This "interview" was conducted with Dirk Geiger on 26 july 2010 Thanks Dirk Geiger
From which country / town do you come from?
I’m from South Germany (Rottenburg)
how are you doing? Where are you currently?
I’m fine.The holiday is close. At the moment I’m chilling in front of the laptop.
Could you briefly summarize Dirk Geiger has been working on a self titled solo project and what you guys are about?
Yes, I do music under my real name since about 2-3 years. I work on two other 2 man projects parallel. 1st is “Kraftmaschine” A rhythmic noise project and “morbid nature” A drone, industrial project. I’m a guy who loves live and I try to give everytime my best in all things.
what noise do you make in Dirk Geiger?
Mainly I produce IDM, Glitch and Ambient tunes. Most of the time I mix in my own field recordings to give my tracks the deepness and their story
How's the start of 2010 been for you thus far?
Till now 2010 is a great year for me. Some weeks ago I signed a record deal with Tympanik Audio and with my label “Raumklang Music” I could reach some important goals this year.
tell me about format noise and raumklang-music.and Tympanik Audio
Raumklang Music is my own label. I founded it in 2003. I mainly publish here IDM and Industrial Music of different artists. It’s growing over the years and now we have a good roaster of artists.Format Noise is a sublabel of Raumklang Music. It’s for all kind of more experimental musics. It’s a 90% netlabel with free downloadable music. From time to time I release a CD here too.About Tympanik Audio…what should I tell you? It’s a great, electronic music label of Paul Nielsen. A really nice person. I’m so thankful to be a part of the Tympanik family. I really honor their work so much. For me it’s one of the top labels worldwide at the moment.
Other incoming projects?
You will hear something from Morbid Nature this year. That’s for sure. But 3 Projects and two labels are more than enough. At the moment I put my main focus about my own project “Dirk Geiger” and on my label Raumklang Music.
If people don't know what you and your music are about where have they been!?,how would you describe yourself?
Hm, I tell them that my music is telling a story. It’s music to dream and think about your things. The field recordings will give you the feeling you are live there and listen to the sounds. It’s powerful and also relaxing. But all in all I think you have to listen to my music and than you will understand what I mean J.
If you could play a show anywhere in the world where would it be?
That’s a good question. The place is not important. It’s important what kind of people with you. You could play your best performance in a small club with a handful people if the vibes are perfect.
day jobs did you guys have while you were putting the band together?
I’m shop manager of a big mobile operator in Germany. It’s a very it is a very time-consuming job and sometimes it’s nearly impossible to handle all. Private life, music and day job.
What is your music background? Who are you and your bandmembers? Tell your story
My Bandmember at Kraftmaschine is my good friend Benedetto Rizzo. It’s a guy of Italy. We know us since about 15 years.In the project Morbid Nature I work with a woman of Switzerland. Her name is Lisa S. She has a wonderful voice. She does the lyrical part of the project.
What do you do when you're not partaking in band activities?
If I do no music I care about my girl. We travel from time to time. I love to visit other countries and meet people from there.
Back to your roots, how did you first come to music?
Puh…I really can’t remember. Music has always played a important part in my life. I listen to music since I can thing about. With about 15 years I started DJ’ing and some years later I started to do my own music.
If you weren't a musician what would you be?
I can’t think of anything better
When did you form Dirk Geiger?
I formed my self-titled project 3 years ago.
What are your top ten favorite IDM / Ambient / Electronica Club Songs of all time?
Oh wow, it’s to hard to rank them but there are a definitely artists like Gridlock, Subheim, Klangstabil and many more inside.
Do you keep up with how the record has been selling? Is that really important to you?
The most important thing is to work with great people and a solid label. I’m very happy if I get positive feedbacks of course. And if a couple of CDs are selling, it’s definitely a good feeling.
What? They didn’t want their friends to see them buying your record?
Good friends will get it as gift of course J
Who is your favorite band at the moment?
Access to Arasaka, Klangstabil and SE
What band or bands would you like to tour with and why?
Klangstabil were perfect, because the guys are cool and Klangstabil is focusing the crowd perfectly. It’s everytime a magical atmosphere at their concerts.
Is touring a pleasure or a necessary evil?
Definitely a pleasure
What would you be doing right now if you weren't in Dirk Geiger?
Being on other projects. I’m always on the move. Stagnation means regression.
And that's how you came up with the name of the old band? Kraftmaschine how did you come up with the name Dirk Geiger?
I felt that the time was come were I do MY music. I found myself musically and that’s the reason why I wouldn’t use an artist name. The name of the project should be like the music of it…just me.
If people don't know what you and your music are about, how would you describe Dirk Geiger?
It’s music for your head. Powerful and also dreamy. You could feel what I wanna tell you but you have to listen to it. Then you will definitely understand what I mean.
How did you come up with the title "autumn fields" (Dirk Geiger latest CD)?
I started the works for the album in autumn. I like autumn. The days have a special feeling. Melancholy and claming. It fits the feeling of the album perfectly.
How do you feel to hold the finished cd in your hands?
I can’t say it right now because the release is in September but I think it will be a great feeling.
What are you currently listening to on your mp3 player?
I currently listen to Access to Arasaka’s album “oppidan”. It’s fantastic.
What artists have you been listening to these days?
These days i listened to Klangstabil, Candle Nine, SE, Access to Arasaka, Subheim and many more.
