music can be reserved and allowing at the same time.”
Skrufff: how much do you regard electronic music to be a revolutionary force?
Jeff Mills: “I believe electronic music still is a revolutionary force. As a genre, it’s gone through changes because it has evolved, and it was logical for it to reach a point of saturation because of the level of popularity it’s had. It had to prove to have solid foundations, achievements have been reached even through the hype that has surrounded it, and we’re at the point today where electronic music can be considered pretty much an art form. Deep down, there have been very important messages delivered to the people through it; it has survived, and it’s at the point where it can now be considered just as important as any other music genre.”
Skrufff: Speaking to Fabric last year, you described today’s club scene as too conformist, why do you think it’s gone that way?
Jeff Mills: “Mainly because most DJs haven’t really taken advantage of all the freedom and creativity that they were originally given. As a DJ I’ve seen the same format being repeated over and over again, even down to the DJ location in a club, it’s always the same spot, facing the crowd etc…. Of course the format works, but considering the amount of freedom we have to do things differently, with music production having faced the same pitfalls, we’re largely missing a lot of opportunities to explore our creativity.”
Skrufff: I want to mention another quote from Jockey Slut from last year: “We are at a turning point in the history of techno music- If the younger generation has less interest in supporting music then why don’t techno labels begin to create and release music targeted to an older generation?”: what does targeting an older generation involve that’s different from a younger generation?
Jeff Mills: “I think that the older generations are quicker to recognise the higher artistic forms. When I was younger, and also when I look at younger people now, you’re less interested in appreciating art. As a DJ today, when I play for an older crowd, I can play a more diverse, progressive set, I can play older classics and a wider range of music. In terms of survival for independent labels, if you’re releasing music for others to buy, you need to focus on a particular type of costumer. The tendency is to put out music to accommodate all kind of buyers, but if the indications are very strong from younger generations that they’re just not interested in one particular sound, then you need to find your own place. In the context of what’s happening these days it’s wiser to look at the generations that started electronic music; they’re the ones who probably understand it the most, they’re the ones who grew up with it and made it all happen. If they had an interest in it before, then they probably still have one now. I think it’s questionable, this general thinking within the music industry that dance music is only for young people.”
Skrufff: Tossing another quote at you, you told Techno Tourist in 2001: ‘‘the things that we fail to try does the greatest damage to our future, not the things we do and fail”; looking at your career, you seem to have always succeeded: what projects do you consider as failures?
Jeff Mills: “There’s been many failures and things that haven’t worked out in my career, but as an artist who releases music and also runs a label it’s my job to smooth that over and move on to the next project as quickly as possible. So many people are never aware of their mistakes. Most of the time I assume that the idea was solid but the timing wasn’t right, so I generally keep those ideas and try to re-introduce them at different times. It’s better to make those mistakes, to experience problems and be able to handle them so that they won’t happen again. Without them you’re on a dangerous course, certainly in my career I see those mistakes as crucial and as a learning process and as long as they’re not too severe and don’t send you to jail, it’s ok.”
Skrufff: I read in the same interview that your 2001 album title ‘Every Dog Has its Day’ means ‘everybody eventually gets their share of good fortune’; how big a role has luck played in your career?
Jeff Mills: “I really couldn’t say, but I know that I prepare a lot to allow certain situations to happen and when they do I can take advantage of it.”
Skrufff: You basically create your own luck…
Jeff Mills: “I leave lots of room for luck to come into the equation. I’m never quite sure if it’s luck or just being open enough to be able to accept any type of situation and make the most of it.”
Jeff Mills’ new album ‘The Three Ages’ (the new soundtrack to Buster Keaton’s 1923 film) is out now.
Benedetta Skrufff (Skrufff.com)
Philippe La PlastiQue - 1. Feb, 16:41
