Sebo K talks Berlin, Beats and Birmingham ahead of TRMNL

Birmingham’s increasingly revitalised nightlife scene is to receive another shot in the arm at the end of March, when the city sees the return of TRMNL, the infamous and recently revived Midlands techno brand that’s about to make a brand new home in Digbeth’s equally fresh faced Lab11 club.

No slight return, the organisers of TRMNL have programmed six weeks of forward-thinking, floor shaking dance music from some of the biggest names in techno. Opening on 31st March with a no doubt assuredly room smashing set from Matt Edwards, AKA, Radioslave, the following weeks will see appearances from the likes of Detroit’s  legendary Carl Craig, and master of minimal Barem, and Andre Galuzzi, a Berlin hero known for his colourful and expansve sets at Panorama Bar.

Another German very familiar with the Berlin scene is Sebo K, the enigmatic producer who holds a residency and wields the power to curate his own nights of stunning music at one of the city's other legendary venues, Watergate. A revered DJ famed for his blending of cutting edge sounds and classic edits, Sebo K plays TRMNL on April 14th, along with fellow countryman Markus Fix.

The longest serving artist on Mobilee Records, Sebo K’s solo releases are infrequent but always hotly anticipated and rapturously received. In recent years, he took time out of music to attend The University of Berlin to study business, a curious move for any internationally in demand DJ. Recently, his usually heavy gig schedule has returned to normal, and he’s once again pleasing crowds worldwide with his trademark mix of past and future influences.

In anticipation of his return to Birmingham, we caught up with the man himself.

Currently, you're celebrating a decade of Watergate with a bit of a tour with Ellen Allien, and you've DJed for around two decades yourself now - having started in the early 90s. How are you feeling about DJing at the moment, and have such landmark occasions in your career made you reflective? Or do you just tend to get on with the job at hand regardless?

I’m very thankful that I can do this job. It’s a privilege and it's still a lot of fun even after 20 years. And of course, I congratulate the Watergate for 10 years of dong this. I'm also happy that I'm a part of it. But in general numbers aren't very important to me.

Is Watergate still as exciting to play regularly now as it was 10 years ago? It really is a revered club internationally. Does anything feel different about it now?

Of course, it's changed a lot. Back in the days Watergate was more a Berlin thing. These days there are a lot of tourists in Berlin that only come to visit the city to party. This is why most of the bigger clubs in Berlin host a lot of tourists. But that's great if you have an international crowd.

Also, for me personally it also changed because I run my own night since a while, where I invite the DJs and do the programming of the night. So it’s not underground anymore, but it’s established.

Your sets nowadays are so different from your previous life as a breakbeat DJ and so on. Whilst you clearly love house, do you ever miss playing the sort of eclectic sets you established early in your career?

I listen to a lot of different music at home. In the club I don't take the chance to play more eclectic. The tempo and the grooves of house and techno are ideal to dance from my perspective at the moment. But of course, that doesn't mean that I couldn't have fun or wouldn’t dance to a DJ who plays more eclectically. It also could change for me one day. But right now this is what I want to play in the club.

Your release schedule is pretty sparse compared to a lot of DJs, but what you do release is always well received. Is 'quality over quantity' an ethic of yours? You have spoken in the past about almost too much music getting released in the digital age, with little control over quality by labels.

Yeah, I still believe that there is too much bad music around because there is no control by the labels as there was in times of vinyl, when production costs were much higher. That's when label owners were thinking more about whether it's worth releasing something. Now, releasing digitally is free. But I don't think that every sketch someone has on his laptop needs to be released. I absolutely believe in quality, and not only in music.

Following on from that, you speak very honestly as a DJ and have previously said that a few years ago that you were short of inspiration. House is really big again. A few years later in 2012, does it feel in a better place to you, as a fan and a musician?

Compared to a little while ago I definitely have to say that I find a lot of good music again these days.

That’s good news then! Tell me about your current sets, what can the people of Birmingham expect at the moment? What record has kept people on the dancefloor for you lately that you can't imagine not playing?

In general, I like raw, Chicago house or Detroit techno inspired tracks.

See Sebo’s current Beatport chart here

How has DJing and production been since you completed your studies into business? Has that side of your life progressed anymore, and do you miss the balance of education and music? I thought it seemed an interesting and honest path for a DJ to take in his spare time.

I definitely need the balance. Since I finished I'm working on other projects. Right now I'm working on a book. I love music but I need to work on other projects as well.

Is your book project focused on music or business, out of interest?

No, it’s also about music, but writing about something is different in itself.

Interesting! You have been a Berlin resident for most of your life. Berlin and its nightlife is revered more than ever, especially in the UK where even a basement of a club will always be referred to as "a little bit Berlin". You mentioned the likes of Watergate becoming establishments with visitors earlier on. Does the city still have the edge its reputation suggests in your opinion as a Berliner, and a musician?

Yeah, it definitely has. There are still a lot of underground venues. In summer you have illegal parties in almost every park. It will be like this for a while I guess. But I would say the Berlin vibe is not only about rough venues. It's a spirit that you can feel in the clubs. Living is not expensive here, so a lot of artists are attracted to the city.

Do you enjoy playing in the UK, and are you looking forward to getting back to Birmingham? You'll be one of the first guests in a brand new venue, I believe...

I love playing in the UK! It’s always big fun!

Interview: John Thorp

Catch Sebo K at TRMNL on April 14th, with Markus Fix. Tickets are available through Skiddle, priced at £10.

Tickets are no longer available for this event