MAZIEG Puzzle Project Interview & Exclusive guest mix - August 2010You can download this exclusive guest mix by the master himself from http://www.puzzle-project.com and go to Mixes!!Interview by Andi LeppardThis month at
PUZZLE PROJECT we have UK Psychedelic Trance DJ that will be travelling down to London from the wilds of Manchester.... Originally from Germany but now based in the North West it is with great pleasure that we introduce the
IILLUMINAUGHTY resident for his PUZZLE PROJECT debut performance - MAZIEG
New Puzzle Project Resident
ANDI LEPPARD caught up with good friend MAZIEG before this coming months Puzzle Project @ the 414 club in Brixton on Saturday 28th August 2010, to discuss all things Psychedelic Trance and err Goblins................
MAZIEG, thanks for taking the time to be interviewed!! How's is all going?Thank you! It's all going very well, just enjoying a rare sunny day in Manchester!
Could you tell us a brief bit about the music you play & how you got involved with the Psychedelic Trance scene?Well I would say the music I play ranges from deep and groovy progressive through to intelligent rolling full on, really just depending on the time and the place. As to how it all started I got involved in the trance scene whilst living in Germany in the early nineties, at that there was already quite a relatively big trance scene over in Germany, some friends of mine where very well connected within the scene and knew all the original Goa DJs so I use to get lots of music from them and was always really into the sound.
After a while I decided I have to go hear the music at one of these parties I had heard so much about it, I was not disappointed it was absolutely amazing experience!
Prior to being associated with Psychedelic Trance culture, what music were you interested in and how has this influenced what you do now??Before trance I guess I was into a little bit of everything like grunge, hip hop, metal, classical music, I had always liked weird sci-fi film scores and music from stuff like this, and I have to this day I don't mind saying have always been a massive fans of 80s music even all the cheesy stuff!
But I don't really feel this influences what I do now, though I guess if you combine 80s beats with weird film scores and classical music you kinda have trance music! ..Who knows??
Unless you've been crying under Michael Jackson's bed, it's common knowledge these days that the northern Psychedelic Trance outfit ILLUMINAUGHTY are going from strength to strength! Throwing amazing parties with production standards that shake a stick at many other UK promotions. Could you tell us a bit about ILLUMINUGHTY, your involvement as a resident DJ and some of the highlights working with the promotion to date??IllumiNaughty is an absolutely amazing event, it's basically the hard work of a small team of very dedicated and passionate people and I think this really shows in the production and attention to detail of every event. IllumiNaughty's current home is at the Ritz in Manchester which is an awesome 1000 + venue that's like a huge old theatre with a big stage and balcony that really complements the illumiNaughty vibe.
I think its combination of different elements that make the nights so special and unique, musically you have incredibly well structured line ups featuring the best of international artists combined with underground talent playing over a monster crystal clear sound system on a spring loaded dance floor! Added to this is incredible decor and visuals with mind bending light and laser shows, also throughout the night the crowd are treated to performances from stilt walking aliens, stage dancers, goblins, pyrotechnic shows and even girls fire spinning on stage whilst on roller skates! Just to name a few!! It really has a great carnival atmosphere!
IllumiNaughty events are massively popular and over the years have built up a huge following of up for it party people from all backgrounds and of all ages and this adds to create the most amazing electric vibe! I had known a couple of the main organisers for a good few years and after playing at a few events for them I was asked to become resident DJ and was of course delighted! It's been one big highlight and it is an absolute pleasure to be friends with and work with such a lovely bunch of people! The next event is set to be on the 8th of October 2010 and is gonna be awesome!!!
Indeed it is going to be awesome - and guess who's scored another set?? See you there!! Alongside your residency at ILLUMINAUGHTY, you have secured sets at events such as STRANGE DAZE and the GLADE FESTIVAL. Please tell us about your other DJing experiences outside of your ILLUMINAUGHTY residency!Well I started to DJ in 1994 and have been very fortunate to play at lots different parties, club nights, and festivals I would say most recently the places that have inspired me are the smaller festivals in Eastern Europe they have a very fresh original vibe to them!
I understand that you have promoted your own electronica events in the past! Please tell us a bit about your ventures as a promoter!I've have dabbled a bit in promotion probably sometimes not so successfully! I think it's a very hard thing to get right! All good fun and lessons learned though, my fondest memories of promoting are doing free parties years ago, I would say mindless enthusiasm summed it up!
On my travels up to Manchester & Leeds for ILLUMINAUGHTY I have seen performances from many a top Psychedelic Trance act including TALAMASCA, DEJAVOO, EPHEDRIX! Please share with us what acts you are currently enjoying and what seems to be going down well with the kids??At the moment the acts I am really into are
Logica,
Progenerater,
Ital,
Zen Mechanics,
Journey,
Freakuliser and of course still have old firm favourites like
Tristian,
Dickster,
Laughing Buddha. I always seem to play tunes from these guys in my sets for me there music is spot on!
