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ALiCE.LadyA A.M.A.N. Viel Spaß A.M.A.N. Welcome to the 776. Episode 776 of my show Loops and Strings. Enjoy one hour of Uplifting and Progressive Trance ALiCE.LadyA Enjoy my TRIP OF TONES - Nice Sunday Friends A.M.A.N. No is only the green channel. Blue and white is long ago Oleksa Hi all. is there a white channel? blue channel? Miss Jess-e Danke A.M.A.N

Range

Kenneth ThomasHey Kenneth, you`re back from a little tour. How was it and how are you? I`m good. It was a 3 week long tour with Paul Oakenfold & Perfecto. The first 10 days we were in Mexico & the lower part of the US and then ended up in Miami for the Winter Music Conference. That was the long and stressful part as we did 6 gigs in 10 days (5 in a row) and we all were flying to each event. Then we had a few days rest in Miami. The second leg of the tour was alot more relaxed as we were on a tour bus. Even though we did 6 events in 8 days but when you travel by bus its really easy. After the gig we would load up in the bus, go to sleep and the next day we would wake up in the next city parked outside our hotel. Quite easy. Once i got home i took a few days off an just chilled then it was back into the studio.


These days you`ve released a new compilation called ‚Obsessions’ like your own show on ETN.FM. Could you please tell us something about it; how long took the development time of it and which are the main critieria to choose a track for it? Well i've been known for putting out pretty well produced double CD promos every year or so for some time. They have been really well received in the midwest US but as they weren't cleared for legal sale they were really just glorified promos. I would always make them double discs as that is the best format for me to express myself musically. Last year a new Detroit record label called Atomic Quill Media approached me about putting out my first true mix CD. It wasn't really cost efficient anymore to do the double CD format so we went with one disc. I decided to focus in on the melodic progressive trance sound that i was most associated with, basically what i tend to play in my peak time dj sets. The tracks all have an emotion all their own and i tried to really tell a story throughout the 70 minute mix.


Actually there are some new tracks from you, like ‚Tonic’ which was featured on one of the last ‚Coldharbour Selections’ of Markus Schulz. ‘Ghost in the machine’ is your new single and Armin played it on his show ‘A State of Trance’. When will it get a release and which label signed it and which remixes will be available? Are there any other tracks you`ve finished? Tonic was picked up by Markus late last year. There is a single that is planned to come out on Coldharbour very soon. The single will feature the intro mix (which is what that track is truly made for, to be a huge intro track) and the techy Pillow One remix. Ghost in the Machine is my first vocal track. I tapped a local Detroit singer, Colleen Riley to do the vocals. Its been picked up by Alter Ego Records who did a really good job of promoting my track with Mike Skye, Varekai. They got Mike Shiver to do a really really good melodic trance mix and Elevation came through with the progressive stormer everyone has been into. Other than those two, i have a progressive house tune coming out next month on Hope Records called The Orange Room. Nick Warren did the remix and we've seen support from everyone from Paul van Dyk to Steve Lawler and Deep Dish. There are also a handful of remixes ive been doing over the last few months that you will be seeing shortly on a bunch of different labels.


You`re from Detroit, a city which is not that known for Trance-Artists. Techno got his roots in Detroit and the scene is stamped with a lot of big names, coming from this city. How did you came into Trance, especially Progressive? Could give us an insight of the scene there? Well, the Detroit scene really get me into electronic music. I was more into the local Detroit Punk Rock scene growing up. On a trip out west some friends introduced me to Paul Oakenfold's Tranceport and that CD just really clicked with me. When i came home i still didn't seek out clubs to hear this new music live, instead i bought a lot of mix CD's and in 2000 i started djing. Detroit has impacted me musically as i do connect with the hardworking character of the City and i do take some influence now from the minimal/dirty sounds detroit is known for now. I would say Tonic has a bit of the hard edged techno sound that Detroit is know for.


