Rave Curious Podcast

A previously unreleased conversation with Chris Liebing recorded in 2018.

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From the melodic glitches of the debut Telefon Tel Aviv album Fahrenheit Fair Enough to the fury of Nine Inch Nails live, Josh Eustis is a consummate electronic music artist—one who struggles over every byte playing off his trusty laptop, the musical tool that has been the center of his world since the mid-90s. Through two-plus decades of musical triumph and personal tragedy, Josh tells Rave Curious how he's stayed focused on making his art, even during the toughest times. And reveals the current challenges he's facing as a solo artist. 

Some might call his music punk techno, but Perc insists that everything he does on his Perc Trax label is all in good fun. Maybe that's why the UK DJ and producer has become a favorite at hardcore-yet-cheeky events like Bangface Weekender and Even Furthur. Perc talks about the secret to surviving in the tough world of techno—from loosing records in distributor liquidations (three times in 13 years) to playing packed clubs one weekend and half empty rooms the next.

Leading up to the 15th-anniversary celebration of Droid Behavior, Los Angeles duo Raíz recap a decade and a half of delivering uncompromising techno to a city better known for house, trance and dreaded EDM. Brothers Vidal and Vangelis Vargas offer insights on the city's unique Latino electronic heritage, trying to throw techno events during the dark ages of the early '00s and why relocating to a more flight-friendly locale (ahem, Berlin, ahem) is just not an option when an entire community has come to count on you.

Dutch DJ Steve Rachmad is one of Holland's original techno producers. He's also one of the truest in term of his undiluted commitment to the music in its original Detroit-manufactured form. No wonder he carries with him a "Detroit pass" like fellow European greats Laurent Garnier, Maurizio and Luke Slater. Whether making and playing music as Sterac (his harder techno alias), Tons of Tones (his most Detroit-sounding records) or as his own groovy self, the Amsterdam fixture continues to move crowds after more than 25 behind the decks.  He talks about his early discovery of pre-techno electronic music, his close call with Dutch hardcore and his ambition to play live...someday, all on this episode of Rave Curious.

DJ Garth is one-quarter of Wicked Soundsystem, the legendary San Francisco crew of British expats that brought UK acid house to the Bay Area at the dawn of the 90s.   Along with Jeno, Marky and Thomas, Garth pioneered the full moon party scene in Northern Cali before hitting the road in a vintage Greyhound bus and a massive purple Turbosound system to carry the gospel, first to Burning Man, then across the West Coast.   Today, Garth lives in Los Angeles. He discusses the move south, how things came together in the early days of Wicked, how the faithful are still following the crew 25 years later, and why the Bay Area rave scene gave birth to a little thing we call the Internet.

Mike Huckaby is best known as the former manager of Record Time's legendary Dance Room, a store that helped define the musical taste of an entire generation of Detroit DJs. Since the store closed in 2011, Huckaby has come out from behind the counter and has made his own way as an international DJ, surprising many by mixing Tresor's 20th Anniversary Compilation and assuming the role as the semi-official remixer of all things Sun Ra. Add to this his work teaching students young and old about creating electronic music via his relationships with Ableton and Native Instruments, and you'll start to see an artist who has truly created a distinct niche in the often cookie-cutter world of record selectors.

The annual Dirtybird Campout has become a major event on the West Coast festival circuit, by presenting every shade of the label’s beloved sound—from house and techno to bass and hip-hop—and combining it adult updates on good old-fashioned summer camp activities (sexy musical chairs, anyone?). DB boss Claude VonStroke sat down with the Rave Curious Podcast to reveal a couple of surprises he has in store for this year’s gathering. He also offers up advice on how to make it as a musical entrepreneur and explains the back and forth it took him to arrive at his destination as one of America’s most successful DJ-producers.

Josh gives some good news in this 4-minute update on the state of Rave Curious following the closure of our partner, THUMP.

Heidi Lawden Is Much More Than DJ Harvey's Manager. The dance music "den mother" is more than DJ Harvey's manager. //  Running off to London as a teenager meant that Heidi Lawden was hanging at the coolest clubs at an age when most ravers are still dreaming of big nights out from inside their parent's suburban homes. And Heidi hit the capital at just the right time, when the fashion-forward city was about to be overtaken by the acid house phenomenon. "I thought the streets were paved with gold in London. And they were!" the self-proclaimed "den mother" told the Rave Curious Podcast about the club culture that would embrace her as a DJ and promoter during its 90s heyday of Ministry of Sound. That scene also led to her befriending heroes like Larry Levan and Masters at Work, as well as managing DJ Harvey, who she's worked with for over two decades. Heidi dishes about those early days of clubbing as well as the now legendary story of her move with Harvey to LA and the career rebirth that has taken place for both of them over the past 15 years. She also addresses the very real battle of being a DJ versus working behind the scene for one of the world's most in-demand talents, and even spill some secret news about her charge's next project. Check it out.

Jesse Rose Wishes More DJs Would Retire. //  By pretty much any standard, the life of a successful DJ is a good one. Sure, social media is perpetually flooded with DJs complaining, but the cons of long flights, lost luggage and logistical meltdowns pale in comparison to the pros of global travel, VIP accommodations and endless afterparties. Oh yeah, and getting to share music with adoring fans around the world ain't a bad deal either. It's little wonder why once most DJs reach the upper echelon, they'll be damned if they'll let go. Which is why it was so surprising the DJ/producer/labelhead Jesse Rose announced his intention to end his enviable career following his final album, Alright Mate, and a 2017 full of gigs at the best clubs and festivals in the world. But as he reveals on the Rave Curious podcast, Rose isn't the only successful DJ who considers calling it quits after multiple decades behind the decks. "Half the DJs who have been playing for so long would love to retire but they don't because they're earning a great living and traveling around the world," Rose reveals before explaining the fundamental problem with this evergreen DJ mentality. "It's actually a bad thing. New kids coming up with passion and excitement is what got us into dance music to begin with."

