Tin Man let’s his music do the talking. Straight to the point – seven studio albums, collaboration projects alongside Donato Dozzy, Gunnar Haslam and Cassegrain, near perfect mixes for RA, Beats In Space, and The Bunker – made Johannes Auvinen one of the most respected acid techno artists in the world. Ahead of his Scottish debut this Friday at Sub Club, Bigfoot’s caught a quick fire chat with him, and he had some important advice for young producers…
Hi Johannes, thank you for taking the time to speak with us.
Friday is your live debut in Scotland, is that correct? What do you know about Sub Club?
I heard from people who played there or just went there that it’s a really great intimate space with a techno vibe.
You’ve had an extremely prolific career with last year’s “Ode” being your seventh album – are you creating music with every waking hour of your life?
Yes, music is also my hobby. I figure, as long as I still have the passion to create, I ought to stick with it. I can make music always and want to.
Can you tell us about the ideas behind the Ode, Wasteland and Scared album trilogy?
It was dark broody stuff. It was meant to be an exigis to lay out, and rid out, the depression of the economic depression. It was trying to get a handle on the cultural moment in relation to that crisis.
You often work with partners, both in the studio and on stage, how did your relationships develop with Gunnar Haslam, Donato Dozzy and Cassegrain, how regularly do you work with each of them?
All these collaborations happened naturally and all started with a curious spirit. I think with each collaborator we were curious to see what we would bring out in each other and what new ground we might discover.
Can you tell us about your early life, musical influences as you grew up? You have lived in a lot of different cities, I guess that gives you a very broad range of things to soak up?
I don’t have any formal musical background. My interest in music grew out of being a radio channel surfer and later as a thrift store record collector. Growing up in California meant most of the music I was exposed to in my youth was either rock or hiphop. House and Techno were exotic.
What is your favourite piece of work, your least favourite?
I like the collaboration work. It is hard to listen to my own work. I know that I just hear it much differently than others.
Was it difficult to move your studio from place to place, your family are from Finland and you have also lived in California and Vienna, right?
Yes. I remember saying to myself more than once “I am never going to recable a studio again.” But, it is the inevitable fact of being a synth user that you will forever need to recable.
Where did your love for the “acid” sounds grow from?
I was born to acid.
How would you tell young producers today to approach making music, knowing what you know now?
Probably – just don’t give a fuck. Don’t take anyones advice.
What gear are you travelling around with at the moment for your live shows?
Two Roland 303, TR-8, fx, laptop.
What do you still hope to achieve?
To stay acid.
On Friday you can hear this master of acid brings his live set to Glasgow for the first time. With a cerebral sound of touching simplicity, brace yourself for some classic 303 sensibilities set in an acid-drenched aural atmosphere, all coaxed lovingly from Tin Man’s collection of mighty machines. Expect cathartic hardware experimentalism with solid support from Bigfoot’s Wrick and Chris.
No advance tickets. £5 entry before midnight.
Listen Up…
Tin Man – Residen Advisor Podcast (RA.442) – 17-Nov-2014 by Bestlivesets.Com on Mixcloud