Interview With Neil Landstrumm

Scandinavia's Scottish Prince has been doing the techno business for some time now. From the early days at Pure and Sativa Neil has helped to shape Scotland's techno scene into the healthy beast it is today. The clubs have showcased the world's finest over the years and Neil's productions have crafted a distinct sound that's influence has been felt the world over with releases for Germany's mighty Tresor label and the classic albums 'Bedrooms and Cities' and 'Pro-Audio'. Neil now runs the experimental Scandinavia label that also produces music and animation for TV. However he can still be found pumping out his trademark dirty-bass techno at the world's biggest techno clubs.

How's things?
fine, enjoying being back in Scotland and getting on with various creative projects in relation to my company, Scandinavia

What makes you tick?
bio-yoghurt, Wing Chun, power-pot,apple computers, petrol and electronic machines

How would other people describe you?
a bald chewbacca

What you working on now?
new music with Tobias Schmidt, new sound completely. Various tracks for Music Man with Oliver Chesler, Bill Youngman etc...keeping the Scandinavia flame alive in a never-ending ocean of boring techno beats. Re-release of the "$40 million beatnik" project i did in new York-It isn't a techno project but will come out on Cristian Vogels new "Rise Robots Rise" label.

Been working on our website and shop.Creating a whole new skate clothes label for Scandinavia- relates to the motion graphics and design side of what i do.

What's the future sound of Neil Landstrumm?dont know.Havent come up with it yet. Wont be putting out stuff till i am happy and have weeded it out. Might put a few of you off but may gain a few also...Quite into downtempo these days but
like to rock a floor also.

Who has inspired you in the past and who inspires you now?
Various UK, US and Euro acid,bleep,electro and techno pioneers to many to name. I like lots of hip hop and wierd guitar music also....inspiration now is being sought in sucking MP3s through my broadband pipe at a frightning rate.....A lot of new techno im not that into though....I like fusion
mixes of styles now.....Si Beggs new album is really cool and is Disko Bs-Electronicat and DFA records-LCD soundsystem are a few..

Aside from music what else inspires you creatively?
Motion graphics, good graphic design, travelling, Cities, other mad music that you hear

Who would you most like to work with?
Dr Dre, Nike, Sony, Birmingham City Council

Why doesn't techno sell in the UK? Do you care?
it does a little. Id like it to sell more than the absolute shite trance music that does sell well. Cant understand why better dance music or hip hop doesnt sell more....It used to in the late eighties and early 90s.....maybe a new fusion music would sell

What are your feelings about commercial trance and hardhouse ripping off Techno's sound?
go for it....all sounds pretty crappy generic to me. have you heard how shit radio 1s dance music  shows now are..? Peel is obviously their saving grace though as he is still on top of his music

Top 3 all time albums.
too hard to say

Listening to at the moment.
as much different and varied music as possible care of telewest! hip hop, electronia and rock mainly although there is a fairly large amount of eary 80s New York like ESG in there.

Have you changed or has the music changed?
that is my current dilemma.dont know.what do you think.?

Ask yourself a question you wouldn't like to have been asked.
this one.

Links
www.scandinavianyc.com
-Scandinavia Graphics
-Scandinavia Wear
-Scandinavia  Records