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Jeff Mills
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http://www.axisrecords.com
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Appearing in the late 80's as radio DJ "The Wizard" and the mastermind in 'The Final Cut', Jeff Mills took up the heritage of the "Techno fathers" Kevin Saunderson, Juan Atkins and Derrick May, inaugurating the next sound generation of Detroit. Mills characterized the new Detroit sound like no one else; together with Mike Banks (and later also with Robert "The Vision" Hood) he founded Underground Resistance and brought the Detroit Techno sound of the early 90's into the clubs and onto turntables all over the world.
The trio tailored the soundtrack according to life in their hometown: harder, faster, more dangerous but still sensitive. On their self-entitled Underground Resistance label, this conglomerate of musicians released 12-inch vinyl records, mostly instrumental but appearing as well with vocalist Yolanda Reynolds. Older Disco and Soul traditions founded by Motown Records (then seated in Detroit) have been lifted to another level and voices of the 60's have been combined with the 90's sound. Sound documents of Jeff Mills' UR phase, are the releases of the 'X-101', 'X-102', and 'X-103' project series, released in Europe by Tresor Records under UR license. As X-101 brought the breakthrough for tough, club Techno, Mills, Banks and Hood next presented themselves more spherically, deeply experimental and largely much more inapproachable for the regular Techno consumer, as on X-102.
Apart from his work in the studio, Jeff Mills also constantly maintained his DJ-career, thus he was able to pursue the actual party movement worldwide but he eventually followed New York's "call" and installed himself in one of Manhattan's largest clubs: the Limelight. In the long term the distance made
an intensive cooperation with Banks and Hood impossible, so Mills departed from the two.
It was clear that the artist Jeff Mills wasn't satisfied by simply DJ’ing, so he recorded "Waveform Transmissions Vol. 1" in 1992. This landmark release was his first solo album revealing the state of Electronic Music in 1992 and providing important hints for the future of the genre at the same time. Even today there exists no other production in this music style that has not been influenced by this album: a guiding light since its release.
While the man behind "Waveform Transmission Vol. 2" is actually Robert "Noise" Hood, supported authoritatively by Mills, Mills himself is responsible for the third part in the series: "Waveform Transmission Vol. 3". This second solo album was first released in 1994 and re-released in Feburary 1998, when Mills himself re-edited "Life Cycle" replacing the original on the double EP.
Jeff Mills began the 90's founding his own Axis Records label releasing futuristic, experimental sounds; a mark which continues to influence Techno producers worldwide.
"As barriers fall around the world, the need to understand others and the way they live, think and dream is a task nearly impossible to imagine without theory and explanation. And as we approach the next century with hope and prosperity, this need soon becomes a neccessity rather than a recreational urge. Theories and subjects of substance is the elementary element that fuels the minds within our AXIS.
Now based in Chicago, the world's most in-demand DJ continued to regularly set out for other cities like Paris, London, Vienna, Manchester, Rome, Berlin and Tokyo to fascinate audiences with his breathtakingly quick DJ handcraft. In 1996 the DJ and his art became Mills' preoccupation when founding his second label 'Purpose Maker', the imprint providing "turntable-artists" the sounds needed for Techno dance floors. Whereas the Axis platform stressed experimental sounds, Purpose Maker provided rhythmically saturated and loop-oriented music built especially for DJ blending.
Keeping DJs busy with his 12-inch and EP releases, he also made CDs of his best tracks available for home listeners during the late 90's including "Purpose Maker Compilation" (React), "Lifelike" (News), and "The Art of Connecting" (Next Era, Hardware), and "The Other Day" (Purpose Maker). The "Mix Up Vol. 2 - Jeff Mills: Live Mix at Liquid Room, Tokyo" mix-CD released via Sony, Japan gave Mills fans the chance to take one of his DJ-sets home for the first time.
In 1999 the third label Tomorrow was launched to introduce more futuristic and experimental directions. "Tomorrow is a perfect reason to strive, we see it ads a new chance in the system of growth, within ourselves or in the face of others. it is the reason one clings to live in times of severe distress. Tomorrow can be a remedy for lying, forgiving and lying. Why is time our only system of measuring reality?"
