Patrice Scott Interview

As promised, here is an interview I did with the exceedingly talented Patrice Scott.

I don't know if this is entirely subjective, and it has arguably always been the case, but I feel there is a really positive momentum in much of the electronic music coming out of America at the moment, particularly house. Detroit feels musically, amongst the doom and gloom of the economy, to be producing powerful and exciting stuff by yourself and Omar S, Theo Parrish, Moodyman, and New York has Wolf+Lamb, Underground Quality also releasing interesting material. Do you feel that this is the case at all?

I have always had the opinion that the best electronic music comes from America. We can go back to the beginning and the roots of where this music all started in the early eighties. The Chicago legends, the Detroit legends, etc... The music has always been good. Artists from all over the world have some type of American influence in their music today and that is because American artist have always produced quality music.

Detroit has obviosuly been hit quite badly by the financial crisis, do you feel any of that has filtered down into the music that comes out of the city?

I don't feel that Detroit's economic crisis has had any effect whatsoever on the music coming out of the city. Before the economic crisis occurred good music was coming out of Detroit and it is still happening at the moment from the guys who did it in the past as well as up and coming producers.

You split your time between Berlin and Detroit, is that for work reasons or because you enjoy living and working there?

Although I enjoy being in Berlin when I am there, the primary focus is work.

You played in London last weekend, how was it? Where do you enjoy playing most?

London was great, as always. I can't say that I have a place that I enjoy more than others but most recently I visited Manchester & that was a great experience. The crowd seem to really enjoy and understand the music. They also were very open when it came to being educated on the music.

I went to a talk here in Berlin given by American artists discussing how the future of the arts in America will be affected by Barack Obama becoming President. The mood was overwhelmingly positive. I was wondering if you feel as an artist, a change in atmosphere or mood since his inauguration?

As an American citizen I do feel that there has been a change in mood since the inauguration of Barack Obama. People now have a sense of overall hope that things can go in a positive direction. The overall situation had gotten so bad in America that things could only get better. Once you hit rock bottom you can only go to the top. It will take some time but if Obama is given the opportunity people will see a positive change.

I've heard that you don't play much in the US. Do you think that is a different training ground to some of the European DJs who are playing out all the time?

I don't play much in the U.S. because their is not much of a scene in the U.S. So therefore, yes, the training ground for European DJs is different. They have more opportunity to play than American DJs. The scene is flourishing in Europe and in the U.S. it has gone in the opposite direction.

I know you have lots of friends in the music community in Detroit, but between people in Chicago, New York, San Francisco - how much of a community is there amidst the house and techno community within America as a whole?

America as a whole does not have a house community. There is really no scene in America. This is where it all started but if you do not continue to educate or people are not willing to be educated then it will not grow and this has what has happened to the scene in America.

Your music has very high levels of production. It works just as well out as it does for home listening. Is that something that is important to you, that it be deeply layered?

I really don't consider my music to be at high levels of production. I consider it to be basic and I feel that I could and will get alot better. But I do try to put my all into it and I try to give it from the heart. I do enjoy having musical elements in my tracks. It is important to me to provide feeling in my music.

Is the deep sound you have always been drawn to? What would the primary influences on that deep sound be?

I have always loved the deep sound. Larry Heard has been a big influence on me for a long time as well as many others.

What's next for you and for Sistrum?

The next release on Sistrum will come from me. I do not have any names or titles yet but it will be out before the year ends.