ABOUT LUTZENKIRCHEN...
Back to the beginning. Where everything started. Long nights, not much sleep.
Ideas were born from incredible experiences, then musically realized. Unforgettable moments which will stay with you forever and which will be revived after a creative pause.
The musical roots of Tobias Lutzenkirchen go back to the year 1992, where he appeared the first time on a record as a singer. His love for electronic music came to life when he was working for one year as a promoter on Ibiza in 1995.
He came back to Neuss in Germany in 1996, where he continued to work as a Singer and Songwriter in every possible musical realm but also started to learn the art of sound engineering as he was already touched by the late 90’s electronic music scene.
As a result, he evolved his first electronic tracks and experimented under different aliases just a year or two later, which resulted in a couple of chart successes 2001 and 2002.
Many, many aliases and projects later, Lutzenkirchen was born in 2005.
Continually striving to innovate and evolve his sound, you can always count on him to push things forward – rather than copying the latest hotshot or ripping off endless old records. He only began his DJ career in 2006, when the success of his productions began to bring booking requests from around the world and by 2008 he had switched to performing as a live-act for about two years.
These two years have seen him play on every continent at least twice, with 8 tours in Brazil alone. But whether he’s playing to 300 people in a sweaty provincial German nightclub, or to 30,000 on huge festivals, his enthusiasm and passion are still the same. Even after being 'on the road' for or over a decade.
He released on prolific labels like Mark Knights „Toolroom“, UMEKs “1605”, Spartaques “IAMT”, Cristian Varelas "Pornographic", major Labels like "Universal“ and of course "Great Stuff“, as well as on Martin Eyerers "Kling Klong“, Spektres "Respekt Records", Marco Baileys "MB Elektronics", "303 Lovers“ and much more.In fact way too many to list here.
He was also the head of “Platform B”, a musical platform for Munich´s newcomer artists, which still has a huge fan base for superb minimal and techno tracks which might be revived soon.
However: With such a massive output you sometimes need a break; a regenerating phase in which you retract yourself fully into thought. Especially after the huge German super hit
“3 Tage Wach” (Three Days Awake) which was one of the most successful songs in 2008. Getting tired from all the hype he switched from being a LiveAct back to DJing in 2010/2011 and in the middle of 2012, Lutzenkirchen arrived at a point where he nearly stopped his productions almost completely.
In the end, this time did him a power of good. He is back with more motivation and energy than ever before. His musical style is once again one step ahead of the time and massive new output has been collected, which announced a new-old Lutzenkirchen who is once more dedicated to the techno scene. Also, he will soon return to his trademark
“Lutzenkirchen Live” Setup which a lot of people still remember very well and will showcase his unique production skills to the crowds.
It is a return to the beginning; to the roots. Groovy and extreme danceable dirty Techno, with his typically trancy and housy elements in-between to spice things up even more. His music is heavily inspired by his journeys and from his experiences in cities like London, Detroit, Melbourne, Tokyo, Sao Paulo, Bogota, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm, Paris, Mexico City, Barcelona, Medellin, New York, Hong Kong, Toronto, and Chicago.
His sound is diverse, energetic, pulsating, thrilling, high-q and unmistakable Lutzenkirchen
ABOUT LUTZENHOUSE....
While Lutzenkirchen has now once again a solid footing in the techno scene Lutzenkirchen felt that he always missed his house-sets and doing housier productions.
This is why he decided to split up himself into two main music categories. Production-wise and also DJing-wise.
So let us introduce you to Lutzenhouse. The debut EP is released on Yellow Tail (BluFin) and the first full DJ-Set will go online on Soundcloud in a couple of days as well. He'll keep you posted.
Lutzenhouse focuses on Classic House/Progressive House and Tech House. In the sets as well as in the productions.
We are delighted that this influential legendary artist Lutzenkirchen replied with so much unique way in our interview questions going deep to his first ever Lutzenhouse release.
Interview is written and conducted by Dimitris Kechagias, music journalist and radio host.
Dimitris: Did you had the opportunity to attend any kind of music production course or are u completely self taught? Do you consider that is essential for any artist to complete any production course?
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: I am self taught. However I was taken under the wing of Ramon Zenker who showed me some production specific stuff early on. I think its more important to find someone with actual experience than a theoretical course.
Dimitris: In which label was your first ever release and how did you manage to attract the attention of the label?
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: I just send a demo. My first release was 1999 I think. A vinyl release on Trance-Chip (where also Pulsedriver has started at the same time)
Dimitris: Can you pick for us your Top 5 tracks that you have produced and you consider them as being highly important for the progress of your career.
