ben sims on the state of techno

**Adverse** · 17-02-2003, 09:11 PM

i just read this interview my buddy did with Ben Sims for a weekly free new's paper here in montreal this last q/a really struck me.

Steve: Do you see techno getting bigger and more commercial -do you strive to remain 'underground' in a sense?

Ben Sims: DON'T REALLY THINK THERE IS AN UNDERGROUND AS SUCH.........I JUST STAY TRUE TO WHAT I'M INTO AND ABOUT, IF THE SOUND CHANGES AND LEAVES ME BEHIND OR I HAVE TO SUDDENLY MAKE TRANCE OR SOME SHIT TO SURVIVE AND KEEP ON THE CIRCUIT AND SELL RECORDS, THEN **** THAT , I'LL GET A NORMAL JOB.

RIGHT NOW I'M LUCKY THAT PEOPLE ARE INTO WHAT I DO AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL CONTINUE.

BUT IF IT ALL FALLS APART TOMORROW, THEN SO BE IT...I'VE HAD FUN AND ACHIEVED MOST OF GOALS ALREADY.........I LOVE MUSIC AND WOULD STILL BE PLAYING OR BUYING OR MIXING WHATEVER ANYWAY.

TECHNO DOES SEEM TO GET A BIT MORE EXPOSURE BUT RECORD SALES WORLDWIDE ARE AT AN ALL TIME LOW SO IT'S STILL VERY UNLIKELY YOU'LL SEE J.LO KNOCKED OFF
THE TOP SPOT BY A NEW HARDGROOVE SINGLE OR N.SYNC ON THE PHONE WANTING A ROUGH TRIBAL REMIX FOR THEIR NEXT OFFENCE TO MUSIC.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, TECHNO IS AN ACQUIRED TASTE...NOT EVERYBODY LIKES IT AND TO BE TOTALLY HONEST, THANK **** FOR THAT......I LIKE IT THAT WAY

class.

cheers ben!

**Adverse** · 17-02-2003, 09:14 PM

i'll post the whole interview if people are interested. let me know.

**Jimfish** · 17-02-2003, 09:55 PM

yeah, post it...i'd like a read of it....

**Esox Lucius** · 18-02-2003, 10:39 AM

defo post it, sims is my hero...the man is a genius.

**naa'coram** · 18-02-2003, 03:59 PM

Originally Posted by techfunk02

defo post it, sims is my hero...the man is a genius.

damn right!

**Jimfish** · 18-02-2003, 06:49 PM

post it then!!

**Adverse** · 18-02-2003, 06:56 PM

STEVE: Having first heard of you through all your productions, I didn't know what to expect when you first played in Montreal. You're also a really
skilled DJ. Mindblowing, perhaps the best technical techno DJ I've ever
seen in my life. When did you start DJing? What style of music were you
playing at the time?

BEN: I STARTED OFF SPINNING HIP HOP/ELECTRO IN THE EARLY 80'S.....I WOULD JUST PLAY SMALL PARTIES FOR FRIENDS/MAKE TAPES AND DO OCCASIONAL EVENTS.

STEVE:Though you're productions are largely loop-based bangers, you seem to have an appetite for old-school vinyls, acid and unconventional sounds in your sets... Why do you produce exclusively hard, percussive techno?

BEN: I TRY TO MIX IT UP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE IN MY SETS BUT ALWAYS REMAIN FUNKY, EVEN IF I PLAY TOUGH.....WITH MY MUSIC PRODUCTIONS SO FAR I'VE ONLY REALLY FOCUSED ON THE TYPES OF TRACKS I LOVE TO HAVE IN MY BOX...TOUGH,GROOVE BASED
TRACKS....I WILL EXPERIMENT MORE IN THE FUTURE AS I HAVE AN LP I'M
WORKING ON RIGHT NOW.

STEVE: Do you think that, among electronic music styles, techno is the most conducive to DJing? (as opposed to more progressive styles, house,
breaks, etc.)

