Steve Bug: Staying on top

We speak to Dessous, Pokerflat and Audiomatique boss, Steve Bug ahead of the release of a new Poker Flat compilation and an extended DJ set in London....

Steve Bug and his three labels have been bastions of good quality deep and minimal electronic music for over ten years, whilst the boss's own DJ sets have been consistently held in high esteem by all those in the know.

As such, and ahead of his extended set at a secret location in east London on August 14 as part of the on going series of parties, A Night With..., we thought we'd catch up with him to ask him a couple of probing questions about his own career and the development of house and techno in recent times.


How important is a sense of history for any professional DJ, do you think?

I don't know, I think it is important to have a sense for the crowd and your own taste musical taste and charisma, plus some skills to be a good DJ. But a sense of history in the music you are playing does count for some, for sure.

It’s a credit to your track ‘Loverboy’ that it could just as easily have been released today as 10 years ago – but doesn’t that mean the scene haven’t moved on in ten years?

No, that means I’ve released it ten years too early - haha

History was always a part of house music and I think it's important not to forget about the past. for younger people maybe history doesn't go back 25 years, instead only 10 or 15 years and they are geared to that sound so that can create a little revival.

Every time something gets stuck in a rut, people look to the past to come up with something new. Going back to the roots and reinventing the past is sometimes a lot more exciting than when people try to come up with something groundbreaking.

The Pokerflat sound is very recognisable – would you say the sounds you make and play have evolved over the years? Have your influences changed?

If you look at the history of the label I think we have changed a lot and we are still changing. My influences are always changing, there are only a few cornerstones that are still important to me today. I really care about people that have their own genuine trademark sound, but I think we have always been trying to evolve with times.

How is deep house now any different to deep house ten years ago?

Depending on what people file under deep house, we could talk about how it has changed or if it is just back to where it was 10 years ago, with some minor changes.

I think deep house was almost dead for a while, everyone was all about electro house, minimal, etc. etc. suddenly a few years ago, a deep house revival started and it is still going on. Some of the tunes are definitely reminiscent of tracks from 10 years ago, but there is a whole new, modern angle to a lot of these tracks…

How do you find people to release on the label; who approaches who and what are you looking for in the music you release?

At the moment everything is falling into place, we are getting a lot of amazing demos from brand new artists that we haven't worked with before, and of course I do ask artists I like and admire for music for one of our imprints. However, we look for closer relationships with our artists, something more long term than just a couple of releases. Musically speaking, it's not a certain sound that moves me to sign someone, the music has to touch me and it has to fit to the concept one of our imprints, that's all.

House and techno is stale at the moment. It’s too self-referential and inward looking like d&b was for a while – not enough people are breaking the rules. Would you agree? Why don’t people take risks?

I think there are a lot of great tracks out there and a lot of producers taking risk...tons of outstanding music if you are patient enough to search beyond the surface. I just think that not enough people play those tunes. Most DJs don't take risks, I can't tell you why, but maybe they just don't know better.

I honestly wish people would be more open minded and take some risks instead of always following the next hype, in fear of losing a crowd.

Is there any real invention in house and techno today do you think? When you look at dubstep and the related sounds don’t you think they are far more original in 2010?

Not really, I mean if you keep in mind that house and techno has been around for more than 25 years and there are still fresh things coming up from time to time. I can't really speak for dubstep, so I can't pass judgment even though it doesn't seem like dubstep has evolved much over the years. One of the problems nowadays is that there is a new genre for everything that sounds a little different than something else, even though at the end it is all electronic dance music. And a lot of people stick to one genre they are really into and don't mix things up anymore. If you like dubstep you only buy dubstep, if you like percussive loop house, you only buy that kinda stuff. People don't look to the left or right as much because they are all about the genre. Don’t ask me why :)

I think that at the end of every decade, the dance industry becomes stuck in a certain sound and then suddenly out of the blue something fresh and new arises and turns into a new hype. But then, everyone jumps on that train - I honestly think the music world would be much more exciting without shallow and short-lived hypes.