Joel Mull Is Saving Swedish Dance Music From It’s EDM-Sullied Reputation //  As some of the pioneers of the Swedish techno sound, Joel Mull and friends Adam Beyer and Cari Lekebusch dominated much of the late-90s scene with unforgiving bangers that defined the looping minimalism of the era. Today, Mull—the Stockholm-based DJ and producer—has broadened his palette considerably, creating various shades of techno for everyone from Berlin leaders Dystopian to Sasha's Last Night On Earth imprint, along with his own Parabel label. Though admittedly not as high-profile as some of his Drumcode peers, Mull is an unsung hero of many a party across the globe, delivering sets of full-bodied techno that combine melody and drama with relentless rhythms and daring experimentation. In other words, everything that will keep you on the dancefloor hours after it was time to go home. He joined the Rave Curious podcast this week to chat about his history in techno, and his home country's musical reputation.

Baikal Proves How Hard It Is to Quit Techno. //  It seems like every producer eventually moves to Berlin, but Baikal might be the only one to do so while taking time off from his musical career. Having achieved some success under the name Mark August with releases for Innervisions, the Dutch producer needed a break—and decided that decamping to Germany was the way to do it. He couldn't stay out of the game for too long though, and he's recently begun releasing music on the Maeve label that he co-runs with fellow Innversions colleagues Mano Le Tough and The Drifter. He joins Rave Curious this week to chat about that period of indecision and how his current output has earned him gigs around the city's network of world class clubs, including Panorama Bar, Renate and ://about blank. It has also seen him take his heady-yet-emotional style of techno to all the inhabitable continents. Not bad for an artist who considered calling it quits altogether not long ago.

The Former Fabric Resident Freed Himself From Tech House Purgatory. //  On the new episode of Rave Curious, the former Fabric resident explains building new brand especially for American audiences. It'd be easy to blame Lee Burridge for some of the stuff you hate. He's one of the founding fathers of tech-house, a loose genre that still holds its cold grip around much of the international dance music scene. He might be equally at fault for the playa tech sound that gets so many Burning Man faithful into a lather, having been one of the earliest DJs to bring jittery hand drums and sunny synthesizers to the previously bass-saturated Black Rock City. But like all innovators, the British DJ-producer has managed to get out of these scenes before they get stale—making his mark and moves on before the imitators cluster around a sound. Burridge hopped on this week's episode of the Rave Curious Podcast to explain his latest invention, All Day I Dream. It's an international party series that stands out for it's sensual sound and style meant to draw in party people who gravitate to something more earthy and amorous than the clinical tech-house that dominates so many sunlit soirees. He explains how he went from playing pop music to airline workers in Hong Kong to leading multiple waves of dance music deviation and decadence.

The underground vet brings Chicago's industrial music to Berlin techno. //  Growing up in the house music capital of Chicago, one might not expect Karl Meier to make the sort of abrasive industrial techno found on his debut album as one half of Talker (with Johnathan Krohn). But as he tells Rave Curious, the city's industrial scene—famous for the Wax Trax! label, home to Front 242, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult and local legends Ministry/Revolting Cocks/Pigface—had just as much influence as the house heroes like Derrick Carter, DJ Sneak and DJ Heather. The result so far has been a single album for esteemed UK techno imprint Downwards in 2014—not bad for Meier's first release after years working record counters at places like the mythical vinyl emporium Gramaphone. That album lead to key gigs at Berghain and Berlin Atonal Festival, compelling Meier to take the next obvious step and relocate to the German Capital the next year. The Rave Curious podcast caught Meier on his first official U.S. tour to find out how a dance music veteran can go from nearly unknown to underground headliner status after decades of DJing. We also try to make nice with Chicago after dissing the Windy City hard on the recent Boom Bip episode.

Oakie Learned About Ibiza From A Famous Transexual //  When the books are written about the history of acid house—and there have been several already—one key fact seems to elude authors as they regurgitate the old story of how Paul Oakenfold and friends visited Ibiza, took some ecstasy, and came back to kick off the Summer of Love. "I was working for a record company and they want [John Waters conspirator] Divine," he tells the Rave Curious podcast. "That's how I really discovered Ibiza." The rest, as they say, is history, with Oakenfold returning to London to bring that white island magic to the UK. From there he rocketed to the top of the DJ hierarchy, first working with Madchester stars the Happy Mondays, and eventually opening for U2 and Madonna on stadium tours. You even have Oakie to thank for the Las Vegas DJ craze, which he may have started in 2008 with a weekly gig at The Palms. Throughout it all, he's seen a lot and shares plenty on the Rave Curious Podcast, including his new Generations concept, celebrating 30 years of UK club culture and his new residency in an American city you'd probably never guess. Find out by pressing play.

