There was panic on the streets in DJ land when an email was leaked that Technics turntables were to cease production in the new year. A further email went out saying that that email was wrong and there had been no decision to stop making Technics.
Confused? So is everyone. But Henrik Schwarz seems to be adamant about the future of 'wax'.
Schwarz has been DJing for years and many feel his production stands apart from his peers. His remixes of some of his beloved old tunes have been amongst many DJ favourites. Schwarz's DJ Kicks compilation in 2006 still holds a special place in my CD collection and his remix of Coldcut's 'Walk A Mile In My Shoes' will be in many Top 10 lists of the decade.
He is in town for the first time to help celebrate Future Classic's 5th birthday at the Civic tonight (December 11) alongside Chateau Flight (Versatile Records). He will be doing his live set which has excited a lot of people, including me.
So back to the vinyl question. I asked him his thoughts over a cup of tea and a slice of pound cake.
Technics has just announced that they will cease producing turntables (although, there has been further comments now that Panasonic will continue to make them). Is this a sad day for you?
I wouldn't say it is a sad day. It is a day where you look back with a lot of sentimental feelings. The 1210s are of course a symbol for the music we love but as the turntables might not keep on turning we have to accept that the world keeps on turning indeed. Of course the limited sound of digital CDs and later MP3s have caused a serious damage to music and music listening. However I believe digital will get better. The sound will improve and so will the music. For me, it feels a bit like when technology shifted from shellac records to vinyl records back in the day. We seem to shift from CD and MP3 to the next level of digital now. I am quite sure that this new format will sound alright for all of us and also have enough resolution to bring back some mysticism and life to the music we love.
When did you first start buying records? What was the first one you bought and why?
The first record I bought was RUN DMC's 'Walk This Way' on 7" when it came out in 1986. I was totally into rap at that time. I bought all the hip-hop records I could get. Fantastic!
Do you still buy records?
Yes a lot. However, I have to say I buy a lot of music. I am happy if I can get it on vinyl but if that's not possible, I might get it on CD first just to get it quickly. If I really enjoy the CD, I will start looking for the vinyl again to be able to listen to it with a proper turntable on a really good soundsystem.
How big is your collection?
I don't know exactly - maybe 8000-10000.
If you do still buy records, what do you buy – old or new? Is there a record you would love to own on vinyl?
I buy old and new. More old at the moment as I am not following so much what is currently coming out. I buy all genres, very often I find a special topic and then I try to find everything that seems to be connected to this topic. At the moment, for example, I am totally into György Ligeti and listen to everything I can get from him. There is a lot of music I would love to get on vinyl. I am always getting very nervous when I find an original Sun Ra Saturn release on vinyl.
Tell us the about the best vinyl experience ever?
I can tell you the story about the most important record of my life. When I was a school kid, 10 years old, my music teacher played us a percussion record. I don't know why but I fell in love with this record immediately when i first heard it. After the lesson, I asked my teacher if I could get the record for a few days. He agreed and so I took the record home and played it a hundred times before I took it back. After many years when I finished school at 19, the rhythms of the record started to play in my head. I remembered every single note but I didn't remember the name. So I asked my teacher what the name of record was. "I don't know what you are talking about!" was his shocking answer. So after that day, I started to listen to every record that looked like a percussion record. I listened to everything! But I didn't find it!!! I felt like being struck by lightning when I heard the first three drum hits when a friend of mine played the record 18 years after I had heard it. The record is called 'Guem Et Zaka Percussion'. When I saw the sleeve, I remembered the cover picture and when I heard it I realized that it has been hugely important for everything I did on my musical path. Since that day, I buy every copy I find.
Hmmm. That was delicious.
Murphy.
Great interview. Henrik sounds like a top bloke
Posted by: Jimmy | January 21, 2010 at 07:26 PM
Thanks for reading our interview! The show Henrik Schwarz put on in Sydney last year was killer. We have heaps of interviews through our blog and will be posting heaps more with touring artist through 2010.
Posted by: Spank Records | January 21, 2010 at 07:44 PM