First off, I want to say good luck to Chris in whatever he chooses to do in the future. But in a sense I kind of have to call bullshit.

Chris, your view on the whole scene is 100% true but that should be the last thing that gets you down. Everytime I hear a shitty club record with the same tried-and-true formula it forces me to work harder and seek out even more & different sounds. It sucks the locked e.p. may have only sold a small number of copies but I ask; what about that small group of people who still see through the bullshit and look to fight mediocrity? If you claim you love something so much, I don't see how you can allow it to waste away.

I understand it's just techno and it's not worth consuming your entire life, but to keep it alive and the spirit alive by keeping it as a hobby is more than enough. I think any producer has lost money (even multiple times) on their favorite works in the past. It's a drag to put so much sacrifice and dedication into your music just to watch it bomb on the shelves and end up costing yourself cash in the process. The positive side is that once the music is out there it's eternal. It 400 people dig your track today or a DJ's child digs it 15 years from now, I think you've done your job.

Also, for someone who has been in the scene so long I'm sure you know the ropes but I'm surprised you haven't accepted it and come to terms. The fact is, your record probably would have done better had you done a hint of promotion. It's not 1992 anymore and things have changed. Even if all you want is your record in other people's hands, it takes work. This whole "avoiding the media, no interviews, no gigs" is a nice stance, but there's a downside and you've seen it. The odd interview here, the odd promotion there won't destroy your credibility or ruin your anonymous state. In any industry, that's a bad business move from the beginning. Just like marriage, this is part of the game that you have to deal with. You have to take the good with the bad. Sometimes in marriage you have to put up with a crabby wife/husband, or you have to go sit with their dreaded family for a weekend. It sucks, but it's vital to keep something amazing happening.

Chris, if you just aren't feeling the music anymore than I completely respect your opinion to leave. I think that's the right move for a lot of people in that position. If you're still very passionate about the music (which it seems you are) you should suck it up and try and help things change. Sometimes this means putting out more than a record here or there. In the end, nature sorts itself out. Techno is in a drought, and when it comes around full blast again the true heads and spirit will remain perfectly intact.