Top five DJs/PA’s

[Patrick]

Ryan, I've got to pitch in my tuppence worth in full agreement with you about Jeff Mills. Mills seems to have taken a bit of a kicking on this forum lately and I for one can't understand it. To me, the man is a legend and a pioneer and the cause, reason and influence behind much of the techno we're listening to now.
Mills is a superstar in ability only, not in any prima donna attitude, as someone suggested in another thread. Case in point : After we had just witnessed him play a phenomenal set on that barge in Bristol (The Thekla ? sorry, my memory for names isn't great) on three decks with two 909's, we got chatting to him. My mate, being the cheeky chap that he is, mentioned a free party we were involved with the next night and asked him if he fancied playing. Mills face lit up, wanted to know more about this "real underground" and then agreed to come along. Unfortunately his uk based agent earwigged the conversation, stepped in and put a stop to what he, not Jeff, considered to be an inappropriate direction for him to be taking. Scuppered, but I still remember the genuine apology and genuine regret from Jeff when he couldn't do it. I don't think the man is a good enough actor to have faked the reaction, nor can I think he would have any reason to.
Also for the record, I have never witnessed a set, before or since, that came anywhere close to what he was doing that night. Layering the 909's, elbow scratching, EQ crunching, bringing two decks straight into the mix of 909 and other turntable and holding the tempo by hand as he pitched up/down without even cueing first. Awesome.
And one last little point from the history books. When the Detroit Holy Trinity of May, Saunderson and Atkins were lying around listening to the radio and being heavily influenced, who were they listening to ? One of their two major influences was a radio DJ known as The Wizard, a.k.a Jeff Mills. Have some respect people !
Apologies for the long post, but I felt it needed saying.

[detfella]

Just because the guy is a techno legend doesn't make him consistantly good behind the decks. He always pulls in a great crowd becuase of who he is, but I find him playing the same tracks all the time...too many bells and jaguars. His early sets as the Wizard are amazing (mixing & scratching hiphop, electro, funk et al). Mill's style to me is when he fcuks it up with EQ, dropping tracks in straight away, which is why he's gonna make mistakes now & again. You've probably never heard him play a bad set in a club cos you've been off your tits and the crowd are going mental, but listening to his sets straight proves he is sometimes hit and miss. I'd still put him high in my list but Sims & Hawtin flick my switch whatever mood i'm in.

Ben Sims
Richie Hawtin
Jeff Mills
Derrick May
Adam Beyer
T-1000

Speedy J has got to be the world's greatest techno PA.

BTW if anyone wants some of Mill's early sets you can find me on winmx.

[Anonymous]

Just because the guy is a techno legend doesn't make him consistantly good behind the decks. He always pulls in a great crowd becuase of who he is, but I find him playing the same tracks all the time...too many bells and jaguars. His early sets as the Wizard are amazing (mixing & scratching hiphop, electro, funk et al). Mill's style to me is when he fcuks it up with EQ, dropping tracks in straight away, which is why he's gonna make mistakes now & again. You've probably never heard him play a bad set in a club cos you've been off your tits and the crowd are going mental, but listening to his sets straight proves he is sometimes hit and miss. I'd still put him high in my list but Sims & Hawtin flick my switch whatever mood i'm in.

Ben Sims
Richie Hawtin
Jeff Mills
Derrick May
Adam Beyer
T-1000

Speedy J has got to be the world's greatest techno PA.

BTW if anyone wants some of Mill's early sets you can find me on winmx.

I'd appreciate if you didn't make grand assumptions, Detfella. Being "off your tits" has absolutely NO bearing on the situation, whatsoever. I'm not 19 years old, you know! I appreciate what is GOOD, irregardless of my state of my mind. I agree, he has been dropping "hits" of late, but I saw him last weekend, and there wasn't any sign of "Bells", "Jaguar", "Blackwater" etc. Just good quailty, underground techno, mixed in his INIMITABLE style, which over the past few years has progressed to what can only be described now as flawless.
You're list of artists is interesting, but I would disagree with Sims and Beyer. To me, Sims (and I agree his technical prowess is awesome) just plays loopy, tribal techno, with no variation, no imagination. It's cool if people like this, there are far worse DJ's to listen to, but he's hardly in the same league as Mills, May, Oldham etc.

Beyer, doesn't inspire me- LOUD pressings, and a harder faster mentality doesn't spell purveyor to me, it spells boring.

Hawtin- well, whatever happened to Richie eh?? Platikman as a live act will probably never be beaten, but his DJ'ing leaves a lot to be desired. Technically great, but for someone who has such an awesome production history, you'd think he'd find a decent record shop/intenet site to get his tunes from, because they are the most soul-less tracks I have ever heard. I wish I knew (and I'm sure countless others do to) what happened.............

