Exclusive Interview with Talla 2XLC

Siam2nite had the opportunity to have an exclusive interview with Talla 2XLC, shortly before his performance at MIXX Discotheque Bangkok on 20th February.

You are the founder of the event series “Technoclub” – the first event series worldwide which played exclusively electronic dance music. The event series celebrated it’s 30th anniversary last year. You are an important pioneer and forerunner of the early Techno & Trance music scene and you are considered to be the originator of the actual name “Techno music”. How did you get in touch with electronic dance music in the first place and how did you get into DJing and music production?

Oh wow, now i have to write a book for you, if explain that exactly. But i´ll to keep it shorter. In the late 70s when i was a little boy, i became aware, there is a sound which is not made by natural instruments. But it took some time until i went to my first "Kraftwerk" Concert in 1981, in the old opera venue in my home town Frankfurt. When i heard "We are the Robots" live, i became addicted to electronic music. Kraftwerk were the first Technoband, they made this music cool, before it was all disco or ambient. At that time i dj´ed on a sunday afternoon at our local dancing school. We played all kinds of music, but i started to include more and more electronic tracks until the boss threw me out. So i started my own event in 1984 and named it "Technoclub" Meanwhile i met a classmate, he had a few synthiemachines and we started to produce together. One of my first projects "Moskwa TV" was very quickly a big indie hit in Germany, France, USA etc. Since then i dj, produce, do events and radio shows until today.

You play and produce uplifting & progressive Trance. How would you describe your own music in just a few words?

I love "melodies", so my tracks can be hard, crazy, banging but they´re always a bit melodic. And since i focused last year on uplifting beats from 138 to 140, the energy is kicking ;-)

Your most recent release is the Vocal Trance anthem “Until The End” which is currently ranked #7 in the Beatport Top 100 Trance charts. What other tracks would you recommend to someone that is not yet familiar with your music?

The best is to search through my Soundcloud account, or listen to my free podomatic podcasts. The thing is, my tracks are more songs than just tracks. I like it the old school way. You remember my songs easier then a lot of nowadays trance songs, because today the majority of releases sounds the same. If you remember 90s trance hits, you could always recognise the song from the beginning, because they used some specific sounds. Nowadays you often have to wait until the main break to remember the song name. Its because most of the tracks are produced in a few hours. We spend at least 2-3 days to create a song. You´ll hear the difference.

What are you currently working and focusing working?

Lots of things, i just finished remake of RMB - Spring, a huge 90´s rave classic. Then i´m doing a remix of the coming "Trancefusion" anthem, i work on a new vocal track, i did a psytrance collab with "Liquid Soul" for Perfecto and i did a inf3rno rework of the new "The prodigy" single. So you see, i am always productive. You need to be focused, Clublife is fast nowadays.

You have played the biggest clubs and major Trance festivals all over the world, including Trance Energy, Love Parade, Ultra Miami, Trancefusion, Mayday, Nature One, Quest 4 Trance, Luminosity, Gatecrasher and many more. Looking back on three decades of DJing and producing music, what are your personal highlights, the best and the worst gig you ever played and what was the funniest thing ever occurred during any of your performances?

OMG, you ask questions ;-) there are so many wonderful memories, this would again fill a book. But i tell you one funny story. In the late 90s i was on a special rave tour called "thai break", we flew with bunch of fans (app. 300-400) to Thailand, stopped in Bangkok, and then travelled to Koh Samui. We were around 25-30 djs, from techno to house and trance. I was basically the main trancer. The promoters did several parties in clubs and at beaches with us. One morning i was supposed to play at one famous after hour club. We drove there with our rental jeep. I jumped out with my heavy silver record case. It was key locked and i went to the dj booth. The resident dj welcomed me and i had a drink with my friends. The place was really packed with people and a lot waited for my set. When i wanted to start, i realised that i lost the key to the lock of my case. I was looking for it and after 5 minutes i turned towards the dance floor and i saw around 30-40 crawling on the ground with lighters searching for my key. So word got out, that i lost it and everybody feard i can´t play. I never saw this before, and it was total funny but also touching. I delivered them of the fear, because i thai guy broke the lock for me, so i could play for the happy crowd then. ;-) Btw, i found the key later on the bottom of the jeep....

Of all the gigs i played, it doesn´t matter if there are 20.000 or 200 as long as the share my passion for trance music and they give me their energy. Through the energy you build a connection with the audience and thats how great parties emerge. At the moment i start to go more to asia, because they appreciate me and my music. I´m looking forward to play in Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia the coming month. My agent Lexx from djboutique.asia is believing in me and taking care of me. So i am happy to travel more into your region.

You have performed in Bangkok several times already. On 20th February you will return to Bangkok to perform live at MIXX Discotheque. Did you keep you previous shows in good memory? What can Bangkok expect of your upcoming performance?

I am always excited when i come to Bangkok, MIXX Discotheque is normally more known for house and edm, but when i come i can play my trance sounds and the people really enjoy it. I also like, that the Members of "TLT" Trance music lovers Thailand visit and party with me there, and of course i am happy of the big support by the mixx crew, starting with Dirk the boss, Eddie Pay, Mate the Manager, Matthew White and all others. They let me feel to be home and mixx is definitely a place to be in Thailand.