The Dirtybird JD Explains Why Guest DJs Can be a Waste //  Christian Martin will play well over 150 gigs this year around the world. Some will be solo, but many will be as part of the Dirtybird crew, which Martin founded with his brother Justin and friends Claude Vonstroke and Worthy. Today, they might all be international headlining DJ, but when Dirtybird began as an intimate daytime BBQ party in Golden Gate Park, and then a residency at San Francisco venue Shine, the four core DJs kept the decks to themselves. "We wanted to sink or swim on our own merits," Martin reflects, adding. "I wanted us to have our own unique sound." That attitude continued, even as the crew began to grow. Dirtybird parties started to pop-off around the world, and while the members started to play out on their own, they still managed to perform together often, creating one of the strongest house music brands in all of the American dance scene. That DIY attitude is more relevant than ever. As dance music continues to grow, pushing DJ fees higher and higher as it goes, there's starting to be a sense that the bubble could burst. That's why the lessons in independence that Martin tells are so essential. You can hear them all on this episode of the Rave Curious Podcast.

The Smart Bar resident isn't afraid to name and shame. //  As product of the Midwest rave scene, Chrissy has seen his share of sketchiness—from gunplay in Kansas City to troubles on the road in England with DJ Rashad. He admits that the underground environment through much of dance music's history can be a beacon for bad players eager to take advantage of the PLUR. "They were homophobic, and they were misogynistic and they didn't really like the music. They were show up to score ecstasy, or meth, realistically," he says of the crowd the came to many a Midwest party in the 90s. He goes on to rally against the outlaw elements that encourages bad business deals and dangerous venues. The latter of which, sadly took lives in Oakland, including producer Nackt, whose posthumous release just dropped on Chrissy's Nite Owl Diner label. Chrissy recalls his friend and shines a light on raving's corrupt underbelly on this episode of the Rave Curious Podcast.

The house legend lost the Grammy, but he's still won our hearts. //  DJ, producer and bandleader Louie Vega knows something about partnerships. His collaboration with fellow NYC producer Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez is one of near mythical status. That pairing has produced tireless dance floor bangers like "Deep Inside" and "The Ha Dance" (as Masters At Work) and "The Bounce" (as Kenlou), as well as the timeless musicality of their Nuyorican Soul project, which featured legends like Tito Puente, Roy Ayers and DJ Jazzy Jeff. The pairing has seen Vega and Gonzalez rock four decks at clubs around the world. But Vega's also had plenty of experience as a solo DJ and frequent participant in various B2B sets at his weekly Wednesday night Roots NYC party that is still going after a jaw-dropping 12 years. "Man, I love playing with Moodymann," the New York hero enthuses about the annual appearance of the Detroit enigma, although he usually prefers the spontaneous B2Bs that happen when the time is right. "The B2Bs that are planned—you don't see that guy until that day—it's less natural." Even Vega's stunning solo career is full of amazing musical alliances. His Grammy-nominated 2016 album, Louie Vega Starring...XXVIII, featured special guests on all 28 tracks, including Funkadelic, Soul Clap, Adeva and, most inspired, the combining of gospel groups 3 Winans Brothers and The Clark Sisters for the first time. Meanwhile, Vega's defining sample, the Barbara Tucker belted "Deep inside!" gets lifted by Kanye West on "Fade." That track, with it's Larry Heard music bed is basically Yeezy trying to pull a Daft Punk "Stronger" with late-80s New York and Chicago house heads instead of 90s French robots. "Kanye has roots with house music, he's from Chicago," Vega says diplomatically. All of which is to prove that, beyond a stellar musical talent, Louie Vega is a terrific communicator—something he readily displays on this episode of the Rave Curious Podcast.

The LA producer rips formulaic DJ sets and talks about hanging at Björk's house. //  Much love to the Windy City, but Bryan Hollon (aka Boom Bip) and Rave Curious host Joshua Glazer are two Midwest boys who can't help hold a bit of distaste for a town that, by their estimation, spawned the condescending hipster archetype. Hollon also has some unkind words for EDM, a world he was almost drawn into, despite a catalog that consist mainly of rich and beguiling downtempo tunes. "I don't want to have a bass drop every 45 second and pump my hands in the air and all that," Hollon insists on this episode of the Rave Curious Podcast. "So as that new of DJing started happening, I just lost interest. As soon as I started to feel that pressure from William Morris to do that, I was like, 'Fuck this.'" Hollon is someone comfortable with contradictions. He's been releasing music on Warp Records hip-hop offshoot Lex for 15 years, yet has only featured two or three MCs on any tracks. His Neon Neon project with Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals has produced two "pop" albums that can't quite play the pop music game. "It's hard for me to just give in when something feels uncomfortable and cheesy." But it's not all bitching and moaning. There's plenty of positives, including Hollon's moody new soundtrack to the film Sun Choked, to talk about. Or the time he got to party at Björk's house after his first UK gig with Aphex Twin. Or the time he DJed for a dating Justin and Britney in Hollywood with Steve Aoki. It all gets covered on this week's podcast.

The Robot Heart On the Rise of Playa Tech. //  DJ Three is a name that's been on a lot of lips lately, thanks largely to several successive years of extremely popular podcasts recorded live at Burning Man. But this Robot Heart regular, who dismisses, "playa tech is the new dubstep," discovered dance music about as far from the Black Rock Desert as you can get, in the Central Florida rave scene of the early 90s. It was a era that left an indelible mark on the America rave consciousness, spawning local heroes like Rabbit in the Moon and Kimball Collins, but also acting as an early port of call for European DJs such as Sasha and Digweed, and Paul Van Dyk, for whom cities like Tampa, Orlando and Gainesville were early ports of entry on their way to the top of the American club scene. Though he's called New York home for over a decade (with residencies at Twilo and Output to prove his bona fides), Three's eclectic brand of trippy four-four music (he once ran a label called Hallucination, now cleverly updated to Hallucienda) has made him one of those beloved DJs DJ types, with supporters like Laurent Garnier, Doc Martin and Damian Lazarus. He's able to speak intelligently about all shades of techno and house, regardless of their place of origin, which made him the ideal guest for Episode 30 of Rave Curious.

