Legowelt Talks

Music

"You listen to me. While I will admit to a certain cynicism, the fact is that I am a nay-sayer and hatchet man in the fight against violence. I pride myself in taking a punch and I'll gladly take another, because I choose to live my life in the company of Gandhi and King. My concerns are global. I reject absolutely revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love. I love you, Sheriff Truman."

" ‘The Paranormal Soul’, Legowelt's new album begins with this Twin Peaks quote, a love-and-compassion outpouring from the usually efficacious Albert Rosenfield. It’s a reference you might expect from Danny Wolfers (aka Legowelt) after all; he seems to share the same skewed aesthetical exaggeration as Mr Lynch." So says our Tim in his recent review of said album.

Legowelt (aka Danny Wolfers) began producing music in the early 90s from his bedroom studio in Scheveningen Beach and now some 15 years later, has played live all over the world and released an almost countless amount of music under all manner of names from Dickie Smabers & The Moerwijk Crew to Nacho Patrol, Franz Falckenhaus, Jackmaster Corky, Smackos, Danny Wolfers, The Chicago Shags (with Orgue Electronique) and many more.This weekend, he lands in the capital to play at the quickly becoming an institution A Love From Outer Space's Christmas Special at Corsica Studios. Ahead of this rather momentous looking night we asked the supremely great producer in his own right Mr Timothy J. Fairplay to interview Mr Wolfers… here's the outcome:

You have just released your new album 'The Paranormal Soul'. Many of your previous albums have had an over-arching theme, either in the equipment used or in that they are an imagined soundtrack. Is 'The Paranormal Soul 'a 'straight up' dance album? And if so why did you choose to do that now?

Yes The Paranormal Soul is an album with a collection of tracks, no theme, no concept except the music itself, I am moving away from these exploitation concept albums things, I always hated the idea of a concept album and I was pretty much doing that sort off though they were more like imaginary soundtracks for movies I couldnt make or something. Just time for something different and concentrate more on the magic properties of music and take it to far off places beyond the mind that can't be conceptialized.

There seems to be a long list of musical references in your music, obviously Chicago House and Detroit Techno, but also, Cosmic/New age, italo, Synth film soundtracks, and Dub to name a few. Am I right in thinking that your music is born out of a love for the history of synthesized music?

Pretty much yeah.

Are you conscious of your influences while you work?

No not really I think I just do what I want myself.

Music is often held up as firstly being a non representational abstract art form, however your music is very evocative, conjures up places, times and spaces. Even the most dance floor tracks have a cinematic quality to them, is this intentional?

Music is one of the fundamental forces of the universe, how or what I don't know but its like the building blocks for everything….its far off from an abstract art form..if I make music and it sounds too abstract it

won't be alive and it just goes into the trashcan straight away.

I want to ask you in particular about Fabio Frizzi and Marcello Giombini.

They are not so well known over here. I know you have made reference to them in the past, (and covered Frizzi's 'Apoteosis'), but I hear their influence hugely in your music, particularly in your melodies and themes,

is this the case?

Yeah the Italian soundtrack composers were very interesting in their melodies and what they did sometimes was pure magic…the greatest of course is Ennio Morricone. And also what is it that you like about 70's and 80's Italian exploitation cinema which seem to influence so much of your work?

Nothing really it was just part of the The Hague electronix scene, most of those movies are just pretty much terrible and unwatchable the music soundtracks are the most interesting

You are known for the way you work – the equipment you use, the 'live' nature of your music. What is it that makes you continue to make music this way as pretty much everyone else moves towards an entirely digital

studio?

Well maybe I have an entirely digital studio too

Recently on your website you have been negative about people making music only using laptops, and for not knowing how to program synthesizers. Do you see it as being negative how 'easy' it is for someone to put together a track these days – basically without needing a studio? Is dance music becoming too sterile?

I might have been negative about people making sterile sounds with laptops but in general I am not anti computer laptop at all on the contrary….people keep thinking that I am some analog recloose but I am not….I have been using computers since day 1 I started producing…a Commodore Amiga 1200 in the early 90s then an later Ataris PC's and now MACs.

I also dont think at all its negative for people making music easier. Of course there are zillions of people using sample loops cd's these days and just copy paste some prefab loops and being sterile unimaginitive

cunts in the process but there are also fresh new amazing producers that push sounds further then ever and most of these dont do it on hardware but on computers….the laptop is a super instrument and you can do a lot more with it then a bunch of hardware today…and who needs a studio in 2012

Do you think that techno has forgotten about deepness?

No on the contrary I think artists like Terence Dixon, Actress, Andy Stott, Terekke etc. are pushing it deeper then ever before.

You came from the underground party scene of The Hague, do you think that electronic music is or has the power to be as subversive as it used to be?

Hmmm, no it's pretty mainstream and its not some exciting new secretive thing anymore but who cares.

You have recently been releasing music with Xosar, this is some of the most uplifting music I have heard from you, she seems to have really bought out the 'house' in you?

Yeah but that is because she is into the more darker sounds she also makes black metal and stuff and I show my positive house feel to counter these dark sounds.

I recently noticed an Actress track in one of your dj mixes, are there other producers you follow from the UK?

Yeah quite a few like John Heckle, Bnjmin, Lone, Ceephax Acid Crew and stuff

What is your opinion of the UK music scene?

Well its always been an important country for electronic music presenting the whole spectrum from completely retarded Donk music to over the top boring arty farty IDM and everything in between…there are probably hundreds of UK artists that have influenced me

And finally, you are coming to play at 'A Love From Outer Space'. Popular music has had an obsession with space which goes back to the beginnings of space travel, do you think that this obsession will dissipate as the human race gives up on the possibilities of space travel?

The human race can't give up space travel, it is mankinds most important mission and must be maintained at all costs…I made a transmissions to the universe about that.