Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Luke Eargoggle: Interview by Robin KG!

In case you haven't been following the DIY electro scene in The Hague, Gothenburg, Helsinki, UK etc. I got the pleasure of interviewing one of the most notorious of the electro scene known since the 90's. I could go on and on but let's talk to Luke Eargoggle from Sweden, who has released records on STILLEBEN, BUNKER and many other high quality core labels he has allied with.


myspace.com/lukeeargoggle





hello lukas,

I have been aware of you for a few years and think you have some of the deepest hardware tracks in the world:)


* What can i say. THANK YOU very much! (:


I know you had a hiphop background with graffiti. in my late teenage years I was collecting alot of electrofunk. did you collect old electro vinyl too?


* Thats correct. I started with writing and doing some electro boogie until i decided to dedicate my time totally to bomb the trains in the city of Gothenburg/Sweden where i live. It was really really great back then. My friends were djing alot then aswell so they bought all the old school classics which acctually was brand new at that time ofcourse in the mid 80´s. Back then i didnt collect i just loved it. The collecting started for me arround 95 i guess,


I notice you love the kraftwerk “numbers” drum rhythm. is this a special rhythm for you?


* Yes it is! For me its the utlimate beat ever. Cant help it makes me go crazy everytime i hear it. The song looking for the perfect beat is about that beat. Atleast for me. This weekend i was visiting some friends in stockholm and i found numbers 12" in his collection so i put it on (ofcourse to loud) and they just smiled at me like... " -Here we go again.... " (:


do you have any favorite synths for your many basslines? how quickly can you finish a good track? is this secret information?


* Well its no secret but its more fun if people find their own sounds/synths rather then me mention what i use. It depends, but i guess my personality and soul love certain sounds so naturally i look for same "worlds" all the time in sound/synth. Making a track usually takes few hours to one day. I think flow is a keyword for me and also a track is just a track. So for me its not nessecary to try to get all ingredients into one song. Enough is enough. Then i make a new song or concept with ideas. Perhaps i dont like it to much today but in 3 years it might be my best track ever.. Who knows (:


tell the people in the US about your label, STILLEBEN, and who are your favorite producers?


* My label been arround since 98 and focused on electro musik and some electro disco. For me it was very natural to start an own label instead of starting sending demos and let other people decide if its good or not. I / We liked what we did so it must be ok, worst thing that can happend is that you loose some money but that is not loosing because aslong you try and do something you belive you win. Money is just money. Its a nice tool but feelings are stronger! So just do it instead of wait for others improval... They dont get it anyways (:

My favorite producers are to many to name but i really like many oldschool producers. Man Parrish, Gerald Donald, Juan Atkins, Kraftwerk etc i could make the list long but it would just be boring reading. These days you hear nice stuff every now and then but most lack personality and interest for me in todays musik. Lately i founded really many nice Italo producers that made most beautyfull music so that makes me really really happy!


I notice you are having many ELECTRO DATABAHN parties up there in sweden. tell us about them. when did you start doing them? I have seen some footage on youtube


* Yes there been some stuff going on here and still is. Soon comes autumn and its electro time again! I love this music and people here do aswell so its nice atmosphere to make some things for me, us, and the people! If i dont do them who will make them... ?! I say like the Lonny & Melvin title of a record... " If you want a job done. Do it yourself "


ok, the CBS is finished, which made me sad for 2 days. have you talked to I-F? where do you see the future of actual hardware -made electro?


* Yes thats kind of sad but in some ways very natural perhaps. Ferenc had this station for som many years and really made most of us spoiled i guess. People think of CBS like a really big thing but its just some really beautyfull loving souls tryig to live their own life with quality. Now when it stopped maybe others should start their own stuff instead of get to sad or depressed. CBS will always be the best Music channel ever i guess. Too good, too much quality...

I think hardware is the best! But with software combination it perfekt, Most important is to have concept or ideas. Then your musik will get strong... People can buy all the machines in the world but without vision/drive it will not be so interesting... Hmm I think (:


what is your advice to musicians who make “do-it-yourself” underground labels?


* Just belive and do it. Simple as that. Have fun and you will get more fun!... Remeber..." ITS MORE FUN TO COMPUTE"


which of your new records are available to buy and where can people order them from? btw stilleben 031 sounds bangin’!


* Well there are pretty much in the making. Last year i worked much with a new little group called " Faceless Mind " Its together with my close friend Johan Inkinen who also run the Electro label KUST from Gothenburg aswell. New Eargogggle album is almost ready and is being released on Miami Based Transient Force later this year. Will be it different but same.

Yes the stilleben031 is really banging record with only producers from 031 area ( Number of our region ) There are some really good and pretty many producers concentrating on electro here. You can get it from smaller shops since stilleben have no exclusive distribution anymore... just search on internet or discogs and you will find stilleben records.


ok, changing the subject: Im sure you are a fan of US west-coast electro. my favorite track is “breakdown” by Unknown DJ. which is your favorite?


