Chris Liberator interview
How would you say the Acid Techno scene in the UK has changed and developed since you became involved in it?
On a musical level, it’s become less trance based and more techno oriented. There’s a lot less 303 action, in favour of other analogue devices and sampled sounds and filtered breakbeats. Although there’s plenty of 303 stuff being made, it tends to be darker. All the areas within the genre are being explored!
On a scene level, it’s certainly a lot broader and more widespread. There’s clubs and parties all over the UK which have Acid Techno as their base sound, or incorporate it within their own musical structure. Within the London squat/party scene, it’s still an important musical force although there are plenty of other kinds of music being played (and made) by the DJs/musicians/rigs, etc. on the scene.
Is this for better or worse?
More diversity within the music is obviously better. That the music (and just as importantly, the very underground vibe that goes with it) has spread is a good thing too. Hopefully, it’ll destroy the increasingly commercial UK cheesy house scene!
There seems to be a lot of politics both surrounding, and inside the free party scene. How do you feel about this?
Politics is life. Unfortunately, partying is still regarded as an unsavoury activity by the powers that be. Obviously, illegal partying engenders its own problems and put you in conflict with the system. It shouldn’t be such a big issue but it often becomes so. Also, a lot of people come from a Punk / traveller / squat background where alternative politics have always posed the eternal question, “Why?”, something which everyone should ask from time to time about a lot of things that we take for granted.
Would you say the squat/free party scene has been instrumental in the development of Acid Techno?
Yes. Hard urban environment. Hard, urban, escapist music.
Do you see the abundance of Ketamine as a potential threat to the scene?
No. Maybe to certain people who get too into it, but it’s like any drug, you’ve got to know when to leave it alone.
How do you feel about the media portrayal of the scene?
Often sketchy, factually incorrect, and blatantly sensational. But there have been some good exceptions to the rule. It has to have some media coverage to keep the knowledge of an alternative to mainstream clubbing out there. Too much could kill it though.
Could you tell us about some of your current projects?
New Cluster CD coming soon. New Ha-Lo album (with D.A.V.E. The Drummer) coming soon. Various other musical projects in the pipeline. Other than that, Djing whenever possible. Oh yeah, I’m doing an album too (if I ever get down to it!)
As your workload increases, will your involvement with Nuclear Free Zone & Stay Up Forever remain unaffected?
Good question. Nuclear Free Zone will be going monthly as from March due to the fact that we’re not around often enough. This will make it more of a special event hopefully. Stay Up Forever is a lot of work, and believe it or not, none of us (3 Liberators, Paul Harding) take any money out for ourselves, not even artist royalties. With new labels through Stay Up Forever starting (Julian & Mark Brango’s “4×4” and D.A.V.E. The Drummer’s “Hydraulix”) the workload for me personally is going to become excessive. Whether I can hold it all down remains to be seen!
Acid Techno as a musical genre is evolving rapidly. What direction can you see the scene developing in?
Who knows? Too many variables.
Who would you list as your influences?
Important Records, early Hype-Hype, Underground Resistance, N-Joi, Frank De Wulf, Punk Rock, Independent record labels who started it all in the late Seventies/early Eighties. Putting D.I.Y. music and culture on the map.
What differences have you noticed in the different Techno/Acid Techno scenes in countries you have played?
It’s definitely a younger scene in the States and Canada. Though it can be excellent. No, literally, Canada and L.A. are where I can really go, if Chicago and the mid-West seems to be the closest thing to London. The musicians and artists get involved, and the parties tend to be outside or warehouse based. Most of Europe is excellent, especially Eastern Europe (Poland, Czech, etc.) and the North of Spain. Australia is supposed to be good but I’ve not been there yet. Japan is more club orientated. South America is just starting to happen, especially Brazil, Venezuela and Argentina.
Which clubs/parties stand out in your memory?
Castlemorton and Lechzade festivals in 1992 and the old Bedlam parties, Zero Gravity and early Liberator parties. Some of my faves of the last few years have got to be the Immersion parties, around the time when we did “London Acid City”. There was a real buzz floating around London and the parties at that time. Other highlights were the Orbita parties in Moscow just for the madness of it all. I really enjoyed the party I played in Sao Paulo, Brazil, outside the city surrounded by sub-tropical scenery. Atomic Jam at the Que Club, Birmingham is always good. Oh God, too many to mention really!!
Who would you say was the most memorable artist you’ve worked with?
Mark EG is definitely the maddest!
Do you ever sleep? (!)
Put it like this. It’s Sunday, I’m on the tube going to get an overnight flight to Rio, Brazil, to play at a party tomorrow night. Last night I played in Nottingham, then this morning at a big squat party in West London before coming home to get my shit together for the trip, do some stuff for the label and write some reviews. I managed to squeeze in 2 1/4 hours sleep. Not quite Stay Up Forever, but almost!
