Joachim Spieth. He has debut release on legendary Kompakt label and 20 years of musical career behind him. And unknown (to a certain degree) future in front of him. But what’s for sure is that he’s playing this Saturday at Pelėda club, Vilnius.
Hello Joachim. What’s the weather in Stuttgart today? What’s your mood?
Hi! It seems to be grey and cold but my mood is much better.
You’ve put your very first release on Kompakt in 1999. Nine years later you started your own label Affin. What are the lessons learned from Kompakt that you used for Affin?
Good question… in those days, they were interested in releasing new stuff and experimental music besides music that mainly works on the dancefloors. Projects like Gas, the Profan label are good examples to name here while Studio 1 series was a manifest for the dancefloor. In short words, it was innovative.
20 years on a scene is a pretty decent amount of time. How do you feel when someone is calling you a veteran of techno/ambient? Does it make you feel old?
Yes, it’s a long time. I’m excited about the music like 20 years ago, so in this case nothing has changed. I don’t feel old, music keeps us young.
You’ve mentioned that you only do DJ-sets these days, and no live set. Why so?
I played a few gigs live some years ago and I wasn’t happy with it so I didn’t follow this idea for years. Playing live is interesting for several reasons so it’s possible to come up with a live act when I feel it again.
I’ve read that four years ago you quit your side job and now you’re focusing mainly on Affin and on producing your own material. So, my question is about luxury house, yacht with chicks, personal helicopter and Ferrari. Is it still a faraway future or you can see it on the horizon, already?
Electronic music for me is a passion. It’s a disease to measure projects only regarding economical aspects and the materialistic concept seems to satisfy not everybody nowadays. For me the worth of working on my own and defining the path I like to choose ensures happiness and a quality in life. I know people working in big companies all day to reach all that goals and then, when they have all these goods they are not able to enjoy it. In the end everybody has to decide what’s more important in life.
How hard it is for Affin not just to compete but only to be on the same scene with sharks like Ostgut Ton, Monkeytown, BPitch Control?
I don’t think too much about competition and the scene. The interested public finds its way to discover interesting music. Sure, some labels are featured more often but that’s also a problem how journalism in the music business is working. Often it’s based on advertising because media is financed basically by adverts. Moreover, it’s often that writers are not confident enough to introduce other artists or labels to the public because “it’s not known”. Things are stuck in an economical logic and dogmas. It’s on all of us if we want to change it. No matter if you’re a booker, editor, agency…
Please name your top3 favorite albums of 2016.
Reggy Van Oers Taciturn Manner [Telemorph]
Luigi Tozzi Deep Blue: Volume 2 [Hypnus]
Murcof & Vanessa Wagner Statea [InFine]
It is not your first time in Lithuania. What are your memories and impressions about Vilnius?
I have good memories about the crowd at Resolute, liked to go around in the city and visiting the buildings. Hopefully I have enough time and a guide this weekend.
What can you expect from you on the dancefloor on Saturday night?
I like to build up, no matter when i play. Deep & detailed, in short words.
