Self-styled purveyor of percussive wet funk. Timo Maas is a man with a mission, a man sick of the "cheesy shit" that clogs up the clubs and the charts, stifling creativity: "I like the idea of building up a unique sound, of working with different sounds to create something new and fresh. I suppose I may always be the underdog but at least I wont have sold out like some other German acts."
I got a chance to talk with Timo at the Vancouver date on the Area 1 tour. Here is what he had to say.
When did you buy your first set of turntables?
A long time after I bought my first records. I got my first turntable by the age of 16 or so. Then the second turntable at the age of 19 with a mixer. But I got my first record when I was 10. I had 800 records before I even had the turntables.
It seems the longer a DJ has been playing, the more diverse his sound gets. What would you call the music that you like to play?
Good question.. Progressive funk I would say because its always funky. Progressive just means its out minded. And the rest is up to you, how you would like to call it. I am very diverse with my sound, and the more I play gigs around the world the more diverse I play. I want to entertain and educate the people. Well not too much, Im not a teacher but I want to bring them some new unusual vibes. And it works.
What has been the highlight of your career as a DJ/Producer?
The last 2 years. Everything that happened in that time was absolutely crazy. I mean this is another highlight here. To play you know with... just name wise, when I want to do some name-dropping this is the biggest thing Ive done. You know, with Moby, New Order, Outkast, and the Orb. All my heros are here, I grew up in the 80s. I known these guys 15-20 years, except for Outkast, I think 20 years ago they still shit in their pants. You know... Its just a great thing, so many things happened. The last 2 years have been absolutely great.
What would you say has been the low point of your career
A short time before that. When I didnt know if I could go the way I always wanted to go. That Ive got any chance to fulfil my mission. You know... Ive had dreams, Ive had visions, and everything, but it wasnt really easy for me especially in Germany because I havent had that big of support in my country because I was too diverse, too different to all the other djs. Ive never tried to copy anyone else, especially in Germany. In Germany, people like to categorize something and they were never able to categorize what I was doing. They were never able to say "Well hes trance, so we book him in the trance camp, or hes techno so we book him in the techno camp." What I am doing now is still not existing in Germany. So I tried that with England since 95 and here we go.
I think your unique style is what makes you stand out as a DJ.
Its not a trick. Its just the music I feel I would like to hear as well in a club. If I was just a normal guy going to a club and listening to some groovy music. You saw.. Im rocking as well on stage. (laughs) Im not like some other guys with the hands in the air .. Wow, you know.. conducting the crowd. That is not really my style, I am just up their with a smile on my face playing ass shaking music basically.
Its seems everyone these days is calling themselves a DJ. What do think makes a good DJ?
A good DJ shouldnt be too egotistic. To play straight his sound without looking for the people, you know. Try to get their vibes, try to touch their soul possibly a little bit as well. Its a combination of different things, you should know something about music, you should love what you are doing, you should feel you know what your doing with the music, to the people. There is not really a magic recipe or anything like that. A lot of things are coming together, a little bit of talent, just love the music. And when everything is 100% or more and perfect, then you are hopefully going to be on stage playing 3 or 4,000 people.
What does the music mean to you?
Everything, it always has. I am 32 now since last week, and I have been playing music 19 years. Next year I am celebrating my 20 years of DJing. I mean thats 2/3 of my life that Ive had vinyl on my hand and headphones around my neck. I just love what I do. Its such a great feeling, especially with whats going on now. I never expected that I was going to do a tour with some of most of my most respected heros in the music business. Especially Moby, I mean he personally invited me to the tour, which is an absolutely fantastic thing. And what can I say? The whole thing is just unbelievable. I dont give a shit for the whole stardom thing. Sometimes you have to play a role as well, when youre on stage 5000, 500, and sometimes 50 people are looking at you, they expect something. You have to be a little bit of an actor as well. Its good like it is, scary sometimes.
What do you think is the best track or remix you have produced?
The most successful Timo Maas record ever or I would say the most impressive for myself as well is definitely the Azzido da Bass. It was my international breakthrough all over the world. You know, I cant say this, but I still love that record. Its just funky, funky, as I dont know. You still have to shake your ass to that. Sure its a little bit overplayed, and Im not playing that anymore but I think that definitely was the one that changed my complete life. I mean it was one afternoons work; there was no big idea behind that. It was like "Lets do this remix and fuck off."
Who are other DJs/Producers that you respect?
I respect nearly every DJ who understands what hes doing. Ive got my heros, DJ Danny Tenaglia, or Carl Cox just because of his personality and because of the way he was going, and the way he was thinking and believing and stuff like that. There are a couple of guys, its not like Ive got "the" hero or anything like that. Danny Tenaglia is what I would say is one of those top guys for me. He knows so much about music its scary! And hes so funky, hes unbelievable this guy.
Do you prefer playing in clubs or at big festivals?
Clubs. I am definitely a club DJ, and I am definitely the kind of resident DJ as well. I mean the more often I come to a club the better I am. Because I need interaction with the crowd as well. I need to feel what they feel; I really like gigs where the DJ booth is in the middle of the crowd. Its important; I give them something I want to get something back for that. And it only works when its kind of intimate. So raves are sometimes really good as well, this was on the border, but it was ok today, the DJ both wasnt too far away. But I played Mayday or anything like that in Germany or Energy the big indoor rave in Switzerland then your playing for 30,000 people indoor. But you are at least 20-25 metres away from them on a big stage, and with all the lighting you cant see the people. So basically youre playing for yourself. And thats a bit boring I guess.
What do you do when you are not behind the decks or in the studio?
Drinking wine, get stoned, get pissed, hanging around with my girl, and my friends. And cooking. By the age of 12 the 2 dream jobs that I wanted to do were DJ and Chef. So I am a DJ now with a big hobby, cooking. I love it. I am not doing it too much in the last couple of months because I am always traveling but I still love it.
What your favorite dish to prepare?
I am still into Japanese and Thai food at the moment. And I am still learning about that, Asian stuff basically. I love it.
What do you think of the Area 1 tour and what Moby is trying to do with it?
I mean I know similar tours from Europe, so some things happened in Europe with some bands that I would call alternative, somewhere between hip hop, rock, dance, and anything like that, plus DJs are coming together. That happens already in England and Germany as well, but it never happened in America and I definitely think it is the time. Dance music is just exploding in America, and its more of a much bigger story at the moment. I feel and I think I know that as well. Its just a question of time when the whole thing is getting bigger and bigger. Moby was always an innovator in dance music, now hes bringing his innovation here to places like that, bringing you know.. that new vibe, this vibe that he knows already from playing all over the world now back to his home country, to America, which is absolutely great. And I love it to be a part of it.
Where do you get your musical inspirations from and what types of music do you like to listen to outside of the dance scene?
Well basically, Ive got it in my bollocks. (laughs) The inspiration is somewhere over there, I have no idea. But I love to listen to everything; I mean I am listening to all actual albums that are on the market. I am driving quite a lot with the car when I am back in Germany. Im listening to promos, Im listening to albums, everything. When I am absolutely relaxed or when I am cooking for example, I am listening to old soul music, 60s, 70s soul, and a lot of chill out material as well. I have at least 250 chill out CDs. Go chill out you know, back to mind, trip hop, very much smoking music I would say.
Website:
http://www.timomaas.com/
Interview by: Graham Robinson