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse:
Daily Disco, Lutzenkirchen
3 Tage Wach
LXR - Massive Passive
Paffendorf - Be Cool (co-produced and lyrics)
Lutzenkirchen - All that Jazz
Dimitris: Let's focus on your latest release Fus Do Rah EP as Lutzenhouse on Yellow Tail. Please tell us from where did you got the inspiration for the track and what kind of music influences is including?
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: I always was split up between techno and house. In the DJ sets as well as in production. So this is now my house moniker and Lutzenkirchen will stay exclusively techno. This is more of a "business" decision Gig-wise. Inspiration comes in all shapes and forms. Can't pin it down to something special.
Dimitris: How long it took you to produce it and was an easy or difficult process?If you have faced any difficulties please tell us about them and how did you resolved them?
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: Can't remember. Usually
Dimitris: Which was the biggest challenge that you faced during the production of this superb track?
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: None. When stuff is challenging I usually drop it. At least for a while then return to it on a later point. If its still challenging, I drop it completely.
Dimitris: When the track finished did the label accepted it as it was produced or did the label recommend you to do some changes or fix certain things?
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: Accepted right away. They usually are.
Dimitris: Is this track an original composition or is it based on a template from another track produced from you or another producer?
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: Original tracks. I do original tracks most of the time.
Dimitris: Is the quality of this track higher than your previous one? If yes in what ways this track sounds better than your previous one?
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: Can't tell. Its hard to judge by myself as your own opinion often varies wildly from the general.
Dimitris: Do you have any friends or relatives that you send them the track before sending it to a label or if you are DJ did you test it in your gigs? If yes did you have to do any alterations as a result of the crowd reaction?
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: No. When I send something to a label I am usually confident enough already. I don't need either supportive voices or people that might reduce my confidence. The answer from the label is all that is of interest to me.
Dimitris: Please describe to us the studio that you have produced the track? What is your favourite hardware and software set up? Do you have in mind any new gear that you wish to get in order to raise the quality of your production?
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: Oh. Yeah, I have some gear/ I work with everything basically. I also switch DAWs/Sequencers all the time to keep my mind busy.
Dimitris: Do you master the track yourself or the mastering is task for the record label? Do you understand mastering as being essential?
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: Depends. When a label has the money to spend for a good mastering studio I won't do it myself. Otherwise I will. Result is the same 50% of the time.
Dimitris: There is a growing trend of vinyl coming back for good. Would you like to see this track released on vinyl or any other of your future tracks? Do you prefer digital files or vinyl?
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: Don't care. I played vinyl and now all the downsides. Don't think this "trend" will last.
Dimitris: Do you have any future releases as Lutzenhouse planned and when will be released?
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: Yes. But this is the debut. I just finished the next EP and sending out Demos right now.
Dimitris: Can you note down your favourite Top 5 tracks at this moment!
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: None. I have no real favourites right now. Everything is kinda the same.
Dimitris: Can you tell us here your Top 3 best DJ gigs so far and the reasons that made them so special?
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: I played hundreds if not more over all continents. Impossible to say.
Dimitris: Do you have any more DJ gigs planned for the next few months?
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: Sure, I will be off to Berlin (GER) tomorrow, next week Augsburg (GER), then I think Switzerland or Austria and so on. Portugal is coming up as well next month and my schedule is rather busy.
Dimitris: Do you produce a radio show/podcast as well?
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: No. I do sets for podcast regularly but don't have my own.
Dimitris: Best piece of advice you got in relation to your career so far and best tip you learnt recently to make your tracks better.
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: Finish your stuff... Don't have 100 started tracks lying around. FINISH your stuff.
Dimitris: Give us here your tips or more elaborated advice for any new artists who may read this interview and wish to get involved with the electronic music industry.
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: Be prepared to get f****d.
Dimitris: If you travel very often to perform in various countries can you give us your best travel tips in order to survive the long travelling hours?
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: These days its easy. Powerplugs and Internet access everywhere. Get a bunch of good movies and time will fly.
Dimitris: What is your opinion about retro events or stages only with classics ?
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: Don't care about retro-events. Don't care that much about classics. Real classics to me presonally are found in a different category/style of music.
Dimitris: Please give us your messages for our readers?
Lutzenkirchen / Lutzenhouse: Stay real.
Thanks so much to Tobias for his answer on this interview.
Thanks so much to Andrea Engels at Yellow Tail & Blu Fin for organising this interview.
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