Kenneth ThomasWhat is necessary being a good DJ in your opinion? Does it depend on the tracks he`s playing or the perfect mixing? Do you think you`re a good DJ? On which criteria you build up a set? I think the most important part of djing is having a good ear to play music that really gets a dance floor moving. yea, you absolutely put your own taste into it but what you play at a live gig must be friendly to the dance floor. We are DJs. We need to remember that its not about us, its about the dance floor. Dont play stuff you don't like of course, but gear your sets to rock the floor not just fill your own personal desire of what you want to hear. As far as mixing goes, thats a given. You need to be able to flow from track to track seamlessly. Things are going to happen technically at times that you cant control that will mess up the occasional mix but other than that a dj really needs to be perfect to keep that flow and energy together.


Do you work beside the music or is it your full-time-job? No, for a few years now, djing & music production have been my full time job.


How does it looks like in your studio? Do you got a ‘real’ studio with a lot of hardware or do you use some of the advantages of software? My studio is pretty simple. I have my Mac G5, Midi controller and monitors. Im all software, working strictly in Logic 7. My DJ set up is in the same room as is my PC. Thats it. Thats what i love about production these days. You don't need $20,000 in equipment to get started. You need a good computer and a few good programs and you can produce stuff that rivals the most expensive equipment out there. There really isn't anything holding producers back beyond their own ear and imagination...


Do you got a strictly order when you produce a new track, or does it change track by track? Nothing strict, but usually i will start out with some percussion looped. Then add a bassline and maybe a mid bass. Tweak the perc & bass till is really sound nice. Thats the groove of the track usually, the bass & perc. Then I will start to add top end melodies and lead elements. Usually end up with a minute loop with all sorts of crazy stuff going on. Then i will strip it down and start to build the track. Usually in the building process I will add some new stuff and take away other stuff that was in there. In the end i will hopefully end up with a new tune.


In our scene the internet becomes more and more important. It is necessary to promote own tracks and get into contact with other artists all around the world. But there are many shady sides with in it, like the illegal file-sharing of mp3s. Often tracks are online a long time before they`ll be released. What do you think about this fast development of the internet? More positive or more negative? Tools like AIM & MSN are very useful when networking with other artists or labels in other parts of the world. It is almost a necessity, but a producer needs to be careful who and when he sends his new tracks to. Its safest to find a good tight network of fellow producers that you know you can trust to share your new tracks with. It really does take away from the financial side of things, what little there already is, when a track gets leaked. There really isn't any excuse except for laziness when a dj gets their tracks off places such as Soul Seek. You can buy track so inexpensively off of sites like Beatport its just truly disrespect and selfishness when someone downloads their tracks illegally.


I guess, from time to time you don`t want to listen to Trance music. What do you listen to in moments like this or do you listen to nothing other? When im not listening to dance music i am usually listening to talk radio. Sports talk radio mostly. Other than that i listen to some chilled stuff like Coldplay, Dave Matthews or Martin Sexton. I sometimes still break out the old Punk Rock stuff like Face to Face or Rancid.


Could you name us some of your alltime-favouristes? Too many favorite producers to mention, i have new ones every week! I still think Paul Oakenfold has one of the best ears for new music out there and I always look forward to his new mixes. Ferry Corsten has a really good sound right now. Guys like Luke Chable & Pig & Dan have been putting out great stuff for years.


At the end, a topic which got nothing to do with music: A few weeks ago the US-soccer-team lost 1:4 in Germany. Do you got any idea why they lost in this way, cause the US-team was estimated better before the match? Which round they`ll reach during the FIFA World Cup in Germany this June? Soccer? What's Soccer? The Pistons however, will most likely own the NBA final this year cause they have owned everyone this whole year. They are mad that they lost by a hair in last years Finals in Game 7 and they have been on a rampage to win it all since game 1 this year.


What can we expect from your set next Tuesday? Very Melodic, more on a progressive tip but still very big room!


Many thanks for the interview. I bet, we`ll hear from you and we wish you all the best for your plans. Well, the Detroit scene really get me into electronic music. I was more into the local Detroit Punk Rock scene growing up. On a trip out west some friends introduced me to Paul Oakenfold's Tranceport and that CD just really clicked with me. When i came home i still didn't seek out clubs to hear this new music live, instead i bought a lot of mix CD's and in 2000 i started djing. Detroit has impacted me musically as i do connect with the hardworking character of the City and i do take some influence now from the minimal/dirty sounds detroit is known for now. I would say Tonic has a bit of the hard edged techno sound that Detroit is know for.

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