In the year 2000 the 'man from tomorrow' surprised everyone with an extraordinary project. Inspired by Fritz Lang's silent film "Metropolis" (1926), Mills recorded his own soundtrack of the 21st-Century for the hugely influential film in a grandiose transmission of traditional orchestral interpretation into electronic soundtrack(s) matching Lang’s master-vision of the Utopian Dream; narrative, passionate, and timeless.
The 60-minute soundtrack works well independently but of course the complete meaning is much better defined in connection with the particular "Metropolis" film sequences Mills was himself inspired by. To visualize his own musical interpretation, Scott Stephanow/Pilot Pictures (Detroit) under the direction of Jeff Mills re-edited the movie to fit the new soundtrack. The pictures and sound combined to create a completely new correlation. With "Metropolis", a vital project for a crossover of the genres techno and classic film, Jeff Mills continued to lead in new directions.
Jeff Mills:
"Often, I am inspired to create music soon after watching movies or going tothe cinema. The probable cause, my mind being inflicted becomes stimulated not only by the plot but also, intrigued by the method in which the producer chose to present the plot of film to the viewer. Communicating through stories has always been an intricate part of how mankind evolved. By translating and moralizing stories from generations past, the cascading of ethics somehow embed themselves within our subconscious. Thus creating a platform for individual behavior patterns. In this respect, the architecture of urbanism is the most definitive collaboration of intersecting platforms that we as humans have created. Urbanism, collectively existing in mass or secluding oneself within it? Whichever you believe, urban spree generates opportunity and inspiration. Despair and misfortune. It is often the catalyst for moral majority persuasion and cause for which most people think catapults right and wrong. Nevertheless, there must be a medium.
In 1926, Fritz Lang's timeless masterpiece, "Metropolis", exceeded the laws of morality. With his acute executions of detail and dynamic formation of storytelling, he managed to capture minds and extort acts of passion. Needless to say, his contribution to the advancement of motion pictures was bold enough to create political manifestations of such proportions that the scale of influences have yet to be match by any other film in history. His socialist overtones peered across the line of ethics while at the same time, presented the fruits of capitalism and in their applications. Only by the heart will there be inner peace thus, outer. It seals the fate in this story, a lesson, I hope, should be reissued with time.
It is my intention to reintroduce and educate the theories and ideology of Fritz Lang.'s contribution of Metropolis to the cyber-youth of today. Implying the timeless message of solidarity and the romantising of the perfect world. A Utopian Dream. It seemed fitting that this movie, the movie that shaped the young minds in 1926 be reiterated and re-integrated at this beginning of our new century. We hope through the advance made in technology and the acute sense of futurism by the youth of today, we can capture the minds and expand the imaginations, the ones that will soon forge and form our new world."
Various CD projects ensued (including works with techno-jazz and string arrangements) and in 2004, Mills released the DVD “The Exhibitionist” which offered an unusual Jeff Mills DJ set filmed in real time with multi-angled images. Then after delving into other theatrical, art and film projects including as themes The Time Machine, Buster Keaton and Josephine Baker, Jeff Mills took a bold step in 2005, establishing contact with the Montpellier Philharmonic Orchestra and plans for an open-air concert of classic Jeff Mills tracks. After months of preparation and rehearsals, the 80-piece orchestra – with Jeff Mills on the drum machine – performed 10 of Jeff Mills’ most famous works with the name “Blue Potential”, under the world heritage site Pont du Gard in the south of France. The concert film and music represents a full circle for Tresor Records, who released the work in Europe in May 2006 and once again created a significant cooperation with Jeff Mills.