Get to Know Iceland's Other Timeless Musical Export //  Averaging one album every other year for the past two decades has made GusGus one of the most consistent units in electronic music—despite the fact that the group has had anywhere from two to ten members over it's 20-year run. Currently a duo made up my constant producer Birgir Þórarinsson (Biggi) and regular vocalist Daniel Haraldsson, the Icelandic pair continue to craft melodic electronic songs and perform them live on the same basic stage set-up they've been using since the late-90s to adoring audiences worldwide. They've also found a home on Germany's Kompakt, a record label as reliable as the band itself, after stints at legendary imprints 4AD and Underwater. "I'm not a sales person, and I don't want to be a salesperson. I'm a musician," say Biggi, explaining why he has no interest in the DIY opportunities of online music sales. And if record labels, laptop-free performances, and electronica albums sound a bit "retro" in 2016, you might want to change that last word to "timeless," which is what good musicians should always strive for. And what GusGus, more often than not, has achieved.

Moby on Aphex Twin Calling Him a "Buffoon." This week's guest on Rave Curious is one of the most iconic yet misunderstood musical minds to come out of the electronic music scene. To many, Moby will always be the face of electronic music, an avatar for all things techno. This is, of course, despite the fact that only a portion of his sizable musical catalog could be considered dance music. Even his most famous work, 1999's double platinum-selling Play, is more of a pop album than anything meant for a dark nightclub. Yet when the backlash against electronic music came in the early '00s (see the Eminem bullying incident), Moby was already a veteran of the fickle nature of fame. He tells Rave Curious that as early as 1994, he had already experienced harsh criticism from his so-called peers, like Aphex Twin, who he says once called him a "buffoon" in the press while they were on tour together. "It's hard to continue to like someone's music when you know they hold you in contempt," he tells us of the IDM icon. His latest album, These Systems Are Failing, just dropped on Mute Records, and as the title suggest, it focuses on the many challenges facing our current society—as does much of our conversation. And it's not just Trump that's the problem. In addition to that wide-ranging conversation, we also learn what it takes to reassemble a sound system that once lived in one of Detroit's most storied dance music venues, Club Heaven, from Dr. Carleton Gholz of the Detroit Sound Conservancy.

Neil Landstrumm Wants to Save Us From Fossil Fuels On this episode of Rave Curious, the techno stalwart considers how we can help the world beyond the club. Neil Landstrumm has been releasing confounding techno floor-fillers since the mid-90s, with releases on Tresor, Planet Mu, and his own Scandinavia imprint. The Scottish producer has no obvious connection to the Northern European peninsula, despite the name of his label, but was closely affiliated with the wonky techno scene of UK producers like Christian Vogel and Si Begg in the late 90s. It's a sound that recently reemerged in conversation, in part because of a confounding absence of producers like Landstrumm in the recent Tresor 25th anniversary celebrations. "What bothered us was that not one of us was included. It's not me, personally," he says of the "brouhaha," but sagely states that labels come and go, "like booking agents. Ha!" Not that Landstrumm is sitting at home sulking. He continues to release music at the same pace he has maintained throughout his two decade-long career. He's also preparing for an existence after techno. Next step? Solving the fossil fuel crisis facing humanity.

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Heidi's Love for Prince Knows No Bounds The Jackathon founder talks strip clubs, shoegazer and keeping it underground on the BBC on the latest episode of Rave Curious. Before she became a house music hero on the BBC, the bold DJ who goes by just Heidi was a punky kid from Canada in love with single-name stars like Prince and Iggy. After sharing a laugh over the strange circumstances of our first meeting while she was working behind the bar at a Windsor strip club in the early '00s, Heidi uses her episode of Rave Curious to explain her obsession with vintage photos of her musical heroes, enthuse about her weekly Jackathon residency in London, and even reveal how she went on a couple dates with a "Canadian millionaire" DJ. "I was like 18-years-old! I picked him up in my ghetto-ass, shitty car!" roars the rare DJ who delivers the same energy talking on the mic as she does in the DJ booth. That energy makes this one of the most upbeat and entertaining episodes in recent memory.

How Drumcell Helped Turn Los Angeles Into A Global Techno Capital How the Droid Behavior co-founder built a scene from scratch. For all its reputation as a rave and EDM capital, Los Angeles never had much resembling an international techno scene until Drumcell and his Droid Behavior posse started throwing event in the early 2000s. For 16 years, the LA-born producer Moe Espinosa and his partners Vidal and Vangelis Vargas (who produce techno as Raíz) made bringing techno to Tinsel Town their life's mission. And it worked, with LA now hosting multiple techno events every weekend, while the Droid Behavior crew tour their brand of decidedly non-West Coast sounding techno around the world. Espinosa sat down with Rave Curious at the Vice studios by the beach in Venice, over an hour's drive from his end of East Los Angeles, to talk about what it took to build a scene from scratch, about this inspiration he took from Detroit and Chicago, and about the endless flights back and forth to Europe while keeping what he built at home alive.