BEN:I THINK WITH ALL FORMS OF DANCE MUSIC YOU CAN BE CREATIVE WITH HOW YOU PLAY IT......BUT WITH TECHNO, YOU TEND TO HAVE ALOT OF TRACKS WERE THE STRUCTURE IS NOT SO FORMAT OR PREDICTABLE (WELL IT USED TO BE LIKE THAT ANYWAY) SO YOU NEED TO DO MORE AS A DJ TO MAKE THEM WORK AND THATS WHY I ENJOY PLAYING IT........I JUST ENJOY MIXING.

WHEN ALL THATS IMPORTANT IS WHAT RECORD YOU PLAY NEXT OR WHAT NEW LAYER YOU CAN ADD TO MIX, THEN IT'S A SIMPLE LIFE.

STEVE: In Montreal you're seen as the best DJ out there right now. Is that the case everywhere?

BEN: THATS VERY FLATTERING, YES I DO GET ALOT OF PROPS.....WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I'M DOING SOMETHING RIGHT BUT I LISTEN TO THE BAD SHIT TOO AND LEARN FROM IT.
YOU CAN ALWAYS BE BETTER OR SUDDENLY BECOME YESTERDAYS NEWS, SO I ALWAYS TRY TO PUSH FORWARD AND KEEP BRING SOMETHING NEW TO THE GAME.

STEVE: What labels are you running right now? Theory, Hardgrooves,
Symbolism...

BEN: I HAVE 5. INGOMA, THEORY, HARDGROOVE, SYMBOLISM AND NATIVE.

STEVE: In what capacity are you involved in the labels?

BEN: I NOW HAVE A GREAT LABEL MANAGER WHO HELPS ME RUN THEM
(MARYCLAIRE), WHICH GIVES ME MORE TIME TO CHECK OUT DEMOS AND GET IN TOUCH WITH ARTISTS ETC..ETC...(AND WATCH 'THE SOPRANOS'.)

STEVE: How did you first get involved with techno music?

BEN: AFTER PLAYING HIP HOP I BECAME A HOUSE/ACID HOUSE DJ AND THERE WERE ALWAYS ELEMENTS OF THAT THAT WERE TECHNO.....TO ME IT'S ALL PART OF THE SAME THING.

I CAN'T SAY THAT I THINK THE HUGE AMOUNT OF GENRE SPLITS IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY HELP......PROGRESSIVE HOUSE, EPIC HOUSE, DEEP HOUSE, AFRO HOUSE, TRIBAL HOUSE, HARD HOUSE, TEK HOUSE, I MEAN IT'S JUST GETTING ****ING STUPID

NOW ........THERES ONLY 2 TYPES OF MUSIC........GOOD AND SHIT.

STEVE: Did you make music for other labels first (I don't recall... maybe the Primate came first?)

BEN: MY FIRST RELEASE WAS THE FIRST THEORY 'BEN SIMS-RETROVERT'.

STEVE:What other producers and artists would you name as influences, or
people that you like working with?

BEN: I HAVE MANY INFLUENCES AS I LISTEN TO MANY FORMS OF MUSIC....BUT IN HOUSE OR TECHNO I WOULD SAY CARL CRAIG, JEFF MILLS, DERRICK MAY, BLACK DOG, PLAID, STASIS, MARK BROOM, MASTERS AT WORK, TODD TERRY, FRANCOIS K, LIL LOUIS,
TONY THORPE, DEPTH CHARGE, PAL JOEY, PLUS HUNDREDS MORE.
REGARDING PEOPLE I LIKE WORKING WITH ......RECENTLY I'VE BEEN DOING ALOT WITH MARK BROOM AND THATS BEEN GOING VERY WELL....WE'VE STARTED A NEW PROJECT ENTITLED 'ROKU' WHICH WILL BE THE NAME WE RECORD ALL MUSIC TOGETHER AS AND ALSO WHEN WE DJ TOGETHER ON 6 TURNTABLES.

THE FIRST RELEASES WILL BE A THEORY 20 'WANG' OUT EARLY 2003 AND A REMIX FOR MARCO BAILEY''S 'MBELECTRICS' IMPRINT.