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Artist Releases:
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Tresor.223MP3
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Jeff Mills and the Montpellier Philharmonic Orchestra
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Blue Potential
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Released:
2006
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Opening
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Imagine
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The March
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Time Machine
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Eclipse
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Entrance To Metropolis
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Keaton's Theme
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Daylight
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The Bells
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Gamma Player
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4 Art
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Medium C: The urge to swirl alone in a pool of ridicule
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Amazon
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See This Way
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Sonic Destroyer
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Tresor.155MP3
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Jeff Mills
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Metropolis
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Released:
2000
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Entrance to Metropolis
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Perfecture: Somewhere Around Now
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They Who Lay Beneath
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Convicted To Paradise/Maria (Bridgette Helm)
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The Keeping Of The Kept
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Landscape (Utopian Dream)
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Blue Print
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Transformation A
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Transformation B (Rotwang's Revenge)
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Robot Replica
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Revolt
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Flood
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The Storm Among Us
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Silence
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New Beginning
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Contributed Releases:
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 Interview mit Jeff Mills zu Blue Potential:
Interview with Jeff Mills about Blue Potential:
(May 2006)
(English version below)
Tresor: Im Juli 2005 hast du 15 deiner bekanntesten Werke im Südfrankreich mit dem Nationalorchester Montpellier aufgeführt. Im „Making Of“, das in der DVD enthalten ist, erwähntest du, dass dieses Konzert dein erster Live-Auftritt seit 1991 war. Warum ist das so?
Jeff Mills: Ich war jahrelang nicht wirklich überzeugt, dass ich die verzwickten Sequenzen, die ich im Studio produziert habe, in einer Live-Fassung wieder herstellen kann. Ich war und bin der Meinung, dass nicht nur die Sounds/Noten, die ich aussuche, live wiedergegeben werden sollten, sondern auch meine Gedanken im Moment der Entstehung. Generell komponiere ich Musik in einer “step by step“-Bewegung. Diese Bewegung kann mal zwei Minuten, mal zwei Tage dauern. Auf diese Art versuche ich, mein momentanes Gefühl in der Musik einzufangen. Dieses danach wieder live zu spielen, wäre ähnlich wie ein langer Keith Jarrett Marathon-Auftritt – außer, dass der Gedankengang hörbar wird. Als die Idee aufkam, meine Musik mit einem Orchester zu spielen, war das eine großartige Chance für mich, diese mit qualifizierten Musikern neu zu erschaffen. Eine Vorführung in „real time“ zu kreieren, klang viel attraktiver für mich als die Musik im Computer vorzubereiten.
T: Wer hatte zuerst die Idee für dieses Projekt? Du oder das leitende Team des Orchesters?
JM: Es war das Management des Orchesters, das diese Idee ins Leben gerufen hat. Der Komponist René Keoring und das Label UWE (Uncivilized World) kamen mit dieser Idee auf mich zu, nachdem ich ein ähnliches Orchesterprojekt in Berlin, initiiert durch Tresor Records, kennen gelernt hatte. Nachdem ich im Jahre 2000 einen elektronischen Soundtrack für den Film “Metropolis“ von Fritz Lang komponiert hatte, erhielt ich Anfragen von diversen Film/Kunst Projekten, die mich auf die Idee einer Zusammenarbeit mit Orchester gebracht haben.
T: Hast du bei dieser außergewöhnlichen Unternehmung irgendwann Zweifel gehabt?
JM:Während der ersten Proben mit dem Orchester war ich etwas unruhig, denn ich brauchte Zeit, um mich an die menschlichen Elemente in meinen Kompositionen zu gewöhnen. Nachdem ich die letzten 10 Jahre mit elektronischen Maschinen gearbeitet habe, war es für mich komisch, meine Kompositionen mit winzigen Zeitverzögerungen zu hören. Bei den meisten der aufgeführten Kompositionen hatte noch niemand, von dem ich gehört habe, den Versuch unternommen, diese Tracks zu re-kreieren. Ich bekam das komische Gefühl, dass ich sterbe und gleichzeitig, dass meine Musik wieder neu entdeckt wird. Ich fühlte mich etwas hilflos, weil meine Musik genommen wurde, um andere Impressionen zu hinterlassen.
T: Wie war das Gefühl beim ersten Treffen zwischen dir und den Musikern? Erzähle uns etwas über die Atmosphäre während der ersten Proben.
