60 seconds with… SVEN VÄTH
Eternally charismatic, constantly inspired and forever forward- Directing many musical revolutions since, his current role as
thinking, Sven Väth has somehow remained at the very zenith of overlord of Cocoon has given Ibiza a grand techno Mecca like no
techno’s avant-garde for the best part of two decades and shows other, while his epic, dramatically performed DJ sets are inspiring
no sign of losing his electric presence or essential relevance. a whole new generation the globe over.
Possessing an almost mythical following in his German homelands,
his early-’90s residency at Frankfurt’s legendary Omen Club was As Cocoon celebrates a decade of shaping Ibiza’s techno landscape,
responsible for converting thousands to the cause of dramatic, Sven remembers his Ibiza beginnings and Cocoon’s legacy before
hypnotic rhythms, while his labels Harthouse and Eye Q defi ned looking into the future…
that era’s German techno sound.
When was the fi rst time you dipped your toes in Ibiza waters?
“I have a long history with the island. I fi rst came to Ibiza in 1980 and it was a huge
inspiration for my life — it inspired me to go into nightlife and club music. I was
16-years-old and Ibiza gave me so much, and eventually I came to the point that I
said, ‘I have to give something back’. This is why we started with Cocoon — I wanted
to change something.
“I was not coming here to start a big competition but I wanted to start something
new. There was a desire in me to create a new vibe and bring new people to the
island.”
Why was the island so in need of new musical inspiration back in 1999?
“It was a time when the music in Ibiza was very mainstream. I’m talking about all
the trance and cheesy house music that was played all the time — some DJs are still
playing those same records.
“It was a time of big change and we were there at the right moment, in the right
place, with the right sound. Because we were so different to what was going on, it
took a while for people to really get what we were doing, but we were taken straight
into the heart of the local people and the Spanish people. In the beginning they were
our biggest supporters.”
How much has techno changed during Cocoon’s evolution in Ibiza?
“When you talk about the bpm, the sounds and the melodies, techno has become
much more groovy with things slowing down to 128bpm. I remember the days when
it was faster, but now techno attracts much more girls — it’s more sexy, it’s funky, it’s
warm, it has a sense of humour but it still creates big moments in the clubs with crazy
sounds and futuristic ideas.”
Is it diffi cult to keep pushing Cocoon into new areas after all these years?
“Every year we are dedicating new themes to the night. Every year we have a new
look, new decor, new DJs, new concepts... we are trying to give people something
more than just a night in Ibiza.
“We are going full-on with newer talent this year with Cassy, Reboot (live) and Nick
Curly joining names like Loco Dice, Richie Hawtin and Ricardo Villalobos.”
After a year of uncertainty surrounding DC10 and with the global recession, is
techno in Ibiza under threat this year?
“There are always these rumours that Ibiza is going down because of the closing
hours, or because of what happened with DC10, or because of recession, or because
of the after-hours regulations but by the end of the season we’ve always had a good
time and we always fi nd a place where we can do an after-hours.
“Ibiza is always special. I don’t know what the situation is for DC10 but I wish them
the best and hope they can open because it is such an important club for us all.”
Has the Ibiza government been too harsh on clubbers over recent years?
“We shouldn’t forget that we are all guests on the island and we need to respect
their laws and way of living. In the past, there were some situations that were well
over the limits — from the drug situation to traffi c accidents — and a government
has to act. I can understand that.
“Millions of people come to party and we are very welcomed by the island, but this is
not a hippy island where you can just do what you want.”
Catch Sven and guests like Ricardo Villalobos, Loco Dice, Magda, Richie Hawtin,
Cassy and Raresh every Monday at Cocoon, at Amnesia.
014
www.djmag.com
DJIB1.60_sec.indd 14 3/6/09 10:31:19
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