And would you agree it’s because the market is flooded with copycats and ‘beatport’ music? Music is too much a commodity, a business for people and not an art?

There is definitely too much music out there, so it's almost impossible to check all tracks available. And of course it is easier to be a copycat instead of trying to find a style of your own. Not so long ago I was listening to a conversation between an art professor and her husband, where she was talking about how mostly all artists these days rather do art to make money instead of creating something special. This laziness isn't a music-related problem, it's a general modern day problem... most people prefer to go with the flow instead of swimming against it.

Thankfully, there are still a lot of people out there producing electronic music as a form of art, and is part of what keeps everything moving forward.

How would you say you have evolved as an artist over the years? Are you as keen as you ever were? Are you still on your toes?

That is hard to answer. I am still keen as I ever was and I am still on my toes that's for sure. And after every release I did I am asking myself what could I have done better/different. I am in the studio almost every day that I am not playing somewhere and I am trying new things out. But of course I have my preferences and a long history. I am trying to combine my history with new things, sometimes it does work, and sometimes it doesn't. But I can't reinvent myself that's for sure.

But I rather do something that I am really happy with and sell only small amounts than something that I don't really feel but sells heaps anyways. And at the end I think that what makes the difference and that's how you get true fans and not only followers that are gone with the next wave.

What keeps you enthused – what keeps you doing this week in, week out?

I don't know, I think the most driving force for me is still the love for the music. It got a little harder to find tracks that really blow me away, but there are still enough out there. I also still enjoy travelling and meeting people and visiting places around the globe. As well as I am enjoying the adrenalin you get when you are playing a great show somewhere. It is a very special feeling that can turn into something you don't want to miss anymore.

You’re known for being a skilled DJ who cares about the mixing process – do you think too few people today lack the real skills? Is too much emphasis put on production nowadays?

I think there are great DJs out there who really care about mixing and take the profession seriously. On the other hand, there are a lot of DJs out there who not only have no DJ skills but are all about a business plan. They hire a producer, become booked out overnight. Resulting in everyone having to have to listen to a DJ who can't impress a crowd. It doesn't really work to the advantage of the dancefloor at all, but this is what the industry has turned into. Promoters will only book DJs with press, the press only writes about artists that release, and so on…

Why are you so down on things on your Twitter feed? You’re always negative!

Have you really read them? What’s so negative about posting new charts or releases? I also announce shows and twit when I had a great time somewhere, or that I am enjoying white tea, having a shower and will be going to the studio... maybe in one out of 20 tweets I make a critical comment, or ask an ironic question. But I don't think that's negative at all.

What makes you happiest?

Sharing great moments with the ones you love and knowing that your loved ones are happy in life.

What will this A Night With… gig allow you to do you can’t normally?

I will be able to play a long set which I am rarely able to do anywhere outside of Tokyo. It is totally different to play a night from the beginning to the end than playing a 2 or 3 hours set. You can build up your own night and you have so much time to play whatever you want. You don't have to take over from another DJ that already gave the night a direction... it's all in your hands. I am really looking forward to this party.

How much will you plan the set before you turn up?

I never plan my sets in advance. Since I use Traktor I have a big part of my collection with me and can go in every direction I want to go.

What else are you working on in 2010?

I just finished a mix CD for Cocoon green and blue to be released in mid September, as well as an exclusive track for the new poker flat compilation "Shaping Elements" which will be released end of September, plus a 12" for ovum to be released in October. After my vacation I will start working on a remix for the new Robert Owens album and several other tracks of my own. Keep your eyes and ears open...

Kristan J Caryl

A Night With…Steve Bug
Saturday 14th August 2010
**Secret Location** | 10pm – 6am
£15 Adv only from residentadvisor.net

facebook.com/a-night-with…