JM: Überraschend, denn es gab sehr wenig Sprachkontakt zwischen mir und den Musikern. Augenkontakte und ein gelegentliches Lächeln war das meiste, was geschah. Wenn ich eine Idee hatte, musste ich sie an den Arrangeur weitergeben, der sie dann wiederum dem Dirigenten erklärte, um diese Idee dementsprechend anzupassen. Der Kommunkationsprozess in einem Orchester ist sehr uniformiert und strikt. In der ersten Probe war das Gefühl sehr angenehm, möglicherweise weil die Musiker wirklich verstehen konnten, dass ich als Komponist der Musik anwesend war und nicht nur als Techno-DJ.
T: Im Dokumentarteil der DVD, sprichst du über den starken Wind, der Probleme mit dem PA System verursachte. Wie seid ihr damit umgegangen?
JM: Unsere Bedenken über den dauernden Windzug über die Open Air Bühne bis zum Beginn der Vorstellung legten sich, da sich der Wind beruhigte. Dadurch hatten wir eine sehr angenehme Atmosphäre. Es gab weder Beschädigungen der Ausstattungsgegenstände noch andere Schwierigkeiten.
T: Gab es für dich bei den Proben oder der Vorstellung irgendwelche Momente die besonders schwierig oder extrem herausfordernd für Dich waren?
JM: Wir hatten alle das Ziel vor Augen und somit einen Plan. Es war nur eine Frage der Aufführungsform. Bei der Vorstellung war manchmal die Energie zwischen den Musikern auf der Bühne und dem Publikum fast so, als ob ich am DJ-Pult gestanden hätte.
T: Gab es jemals Diskussion über weitere Vorstellungen oder sogar ein Tourprojekt?
JM: Ja, es gibt Diskussionen über eine Tour und weitere Vorstellungen in anderen Städten. Ich möchte so oft wie möglich auftreten, aber Orchester sind Jahre im Voraus ausgebucht. Deshalb könnte es lange dauern, diese Idee nochmal umzusetzen. Wenn die Möglichkeit besteht, wieder in der Form am Pont Du Gard aufzutreten, würde ich die Chance nutzen, die Arrangements zu modifizieren und zu verbessern, um noch weiter zu gehen als wir es bei diesem Konzert erreicht haben.
T: Im Dokumentarteil der DVD erwähnt der Komponist Thomas Roussel (der deine Tracks für das Orchester in Noten transkribiert und arrangiert hat), dass das Orchester eine organische Seite in die Tracks gebracht hat, die in der elektronischen Musik oft fehlt. Wie ist dein Gefühl?
JM: Ich glaube, dass die “organische“ Seite, die er meint, durch die rhythmische Individualität der einzelnen Musikergruppen; durch den eigenen Tonfall eines jeden Instrumentes entsteht. In diesem Fall waren es 80 Musiker. Während der Aufführung gab es eine abstrahierte Strömung des Sounds, bei der sich die Musiker durch Intuition, Interpretation, Berührung und Erinnerungsvermögen verbunden fühlen, im Gegensatz zu elektronischen Geräten, die sich miteinander durch elektrische Ladung synchronisieren. Jeder dieser Methoden der Sounderzeugung kann höchst maßgeblich sein und beide können zu jeder Zeit zusammen funktionieren. Das zu zeigen, darum ging es bei diesem Projekt.
T: Was denkst du über die Richtung der heutigen Techno Musik oder besser allgemein über die elektronische Dance Musik?
JM: Ich bin der Meinung, dass die wichtigen Eigenschaften der Elektronischen/Techno Musik zu oft ignoriert werden. “Bedeutung“ und “Substanz“ sind die einzigen Faktoren, die das Überleben von Elektronischer/Techno Musik über Jahrhunderte garantieren können. Ich denke, dass es nicht so wichtig ist, wie Elektronische/Techno Musik kreiert wird, sondern warum. Leider wird der größte Teil der Elektronischen/Techno Musik von der Allgemeinheit für unwichtig gehalten. Sogar die Independent Dance Music Industry selbst hat heute eine “get-it-while-it’s-hot“ Mentalität. Heutzutage berichten die Journalisten routinemässig – weltweit. Sie versäumen, sich kritisch auseinanderzusetzen, erhellende Fragen zu stellen. Stattdessen suchen sie lediglich nach den Argumenten, mit denen sie untermauern können, was sie selbst glauben (wollen).