STEVE:What equipment do you use mostly to make your beats? Software,
computers, hardware, samplers, drum machines?

BEN:ALL HARDWARE, SAMPLERS, DRUM MACHINES AND OLD SYNTHS.

STEVE: How would you personally define your style and preference of music?

BEN: MY STYLE 'HARDGROOVE'. MY PREFERENCE 'ANYTHING AUTHENTIC, FUNKY OR GROOVE BASED.......I GUESS MOST BLACK DANCE MUSIC.

STEVE: What are your impressions of our city, having been to Montreal a couple of times in the last year?

BEN: SEEMS COOL, NICE PEOPLE.....WHY IS EVERY FRENCH SPEAKING COUNTRY FRIENDLY THAN FRANCE????

I'VE HAD GREAT GIGS THERE SO I'VE ALWAYS ENJOYED IT.

STEVE: and Quebec city?

BEN: ONLY BEEN ONCE BUT THOUGHT IT WAS EXCELLENT.....THE CITY HAD A REALLY RELAXED FEEL AND THE CLUB WAS GREAT TOO SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING BACK.

STEVE:How do you like Aria, in comparison to other clubs you play at in major cities... how does it compare in terms of sound, atmosphere, lights,
etc?

BEN: VERY GOOD STANDARD ALL ROUND......

STEVE: Is your standard set 3 decks? ever employ any weird additions, Final Scratch, effects, or anything?

BEN: I USE THE FX ON THE PIONEER MIXER BUT NOTHING ELSE REALLY...USED TO USE THE CYCLOOPS LOOP SAMPLER BUT GOT BORED OF CARRYING IT AROUND.

STEVE: You tend not to touch the fader much, but to use the gain slides really effectively.. How and why did you end up developping that technique?

BEN:IT'S JUST MY WAY....WASN'T PLANNED, JUST ENDED UP DOING LIKE THAT.

STEVE: Tell me about future releases of your own, and on your labels...

BEN: CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR FUTURE RELEASE INFO (SHOULD BE UP AGAIN VERYSOON).
www.bensims.com

STEVE: Any big plans for the future, like a full-length album, major
mixed-CDs?

BEN:WILL BE DOING MY DEBUT LP NEXT YEAR AND THE SECOND EDITION OF MY 'ESCAPISM' MIX SERIES.

STEVE: How old are you?

BEN:28

STEVE: When did you get into 'raves', the party scene, and
how?

BEN: STARTED GOING TO PARTIES AT ABOUT 14, WAS ALREADY A VINYL JUNKIE BY THAT TIME ANYWAY...HAD GOT MY FIRST SET OF DECKS AT 10.

PIRATE RADIO WAS VERY IMPORTANT THEN TOO, TO KEEP UP TO DATE ON THE GOOD MUSIC...LONDON USED TO HAVE A VERY HEALTHY RADIO SCENE.....IT'S ****ING AWFUL NOW.

STEVE:What changes have you seen in the scene throughout your involvement?

BEN: TOO MANY TO MENTION.......HEROES FALL DOWN, ARSEHOLES RISE UP AND THERE'S A DIFFERENT REVIVAL EVERY BLOODY MONTH BUT IT'S DEFINATELY MORE GLOBAL NOW THOUGH. EVERYONE WANTS TO BE A DJ AND EVERYONE WITH A PC SEEMS TO HAVE A RECORD
LABEL.

STEVE: Do you see techno getting bigger and more commercial -do you strive to remain 'underground' in a sense?

BEN: I DON'T REALLY THINK THERE IS AN UNDERGROUND AS SUCH.........I JUST STAY TRUE TO WHAT I'M INTO AND ABOUT, IF THE SOUND CHANGES AND LEAVES ME BEHIND OR I HAVE TO SUDDENLY MAKE TRANCE OR SOME SHIT TO SURVIVE AND KEEP ON THE
CIRCUIT AND SELL RECORDS, THEN **** THAT , I'LL GET A NORMAL JOB.
RIGHT NOW I'M LUCKY THAT PEOPLE ARE INTO WHAT I DO AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL CONTINUE.

