Derrick May- Saving the World form Bad Techno (& George W)

"To be honest, I think President Bush is extremely intelligent, though maybe he has an enunciation problem in that he can't speak. Because any man that's able to get people thinking like they are in America right now, is both highly intelligent and one dangerous motherfucker."

Sitting in the basement bar of a luxury Knightsbridge boutique hotel, Derrick May speaks softly and quietly as he tears into George W, though not because he's concerned about being overheard rather because that's the way he speaks.

"He's a fuckhead, Bush, a complete fuckhead, but what's funny is, being an artist, to some degree still seems to mean something in America, it seems to give you a little bit of credibility to say what you want to say," he suggests.

"But it's funny the level of freakiness this president has inspired. He sends out this unspoken message that's he's a nationalist Nazi, without saying a word. Those who are supporting him are all about shutting you up and putting you in his place. And what's really scary now is that all the closet fascists and nationalists are coming out in America," he continues.

"They're supporting Bush, they believe in him and they're trying to put him back into office. Over 50% believe that he's the man."

Politics aside, Derrick's main concern remains music, specifically the techno he helped invent in the early 80s. Passing through London for a couple of gigs, he remains one of the genre's definitive stars, a position he takes seriously.

"I have to redefine the concept of techno every time I play because people come in expecting something that I don't give them, they expect hard edged abrasive intrusive, into-the-cortex type music while I'm coming from a really melodic, rhythmic high tech soul angle, playing music that's funky, uptempo and very much 'in the bone', digging deep into the soul," he raps.

"Some of it is driving, some of it is curvy and some inspirational, but it doesn't fit the definition that's usually applied to techno, as far as the mass media is concerned anway. I feel like my job is endless, that's why I say I'm saving the world from bad music. Though perhaps I should say I'm saving the world form bad techno."


Skrufff (Jonty Skrufff): When you're touring are you generally spinning the same set from place to place-

Derrick May: "No, I hit it different every time. I have the same records but it's always different, I don't choose different records for different countries either, I don't have preset ideas. I just carry my bags, though rather than calling them my bags, I call them my confidence and I get there do my thing and I make people like my music, I force them to digest it. That's my thing- I've never once compromised on what I'm going to play for people. In some ways I see it was surgery, I think it's rude to play records on your headphones and to never look up at the audience and never pay attention to what people are feeling, because if anything, you have to know how to take them up to the next level. You want to entertain them as well as move them which is different, I talking about moving them spiritually and taking them to another place."

Skrufff: Making electronic music is lot easier these days, what impact is this having on the scene-

Derrick May: "I don't think most people are aware of these differences, I go to some countries now and what was called techno 15 years ago is now called house music, it blows my mind. I find that I'm making definitions for people, which is what I'm paid to do but I don't know what to make of half the people who are making music these days. I just concentrate on what's good, on Transmat, on the festival we do in Detroit, on that thin line between what is very good and what's really not worth it."

Skrufff: You must get sent hundreds of tracks a week-

Derrick May: "We do get sent lots of music to Transmat and we used to get loads from wannabees, which we don't get anymore, instead we get music sent in by really cred Tags

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