Diese Form des Journalismus führt nur ein ganz kleines Stück zur Wahrheit über Elektronische/Techno Musik. Genau dieses Stigma verhindert, dass wichtige Musik an die Oberfläche kommt und wahr und ernst genommen wird. Glücklicherweise gibt es eine Armee von internationalen Elektronik/Techno Produzenten, die nicht aufgeben und nicht den derzeitigen Trends nachhängen, die dieses Genre in Richtung populärer Kommerzialisierung zu drängen versuchen.
T: Hast du noch irgendwelche künstlerischen Pläne in der Zukunft, die sich mit filmischen, orchestralen oder multimedialen Projekten auseinandersetzen?
JM: Zur Zeit produziere ich einen neuen Soundtrack für den Film "Things To Come" (1936) geschrieben von H. G. Wells, der beim Musik- und Kunstfestival im Tate Modern in London im Jahre 2007 gezeigt werden soll. Außerdem arbeite ich an einer Soundinstallation für die Ausstellung des „African Dispora“-Projektes, initiiert durch die französische Filmdirektorin Claire Denis, für das Quai Branly Comptemporary Museum in Paris, Uraufführung im Juni 2006.
Ein weiteres Film/Soundtrackprojekt ist von der Dokumentarfilmproduzentin Jacqueline Caux und mir über die Detroit Electronic Music History für das Centre Pompidou im September 2006. Und für mein Label Axis arbeite ich an dem Projekt „The Belief System“. Dieses Vorhaben setzt sich mit der Thematik auseinander wie das menschliche Glaubens-System funktioniert. Dadurch habe ich das Glück, am jährlichen UFO Kongress in Roswell, New Mexico im Juli 2006 teilzunehmen. Und weitere Projekte sind initiiert...
(English version)
Interview with Jeff Mills about Blue Potential, Tresor.223DVD01
Tresor: In July 2005 you performed 15 of your best known works in southern France with the National Orchestra of Montpellier. In the “making of” documentary that is included with the DVD, you mention, that the occasion was the first live collaboration since 1991 – why is this?
Jeff Mills: For many years, I wasn't convinced that I could re-create or perform the intricate sequences that I could produce in the studio for a live setting. I did and still feel that there needs to be a way of recording, not only what notes/sounds I'm selecting but, also what I'm thinking at the moment of creation. I generally compose music in a step-by-step motion. This motion could last for 2 minutes or 2 days. In this way, what I'm trying to capture in the music is my feeling at that time. To re-create this in a living setting would be something similar to a long marathon Keith Jarrett performance, only you would be able to hear the thought process. When the idea of having an orchestra perform the compositions came about, I thought this would be a great chance to re-create with the help of skilled/trained musicians. Rather than pre-prepare my music in a computer, the idea of creating in real-time within the live performance was appealing.
T: Who had first the idea for this project: you or the orchestra’s managerial team?
JM: It was the managerial team of the orchestra that brought the idea of the performance. Composer Rene Keoring and the label UWE (Uncivilized World) approached me with the idea after I had sought and failed to create a similar idea with an orchestra in Berlin through Tresor Records. After composing the soundtrack for Fritz Langs' Metropolis back in 2000, I had begun to receive inquires about working on numerous film/art projects which lead me to the idea of working with an orchestra in some capacity.
T: Did you ever at any time have doubts about such an unusual endeavour?
JM: During the first few rehearsals with the orchestra, I felt slightly uneasy as it took a time for me to get use to hearing the human element in my compositions. After spending the past decade working with machines, listening to my compositions with slight timing errors was strange. Most of the compositions that we performed were tracks that I had never heard anyone else attempt to re-create so, I had the strange feeling that I've died and that my music was being revisited. I felt somewhat useless as my music was being taken away to other impressions.