I think my favourite acts that have rocked
IllumiNaughty recently have been
Rinkadink, which was really good had a tough groovy sound! I also really enjoyed
Dino Psaras new stuff and the Vibe Tribe set was wicked very bouncy and energetic!
Trance culture in many ways is not as abundant as it was 10 - 15 years ago in the UK. You must have seen many changes within the scene and how healthy do you feel the UK scene at the moment?I think the trance scene explosion we saw 10-15 years ago was very much a cultural thing of the time and also it was a new thing to a lot of people at the same time so it got big really quickly! Obviously there have been many changes over the years in order for it to survive and maybe you don't have the kind of groundbreaking new music there was then but I think as long as there is quality music still being made which there definitely is! It will continue to grow, you only have to look at scale and number of festivals that happen worldwide as a testament to its continuing popularity.
Within the UK I think as long as we support the artists and the labels and support legitimate party organisations who are in it for the right reasons we can keep on having a healthy and positive scene.
I understand that you have begun the journey into the production side of things. How's it all going and what can we expect from you in the future??This has been quite a slow but ultimately rewarding journey for me, I have experimented making music over the years but now this time I have gone back and started from scratch and have really been focusing on the quality of production whilst trying to make it original yet still dance floor friendly, not so easy! I've been getting some very good feedback so far though and hope to have an album finished in the next few months.
Alongside your involvement in production, what future plans does MAZIEG have at the moment??The production is obviously very time consuming, other than this I hope to do some travelling soon, but generally I just try and make the most of every day and enjoy myself, I think life can be as easy or as complicated as you want to make it!
This is your debut performance in London for PUZZLE PROJECT at the 414 Club in Brixton. Have you had the chance to perform in London before and are you looking forward to rinsing it out a PUZZLE?This will actually be my first time playing in London and I'm very much looking forward to it! I have heard great things about PUZZLE, I used to go to nights like Escape from Samsara and remember Brixton being a really buzzing place with parties every week at the Fridge and 414 with everyone chilling outside the Mass in the morning it will be a welcome trip down memory lane!
*** Now it's time for the quick fire round where you get to respond to the questions that we ALL need to know the answers to! Here we go***If you could DJ anywhere, what location would you chose?Ooh..Would have to be on a sandy beach somewhere hot, blue sea ..blue sky.. beautiful women!! cold beer!!
You have two options for a 'meaningful evening'. Kate Moss is on fire and beyond repair or Cheryl Cole who has just come back from the Far East and is now Mr Cheryl Cole? The choice is yours?Aaagh! You've got me against the ropes on this one Andi! I must have mentioned that Chezza and Kate are two of my favourites!....err!..what to say!......Well I did once know an old builder from Slough who went and settled in Thailand with his urm..'girlfriend' and lived happy ever after! But no...err...god I dont know!!? Are you sure you dont mean 'on fire and beyond repair' as in having a really good night out?...Like'' YEAH MAN! IAM ON FIRE AND BEYOND REPAIR! WHOAH!! WHERES THE AFTER PARTY!!! ..It would be Kate???, sorry Cheryl if your reading this!
You regain consciousness and you find yourself DJing at ILLUMINAUGHTY @ The Ritz in Manchester!! The only issue is you are butt naked, apart from a Goblin mask and the only two tunes you have left in your bag are Bronski Beat 'Small Town Boy' and The Pet Shop Boys 'You are always on my mind'!! What do you do ???Come on! This must be a trick question!? You know I always finish my sets naked with a goblin mask on! Though I would like to point out that it is the GMS mix of 'Small town Boy' not the Skazi one that I'd play!
Worst DJing moment?Nothing ever really bad happened, though there was one party I played at abroad where it was all very stereotypical Shanti, travellers poi spinning, string decor etc, though the DJs before were playing like commercial club house which I thought was a bit odd for a trance party, I thought the crowd would be well up for some Psychedelic Trance but after I got on within two tracks I cleared the dance floor! the organiser said to stop and play later as it was 'too early for that music 'so the house music continued and I played again a few hours later, this time one track in the police turned up and closed the place down, Guess was just not meant to be!
If you could see two artists from the Psychedelic Trance fight to the death who would they be and why?Oh what is this controversy!! I don't know.. I guess a lot of people would want me to say the two guys from
infected mushroom, but then maybe everyone would be more happy if they could just start making good music again?
London or Manchester?Prague???
Top 3 current tunes?Chromatone 'Chroma Corona'
Fearsome Engine 'The Path'
Sirion 'Reboot'
And finally ILLUMINAUGHTY Goblins or David Bowies' Labyrinth Goblins?IllumiNaughty Goblins all the way!!!
MAZIEG thanks for taking the time to answer these all important questions! We look forward to you raising the roof at the PUZZLE PROTJECT at the 414 this Saturday 28th August 2010! We hope you bring some Goblin mischief down from Manchester with you!