# You come completly from old school house background, is that right?
– More like electronic pop/italo disco/oldschool house/detroit techno – kinda hybrid. This was the stuff I was listenin as a kid, starting with electronic pop around ’82, and then working my way up from there. In the 80’s I hated rock, I couldn’t stand guitars, real drums or anything other than electronic instruments (later I’ve become more bradminded with soul, jazz, funk, disco and even rock).
But it was always just a hobby. I didn’t DJ, and I didn’t start making music before ’88 when acid house came around, and even then it was just fooling around with some synths and samplers, not very serious…
# What are your influences? Acid, disco, ’80 .. many styles ..
– All things electronic. In the beginning it was a lot of pop, like Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys etc mixed with harder club sounds like Derrick May, and acid house. Then there are a couple of exceptions, The Smiths and The Cure who’ve made amazing music and it didn’t matter that they used guitars more than synths…
# What do you look for in a beat?
– It’s impossible to define the recipe for a good groove. You just know that it’s there when you here it, whether it’s on a record, or it’s something selfmade.
# Talk about your remix-bass-line experience
– I’m not sure I understand the question. On baselines generally, however, they are the most important part of any record – apart from hi-hats.
# Sampling, Synth, Sequencing .. tell us your way to make super music
– It’s all about hardware for me. I don’t use softsynths and I started to use a computer in the studio only 3 months ago anyways… so before that I always used hardware sequencer, and even now all the sounds come from various old and new synths, samplers and drum machines and I mix everything live on my 48 channel mixing console… because I started making music in an era where it was all about knowing your machines and getting the best out of them, I want to keep like that as it seems to work for me. I don’t want to waste time on learing new ways to come up with the same result, as it’s only the end result that counts anyways.
# Quality and innovation… future projects?
– I’m working on a new album for F comm, initially due out in January 2005, but before that there’s gonna be some 12″s and also some remixes I’m working on for other people. Quite a bit of work actually.
# Club peoples tell us about underground night evolution
– I think in 2004 club culture will hit rock bottom, and hopefully things will start improving already after the summer. But the problems with music industry hit hardest on the small independent 12″ only labels, and the decline of the quality of the music is alarming. Very interesting times, actually.
# the best album in your vinyl collection
– Impossible to choose but let’s say: Please – Pet Shop Boys
# the best single in your vinyl collection
– Impossible to choose but let’s say: Moments In Love – The Art Of Noise
# What you say to new musicians, new electtronic artist?
– Be original. obviously you need to take influences and follow trends, but only to a certain degree. the only way to get noticed nowadays is to make records with high quality production, original ideas and a personal sound. Don’t be afraid to sound Different.
www.jorihulkkonen.com
Interview by Dax DJ (Year 2004)
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