T: How were the feelings between you and the musicians at your first meeting? Tell us about the atmosphere during the first rehearsals.
JM: Surprisingly, there was very little verbal contact between myself and the musicians. Eye contact and occasional smiles were about the most that occurred. If I had an idea, I would have to voice my comments through the arranger, then he would speak to the conductor and then the conductor would adjust accordingly. The process of communication in an orchestra is very regimental and strict. At the first rehearsal, the feeling was very pleasant, possibly because the musicians could clearly understand that I am there as the composer/writer of all the music and not just there only as Techno DJ.
T: In the documentary segment of the DVD, you talk about the strong wind that was causing PA problems. How was this dealt with?
JM: No. By the time of the performance, our concerns of the constant winds of the area had died down to only a slight breeze. It resulted in a very comfortable atmosphere. No equipment or wardrobe malfunctions.
T: Were there any moments for you, during the rehearsals or during the performance, that were especially difficult or extremely challenging?
JM: We all knew what the objective was and everyone had a plan so, it was just a matter of execution. At times in the performance, the energy between musicians on the stage and the audience was same as if I were DJ’ing.
T: Was there ever any discussion about performing the concert again, or even a touring the project?
JM: Yes, there is discussion about touring and performing again in other cities. I would like to do this as much as possible. Orchestras' are booked and plan performances years in advance so, it my be many moons before their availability. If given the chance to perform again, I would have the opportunity to modify and enhance the arrangements to go beyond what we've done at Pont Du Gard. This is something I very much look forward to.
T: In the documentary segment of the DVD, composer Thomas Roussel (who arranged your tracks for the orchestra) mentions that the orchestra brought an organic side to the music that is often missing in electronic music. What is your feeling about this?
JM: I believe most of the "organic side" that Thomas is referring to comes from the slight rhythmic inflections of numerous musicians. In this case, 80 musicians. There is an abstracted flow to sound when performed in this way. Unlike electronic machines that synchronize themselves to each other through an electric charge, musicians are tied together through human intuition, interpretation, memory and touch. Either method can be highly relevant and work together at any given time. In an academic way, this was what this project was about.
T: What is your general feeling about the direction of today’s techno music, or even electronic dance music in general?
JM: I think the most important attributes of Electronic/Techno Music are too often ignored. Things like music with "meaning" and "substance" are the only factors that make the Electronic/Techno Music survive for centuries to come. I think it's not so important how Electronic/Techno Music is created but more so, why it is created. Unfortunately, most of Electronic/Techno Music is generally considered as music that is dispensable. Even the independent dance music industry itself now has this "get-it-while-it's-hot" mentality. At this time, world-wide journalists that routinely report on Electronic/Techno Music lack the attention to ask crucial questions that might enlighten, instead they look for reasons to reinforce what they want to believe. This type of journalism does very little to bring forth the truths about Electronic/Techno Music. It's this stigma that makes it very hard for important music to surface and/or to be recognised. Fortunately, there is an army of dedicated Electronic/Techno producers around the world that won't give up or roll-over to the current trends that attempt to push this genre towards all out popular commercialism.
T: Do you have any plans for any other cinematic, orchestral or multimedia projects in the future?
JM: At the moment, I started the production of a new soundtrack for the movie "Things To Come"(1936) written by H. G. Wells for a music/art festival at the Tate Modern in London in 2007. Also, an exhibition/sound installation for a "African Dispora" project created by the French film director Claire Denis for the Quai Branly Comptemporary Museum in June of 2006. There is a film soundtrack project about Detroit Electronic Music History with the documentarian and producer Jacqueline Caux for the Pompidou Centre in Sept. 2006, and an upcoming project (The Belief System) from my record label, Axis. The project explores the subject of the human belief system and how it works. Part of this project will allow me to travel to Roswell, New Mexico in July for the annual UFO convention. In addition to those things, there are numerous projects that have been initiated since the beginning of 2006.
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