BUT IF IT ALL FALLS APART TOMORROW, THEN SO BE IT...I'VE HAD FUN AND ACHIEVED MOST OF GOALS ALREADY.........I LOVE MUSIC AND WOULD STILL BE PLAYING OR BUYING OR MIXING WHATEVER ANYWAY.
TECHNO DOES SEEM TO GET A BIT MORE EXPOSURE BUT RECORD SALES WORLDWIDE ARE AT AN ALL TIME LOW SO IT'S STILL VERY UNLIKELY YOU'LL SEE J.LO KNOCKED OFF THE TOP SPOT BY A NEW HARDGROOVE SINGLE OR N.SYNC ON THE PHONE WANTING A ROUGH TRIBAL REMIX FOR THEIR NEXT OFFENCE TO MUSIC.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, TECHNO IS AN ACQUIRED TASTE...NOT EVERYBODY LIKES IT AND TO BE TOTALLY HONEST, THANK **** FOR THAT......I LIKE IT THAT WAY.

**Dustin Zahn** · 03-03-2003, 08:34 PM

I totally agree with Sims 100% on the future of techno.

**anx** · 04-03-2003, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by Adverse

AT THE END OF THE DAY, TECHNO IS AN ACQUIRED TASTE...NOT EVERYBODY LIKES IT AND TO BE TOTALLY HONEST, THANK **** FOR THAT......I LIKE IT THAT WAY.

best quote ever.

**BritishMurderBoy** · 10-03-2003, 01:27 AM

IF THE SOUND CHANGES AND LEAVES ME BEHIND OR I HAVE TO SUDDENLY MAKE TRANCE OR SOME SHIT TO SURVIVE AND KEEP ON THE CIRCUIT AND SELL RECORDS, THEN **** THAT , I'LL GET A NORMAL JOB.

2nd best quote ever, sims has got it sorted....

**DJPAUZE** · 17-03-2003, 07:12 PM

Quite an interesting interview i must say! Sounds like Bens got a great head on his shoulders. He played here in Brazil last month unfortunately i was playing in another city and wasnt able to catch it.
I'll be looking out for those future releases, i really like his production stylee!

Pauze

**Esox Lucius** · 18-03-2003, 10:27 AM

Ben is simply a genius, best dj in the world imo.

**gunjack** · 18-03-2003, 01:32 PM

i have heard from several diferent sources that ben is an arrogant cunt. i try not to judge until i meet someone. musically though i feel ben is not a producer.... more of a dj or a remix artist of sorts. i also feel there are alot of contradictions between what he says in the media, and what he actually does in real life.....wish i could elaborate, but i have to go catch a train to villalba.......

peace

**krakp0t** · 18-03-2003, 05:36 PM

sims the best dj?

he's no jay denham ;)

**Esox Lucius** · 18-03-2003, 08:04 PM

gunjack - i agree that ben isn`t the strongest producer, but as a dj no one can touch him imo, don`t know whether he is an arrogant c*nt or not, anytime i have spoken to him he seems a pretty nice guy.

krakpot - no he isn`t no jay denham, he`s better

**eyes without a face** · 18-03-2003, 10:19 PM

production wise i think sims is a bit poor, there are only so many tribal loops i can stand to b honest. but Dj wise the guys simply sublime. his skills are unquestionable.

he's far from arrogant tho, one of the nicest jocks ive met

**Anonymous** · 19-03-2003, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by techfunk02

krakpot - no he isn`t no jay denham, he`s better

Have you seen Jay :?:

**Esox Lucius** · 19-03-2003, 01:48 PM

no, it was joke ryan, hence the

... so don`t get on your high horse

**miromiric.** · 19-03-2003, 02:00 PM

i ve seen hem recently that man has some nice techniques i must admit. i dont liek music he played, its not bad, but its just to dj friendly - basically its a tool, not a story if u get me.

but has anyone heard theory 15.2 he did with mulero? thats wonderful stuff, sims sounds very like regis on that.

**Anonymous** · 19-03-2003, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by techfunk02

no, it was joke ryan, hence the

... so don`t get on your high horse

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