Last Friday October 7th, Cocoon DJ/producer and Berghain resident Andre Galluzzi played a 3 hour set at We Are E’s party in Studio 80. After being involved in the underground dance scene for more than 20 years, he has become quite infamous for his intoxicating extra long sets. He plays all around the globe and has a residency in Berlin’s Berghain. After his wild performance, we got to chat with the bearded barbarian.
Andre Galluzzi @ Soenda Festival 2011, 28-05-2011 by elevation-events
Andre, you’ve been to Amsterdam before and playing at Studio 80 won’t be a first time for you; are you looking forward to this weekend?
I love playing in the Netherlands, I’ve always had a great time playing here. It doesn’t matter where I play, I always have the feeling people here understand what I have to say and I always feel a connection with the crowd, which makes me very happy. Unfortunately I just got to play for three hours tonight.
Usually I just start to warm up a bit after three hours.
A three hour set is too short for you?
Yes, very short. Usually I just start to warm up a bit after three hours. Normally I play 5 to 10 hour sets, that’s when I can really show what I have to say. I want to tell a story to people, as if I’m playing the soundtrack for their lives.
So this is the reason why you live in Berlin?
Yes. It starts with closing and opening times of clubs, they actually don’t have them. There are so many parties going on. For example, I play at the Panoramabar on Friday, Saturday and then on Sunday afternoon I start playing again until the night, not knowing at what time I end. And then people still start looking for the after party. That’s what makes Berlin special.
Do you think Amsterdam should be more like this?
No, that would make Berlin less special. I love Amsterdam how it is, there are great parties with top of the bill artists every weekend and the people here are not trying to be ‘too’ cool for school. They don’t think too much about what people think of them, they just care about having fun.
You’ve played at so many events by now. In places like Berlin, Ibiza and Amsterdam there are dance events almost every day, but not all of them stand out. What do you think are key elements for the perfect party?
The perfect party starts with the door and the selector. There must be a harmonic atmosphere when the people come in, the bartenders have to be friendly and not keep you waiting for an hour. It’s really the small details that make a party right. Next to that the sound system has to be good of course; the bass really needs to sound deep and especially clean. Then the DJ feels the energy of the people so he can properly react to it.
I don’t care what kind of music it is. It can be drum n bass, it can be trip-hop, it can be techno, house or any other thing that I like and I can integrate into my sets.
I heard you recently started your own label. Can you tell us a bit more about this project? Do you prefer to DJ, produce or to run a label?
The DJ thing is my life, it all started with DJing. After that I started producing and (re)started my own label ‘Aras’. On this label, I just put out what I think I can play in my sets. I don’t care what kind of music it is, it can be drum n bass, it can be trip-hop, it can be techno, house or any other thing that I like and I can integrate into my sets.
What would you say has been your biggest accomplishment up to now?
To be honest, I get pretty bored of the whole business I’m in. There are so many artists here and there that become huge within a few weeks and become a big hype. Then two years later they’re gone. My passion is bass music. I’ve been doing and living it for a very long time and I’m very patient about it. I’m 38 years old and I’ve never been pushed away from the scene. I don’t care about trends or hypes, I just like to do what my stomach tells me at places like Berghain where I can play for 12 hours if I want to.
Lastly, there a lots of aspiring DJs/producers out there craving be able to live the lifestyle you live in Berlin and being in the underground dance scene forever. What advice do you have for them if they want to make it?
I tell them, don’t think about what’s big in the scene now. When I started, I had no idea about what was going on and how much money, fans and travelling could be involved in this business. I just did it because I loved to play music. If you start to work from a passion or love for music, the rest will come. Not the other way around. For example, by copying the big DJs out there now.
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