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JA (John Acquaviva): It is funny that you say people are talking. i realize this of course, but I actually never imagine that side of things. I mean I gossip with my friends about things and people but I still can't imagine being on the other side. If you are up on your gossip, I think that what's up with plus 8 is really nothing compared to some other shit that has gone on with other labels in the past year and is going on at this moment.

Rich and I have always had our own companies, although many people primarily think of us as plus 8. his was just renamed recently from u.t.k. to minus. I am not here to intrepret this quote because it is not entirely accurate.

The main thing this year is to focus on more of our immediate personal goals. The one main thing I believe and know for rich is that while being entirely devoted to plus 8 and IntelliNET work, he has been unable to devote additional energies to his own personal musik production, namely a plastikman follow up.

Richie felt it was time to devote his efforts in completing such a release and it would not be possible without cutting out some other obligations. thus in this particular case, it should not be hard for anyone to arrive to the conclusion that we took, well at least it wasn't for us.

Rich and I were evaluating all of our work load and are currently assessing and reflecting on music in general for the next while with regards to plus 8 and our own personal goals. IntelliNET/plus 8 is not being restructured but rather it is being given some time at present to determine its course and allow rich and I to fulfill our own commitments and needs. We have alluded to some of our plans, but seeing as we are still in reflection mode, and nothing has really changed except for our distribution, there is nothing further to say.

db: This would lead to an inquiry of "the sabbatical", a concept that has been brought up in relation to the time given at the present to intelliNET/plus 8... i beleive it was every seven years, one takes a break to reinvent oneself? Tell me about your concept of sabbatical. Is this something you've recently embraced, or was it planned from the inception of plus 8?

JA: This is a concept that crosed our paths in conversation. I used it as an analogy explain some of our actions and feellings in order to give you an idea of what was going through our heads and also to give you an example of what is done in other professions. in many professions (teachers, notably professors), people work like crazy for six years and then take off the seventh to either rest or pursue another course in order to see if they are on the right track with regards to what their primary discipline is.

I have always been aware of it and simple used it as an example.

From some of Richie's and my own commitments and plans for this year, I would certainly not say that we are taking a rest, however.

db: With the label taking a rest, what will be happening with Speedy J, Theorem and The Kooky Scientist in the interim?

JA: We have had discussions, with all of our main artists. i am not sure as to what their exact plans are for the year. i have gotten the feeling that they all wish to reflect upon life and music in general for the time being.

db: It seems many are taking repose right now and reassessing how they want to be involved in things, for various reasons. With the dissolution of "rave" culture into a very commercial medium, much of the matured techno-house sound is entering the club markets in north america. It seems in making that transition, several aspects are witnessing a maturation- from the music becoming more refined to the culture around the music growing up. The complaint arises in some circles that the club market doesn't allow for experimentation as the parties at one time did. Where do you see the live forum headed for electronic music?

JA: I think the problem is that many "rave" promoters made a circus of it and alienated many people. The scene needed to evolve and mature. each scene also needed a more stable environment to do their events, thus the clubs have come into play again in many of the cities and areas. It was the clubs themselves that gave rise to "raves" in the first place. techno and "raves", for me were the equivalent of punk saying "wake the fuck up" to rock and roll. techno and raves told and showed the clubs how complacent they had become. In fact since many clubs have been around for a period of time already, they naturally play it safer since once they get a night

happening, they don't wish to change what works for them. This is the problem with many people, generations, trends, etc. Someone spends all their time trying to do something, it finally works, and then when it does, there is the tendency to forget to evolve since that would be risking their stake.

You see this with many dj's or clubs. once young, energetic and progessive, by the time that they finally make it, many have lost their edge or passion. This is one of the toughest tasks: to not necesarily keep reinventing oneself but to maintain an energy to keep evolving.

Even some of the so called top dj's today are resting on their accomplishments playing mostly old records. it seems that some have forgotten how to go record shopping and should maybe redirect their efforts at doing so instead of being caught up in their celebrity. many club residents are actually better than the guests that come to their club (this is evident more so in europe ) because they have more passion and drive to play well and search out music during the day.

Many of the techno people, with their success consider themselves to be the stars that the press say they are. Because of this a lot of the scene has been swallowed up in the rock and roll machine. Whereas many of these people would be happy to play for a small crowd, you can hear many complain that it is not worth their time to play at a small venue.

