Claude VonStroke - Keeping it fun

Claude VonStroke has been a staple in the dance music scene for some time now. There are very few electronic artists these days that possess the unique ability to keep true to their underground sound by making whatever inspires them and have fun doing it, without conforming to what will get them radio play. Claude continues to push the boundaries in all things house while running two successful labels, and working on a third only vinyl project, Krush Groov. The We Love Space resident and all round Dirtybird catches up with Pulse's Kristen Marconi to discuss what's new for him, the freedom outside of genres and why we need get out on the dancefloor and have fun with music again. 

Pulse: Possibly my favourite bit of your bio would be "Claude VonStroke is only coming to see you if you want to enjoy yourself and get sweaty and nasty. If you want to wear a sweater and frown in the VIP section, he is not the right DJ for you." Is that something your trying to get across? The fun? Claude VonStroke: think that's the whole thing with our label we're trying to get across; that you can have fun with it. We don't want to make comical or jokey music but we don't want it to be too serious either. We want to have fun. With the parties we hold and music we play we want people to get up, dance and have fun. That's the message we're trying to get across.

With your latest release Makeovers, why was it a makeover rather than a remix? The point of that was really with that release a lot of them I threw away the idea of the original. I didn't throw it away completely so much as I just took the path and didn't really go back to the first listen of what the track was intended to sound like. The point was more to go back to almost the beginning and remake them from scratch and see what else could be made.

You're coming to Australia for Stereosonic soon, what can we expect? I think I'm going to play a pretty eclectic set - there'll be some surprises for sure that I don't even know yet. Usually I put a bit of a set together and a plan for each tour and I haven't had a chance to get that ready yet. So I'm not sure. I wIll try and make it fun and interesting. I'll be smiling.

The latest music releases making it big and collaborations I'm seeing are crossing genres; indie artists working with dubstep names, tech with reggae, are we seeing the end of genres and a new level of creativity in music with no rules? I think that a lot of people are doing that but there is still tonnes of people who are sticking to their niches and I'm not saying that in a negative way. If you're known for something and that's your signature it's a selling point. I am not going to be one of those though I like to be more creative. I'm going all over the place myself at this point. People are going more outside the bounds.

You're a resident at We Love Space in Ibiza, have you noticed these changes in on the island as well? Different genres creeping in rather than just the traditional Ibiza sound of house and techno? I really think that night in particular I play is wide ranging which is why I like it. There's now all sorts of nights popping up on the island, like originally there never used to be a place you could hear Diplo like kind of music and now there is all that kind of music popping up everywhere.

 

Are you looking for a specific sound when making a track or more experimenting to see what will happen? I kind of have started to make tracks not worrying about the bpm or anything and just make tracks. I have noticed I've changed to someone who just makes music instead of being someone who goes "Is that going to be a Claude VonStroke track?". I've become more relaxed in that sense.

Is it correct you've started a third label, Krush Groov? Kind of, it's a very small vinyl only experiment. Only a couple of records so far. But we'll se what happens there might be more to talk about later with that.

What's new for Mothership with the statement, 'a relaunch is coming next year'? I really concentrated on Dirtybird in the second half of this year and we had a really relentless release schedule. There's still some releases I'm excited about not even out yet, which is all really good but meant Mothership kind of took a back seat. The relaunch in 2012 is because I want to change it from being a techno house label to being more an experimental label.

When can we expect that? Maybe next year. Though I don't know who to send it to if it's not DJ related promo. Who else is there? I'll send it to you. [laughs]



Yes, definitely send it this way, how come the change in concept? I was thinking do I need another label or another alias for Claude VonStroke and kind of what you were saying that people are a lot more accepting of multiple genres. I'm starting to feel I can release a housier or deeper album on Dirtybird and I don't need two techno labels.

I'm getting into different music and there's no point having two techno labels with a kick on every beat. I just want to grow and expand and see where I can take the music which is where a relaunched label comes in. 

Listen to Claude VonStroke on Pulse Radio