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Brett Johnson, traditionally house music producer, turned on minimal recently. The Spationauts met him after his set in Social Club (Paris) last week to talk about this evolution compared to Matthew Dear, his future, his life (and the weather) in Berlin, Derrick Carter and the swine flu…Blast off.
Obviously, hearing your records, you have a solid musical background. Do you have other projects, more acoustics?
You know, I’m just a DJ, I taught myself to play instruments. Music is like a flower that slowly opens up and shows what’s inside it the more you look at it. When I started, someone gave me a drum machine, then I bought a keyboard etc… At first, I didn’t know anything about writing music. It’s beautiful the way the universe is set up. It’s very simple, if you want to learn something, and you just work on it as much as possible, you will get better at it. All humans are like that. It means there is no limit on your life, the limit is on you. With the music writing, I have spent a lot of time in writing music and eventually figured it out. I’m not so satisfied with most of the EPs I released. I want to put out solid records and feel good about that. For now, I’m really proud of my Bounce ! EP on Classic, I love everything on it. Anyway, I’m working on a new album, I don’t know where I will release it though. I hope it’s going to be smart and electronic, with a lot of vocals. There could be two vocalists working with me who are legends but that’s a secret for now.
Who are they..
I’m not going to tell you, but if it happens, it will be an honour that I would care all my life. One of them is like a house music legend. (We proposed some names but without any success..)
What do you think about Berlin?
The summer is not exactly the same as in Texas, I have to lie to my friends about the weather (laughs) to not make them feel bad cause its so hot there right now. It’s an amazing city. For now I live in Friedrichain, near the clubs. It’s cool, the rent is cheap… This fact makes it really nice for an artist like myself to come, and for once, I have the financial freedom to be able to breathe and work on my music. I think Berlin is a chance for the artists. You can be focused on your art.
I played many times, but I never spent much time there like I do now. People say that Berlin was better years ago, and it probably was, but I’m happy to see a little bit how it is now, because for sure in ten years it will be different. It’s like Barcelona, where I used to live. Really good atmosphere, a lot of freedom, cool parties… but the way it works is very typical. Some place is cool for parties and people, and then it becomes trendy. Trendy brings money, then the money brings the tourists. I won’t be surprised if in ten years Berlin finally becomes a place with more industry and looses its freedom.
You are doing a lot of sets all around Europe this summer. Where did you enjoy more than you thought so far ?
Hum…it’s hard to say… you know I always hope that I’ll enjoy… I think in Moscow, actually. I don’t know why, I always thought it was going to be cool, but I actually played pretty well. I don’t want to be pretentious. When I play like shit, I say that I played like shit. I know my potential.
Actually, there is a funny story though from when i was last in Moscow. I got a cold somehow, no big deal, just running maybe a little bit of fever, and I was coughing. So I went to Moscow, I was sitting in the airplane, and they made a announcement: They would come into the plane to take everybody’s temperature because of the swine flu and I thought « I’m gonna be quarantined in Moscow, for sure ! ». Can you imagine ? In Moscow ! I mean it’s not a good place to be quarantined! (laughs) Anyway, I was so scared, I was trying to compose myself, but I was sure I had a fever… read more