Eric Cloutier Opens Up About His Past Life as an Internet Troll The Detroit-Berlin techno traveler now makes musical waves. Like many DJs of his generation, Eric Cloutier came out of the 90s Detroit rave scene and migrated east. He first went to New York, where he became a resident at influential club night The Bunker, and then made the pilgrimage to Berlin, and currently uses that city as a home base for a growing calendar of international DJ gigs. The German city also acts as inspiration towards his fledgling production career, which culminates this month in his first full EP, Heuristic, on his own Palinioa label. The record encapsulates Cloutier's DJ sound that's made him a fan favorite in places across the world: heady psychedelics secured by a locked-in techno groove. Cloutier recently sat down with Rave Curious at his flat in Berlin on a late Sunday night/early Monday morning to talk about his current life as a traveling DJ, as well as his past in the Detroit techno scene, where in addition spinning music he spent years as a moderator on the legendary Detroitluv message board, where the policy was "If you wanna start that drama, you made that bed."

Danny Daze has lived the lives of a dozen different DJs—from a 14-year=old playing electro at giant Miami raves to time spent doing actual time, rising among the ranks of mash-up masters under the tutelage of DJ AM, breaking into the deep house (or as he calls it, "social techno") scene with Jamie Jones, and finally discovering his own direction in the obtuse techno of his OMNIDISC imprint. "My first gig ever in Europe was London, at Fabric," he tells of his almost unbelievable career path. The one thing that remains constant in the Cuban-American producer's ever-evolving is a focus on songs, regardless of the genre. That, and an ear for dark and sleazy sounds rooted in the heaving 808 bump of his native Miami. It's a southern bounces he always manages to bring to releases on imprints such as Ultramajik, Ellium and Kompakt. A bass so deeply embedded that you can practically hear it in his voice as he speaks for an hour on this week's Rave Curious Podcast.

Fighting Off Hangovers With Gorgon City and Rudimental The Rave Curious podcast catches up with the British bands, plus former Beatport CEO Matt Adell talks breaking capitalism. When two of the hottest bands leading the UK electronic scene hit the road together, even a Monday night is alright for a party. Rave Curious spoke with Gorgon City and Rudimental, a pair of acts continuing the grand tradition of energetic electronica live bands—first exemplified by Roni Size and The Prodigy in the late '90s. We sat down in their Los Angeles hotel room for a quick chat in the midst of a seemly endless string of parties, travel and more parties. Thing start off sluggish as the guy shake off the cobwebs of another sleepless night, but soon our conversation kick into gear as coffee and beer come to save the day. Also on the podcast, former Beatport CEO Matt Adell talks about his new remix platform, Metapop, and takes a long hard look at the current state of the American electronic music industry. "Dance music is one of the things we've seen capitalism break in our lifetime," he says, referring to the bursting EDM bubble, of which Beatport and it's bankrupt corporate parent company SFX are the prime example. Matt doesn't pull punches when it comes to his former employer, but he clearly does know how to move on from it.

Max Cooper Wants to Explain Our Existence Through Music The musical philosopher takes on life, the universe, and, well, everything. Max Cooper had more than a few things on his mind when sitting down for his Rave Curious Podcast. Top of the list was his new Emergence show, an A/V experience inspired by concepts in math and science that seek to explain the fundamentals of the universe. Heady stuff—but not enough for the DJ who spends his weekends playing all-night-long sets that start with fans comfortably seated on the floor, enjoying ambient, downtempo and post-classic music that slowly builds up into a ferocious dance party of techno, IDM, and even some jungle, as the night progresses. No wonder the former scientist with a PhD. in computational biology has established a reputation as a musical philosopher and heir apparent to accessible-yet-obtuse artists like Aphex Twin, with fans who are willing to follow his every artistic whim. "To be honest, I'm quite an obsessive person," he admits right off the bat in our conversation that covers data visualization, the "troubles" in 80s Dublin, and naked streakers in European concert halls. Have a listen.

The Rave Curious podcast hits a California highway with the Bunker NYC resident. Derek Plaslaiko is one of the finest DJs to come out of Detroit's mid-90s techno scene. The current Berlin resident is known for playing extended sets that test the very limits of what might be considered house or techno, with a fearless attitude that's guided him through several important residencies over the past 20 years, including Family and Untitled in Detroit, and The Bunker in NYC. It's also the sort of musical muse that lead him to play an hour of hip-hop during his record-breaking 12-plus hour DJ set streamed from his living room on Boiler Room in 2014. "In Detroit, you could play anything you wanted," he says of the environment where he developed his DJ discipline. Derek drove down the California freeway with host Joshua Glazer for a casual conversation unlike any other you've heard on Rave Curious. Check it out.

Cassy Dug Deep Into the Heart of Techno and Instead Found Soul The European techno favorite talks about the challenges of getting funky. As the daughter of an Austrian mother and Barbadian father, raised in Vienna with a British passport, the appeal of Cassy as an international DJ has always matched her own global upbringing. Yet in practice, the DJ born Catherine Britton's experience as a resident DJ at Panorama Bar has led many to associate her singlehandedly with the underground Berlin scene of the early 2000s. That's about to change, with a new album titled Donna, that breaks free of the conventional European techno tropes and replaces them with rich Americanized soul music. "Do I have the courage to be a soulful musician?" she asks herself on the Rave Curious Podcast, in a conversation that touches on her multicultural upbringing, the salad days of Berlin's minimal techno scene, and her current quest for a (semi-)permanent home.

The Chicago house producer won't suffer fools, even for the Rave Curious Podcast. This week's Rave Curious podcast features the house gangster himself, DJ Sneak. The Chicago icon has deep roots in the city's house music culture, learning his craft both in the club and behind the counter at the city's legendary Gramaphone Records. He has also become known in recent years as one of the outspoken DJs on Twitter, defending his old school ethics against the rise of EDM's alternative set of musical values. He's also occasionally tangled with peers like Seth Troxler over BBQ and other beef. But outside the online hype, Sneak is purist when it comes to the art of DJing. "Even when I'm sleeping, I'm mixing in my head," the 25-year veteran told Rave Curious. No wonder a new generation is getting turned on to his thumping, bumping, looping house sound. Learn what Sneak thinks about Beatport, beefing, and his endless supply of blunts on this episode of Rave Curious podcast.

