Name Sven Vath
Occupation Godfather of trance andtechno
From Frankfurt. Germany
How did he start out? Like so many artists who made their name at the bangin' end of the market through the era of the Superstar DJ in the late 90s. Sven Vath isounds like ‘fate'i sprang from much less self-consciously fashionable beginnings. The first time he ever manned the decks was in his dad's pub — the Queen‘s Pub. preSumably Frankfurt‘s first stop for iellied eels and pints of bitter — playing disco classics. Next it was on to paying gigs at the Dorian Gray Club in 1982. playing Hi-NRG and trashy New Romantic tloonillers. before a residency at Frankfurt's Vogue saw him weather the Chicago house invasion of 86. Around this time he made his first Visit to Ibiza. as well as fronting a band called OFF alongside Michael Munzing and Luca Anziiotti. both later of Snap! ‘fame'.
Where did it all go right? Buying Vogue and renaming it Omen. Vath road the crest of his homeland's fascmation With first acid. then techno and finally bonkers hard trance. The album Ace/dent in Paradise i1993) contributed to his eventual status as one of the biggest DJs in the world come the mid-90s and even its ever—so-slightly pretentious follow—up The Har/eguin. the Robot and the Ballet Dancer I 1994i did little to challenge his reputation. Although trance's star has waned in the intervening decade. however. Vath's Cocoon club in Frankfurt and regular mix CDs keep the fires burning for devotees.
Who else will be there? In addition to Slams regular Presstire appearance. there will be DJ sets from London tech- house duo Swayzak and Andrew Weatherall. and a live set from Weatherall's Two Lone Swordsmen partner Radioactive Man. (DaVId Pollock)
I Pressure at the Arches. Glasgow, Fri 30 Dec.
48 THE LIST "U (Jet ‘ 5 .Ja." .77},
HIP HOP
HYPNOTICAL GASES PRESENTS THE VAPOURS X-MAS BLOCK PARTY
The Bongo Club, Edinburgh, Fri 23 Dec.
Think Eminem’s style is trite? Know you can do better? Your time has come. That’s right, it’s big in New York, it’s taken off in London and now hip hop karaoke is coming to a block party near you. As the Scottish arm of the Zulu Nation, Hypnotical Gases have been running underground nights under the Vapours banner at either end of the central belt. Here they’re lightening the mood for this one-off.
‘We play a lot of different stuff to your normal hip hop nights. It really is much more of a block party style, both in what we play and the way we put it together,’ says Fly-T, one third of the Gases with DJ partner Bobby Disaster and artist Mie 1. ‘We play old school classics and a lot of the more obscure stuff as well. We don't just stick to the usual early 90$ material. We also
ll‘Cl lNG ACCESS Honeycomb, Edinburgh, Sat 16 Dec
The official reason for the Honeycombs i()litl-rtllll‘lllg techno nigl‘t
The Vapours
drop in funk, dancehall, 80$ stuff and anything that goes, really.‘
As well as a support slot from Motherfunk’s Spectrum on the steels, the Hex Coalition will be on hand for some freestyling antics and to act as hypemen for the karaoke that promises a beer for those bold enough to take to the stage and dope prizes for anyone who can get the crowd bouncing.
‘It’s Christmas. We’re looking at it more like a Christmas party than anything too heavy,‘ says Fly-T. ‘lt’s gonna be a laugh, basically. So much of Scottish hip hop takes itself far too seriously.’
Though Vapours’ heart lies in hip hop’s Bronx roots, their karaoke playlist fronts everything from Biz Markie to Mobb Deep, Wu Tang to the Furious Five, ensuring that there’ll be a rhyme sheet for all tastes. So whether it’s rocking a wetlook perm or a pimp cane, it’s your turn to step up and drop some science for the floor. (Mark Edmundson)
Access shutting up shop is the relocation of two of the core five-man crew of Dropout DJs behind it to Aberdeen and Helsinki. Yet despite
the closure being on the cards for a few months now. Access
spokesman Py/ says that illlide'tlill might have dictated that it happen
anyway.
'After doing this for i‘.‘.’()-£ill(i ahalf years we thought it '.‘.rould be
good to take a break from it for a while.' he says. 'Plus clubbing seems to have gone do:‘rr‘.h:|l in Edinburgh a bit at the moment . . . ‘.'.'el|. crowds have. at least. Usually September is a guiet month then things pick up in October and November. but it doesn't seem to be happening this year. Most of the kids coming to study in Edinburgh seem to be more into H88 and hip hop. or live bands. rather than techno.’ Nor does the cessation of activity l‘iave anything to do ‘.'/|lil the l'loneycomb’s imminent closure. an event ‘.'/ill(li‘ leads Py/ to
describe this final residents" night as ‘good timing. really'.
So the intention is to go out Will] a bang. and then for the remaining Dropouts to keep running their luesday drum & bass night Split at Cabaret Voltaire. which Py/ describes as far less of a logistical headache than the usually guest laden Access. Still. he rerninisies that guest spots by DEF/Ki Carretta and the l lacker ‘.'.rere among his best memories of the night. ‘lt's a good feeling to see a club fill up for a DJ and know it's down to you. but even Just meeting and chatting to people whose music you've listened to for years is all part of a great
expenence.‘ lDEtVKi Pollocki