How is the current promotional tour going for supporting this album?
It will start in September after my summer break.
Is your family pretty impressed with what you've done?
Yes and I’m thankful for that. I have a good background in my family. That’s very important for me.
Have you recorded any previous cd`s or posted any audio files on the Internet? what type of recording process did you use? who produced your recording?
Yes, of course. I use the internet because it’s a big tool to promote you and your records quickly. I released on some netlabels like “Netzschall, format noise or headphonica”. I also released cd’s on different labels. You can find the whole discography at my homepage
www.dirkgeiger.com
What are your views on the current state of this IDM / Ambient / Electronica scene in Germany in terms of creativity and audiences? And the scene in other countries?
In germany we have a lot of talented producers and awesome projects. I think that Germany is a very important county for the electronic music movement since about 30 years. But a lot of other countries, especially the US and Russia have a lot of brilliant new artists who are crossing the globe with great tunes.
What new music inspires you when you are writing? tell me about lyrical compositions what you can tell about the done work? How does your music creation process work? How do you create a song?
Hm, that’s a little bit difficult because I don’t have a particular schema to create a song. I have phases who I did not make music because I’m not creative. And than I have phases where I produce track after track. It’s really different how I produce music. Sometimes I start with the beatwork and sometimes I have a beautiful melody in my head and start with this. It’s totally different.
With lyrical compositions I had nothing to do in the past. I just started the project “Morbid Nature” last years but the lyrics will be done by Lisa. I just the man who creates the tunes and do the mastering at the end.
How did you sell your CD’s/Audio Files? (Consignment? Live sales? My space, iTunes,Distributor?)
I use more than 300 downloadshops worldwide to sell my records digital. My physical sound mediums will be sold over my and a lot of other webshops in the world. I also have distribution partners like Tympanik Audio since 2010.
Since the music industry is more open now to purely electronic music has this made things easier for you?
Yes and no. Of course it’s nice to promote your tunes and hear a lot of other electronic music from all over the world easily. Otherwise the opening of the “commercial” music industry for purely electronic music is destroying the virginity of the scene. The big companies only want make money and drift the electronic music scene more into the commercial business. I don’t like that.
So what are their main influences as a band at the moment?
For me it dosen’t change anything. I work like before and I don’t matter about that.
Do you see the Internet as a benefit for bands like Dirk Geiger? Does the growing possibility of someone downloading your material, rather than buying it, worry you?
Of course i’m not happy about illegal downloads but on the other hand it’s a powerful advertising machine and you get faster popular because it’s fast and easy to get your songs from all over the world.
How do you see the future of download / Copyright in area of iDM / Ambient / Electronica music ?
I think that mediums like vinyl will die slowly. That’s sad but the mp3 age kills nearly all mediums around it. In the future the digital medium will be a strong part. Maybe the strongest. But the classical CD will not die because a really fan or a lover and collector of good music will not be satisfied with having a download. He want’s to keep a physical sound storage medium in his hands.
What are the best ways to develop it in your mind ?
Surely a mix of physical and digital developing.
What about all the big festivals? Summer Darkness in the netherlands? Mera Luna in Germany and Wave Gothic Treffen in Germany and many more?
They are very very important. It’s something like a big bringing together. You meet people you want to meet since a long time, can talk to them, do business and listen to your favorite bands.
what is the key to making music from Dirk Geiger and what inspires you to keep growing as a musician?
The key am i. I do music because it’s like an inner drive of me. I could not stand still. This is my essence.
If there was one thing you want people to know about your band what would that be?
it must go further and further. Music as carriers of ideas. Music must be felt. And that is what it contains my music.
format noise is a sublabel of RAUMKLANG MUSIC and was founded in 2007.format noise is a label and plattform for acteurs of electronic art tell me more about this label?
Right. It’s a label for electronic arts. That means experimental electronic music. It starts as a simple idea. Just for fun because I like experimental music a lot. During the last 3 years format noise get a good stand in the experimental music scene and now it’s a important project to promote a lot of unknown artists from all over the world.
It has been a pleasure to interview you on your musical activity,Well,any last words to your ebm-industrial fans?
Thank you for doing the interview with me. Just listen to my album. I hope you like it a lot. Thank you. Please help me to promote talented artists. If you want to send demos just visit my homepages. I will listen to all stuff I get and answer to any promo I get.
Do you think the music industry is dead?
NO. Music will never die and as long as music lives their will be a music industry.
Where would you like to see Dirk Geiger three years from now?
I want to see me as a respected artist. The people should say that I’ve done a good work for the underground electronic music scene.
What's the band's favorite song to play live?
The whole new album is good to play live. Maybe Overhead Projection is one of the most kicking songs at the moment.
What was it like the first time you heard one of your songs on the radio ore internet ore clubs? who was the DJ that played your song?
It was fantastic to my songs in the web radio. First they are played at Feindsender.
And, finally, what does the next twelve months hold for the band?
I hope to find some good live gigs this year and I’m curious about what’s coming next after my new album.
By the way do you like my questions? tell me what you think about it! ;-)
?? Of course I like your questions. You asking deeper. I noticed that did you dealt with the topic.
Last question before I’ve gotta go! What bands would you like to tour with if given the opportunity?
Definitely Klangstabil and Subheim
Thanks alot for your answers! We wish you furthermore great success
Any final thoughts for the people out there?
Maybe you could insert some links:
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