Jean Michel Jarre Reflects on His Life as One of Electronic Music's First Superstars Think EDC is huge? The French electronic pioneer once played for 3.5 million fans. Everybody likes to talk about how huge EDM has gotten, but you'd have to take the single day attendance at EDC Las Vegas (134,000) and multiply 26 times to reach the 3.5 million folks who witnessed Jean Michel Jarre's 1997 concert in Moscow. The event marked the fourth time Jarre broke his own world record for largest outdoor concert attendance and capped off a career that began during the infancy of electronic music of the 1960s. "Electronic music is not born with Avicii," he says of EDM's current dominance of the cultural conversation on the latest episode of Rave Curious Podcast. Jarre reveals the thoughtful foundation that propelled him to reach the absolute heights of fame, from his early years helping to invent the very idea of synthetically produced music as part of Paris' musique concrete community, to his current undertaking of two albums, Electronica and Electronica 2, that see the legend collaborating with artists as diverse as Cyndi Lauper and Jeff Mills.

Matthew Dear Holds the Secret to Techno Longevity The Ghostly International star on almost 20 years in the game. DJ, producer, and bandleader Matthew Dear has been heading towards the top of the techno game since he was straight out of the University of Michigan, helping to kick off the Ghostly International label, one of electronic music's most iconic and enduring imprints. With over 75 releases spanning almost two decades, he clearly knows a thing or two about staying both relevant and creative in a business where plenty of producers come and go. "I don't wear leather pants offstage, I've tried," jokes the father of two who is just as comfortable behind the decks at the world's best clubs or onstage with his band playing to tens of thousands of people opening for Depeche Mode. Matt sat down with Rave Curious in Los Angeles between Coachella weekends. He talked about his days as a experiment-specimen college student, his relationship with embattled nightclub Verboten and the ten-year anniversary of his classic Audion records, "Mouth To Mouth," which just received a deluxe remix package including versions by Jamie Jones, Guy Gerber, Scuba, Carl Craig, and more.

Adam Beyer and Ida Engberg Are Techno's Coolest Parents How techno's top DJ duo are also raising three kids together. Adam Beyer and Ida Engberg are a rarity in the world of techno, a couple who are managing to raise three children while maintaining a hectic DJ career that demands both parents stay up way past bedtime. But as Beyer explain it, their mutual love of techno is the best way to make the marriage work: "It's hard to explain why you want to be in a club 3 to 4 nights a week to someone who isn't into it." What's more surprising is that this new adult lifestyle has actually helped push both of their careers to the next level, as recent gigs at Awakenings and Coachella suggests. Rave Curious got to meet the couple's youngest daughter, appropriately named Edit, before sitting down with Adam and Ida to learn how they manage to make it all work.

Why Kate Simko Took a Break From Techno to Learn Classical Composition She talks new project with the London Electronic Orchestra on a new episode of the Rave Curious podcast. After years of textured electronic production, Kate Simko's shifting gears a bit with her new project, Kate Simko & London Electronic Orchestra. The album sees the Chicago-bred, London-based DJ-producer set aside her synthesizers and compose music for an ensemble of classically trained musicians who turn what might have been techno compositions into something entirely new. And while lots of electronic producers try their hand at other genres—rock, jazz, etc.—few have the qualifications of Simko, who took an extended break from her successful career releasing dancefloor fillers for labels like Spectral Sound, Leftroom, and Get No.19 Music to studio classical composition at the esteemed London's Royal Music College. "I was at DC10, and I realized it wasn't my dream," Simko tells Rave Curious of her decision to pump the brakes on a prosperous DJ career and delve into the world of classical music. The result is both an exciting new record and a reinvigorated love of dance music. Hear her inspiring story on this episode of the Rave Curious Podcast.

Mr. C Thinks Everyone Just Needs to Relax and Meditate The techno elder statesman and Further Future founder Jason Swamy impart wisdom in this week's Rave Curious podcast. Before he was a beacon for underground techno and house, Mr. C was the leader of proto-rave band the Shamen. In the 30 years since he discovered dance music, the Los Angeles resident has done it all, using his unexpected chart-topping success to cultivate the vibrant community that sprung up around him. From founding the legendary club The End in London, which helped to define the modern techno club experience, to promoting his Superfreq label and events in the city he now calls home, Mr. C is never afraid to challenge the status quo. He meets Rave Curious head on with some flashbacks to the '90s rave culture and plenty of opinions about the global scene of today. He also takes on Trump and tells us why everyone should really just relax and meditate. Also on the podcast is Robot Heart conspirator Jason Swamy, who came to tell Rave Curious about his history with Burning Man and how his new event, Further Future, is seeking to surpass the "woo-woo" of the transformational festival scene and enact real change.

Dustin Zahn Reflects on His Rise from Midwestern Monotony The Drumcode regular gives the lowdown on the latest Rave Curious Podcast. Dustin Zahn's uncompromising techno—which has found a home on labels like Adam Beyer's Drumcode and Radio Slave's REK'D imprint—has its roots in childhood boredom. Raised in a small town in Northern Michigan, he says that "all there was to do was snowboard, smoke weed, or make music." Naturally, he chose the latter option then moved to Minneapolis in the early 2000s. Zahn now resides in Berlin, where he is one of the most consistently working DJs and producers you're likely to encounter.He also releases voluminous quantities of music on his own Enemy Recordings, the sort of full-throttle tunes, bombed-out that have made him a favorite at top-shelf international clubs like Berghain and Output. He also finds time to record his own interview podcast, Train Wrecks, where he talks to friends like Spencer Parker, Drumcell and Mark Broom, often while consuming substantial amounts of vodka—hence the title. That's why this podcast is a two-parter. The first hour of the conversation, which traces the whole of his career, can be downloaded right now on Rave Curious. The second half will be released in the coming days on Train Wreck's official site.