Much like I compared the emergence of techno to punk or new wave, you can also see the complacency set in like it did then, with everyone wanting to cash in their chips and just be happy to be part of a big machine and not wanting to shake or shape it as in the beginning.

I personally see a divergence of techno and the club scene.

db: do you think the club market helps or hinders progression?

JA: I think the club market helps overall, but the issue and question is not that tidy and simple. It still depends to the managers and the promoters. because of this each club scene is really an individual case. The stuation is like radio in north america.

Each station director has a lot of influence and many of the station directors/programmin managers have pretty bad taste with regards to music and programming. Sometimes in past history, bad taste was due to specific influences such as payola and still exists in much more subtler more sophisticated forms these days. When it comes to electronic music many stations play what they get for free (usually major labels who can afford to do massive mailouts ) This is also the case with dj's.

This is very frightening because I feel that playing only free records tends to make one very complacent as well as guaranteeing that you are never the one to discover any new music whatsoever.

db: As I head down the path of producing records, and being DJing with an independent label out here (bug girl sound) I am very quickly becoming aware of the expenses involved in getting even a 500 run out! Even though I'm starting to get free stuff, I can't fathom playing only free stuff- as it is the established labels generally that are sending it out.

i have always seen the function of the DJ as surfacing the underground in varying degrees of appropriateness (depending on who they're playing for and where they're playing) to help establish the independent market. My goal is to bring the records I like, and then perpetually create everyone's favorite song although they've never heard it before.

You seem to have a similar ethic, as I've never heard you not go off! Where did your DJing begin, and what have been some of the pivotal realizations that have brought it to the level where it is now?

JA: A good example is that of an artist making a collage. he takes bit of material ( records ) and puts them all together to create an original piece of art. I take great pride in not having done bad gigs as I take all my gigs seriously and respect whoever has been kind enough to come to a gig by trying to play a good set for them...

I started a long time ago, when many clubs didn't even use 1200's -in fact 1200's were still relatively new- in 1980 and got my first real residency in 1982 in London, Ontario at a club called Notes. It was London's best club/disco and it was my first real break...

I have done many nights and many different parties and clubs. Germany was always my first truly big success and I can play just about anything anywere- Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Mannheim, Essen, Weisbaden to name just a few of the cities that I have played and get tons of callbacks .

Basically, there are many cities that people have an understanding of music and once I click with each scene they tend to support me. So after a number of years and lots of work without much stopping, I have built a strong reputation and following in many cities and countries... can't complain I guess. (JA on pivotal realizations in DJing) A lot of my older dj friends/my dj elders taught me that song selection and trying to master, or at least understand the crowd was the most importantthing in a room. Many of the great dj's were not necessarily great mixers but they had a mastery of crowds and atmospheres. Only when more people started dj'ing did the level of professionalism and artistry begin to demand mixing skills.

db: Do you have any key turning point that taught you a great deal either through someone else's influence or in playing out?

JA: I have had many turning points, but a lot of my philosophy and/or attitude has slowly evolved. A lot of my thoughts have matured from looking back at events at different points over time in my carreer.

I don't know if it is because I'm an old man (this is figurative I would like to think ) but I think that time helps you step away and then put everything together again like a puzzle with the benefit of the fact that you are no longer experiencing things first hand any more.

I like being able to detach myself and step back from a situation in order to grasp it better. In fact for anyone who ever watches me dj or play (I personally think dj's are to be listened to with your eyes closed and not watched at all ) I often look like I am the most detached person in the room.

It is not the case I assure you, as when I play, a large part of me is in the middle of the floor dancing or grooving with the people, however, there is also a big part of me that is one step ahead of the whole room ( or trying to be ) trying do decide what direction to take things to as well as control the energy at the moment.

I have come to this level of djing only through a great deal of time and a great deal of gigs. Experience I would say. Mills and Hawtin inspired me as well. They exhibited an aura of depth when I first heard them that appealed to the experience or mastery I sought. The first time I heard derrick carter in 1991 was a moment that I knew I heard someone that had something I was looking for as well.

Basically, for me the great dj's I have have heard a great many are the ones who know how to rock a party, you know, play for the crowd to a point by giving them some of what they want but more importantly, add their own personal dimension to a room and a party by pushing the people in a direction that they want to go as well. thus the people get educated and entertained.

INTERVIEW CONDUCTED: MARCH 21-27, 1998.

dub-gnostic@housemusic.ca ~ xenophrenic recordings ~ bug girl sound