Miss Djax in the Raw

If you like your techno hard and banging, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of the label Djax Records and its founder and Dutch techno pioneer, Miss Djax (real name Saskia Slegers).

Instrumental in putting Eindhoven in The Netherlands on the map, it was actually the German capital of Berlin where Miss Djax first got her breakthrough. One of the first DJs to organise her own float at the Berlin Loveparade, she has twice played at the Victory Column, Siegessäule, where the Loveparade culminates, and has played on more than one occasion at many of the biggest techno festivals including Mayday, I Love Techno, Nature One and Innercity.

Last year Miss Djax took time out from her usually hectic DJ schedule to produce her first full-length artist long player, “Raw”, an album full of old school techno pieces made with long-time friend DJ Rush and released on Miss Djax-Up-Beats in October 2005. This month also sees her on remix duties on DJ Rush’s new four-track EP “Pussy Pop’n”, the first release for Djax Records in 2006.

On the eve of Miss Djax’s recent appearance in Berlin at the FKK party, RA caught up with her in Berlin to talk about her artist album, her roles as producer, DJ and label owner, her thoughts on the current state of the dance music scene and her long-standing love affair with Berlin and the mother of all parades, the Berlin Loveparade.

FW: Hello Saskia. First of all thanks a lot for taking the time to do an interview.

You have been in the music business since 1989, which is quite a long time. However this has also been quite a vibrant and vivid time for you, releasing a lot of tracks and EPs. In October last year you released your debut album ‘Raw’. What was the reason it took you so long to release an album?

Saskia: It’s quite simple really; I didn’t have time (smiles). I had a lot of work with my DJ career as well as running a successful record company. There was really no opportunity for me to focus on an artist career too.

The tracks I released before are just the products from some of studio night sessions. For instance when I came back from a DJ gig I’d connect some of my analogue sound machines like my 303, 909 etc. Then I’d do something I fancied. So that was the production background of my singles.

Now I’ve released a complete album. I worked together with a producer from Amsterdam who had the whole studio shit (grins), computer and all that stuff. Also I changed my schedule a bit. For example I didn’t take on as many DJ gigs as I used to and I cut back on the ever hectic label work a bit. By label work I mean things like working with hip hop bands which I don’t do anymore.

My album “Raw” has the same style as the artwork on my Djax up Beats releases, but I signed it to another record label so I wouldn’t have all the release-related stress. Last but not least I didn’t want to promote myself as an artist on my own record label. So basically it was just a time thing. I only do something if I am into it, if there is time and if I fancy it.

FW: When did you start to work on this album?

Saskia: Last year. It took me round about 6 months to finish it.

FW: Usually artist albums stand for themselves and differ quite a lot from the production work on singles. How would you describe the character of your debut album in your own words?

Saskia: It’s kind of like the very early style of techno, the ’90s style. I didn’t try to do something different; in a way I tried not to be innovative. I just did what came out of my heart. I put my big love for techno on vinyl and that’s what I will always do. I don’t care what’s hip & trendy. I don’t let myself be put under pressure, to force myself to change to something compatible to minimal house or trance. Anyway, I don’t like pigeonholing people or tagging their music style. Over all these years I still love that harder Detroit/Chicago stuff. And that’s what you will hear on my album.

FW: On the album you worked to together with DJ Rush, who did some vocals. Apparently you are friends? How was it working with him?

Saskia: We have known each other for a long time. In 1992 I went to Detroit and Chicago. I didn’t met Rush there, but I did meet all the other guys like Armando or Felix da Housecat. Then those US artists got a release on Djax up Beats and the whole thing started to roll. It’s a small world is small and one day I met Rush. Since about 10 years ago I’ve been working with him. But, he actually wasn’t with me in the studio. He prepared the vocals before and I just used them in my production work.

FW: On your website are transcripts to the many interviews you’ve done. In almost every interview since the year 2000 you’ve been asked about new technologies like Final Scratch. I’m bit afraid to ask you that again (smiles), but since nowadays technology is moving fast, I thought maybe you had changed your mind. Have these new technologies affected your way of DJing?

Saskia: Not yet. I say yet because it might happen. But, I don’t feel I’m missing out on something. I love vinyl and I like to play with just two records on a classic mixer and turntables arrangement. Of course during the past year the classic set-up has been replaced, for example, new mixers in DJ booths. My favourite kind of mixers are those with special cut, delay and echo effects.

In terms of DJing I’m also doing live sets to present the tracks on my album. This I do with Ableton, so I am stepping into that area too somehow (smile). I like being on stage, playing my own music with my laptop, some controllers and FX. Though, it’s still kind of strange to me to perform live with software instead of hardware. I always hope there won’t be a crash or something like that as I don’t want my live set, my work, to be the victim of a system crash.

FW: Yes, these new technologies often mean the DJ appears more distanced from the crowd. The DJ just stands there, looking at a display, searching for some MP3s. Somehow the whole show around DJing, spinning vinyl, for example, is missing. Today there is not much happening in the DJ booth.

Saskia: Good point. Doing a live set has always been something different to me. Standing with two hands, one attached to the mouse, the other to the keyboard, means also staring at the monitor all the time and not much watching the crowd. Of course this affects the interaction with the people. That’s why I usually do my live sets together with two VJs so that there will be something to see.

