Patrick HAF has been a mainstay in the electro/techno scene in Sydney over the past decade, whether it be behind the turntables, promoting parties or releasing music on his Southern Outpost imprint.
Normally one who loathes the public eye, Royal caught up with him to gather some information about the his past and present, and more importantly, his future.
First of the bat, when and how did you start creating music?
“I started experimenting with writing music around 1990. I bought an old Ensoniq Mirace rack mount sampler and an old MIDI keyboard. That sampler was the pits, but gave me a good grounding in making do with what you’ve got! At that stage I wasn’t thinking about releasing music, just finding my way around equipment, seeing what I could do.
It wasn’t until I came back from my first trip to Detroit in 1998 that I started seriously writing music with my co-conspirators, with the aim to release a record.
Speaking of co-conspirators, you’ve recently released a remix EP of ‘Boogie Down Detroit” on your label Southern Outpost. How did this come about?
The track ‘Boogie Down Detroit’ was originally released on the ‘Boogie Down 313’ EP. It became quite popular with the electro and booty DJs in Detroit, getting played on weekend mix shows and in cabaret and strip clubs.
We decided to get some of Detroit’s finest electro and booty producers to remix the original track in their own style. Remixes were done by DJ K1 (aka Keith Tucker and ex member of AUX88), DJ Godfather and Strand (Bonds & Kech from Frictional Records).
It was amazing what came back, all really varied and all hot!
There are three other releases on Southern Outpost so far. Who else is working behind the scenes?
The three other releases are ‘Setting The Agenda’, ‘Boogie Down 313’, and the ’+612’ EP.
All the music off the EPs are collaborations between Shapeshiftr, Data, and myself. The music is electro and is definately influenced by Detroit techno/electro artists like Model 500, AUX88 and K1. We throw a lot of our own influences in the mix as well, so what comes out is an interesting piece of music.
Artists such as those you have mentioned in conjunction with others such as Kraftwerk, Derrick May and Underground Resistanace have been the driving inspiration for many over the years – what are your thoughts?
Yes, them and many others… Without a doubt, Kraftwerk inspired all of the Detroit techno pioneers. You can especially hear it in Juan’s early releases.
In turn, Juan Atkins really inspired me with his music. There is simply nothing like it! It’s so emotional, and so futuristic. The music he was making back in the 1980s still sounds fresh today. He was way ahead of his time and he’ll always be! Underground Resistance exposed me to the harsh reality of Detroit. You can really feel the soul that they put into the music.
Prior to your exposure to the electronic wavelength of audio, were you into hip-hop?
Definitely! I think I first heard hip-hop when I was about 8 or 9 and it really blew me away. The beats, the rhymes, the funk of hip hop, it really struck a chord with me. I still really love the old hip-hop; it was so raw and real.
Around the same time was when I first heard electro (not that I knew there was such a thing at the time) – Kraftwerk. ‘Tour De France’ just killed me. I remember taping it off the radio and playing it over and over again.
Like your first moments with electro, a lot of people are now tuning in to the sound, spawning a worldwide resurgence. What are your thoughts on this shift?
It seems to be the flavour of the month at the moment. Styles go and come all the time, I guess it’s just electro’s turn. If you ever go to Detroit, you’ll find that electro is always on and it has been for many, many years. It’s firmly implanted into the soundscape of Detroit. We’ll always be representing the team.
Further to that, the influence of 80s new wave on electro – the sounds that artists like Felix Da Housecat are currently playing, what do you make of that?
Again styles come and go. The new-wave sound is pretty big in Europe at the moment. I haven’t really heard the Felix Da Housecat album, but music by Adult and some stuff by DMX Krew are taking the sound and doing something interesting with it. However, there is a lot of really bad new wave shit out there. Beware!
You’ve been to Detroit twice – you’ve hung out with some of the main players in the game, tell me about your experiences.
Both visits have left profound marks on me. I spent a lot of time with Mike Banks (originating member of Underground Resistance) and he gave me an in depth schooling on Detroit, The people and what has happened in the past and what’s going to happen in the future. I’ve never met a person so passionate and committed. Mike showed me the real Detroit and a lot of what I saw, can’t be put into words.
Final question, what is your opinion on the electro/techno scene in Sydney?
It’s small, but the people who are into it are really dedicated to seeing it happen. I think the main thing holding back a flourishing Sydney techno/electro scene is the lack of venues available for smaller parties.
Over the last few years, people have been getting complacent about getting out of the house and into the same old club. I can’t blame them really. Now, it seems that certain promoters are getting resourceful, getting focused and doing something positive for the scene.
Current top 5 in rotation:
‘E-sync’ – DJ K1 (Southern Outpost)
A new track from DJ K1’s forthcoming EP on Southern Outpost. Off kilter electro beats and funky basslines.
‘Shari Vari remixes – A Number of Names (Puzzlebox)
New remixes by some of Detroit’s heavyweight producers. The Mike Grant mix is amazing
‘Inspiration’ – Underground Resistance (UR) Inspirational!
‘Hand to Phone’ remixes – Adult (Clone)
The remixes of this new, new wave track are pretty fresh. Watch out for Marco Passarani mix and of course the Carl Craig mix.
‘Lifestyles of the Laptop Café’ – The Other People Place (Warp)
The whole album is amazing. Deep, laid back electro. Funky as hell!
Patrick HAF can be seen along side Detroit’s own Mike Grant (head of record label Moods & Grooves) on March 28 at the Hunter Bar. Stay tuned to InTheMix for ticket giveaways.
Otherwise, you can tune into Dark Energy with DJs Agent Patrick, James Bond, Wavelength and guests on 2SER FM – 107.3FM. Saturday nights between 0000 – 0200 (EST), playing a wide selection of innovative music, future rhythms and hi tech funk for those who know.
