Partysan Magazine interview The Horrorist
Partysan is a free regional German techno magazine. They have interviewed The Horrorist for the December 2010 issue.
1) 2010 is going to finish/end. Please give us a small summary of your year 2010:
This year was about working. Working on music. Working on making money with my day job in the energy business.
2) On the spur of the moment, 5 positive things and 5 negative things that happend to you during 2010?
Positive: 1. I created some of the best music I ever recorded in my life. 2. My pro-audio blog wireottheear.com became very popular. 3. I got an Apple iPad which I adore. 4. I got a new kitten named Tiffany. 5. I started my own successful Energy Services company with a Lawyer and an Architect.
Negative: 1. My father died. 2. I miss living in Berlin. 3. I didn’t release as much music as I wanted. 4. I fractured my foot. 5. I only went swimming 3 times.
3) On NYE you will celebrate with us at the Landespavillon. We finish together the old year and we start together into the new. You know the adage/the saying „On NYE you have to stay with these people, who you would like to stay with in the new year“? You think that s right? Or is it “only“ a booking which is casual on NYE?
I feel very strongly connected to Stuttgart and my friends there. Stuttgart has always been the most important and the most fun live show I do annually. Wonderfully people know the songs and I like the challenge of bringing them something new each time. I always feel very comfortably there before during and after the show.
4) In the meantime you know stuttgart very well. For more then 10 years you be here at least 1 times per year. Do you have spezial memories ? Or do you have one special party in your mind?
Hah are you kidding? I’ve had a mountain of crazy times in Stuttgart. Here’s one I think of often: I played one year for my Birthday. After the show I walked outside of Club Prag and some young German people were leaving and asked me to come with them. I got in their car leaving all my stuff at Prag. A few hours later I was in some other club so trashed I was asking people what they thought of my live show! Everyone in the new club was like, “Who the hell are you?”!
5) Even outside of the parties, what’s typical Stuttgart for you?
Well the city is very pretty. I love the view when you drive and see the houses with red roofs along the mountain side. I love most of Germany for being clean and quiet. It’s very refreshing coming from New York City.
6) Let’s talk about Oliver Chesler or better The Horrorist as producer and artist. Obviousley it was getting a bit calm/quiet around you. Less releases and less output? But why?
I won’t release anything until it’s ready. I do 3-4 songs and only keep one. The rest I just trash. Now at 40 years old I am really pushing myself to make my music match my adult thoughts. I require myself to sing about serious concepts and then match those with verse/chorus types of melodies. However, I also have to keep that music constrained so it fits with the club scene. It’s very difficult to perfect. It’s very difficult to sing about personal pain. I don’t want things to be fake. I have to also be inspired. Therefore it takes me time to get releases out but I feel my songs last longer in people’s minds than most other electronic music.
7) Can we expect new output in the near future? I guess you re working on a new album? Can you tell us a bit about it?
The new album is almost finished. It’s very dark and goes deeply into themes such as shame, frusttration and romance. I really only have 1-2 more songs to finish. I’ve been careful to archive all the parts of each song so there will be tons of remixes.
8) Or maybe about completely new ideas and projects which are in your brain?
I am looking to team up with people in a way that I never did so before. In fact, starting with some Stuttgart friends I will be letting go of some of the control over my music. Teams make business happen not individuals. I’m not looking to get rich with music (that’s what my Energy Business company is for) but the more music I sell the more people hear it… that’s the goal!
9) How are your future plans for TTC?
More releases! Build a better website with the entire 14 year history archive in it.
10) Concluding a question about your New Years resolutions for 2011. Will you be finally “behave properly“, or “will you be keeping out of mischief“ And will you be „reliable“ . or maybe you want to Stopp drinking and less raving and less parties? A new Hit? Or maybe should all stay like it is?
I promise to be part very perfect and part a complete mess.