[detfella]

Ok, so I assumed that being messy clouds your judgement of the music. I take that back. What I find is that a lot of people get carried away in a club when a legend is behind the decks and the crowd is going wild to every track (regardless of its quality). I think a key element of techno is being in the club environment when everything is kicking off and the atmosphere is electric. A good atmosphere can make a poor dj sound infinitly better IMO. Thats why people still insist on seeing CJ Bolland play @ Orbit (!) cos he pulls in the noisy crowd.

Agreed; Sims' does play a lot of tribal loopy techno (which on its own isn't awe-inspiring) but his beat juggling, scratching and record manipulation is second to none in the techno world (even Claude Young is messy in comparison). It's his technical "prowess" that makes him so varied and imaginative. Maybe it helps that he came from a hip-hop background.

I know what you mean about Beyer, but like Beltram & Mills before him he heralded a new style of techno. I think his productions are top notch and let's be honest who hasn't got at least a couple drumcodes. His djing is maybe a little stagnant (or clean-cut) but he is consistant and plays some real choice tracks. Everytime I've seen him he has totally blown me away...he seems to hold the beat so that you just have to keep dancing harder, he never lets the crowd rest.

I can't compare Richie's djing to his plastikman act cos I've never witnessed it....but i'm sure you're right. Soul-less tracks....hmmm.... i might get some shit for saying this but, i've never really thought of techno as being soulfull (maybe early detroit). Don't get me wrong, I love techno, but its more rhythmical and tribal, produced using machines.

[Dustin Zahn]

DJs:

Adam Beyer - Just plain bangin'
Marco Carola - No doubt one of the most skilled out there
Umek - Sometimes a hit and miss, he skills are amazing when he is on point.
Cristian Varela - I think the track selection is boring but he is too **** skilled.
Chris Liebing In Scranz mode - When he plays all nuts that shit is the best.

That list would be my BOTTOM 5. Without wanting to be harsh, Dustin, do you honestly think a Dj is "good" becasue they are "Just PLAIN bangin'"??
Or, someone who's hit and miss??? To me, hit and miss = sh*t. There are plenty of DJ's out there that NEVER miss.
You say Varela plays boring tracks- Top DJ eh???? :roll:

Scranz?? Do me a favour!!!

I wish people would think a little harder, rather than just listen for hardness. :arrow:

Excuse me, think before you speak. All the DJs I listed aren't DJs who just play glenn wilson records for 4 straight hours. Carola and Umek? They play pretty ****in' housey in my opinion. When I say hit or miss, sometimes I like the stuff they play, sometimes I don't. If you think that's shit then I'm sorry, you're in the wrong scene, it happens to the BEST of us. And yeah, Varela does play some boring tracks, but his skills make up for it, and I'm confident he can mix anyone under the table on this forum.

And before you choose to harp on me, do your ****ing research. These DJs don't always bang it hard. I don't always bang it hard. I am just as much into tech house as I am into hard techno, even my productions show.

Furthermore, everyone of the DJs I listed is highly skilled technically. I'm not about to take slack from someone who gets a hard-on at the sight of the name Jeff Mills.

Do your homework, thats all I have to say.

[Esox Lucius]

imo sims is the most technical dj i have ever seen, being mainly into tribal looped techno it`s no suprise i don`t see it as boring.

he is my fav dj, always has been and i imagine always will be.

[Anonymous]

Ok, so I assumed that being messy clouds your judgement of the music. I take that back. What I find is that a lot of people get carried away in a club when a legend is behind the decks and the crowd is going wild to every track (regardless of its quality). I think a key element of techno is being in the club environment when everything is kicking off and the atmosphere is electric. A good atmosphere can make a poor dj sound infinitely better IMO. That’s why people still insist on seeing CJ Bolland play @ Orbit (!) cos he pulls in the noisy crowd.

Fair enough. That makes more sense now. It doesn’t apply to me, however, not now anyway. From a tender age I was attending techno clubs, and at that time the atmos/substances certainly played the major part. As I got older, wiser, more knowledgeable (?) my taste began to mature. I suppose it still is maturing. Back then it was the Mills/Mays etc that REALLY made an impression, musically, as opposed to me having a hoot in the club with the music taking second place. Now, the Mills and Mays appeal even more than they did then, and infinitely more than the mere “soundtrack” providers from that time. (Who are still going “strong.”) I’m not saying that the vibe at a club is not important, I just don’t think it’s anywhere near as important as the music.

Agreed; Sims' does play a lot of tribal loopy techno (which on its own isn't awe-inspiring) but his beat juggling, scratching and record manipulation is second to none in the techno world (even Claude Young is messy in comparison). It's his technical "prowess" that makes him so varied and imaginative. Maybe it helps that he came from a hip-hop background.

No question, he’s a tuntablist extraordinaire. But still no question, that the music is more important. (As I mentioned, I respect him, but the music don’t do it for me really, and that's what I believe to be paramount.)

