Carl Cox- Techno's Only Superstar DJ
Author: Camilo Rocha
Monday, February 18, 2002
Taking time out from packing his records for a series of gigs at Brazil's Carnival, right after a holiday in Thailand, he initially says he'll talk for just ten minutes, though once animated, it's clearly difficult for Skrufff's Camilo Rocha or Carl himself, to interrupt or even stop his flow. 25 energy-packed minutes later, the man who remains the only real superstar DJ within techno, sighs and goes back to packing his record box.
Skrufff: Brazil's been waiting for 5 years for you to visit, why has it taken you so long to visit-
Carl Cox: "The biggest problem is that the world is a really big place. I wanted to come and play in Brazil with a lot more emphasis. I've got a new compilation coming out shortly and a really good sound which a lot of people enjoy, I feel like I'm in a really good place musically at the moment, so I think it's a really good time now for me to come and play. If I came out five years ago the style I was playing then would be a hell of a lot different from what I'm playing now."
Skrufff: How many gigs a month are you playing these days, typically-
Carl Cox: "This year, I haven't played anywhere yet. The first gig I'm doing is in Lima (Peru). On average, I'll play about 15 gigs a month."
Skrufff: Year after year you seem to be the only really big name DJ in techno, is there some kind of prejudice against the music-
Carl Cox: "I don't think so. When you play techno it's also about techno-house, techno-funk, techno-jazz. For instance, if you play a record like DJ Rolando's Knights of the Jaguar, it's got techno, but it's got soul, energy, strings and emotion and I try very hard to play techno music which has an emphasis on something more within the sound. Some people see techno as straight-up 909 kickdrum music with no breakdowns and that's what scares people away. I will play from techno to house, from house to latino style into breakbeat and progressive. For me, there's no single style of music, I amalgamate everything I can find which I like into one melting pot and if people perceive that as techno, it's fine."
Skrufff: Many people are predicting techno (in all its forms) will take off this year, would you agree-
Carl Cox: "I don't know because the problem now is that there's nothing to look forward to. At one stage there was a whole two step and UK garage scene breaking out and looking like it would take America but it never got out of London. The drum & bass scene from its early form also divided itself into different bits for people who liked certain styles. The progressive scene seems to be the one that's very well accepted globally, and the trance scene of course."
Skrufff: What's the idea with your upcoming artist album-
Carl Cox: "It's about collaborations and also the sound that I'm producing right now. We've got a latin/ breakbeat track which I've done with Neneh Cherry, which people seem to be surprised when they hear it. I've also done a track with Kevin Saunderson which is a really powerful track, and one with Erick Morillo. Fatboy Slim too. Roni Size, Christian Smith, Josh Wink."
Skrufff: Why don't you release more records and remixes generally-
Carl Cox: "I didn't have the time and didn't feel so confident. I have done remixes and tracks in the past, I'm on my third album but the marketing and promotion of some of my previous stuff hasn't been up to the standard of where I'm at. I've just joined a new management team who've taken stock of the situation and want to push that side to the forefront. Again, I not aiming to set the world alight, to become as big as Basement Jaxx or as big as the Prodigy whatever but I do have something within myself as an initial sound that I want to elaborate on."
Skrufff: Having travelled so much around the world, what do you make of Tags