End:The Dj is the #1 industrial dj in the world according to TheDjList.com. He has done many remixes and is a member of industrial outfit, Komor Kommando. He is currently on a summer tour that is bringing him down here to McAllen on June 19th at Club Sanctorum in Metropolis Nightclub. So if you are into a darker side of club music, this is one event you do not want to miss. We had the opportunity to interview him and this is what he has to say.
How did you come up with your dj name?
It’s sort of a satirical & symbolic thing: ‘end the dj’ as in ‘kill the dj, etc.’ from how much the art of club DJs can be lost in the dark music scenes, to the thought of ‘if everyone knew about this music we love, we as DJs would cease to exist’.
What first got you into industrial music?
I was always into Synthpop & classic New Wave music in my youth, such as Gary Numan & The Cure. Strangely enough, this opened me up to early EBM (Front242 & Wax Trax label material) and now to what I like today.
What made you want to dj this kind of music?
At first I wondered if this kind of music could be properly mixed & if so, if anyone would want to hear those kind of DJ sets in the U.S. This is not the Electronic Dance scene where you can lose yourself in a great wall of sound non-stop for the entire evening. A lot of DJs can basically be living iPods at certain kinds of nights, others don’t care. But then I noticed that more & more of a club element has been making its way into a lot of the newer EBM & Industrial dance genres. People like myself started to really dig that. So here I am.
Besides industrial music, what else do you listen to?
All music I listen to depends on what my state of mind is and also how much the artist puts into its music. So I listen to a wide variety of independent music, from Electronic to acoustic, Jazz to Rockabilly, whatever. The formula sound of pop music where the so-called singer or band has nothing to do with the production work or even the lyrics? That is complete shit to me.
Do you like the direction industrial and EBM has taken in the past several years?
Though many would disagree with me, I like how multi-faceted Industrial & EBM music has become. You can approach Industrial & EBM from many different angles, from Metal to Rock and more; I myself make a distinction that as a DJ, I am only working in the night club aspect of it, which means heavy beats and a heavier electronic aspect to it. Music to get your ass moving & feet stomping.
You are the #1 dj in the world for industrial music…how does that make you feel?
A month after The DJ List had the Industrial genre included and I saw how the people have voted, I was very surprised. I still am surprised at how the people vote each & every month. I am simply a great lover of this music who loves to present & interpret the artists who music I love in my own way; It is such a great feeling that others also pick that up, dance & stomp to the music with me.
Do you have any rituals or habits you do before performing your set? And is wearing a gas mask while performing your trademark?
Before a set, I like to just hang out at the night & take everything in- the vibe, the atmosphere. I like meeting new people and just getting myself warmed up. And I just like wearing masks. When I’m doing a set, it’s my way of saying ‘let the music speak for itself’. I love how people will still try to interrupt me while I’m mixing a set AND wearing a mask. heh. Plus a mask is a good way to hide me singing along or something, right?
Do you like touring and how is it going by the way?
It’s funny, I was having this discussion very recently about touring- it’s different than when you’re touring with a band or other people in that you are basically traveling on your own on the road for weeks at a time…and lately, it’s been almost constantly. When the events begin, that night is fantastic and the new people I meet along the way- all that keeps me sane. But the not-so-glamourous side of it is the amount of time you’re spending doing the traveling and not seeing home or the people you want to see each day. So I dunno- like anything, there’s a plus & negative side, but overall, the music is what keeps me loving this.
What would you like to tell all the peeps who are reading this right now?
That I hope to catch you guys out on the tour. Say hello & give a toast!
