With tracks like "Punk da Funk," "Loneliness," and "Brainwashed," anytime I see Tomcraft on a track, I know that it's going to sound good in a DJ set. His new single with Naidoo, "People Like Them," is no exception – dark, dramatic and pounding, his trademark sound. With the upcoming CD release, tentatively titled "TOB," Tomcraft (aka Thomas Brückner), has teamed up with members of Gus Gus, Republica, and the Bloodhound Gang. Ich kann nicht warten, that's German for I can't wait.
DJ Ron Slomowicz: I notice your fierce new single, People Like Them, is not on
your last album. Should we be expecting a new CD in the near future?
Tomcraft: People Like You is one of the last tracks that we're
finishing right now in the studio. We will be finishing it in the
next week with a release planned for September.
RS: Do you have a working title for the new album?
Tomcraft: I don't know if it's the finished title but it is a working
title, TOB.
RS: What does that stand for?
Tomcraft: Thomas of Bavaria.
RS: With the music on the album, what kind of direction are you going?
Tomcraft: It's all over the place with a mix between electro,
breaks, hip-hop and this clubby style. Yesterday we did a kind of
electropop- actually, a more pop song and then we did a really cool
breakbeat track – so it's really a bit of everything.
RS: When you say 'we', is that you and Eniac?
Tomcraft: The last time I worked with Eniac was on Loneliness, which
was about six years ago. I'm working with Tobias David Lützenkirchen
and he's also an act on my label Great Stuff and Craft Music, so he's
already releasing his own music. We have a studio together at the
Great Stuff office and I've worked with him for about two years.
RS: What's the difference between your two labels - Great Stuff and Craft?
Tomcraft: Great Stuff is electro sometimes mixed with pop elements or
very melodic vocal elements, but still very tough with a clubby sound.
Craft Music is more techno and a bit harder, not always with melodies
or harmonics in it, but just straight-on club tracks.
RS: I'm assuming that "People Like Them" will be the first
single from TOB. Will more songs on the album feature vocalists?
Tomcraft: Yes, it's kind of a feature album. The first track was
actually "Broadsword Calling Danny Boy," a track I did together with
Jimmy Pop from Bloodhound Gang. The new one "People Like Them" is
with Naidoo and it's one of the most popular tracks in Germany right
now. I also did tracks with Republica and President Bongo from GusGus.
RS: When you work with these singers, do you give them a track
or do you write the vocals together?
Tomcraft: We do the music and produce two or three playbacks that we
send to the singers. They choose one and do their own vocals with
text and melody. They send them back and we finish the track.
RS: Talking about dance music in Germany, is the electro sound
still really big there?
Tomcraft: Yes, really big here. I don't know how long exactly but
the electro stuff is definitely the biggest sound.
RS: What style of music do you see coming next or mixing with electro?
Tomcraft: The music is going more and more back to the clubs so it's
not very commercial. The minimalist scene is really big at every big
rave or festival in Germany.
RS: Are you planning to tour with this new album?
Tomcraft: Of course. Starting with Germany in September and then
Brazil and Japan in November. Then I will come to the US to Los
Angeles, San Francisco, and probably Las Vegas, then Mexico and all
over Europe.
RS: What has been the reaction to your new music as you play out?
Tomcraft: The reactions to "Danny Boy" and "People Like Them" have
been fantastic. I know from Jimmy that on the East Coast, two really
big radio stations have been playing Broadsword Calling Danny Boy
really often, so when we're touring, those two are the best reactions
for the whole album.
RS: How did you meet up with Jimmy Pop from Bloodhound Gang?
Tomcraft: I did a remix for the German release of "Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss
Uhn Tiss " and when they toured here his management contacted my
management and we met at the concert. I met Jimmy backstage at the
concert and we were talking a lot about the mix, about the techno
dance scene and that he is also a really big dance music fan. We
decided to do a track together and we worked really well together.
RS: When you're in the studio what software are you using?
Tomcraft: I'm on Cubase now; I also work with Logic.
RS: When you're DJing, are you playing with laptop or CDs or vinyl?
Tomcraft: I played vinyl until last year, when I started my
Australian tour in November and I switched to CDs. The only reason is
the weight of the record bag and when I'm changing flights on
different airports all over the world its very difficult. I'm flying
so much and I don't want to check them as normal luggage because they
are lost or damaged so many times. Several times I had to play with
other people's records, so with CDs I can always have them with me and
its much easier.
RS: What would you like to say to all of your fans out there?
Tomcraft: Thanks for your support! Please come see me when I'm all
over playing. Visit me at the clubs and let's have a great time.