* Ohh another hard uqestion! But for me its the Egyptian Lover productions that influenced the most. " My House On The Nile " One of my best west coast tracks ever.


wow! I almost forgot to ask how you met egytpian lover and how you made a 12" with him. how did the two of you meet?


* Well we met in Stockholm at a gig after having some mail contact. Spoke some and later on we came up
with this idea of making something together and it bacame the Projekt " Egypt Ear Werk" Werk of art 12" KUST002. Future is here... data data data...


any last words?


Yes... Its a new day and soon coffee is ready... Can it get any better !?


Electro regards


Luke Eargoggle


thank you very very much! that’s all of my questions.

:)-robin KG!



"Planet Rock" graf by Eargoggle himself!

NIN at Mohegan Sun 8/7/08







Trent, Tina, Kid Ginseng, Josh Freese



The high budget light show was alot more than I'm used to seeing:)

enjoyed the whole thing.

:)-r KG!



Kid Ginseng shirts have been out for a little while. hand-screened with love by Kelly Gilleran on American Apparel shirts:) check myspace.

Monday, July 7, 2008

June Tom Tom Club shows lookback 7/6/08

Boston June 27th

left to right: Fuzz, Tina Weymouth

I am the DJ for TOM TOM CLUB and we were happy to get to play some really posh shows with Devo, Gang of Four, and DAN DEACON. we played in Fairfield,CT then London (for 3000 seats), Brooklyn, and boston. london's meltdown fest was put together by Massive Attack where we played with Gang of Four. the Massive Attack guys were really cool. Brooklyn was june 26th and boston was the 27th with Devo. Tom Tom's were deep in the groove pocket thanks to Chris Frantz, the funk metronome.

in williamsburg, Dan Deacon's energy with the audience at McCarren Pool was more than impressive. the kids were ready to have a serious good time, just like for some of my favorite bands. even with such a big space he got the crowd moving. he was cool. traded Kraftjerk-01 "12 for his Crystal Cat "7 and some other stuff.


Dan at Mccarren pool

I met this guy named Benny from Baltimore who told me about his 8-bit project, ADVENTURE he mentioned he was about to play cake shop in manhattan. I think his stuff sounds rich with cool panning, good composition, and some sweet rutger hauer blade runner samples on "poison diamonds." His US tour starts in late august and his record will be out too:)



a great website from this baltimore artist collective WHAM CITY

that's all for now,
thanks,
:)-r KG!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Salut to the Liege scene! 5/14/08


I had an amazing time in Liege, Belgium,thanks to my hosts, Nell, and Shaken. I Played with Brussels' Velvet Underwear and Leviathan. Then, a rad DJ set with Nell mixing 130bpm planet-rock beats, as Atone joins to add fast, but grooving skratching. Shaken also did a set with dubstep at the very end. Earlier that night, I walked with Shaken to the radio station for a promotional spot, thanks to Shaken's friend (please tell me your name again.) The show at la Factory was a blast and I spent the night at R-Mit's appartment. He makes hard, 8-bit influenced tekno. The next day I went to the Timeless Network shop and hung out with Bioxyd. Some of the other DJ's I met were Shore, who is part of Party Harders, and Symptome who loves music to be "dark and darker."

LIEGE IS A VINYL CITY!


KG and Nell!

on stage

venue

train sation:)

sold 15 records, not bad:)

thanks to Nell and the people reading this:)

best,

:)-r KG!

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

flyers: 1st part of '08


live Kid Ginseng show with DJ sets from Lauren Flax
, Chris Frantz, and buddy, Mike Dextro


SUNY Purchase art school DIY party (OFF THA CHAIN!) sorry, sadly nobody took pictures. it was just packed to the walls with drunken college kids dancing to KG and Greg Dog's DJ set w/ electro/miami bass/dirty south/dubstep. a great time with great memories:)


Pianos party including Chicago's Alexander Bassett and New York's Ole


KG rocking:)

thanks folks. next blog= KG performing in Belgium 5/14/08

best,

:)-r KG!

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

VINYL IS OUT:)

get it in your hands:)


TOOLBOX E-STORE
you can stream audio samples or hit up my myspace


WHOLESALE BY TOOLBOX, PARIS (visit them if you are there)

if you live in new york city:

KIM's Video and Music
6 St. Mark's Pl.
NYC
ph: 212-598-9985
mondokims.com

ETHEREA
66 Ave A
NYC 10009
212-358-1126
etherea.net

VINYL MARKET
241 E 10th St.
NYC
10003
212-539-1203

look for it soon at :

and la la land (shop) The Hague, Netherlands

timeless-network (shop) Liege, Belgium

OH, final note: Go See RUINER the next time they come to New York. They are soo melodic. nothing brutal. I went to see them with Paul (SIGNS OF HOPE) in a restaurant basement in Brooklyn. that was Dec. 2nd. some of the other bands I liked were TRASH TALK on malfunction records. and ENVISION. those young kids are on my top friends. I would post some of ruiner's pix but dance music heads might not care so much about the hXc. ha:) I still love it

best wishes and happy new-year to ALL!

:)-robin KG!