Voiteck is incomplete without music and it’s been awhile since he last played a heavy techno set. The ‘truck driven future funk_robot soul’ talks about a bit of aggression and the need to unleash a box of techno colour paint across town.
Describe your sound in 25 words or less.
Truck driven future funk_robot soul…
You came to Australia at the age of eleven. What was your first memory of Australian music?
I found out about Rock Steady Crew/breakdancing and the sound of electro/breaking on tv back in Europe just before we left, literally a couple of days after getting to Australia. I started going to primary school and there I found 3 kids breaking to the breakdance/beatstreet soundtracks.
What did you miss about Poland when you first came here?
I missed everything at first, I couldn’t speak English, it was lonely, and so music became my best friend and still is. I missed playing soccer with my friends everyday, I was a soccer hood, I grew up around soccer grounds playing or watching games.
Have you been back to visit since? If so, what did you get up to?
I haven’t been back…
Your biography on the Hardware Universe website says you got into Melbourne’s hip-hop culture. Did you get into DJing, breaking, or graffiti?
I found inspiration in all aspects of hip hop, I’m into all of it. Hip hop made me realise how much music meant to me and made me want to get involved as much as I can. I started out with Reason, we did “wheels of steel” radio shows on RRR and started doing demos anyway we could, we had nothing ourselves except some records. There was too many bboys to name who have had an influence on me, but I was always following DJ Ransom AKA Brothers, he would have to be my man! He introduced me to a lot of new and old things, a true inspiration. From paint to SL1200s to emu SP1200s, he introduced me properly to all of it. Overall hip hop gave me the basis, the understanding of how music is produced and introduced me to a lot of things that I would later need to get the techno revolution rolling myself.
What attracted you to the hip-hop culture in Melbourne?
I was into New York hip hop, I started finding out about people like Ransom, AKA, Rise and Taki. Peril and Paris, Merda – then Puzzle and the next wave. There were the trains, heaps of panels running, the graff on the walls AC, WCA, DMA, FMC-RDC etc, the trainers the MC’s and the breakers. Respect goes out to all those involved in those times!!!! And Def Wish, ha, ha…...
What attracts you to techno and tribal as opposed to other dance music genres?
I’m into space, future, machines, tones-sounds, minimal art, funk and the truth! I’m into what I hear, it’s natural not a choice I made, it has to already be in you, and I don’t hear the… dance music stuff??? For me it was a progression that got me to that point, my ears. I found techno on the radio back in ‘90. It was Detroit and Underground Resistance, Hood, Mills and Mad Mike and the Aphex Twin who changed my life not Digweed!!!!!
Do you approach DJing the same way in which you do your Live sets?
I approach my live sets from a DJ perspective, working people from start to end with no breaks. When I DJ, I like to play a lot of music that inspires me or music I want people to hear. The ‘soul’ of my style is the machines themselves, the elektro-nik techno sound.
What does your live set consist of?
Machines – mixing desk, efx and sometimes a Pioneer DJ mixer, I use different equipment for different tasks, I like to see my machines as individual musicians doing their part. It consists of lot’s of manipulation, improvisation.
What’s your proudest music achievement to date?
There has been many great moments, I have had the chance to support play live alongside almost everyone I look up to, perhaps playing before Jeff Mills at the Apollo Festival in Melbourne in front of a concert packed environment or playing with Aphex Twin in the bush to 300 people. Playing with Ritchie Hawtin and Marco Corolla in front of over 10000 Melbourne strong with pure techno music all nite long…
I live for that shit you know…......
What inspires you to play and write music?
I almost have to, I don’t feel complete without music it’s everything to me and I need it.
What was the first record you bought? How old were you?
It was a vinyl of a Polish punk band, I was around six. First in Australia was Radio -LL Cool J, what a bomb, that’s where I’m coming from.
Tell us the funniest happenings at one of your gigs? If more than one, tell us more!
Stage diving at the Sydney 2000 BDO Boiler Room while Honeysmack was doing his business, it was a memorable flight, but closing with a laser show at the Myer Bowl straight after Rancid a US punk band, and being the only non guitar act all night was kind of funny. Working with Chunky Moves and Circus Oz was fun.
Who is the coolest person you have played with and why?
Claude Young or DJ Rush, they are both the coolest dudes, they both have given me heaps of respect and support and are real value.
If you could do a gig with any muso, who would it be?
John Coltrane, Sun Ra or Kool Keith.
What’s next for you? Are there any exciting gigs coming up or collaborations with other artists?
I’m pretty excited about getting a spot at the next Dosage techno Party that is taking place in Melbourne on the 14th of November, as I haven’t played any heavy techno sets in Melbourne for a few months so I got a bit of aggression stored up. I also enjoy playing at Revolver on Saturdays from 2-5pm get to play a lot of music I like.
Who’s in your CD player or on your turntable at the moment?
Turntable – Metro Area and CD player Moodyman live in Detroit/Dan Bell DJing in Vienna.
Which one record would you prefer to see being used as a Frisbee? Why?
Rather not say…...why cause it’s a lot of shit.
Do you have any releases on the horizon?
I’m currently working on projects but I’m not sure where they will end up coming out yet.
What’s your proudest music achievement to date?
I don’t know, maybe the fact that I’m still doing it and love it, I am proud of a lot of my releases what they have achieved and where they got me to as well as all those live gigs, man..
Catch Voiteck at Dosage @ Altitude on Friday November 14th.