Ambivalent Is Certain About His Life After Minimal Techno Kevin McHugh spreads his wings with new labels and artistic ideas. Kevin McHugh didn't set out to be a techno musician. But when his work in the world of NYC's modern art scene crossed over into the realm of minimal techno in the early 00s, he caught a wave that took him all the way to Berlin as part of Richie Hawtin's Minus label. He was soon traveling the world under the name Ambivalent, spreading the gospel of Berlin's trendy ambience with compatriots like Magda, Marc Houle and Heartthrob. "It became a big thing on [Minus] when that label was a big thing," he says modestly of his 2007 breakout single, "R U OK," a prime example of the drugged-yet-cheeky, plink-plonky sound that took over techno a decade ago. Since departing Minus in 2012, Kevin has debuted two new aliases — the house-inspired Amber and gritty LA-4A — and launched his own Delft and Valence labels and to release a broader palette of dance music than the haus of Hawtin had allowed for in the past. He's also continued his Ambivalent guise, partnering up with techno stars Sven Vath, Josh Wink and Sasha to release music on their Cocoon, Ovum and Last Night On Earth Imprints respectively. Always self-examining and sometimes painfully honest, Kevin explains the twists and turns it's taken him to reach this point in his career, with a critical eye towards both his past and his future.

Erick Morillo Is Back From the Abyss The house hero and photographer Michael Tullberg stops by this installment of the Rave Curious podcast. The prospect of speaking to superstar producers can be a daunting one. Like all ceIebrities, A-list DJs can come off as difficult divas who long ago left the underground club scene in favor of Las Vegas residencies and EDM excess. Even house heroes can seem out of touch after long days spent sunning in Ibiza and nights playing for the bottle service crowds. Erick Morillo's long and storied history within house music could have set him up as this sort of cloistered star, but the reality of talking to him was far more welcoming. The New York-born DJ and producer comes across lively and open-hearted, willing and ready to talk about anything—from addiction and rehab, to rediscovering his love of dirty, funky house music. High up in his home studio in the Hollywood Hills, the Colombian-American DJ—whose biggest hit, "I Like To Move It," has captured a new generation of kids via its use in the Madagascar movies—has undoubtedly lived the good life. But he's not afraid to face up to the many struggles he's had along the way. This episode also features a brief interview with photographer Michael Tullberg, whose new book, Dancefloor Thunderstorm: Land of the Free, Home of the Rave, is an epic 300+ page journey through the Southern California rave scene of the mid-90s through early-00s.

Tommie Sunshine Is Just Trying Fix the World's Problems The Chicago-born DJ is ready to revolt and Underground Resistance's label manager gets real about race on the Rave Curious Podcast. This week's episode of the Rave Curious Podcast goes beyond the usual dance music discussions and tries to tackle some serious issues facing the world in 2016 with two of the scene's most outspoken individuals, Tommie Sunshine and Underground Resistance label manager Cornelius Harris. Tommie Sunshine is an American rave icon with a 25-year history as a DJ, producer and provocateur. He's also something of an oddity in his ability to move easily between the underground scene and mainstream EDM industry as an unparalleled authority on all things dance music. In conversation, he veers from drugs and art to club culture's attempts to overthrowing the system—or as he put it "solving the world's problems." It's one of the most enthusiastic Rave Curious chats to date. We also speak with Cornelius Harris, the label manager of Detroit's legendary independent techno label Underground Resistance, regarding the recent debate about race triggered by techno pioneer Juan Atkins' outspoken objections to The DJ List, as well as Harris' own concern about how Detroit's unheralded artists are portrayed in the media.

Chris Liebing Loves California and Classic Cars, Hates Cheese   Dairy and EDM get dissed on the Rave Curious Podcast.   Chris Liebing has a long-running reputation as one of the nicest dudes in techno, but that big smile doesn't mean he suffers fools. As such, our Rave Curious conversation covers both his love of Los Angeles and his vintage Ford Mustang, and his utter disdain for the dairy industry. Plus, he has some harsh assessments of mainline EDM structures.   "It's the same thing over and over again," He says. "Is your attention span so short you forgot what happened 30 seconds ago?" In between these moments of befuddlement, Liebing details his early years in Frankfurt, the rise of the often maligned "schranz" sound that he accidentally invented in the late 90s, and his more recent efforts to balance growing popularity with his own sonic evolution. He also explains why he decided to wrap his long-beloved CLR Podcast and put the label of the same name onto the back burner in order to concentrate on his own artistic pursuits.

Danny Tenaglia Has Seen It All Behind The Decks From Yoko Ono to overdoses, the New York legend talk about 30 years of DJing on the Rave Curious Podcast. The first Rave Curious Podcast of 2016 offers a nice long conversation with New York's genre-hopping veteran Danny Tenaglia. From his legendary series of NYC residencies in the '90s and early '00s—Roxy, Twilo, Vinyl—to his equally renowned marathon parties at Winter Music Conference, DT (as his fans call him) has been at the epicenter of the dance music world for 30 years. And while it's been mostly good times, like hanging at the Paradise Garage and working with Yoko Ono, he's not afraid to detail the challenges he's seen after three decades in clubland. "It was too much becoming about the ketamine, the crystal meth, the GHB," he admits, regarding the crash of the New York scene in the late-90s when he first became a star. "Ambulances, hospital visits...the community boards got sick of it." And while he admits to a few nights of early-2000s Ibiza excess during our hour-long conversation in his Hollywood hotel, the 54-year-old Tenaglia is a shining example of a DJ who's maintained his youthful spirit. Learn how he did it by downloading the Rave Curious Podcast.

