Jeff Mills

He’s a DJ from Chicago, very modern-thinking, very simple keyboards and he’ll just throw in the bin all the techno that doesn’t matter any more, keep what’s classic and add to it. He printed a vinyl record with eight grooves on it instead of one that goes in a spiral. Each groove has its own loop and goes on for ever and you move to the next one and it’s just wicked, man - that’s total concept, I’m sorry. Usually when you sample things you’re dealing with computer digits - it’s not physical anymore. I find that difficult. I like music to be physical whether it’s singing or the piano or keyboards. You can scream or if it’s quiet you’ll go on tip-toe but with a computer it’s ’let’s put in 0.995.’ After a whole day of that it’s too much brain and not enough instinct. So what he’s done is keep it physical - the loops are for scratching and that’s just a revolution for me. I used to DJ on Icelandic Radio. . . I’m the worst mixer in the world so I’d just play my favourite songs, had my own show. Oh, I’ve done it all !

Sky 12/95