Martini Bros: Electroclash is Too Trashy & House & Techno Bore Us To Death
Author: Benedetta Skrufff
Sunday, June 27, 2004
Berlin DJs Mike Vamp and DJ Cle (otherwise known as Martini Bros) are already renowned for being amongst Germany's most wilfully eclectic spinners though with their new artist album Love The Machines they look certain to cement their diverse reputation in stone.
"As DJs we know how quickly a track wears out, so the last thing you want on the album is to have tracks which can't resist the test of time," says Mike.
"Music should be diverse. Producers should just put more songs into the electronic music scene."
Love The Machine does just that, ranging from 60s style psychedelic tracks like Smile to Gang Of Four style punk-funk of Traveller to the cutting edge electro-disco-funk of Love The Machines and (She's) Heavy Metal. Though don't call any of their tracks electroclash.
"Electroclash is too trashy for us," says Cle.
"It just seems to go in one direction, it's too single minded," Mike agrees.
"Actually, to be associated with any scene is too restricting, as far as we're concerned," he adds.
While musically and also geographically they're all over the place (Love The Machines was inspired by 18 months on the road) their hearts and musical minds remain clearly centred around one place; Berlin, a city they clearly adore.
"Berlin is still a place that's bursting with new ideas, which is vital nowadays," says Mike.
"Closing clubs down and generally cracking down on dance culture, as they're doing in New York, kills ideas and inspiration, it's something you don't wish to happen in a civilised society. We are lucky to have so much freedom in Berlin, and we know that from travelling around the world."
Skrufff (Benedetta Skrufff): You've called your new album Love the Machines, how significant is the title-
Märtini Brös (Cle): "During the last tour we truly fell in love with our machines. You know how lots of performers, and people in general, often complain about being let down by their machines, well ours have always worked and have always been completely reliable. Consequently we've started treating them like people, and even in the studio, we maintain a great rapport with them. Basically we really do love our machines."
Skrufff: Yet you've included guitar solos, as well as moogs and tambourines. . .
Märtini Brös (Mike): "We first had the idea of introducing guitars playing live, five or six years ago and despite the audience's initial shock, the response we received afterwards was great, and since then we have gradually incorporated them more and more."
Skrufff: The press release describes Love The Machines as a 'full romantic piece of art': how much do you see your music as art, how much pop-
Märtini Brös (Cle): "I'd call it pop art. It's art in terms of its sound since the material is original and we never use loops or samples. That's artistic, and not too 'arty-farty' (pretentious- Arts Ed)"
Skrufff: How much do you see yourself in the pop game, competing with the likes of Britney or the Pet Shop Boys-
Märtini Brös (Cle): "Well, how could we compete with Britney- I couldn't even compare her to the Pet Shop Boys, either. What I mean by that is that the Pet Shop Boys are to me one of the best bands in the world, and she is not. We don't tend to look around too much at others though, we're two grown-up men, who for sure, include silly jokes in our lyrics, but essentially we do our own thing."
Märtini Brös (Mike): "I liked West End Girls, but that's about it from the Pet Shop Boys. I'm not too crazy over their latest material, but I think they're great at creating a certain atmosphere in their songs, I don't know how to describe it; a very British atmosphere which I love. Their humour is also excelle Tags