FW: The new advances in DJ technology enable a lot of people to DJ themselves. If you compare the early days of techno with the current situation I think there is a high count of DJs today. Of course this increases the competition and also the quality gets a bit watered down. What do you think about this development?

Saskia: I cannot blame people for wanting to be a DJ. Today the DJs are the new stars. And the same thing that happens on TV, mass auditions or exposure to find new superstars, happens in the DJ and techno scene as well. It’s harder for them to get into the market and many are forced to make a good record to get noticed. Or you have to own a quality label. So today it is very hard to do something special.

FW: I think there is a big connection between you and Berlin. Here you had your breakthrough at the second ever Mayday. Also you contributed to the Loveparade, even the old Loveparade along the original path at Kurfuerstendamm. In 2004 there were problems with the council authorities. In 2005 the parade got cancelled due to internal conflicts. In my opinion in 2006 the Loveparade won’t happen either. What do you think about its future?

Saskia: It’s very hard to see such a special thing going down the drain. From ’95 to ’98 I had my own truck. In 1998 the ‘Djax up Beats’ truck was even the number one float. I played at the Victory Column two times. After 1998 it really became too commercial. I paid for everything myself and never used any sponsors. I contributed to the Loveparade to give something back to the people. That was my way to show my appreciation to my fans. Eventually participating in the parade became too expensive for me. I don’t want to spend money on 15-year old kids who don’t know anything about techno. I don’t feel connected with that kind of commercialisation. I hope Motte can manage to bring back the old style Loveparade. So, let’s see how the story will go on.

Recently I talked with Dr. Motte and we discussed the idea of starting something very small again to take it back underground. It’s hard, but the saying to stop at the highest point is true because everybody would have the parade in their mind as something special. But usually people go on and on and at a certain point the spirit dries out. It’s still nice, but I think the golden days of techno are over anyway.

© www.djax.nl/missdjax

FW: You played at huge festivals and open air events. You’ve also played in smaller clubs. What do you like more?

Saskia: (laughs) You reporters always ask me that. I like them both. I like the energy of big events, watching waving hands and the dancing masses. But actually, I am a bit more into indoor events than open air events as they’re a bit closer to the roots of old style techno parties. It has to be dark inside and if the VJ always has to fire up the lights it hasn’t got much to do with techno. It has to be a bit dirty to as I don’t feel comfortable at clean events. I also I like the intimate atmosphere of clubs. There is not that much pressure on you. You don’t have to give everything in just 1 or 1.5 hours.

FW: There are a lot of big DJs whose life is just landing at the airport, taking a taxi to a hotel, catching some sleep, going to the venue, playing, then back to the hotel and heading for the next gig. How do you want your life of DJing to be? Do you like it that, busy, or do you prefer for example, to have time to see the city/area you stay in?

Saskia: I have lead this hectic life DJing for almost 10 years. Every weekend, leaving at Friday then coming back Sunday night and starting regular label work on Monday again. I have tried to do some shopping or sightseeing while driving from airport to the hotel I’ve asked promoters to tell me something about the city or its sights along the way that but ultimately there is not really time for that.

If you have this life of DJing you work late at night and need to sleep in the daytime. When you wake up everything is closed, so you can never have a holiday. Some people told me to sell my fucking label and only focus on DJing so I could get an opportunity to stay longer in the cities and countries I had to spin. But that’s not what I want.

FW: Today it seems every big DJ ‘needs’ to be pushing a newcomer. Is there a newcomer you fancy?

Saskia: I don’t follow trends and so I don’t need to push somebody. Of course there are some good jocks, but also the new breed play harder than I do, almost Gabba-tinged. I don’t really have a newcomer in mind. I’m just stuck on the guys I like such as Jeffs Mills or DJ Rush (laughs).

FW: What is your favourite club and what makes it special?

Saskia: Now it’s closed, but the Orbit in Leeds is quite a favourite of mine. They used to open at 7pm and close at 1am, but it was already crowded a few minutes after 7. I really had a wicked time there. At the moment I don’t have a favourite club.

FW: Is there a special lesson you learned in the music business?

Saskia: Having a white collar superior (metaphor for A & R manager of a major record company) deciding which acts will be signed is the worst. At the end of the eighties, early nineties there was so much good music lying on the street just because such people don’t have a clue about our scene. I picked these artists up, started Djax and did everything from A-Z, from contracts to the final product. It’s not that difficult I think. Those suits always want you to be a product. They work out a concept, take some guy from the street who just looks good, but who cannot sing. Also for women it’s hard in this business as almost everybody watches you closer.

FW: Finally, what is the background of the comic illustrations you put on your record covers? Are they drawn by you?

Saskia: No, that’s the work of Alan Oldham from Detroit. I got in contact with him in 1991 when he wanted to release a track on Djax. I really liked his way of drawing and I asked him to do something for me. His fourth comic is included with my album “Raw”, the CD as well as the vinyl. Over the years they have became an interesting part of the Djax appearance. I don’t like it if every release looks the same and has the same label on it so his work lets our releases appear more individual.