I know what you mean about Beyer, but like Beltram & Mills before him he heralded a new style of techno. I think his productions are top notch and let's be honest who hasn't got at least a couple drumcodes. His djing is maybe a little stagnant (or clean-cut) but he is consistent and plays some real choice tracks. Every time I've seen him he has totally blown me away...he seems to hold the beat so that you just have to keep dancing harder, he never lets the crowd rest.

“Good” (technically) DJ, perhaps, and I do indeed own a couple of DC’s (earlier ones and a limited release), but the vast majority are just monotonous, and formulaic. Don’t know about a new style of techno, it was basically hard, looping and percussive, which wasn't original. The only real difference, in general was the fact that it was pressed onto the vinyl incredibly loud!
Beyer fully represents that sound, but for me, it’s one that isn’t varied or musically challenging.

Soul-less tracks....hmmm.... I might get some shit for saying this but, I’ve never really thought of techno as being soulful (maybe early detroit). Don't get me wrong, I love techno, but its more rhythmical and tribal, produced using machines.

I didn’t mean Barry White soul, just trying to sum up the feeling I require from the music. Richies DJ’ing just seems to encompass records that bang. That’s it. There’s no soul, or feeling. Not from where I’m standing anyway. It’s a pity, and you may think that I just don’t care about what he has done, but truth of the matter is, he immersed me into techno (through his production) nearly as much as Mills did. So much so, I had the Plastikman logo permanently etched into my left arm.

Anyway, please don’t think I’m being harsh, I enjoy these discussions, especially when they remain intelligent, and devoid of personal attack……………..
:arrow:

[Anonymous]

Excuse me, think before you speak. All the DJs I listed aren't DJs who just play glenn wilson records for 4 straight hours. Carola and Umek?

Do I strike you as somebody that doesn’t think? I read what you had written, and I disagree (and questioned your reasoning). That’s what discussions are about.

They play pretty ****' housey in my opinion. When I say hit or miss, sometimes I like the stuff they play, sometimes I don't. If you think that's shit then I'm sorry, you're in the wrong scene, it happens to the BEST of us.

They don’t play housey. They play techno, who perhaps incorporate house into their sets (which is by no means rare within the techno scene these days.) Hit and miss, fine, but can’t you think of any DJ’s that always play music you love? Not a duff track? If you can’t, you’re not looking hard enough.

And yeah, Varela does play some boring tracks, but his skills make up for it, and I'm confident he can mix anyone under the table on this forum.

Boring tracks = Boring DJ. There’s so much good music out there, why can’t these guys seem to find it? Is it because they are perhaps content with playing the tunes from the Distributors, as opposed to seeking out good music? Maybe, maybe not. Irregardless, there’s no excuse for playing boring music.
As for mixing anyone under the table, so what?? I’m sure you’ve heard every DJ on this board play before, haven’t you?? Unlikely. Point is, that is whether he actually can “mix anyone under the table” is irrelevant. Would he sound good mixing Pop records together?? Of course not, because the music is what matters.

And before you choose to harp on me, do your **** research. These DJs don't always bang it hard. I don't always bang it hard. I am just as much into tech house as I am into hard techno, even my productions show.

Yet again, do I seem like someone who just blindly throws opinions into the pot? (RHETORICAL QUESTION!)
I dunno what you’re “harping on” about the hardness of the music. The hardness isn’t relevant, the quality is. And for the record, I never made one comment directed towards your music, so stop getting so defensive.

Furthermore, everyone of the DJs I listed is highly skilled technically. I'm not about to take slack from someone who gets a hard-on at the sight of the name Jeff Mills.

This would be amusing, that is if you had intended it to be. No need to be insulting, Dustin. I have a great love for music, and maybe that’s what you’re sensing in my posts. A bit of passion. Do you know what I’m talking about?? If you did, I don’t think you’d have made such a ridiculous statement.

Do your homework, thats all I have to say.

Well, it’s 21.50 pm now, so I reckon I’ve done enough for today. Have you done yours yet??

[Dustin Zahn]

Hey, I'm not looking to start fights here. Its clear we have two different views on this subject. And I respect your decision as long as you respect mine, and thats all there should be to it, really.

[Buttman]

You are all fartnuts! I, Nacho Vidal and Rocco are the best live-act.

[Buttman]

Hey, I'm not looking to start fights here. Its clear we have two different views on this subject. And I respect your decision as long as you respect mine, and thats all there should be to it, really.

Bend over.

[Buttman]

Techno:
O'Connor, Child, J. Richardson, Wünsch, Rico.
:!:

[Anonymous]

Hey, I'm not looking to start fights here. Its clear we have two different views on this subject. And I respect your decision as long as you respect mine, and thats all there should be to it, really.

Likewise. I respect any persons opinions, as long as they have some reasoning behind them. As I said, I just want to have some quailty discussions.........