Meet The Man Who Replaced Jeff Mills in Underground Resistance Buzz Goree tells Detroit techno tales on the Rave Curious Podcast. As we wrap up 2015, we wanted to give you one last special holiday treat—a bonus podcast with Underground Resistance DJ Buzz Goree. Buzz is one of the true pillars of Detroit's electronic music scene, starting as a teenage house DJ in the 1980s before taking the reigns behind the decks for UR following Jeff Mills and DJ T-1000's departure. Today he remains "married to techno," and frequents underground institutions like Berghain, where he offers a taste of the 90s Detroit techno sound in every set. In our new Rave Curious Podcast, we talk about the rise and fall of Detroit's 90s rave scene, racial friction in the electronic world, and his present-day life in Berlin, banging it out with his Mixworks label.

Sneak Into Berghain With Lady Gaga BFF Lady Starlight and Techno Titan Surgeon We learn the stunning cosmic coincidence that brought these two "aliens" together, and learn the importance of following your instincts. Just in time for holiday travel, we're giving you a hefty does of techno talk with the latest episode of the Rave Curious Podcast. This week, our host Joshua Glazer sits down in the offices of Berlin techno institution Ostgut Ton inside of the legendary Berghain to talk with techno titan Surgeon and his new bestie Lady Starlight immediately following their first combined in the infamous German club. Coming from the worlds of underground techno and mainstream pop respectively, one would never expect Surgeon and Starlight's paths to cross, let alone that the pair would end up performing together at events as incongruent as Lady Gaga concerts and London's Ministry of Sound. We learn the stunning cosmic coincidence that brought these two "aliens" together, and learn the importance of following your instincts.

Honey Dijon Dishes On the Essence of DJing, Canada, and Being a Trans Person In a Gay World Next on the Rave Curious podcast, Josh and the New York-via-Chicago DJ dig deep. The Rave Curious Podcast continues to engage the world's best DJs in open and honest conversations about the life behind the beats. In Episode 003, host Joshua Glazer spend a beautiful summer afternoon in a Berlin park with New York via Chicago DJ Honey Dijon. Having witnessed house music in its infancy as an inappropriately young clubber in the Windy City, Honey connects with the crowd on a level few DJs can match. Those spiritual interactions have brought her to a global audience of underground faithful who fall for the fabulous DJ's as much as her record selection. No wonder the worlds of fashion and clubbing are both at her command. Josh and Honey dig deep into what it means to be a DJ, while also gabbing about the importance of shoe-spotting (it really does matter). They also discuss Honey's new path as a producer and why exactly Canada has a vibe all its own.

Curses Discusses Moving to Berlin, Trouble & Bass, and a Crazy Shower A talk with Trouble and Bass founder and former Drop the Lime, Luca Venezia. Following a great talk with Radio Slave, the curiosity continues on the second episode of the Rave Curious Podcast with host Joshua Glazer. This time around, Joshua sits down in Berlin with New York native Luca Venezia, who is probably best known as the founder of seminal NYC label Trouble & Bass (RIP), as well as for his artist project Drop the Lime, which is currently on hiatus as he explores deeper realms of house and techno under his new DJ and production alias, Curses. Following the saddening discontinuation of T&B, Luca recently made a move towards a permanent residence in Berlin. Check out the conversation as these two Berlin expats talk about the DJ-producer's recent move to the techno capital, Luca's early days being raised by artists in a pre-gentrification downtown New York, and his early career as an abstract electronic artist before breaking out in Brooklyn with the now-legendary Trouble and Bass parties. You might even hear about that time he found himself playing rockabilly to EDM fans in Las Vegas. We also learn about a particularly amazing bathroom that Joshua is personally familiar with, as well as Luca's new label, Safer At Night. On the flip side, Joshua tells Luca some tales about coming up in Detroit's legendary 90s techno scene while the two laugh about trap music.

Radio Slave Sits Down For the Debut of Rave Curious Joshua Glazer sits down for an extended and honest conversation with Berlin's finest, Radio Slave. What are we curious about? Is it electronic music and culture? The magic we feel on the dancefloor? The sweet sound of the bass pulsating through or headphones or the club's thunderous system? And how do we satisfy that curiosity and endless thirst? By talking to some of the DJs, producers, and promoters who drive the electronic music scene year after year, decade after decade, of course! In our new podcast Rave Curious, veteran music journalist Joshua Glazer sits down with key players in the electronic music community for an extended and honest conversation about life in and out of the club, tracing their inspirations, biggest conquests, and greatest setbacks. In Episode 001 of the new series—Joshua sits down for an intimate conversation with Matt Edwards, the Berlin-based producer behind Radio Slave. Throughout his prolific career, Edwards has released everything from mind-expanding marathon remixes to dynamic tech house under his main moniker, and effervescent, syrupy house workouts under his Rekid alias, which takes it name from the label Edwards founded and runs, Rekids. On top of that, he's a tentpole of the clubbing world, with masterful sets at Panorama Bar, Oval Space, Ibiza, and just about every room you might want to cut loose in.