I had the pleasure of having an in-depth conversation with the label boss about his time at the helm of GOGO Music, the many changes the imprint has faced over the years and what inspires him to keep releasing and creating so many timeless classics. I had a rather naive approach and just wanted to release good music.
Music that I considered as worthy and thought the world should hear. This approach has never changed. I just went from one project to another and kept on doing so, but of course always with the aim to make a living. GOGO started prior to the digital age, so the industry has changed completely since then. It meant countless challenges.
Being able to react and adapt to those steady changes is probably one of the most important skills in the music business today. After starting as a vinyl only label, we have been amongst the first imprints which have been selling on Traxsource when you started out in Staying connected and staying up with latest trends is essential.
It is the positive experiences and success stories that keep one going. But each release is literally a highlight. We wanted to keep it fresh without neglecting some classics which the label is known for, so we concentrated mainly on the releases of the last 5 years.
We also wanted to avoid sounding like a repetition of our digital 10th anniversary Collection. The flow of the DJ mixes also changed some decisions. Nevertheless, there was always a small supportive scene which enabled me to stay true. Except for my residencies, which I steadily had since the mid 90s in my hometown, I often was booked more internationally than in my own country. Unfortunately not, as it was too soulful in comparison to what was mainly played in German clubs at the time.
However, we always had a group of followers who really got it; this served as motivation. In retrospect, the German scene of the 90s and before I started the label, was actually better for what I play than the one after the millennium change. People were easier to excite with a fresh House sound, which was mainly coming from the States back then. We had a real soulful community, with artists like Boris Dlugosch or Mousse T coming to gigs in my hometown or I would visit their city.
I was taken away when I visited the country for the first time. The beauty of it and the depth of the House music scene made me fall in love with South Africa. Friendships grew on subsequent tours until my wife and I decided to give it a try. Before coming here, I liked African music. It grew to be a spiritual home over time and only after the relocation. Next to his Ralf GUM productions, he started two further projects.
With an impressive line-up including e. With an equally great line-up including e. FM Clubnight , a show dedicated to electronic music and club culture, which was transmitted on the German national radio-and TV-station Hessischer Rundfunk 2 times in , one time in , and Composing a continuous piece of music, seamless and blended into a luscious texture of soulful-, afro-and latin-house and jazz inspired grooves, Ralf showcased his ability to create wonderful original songs.
In the talented hands of Ralf that team complimented rather than countered an impressive, truly soulful collection of songs and emphatically demonstrates his ability to orchestrate soul-house goodness on the grandest possible scale. This helps him creating a simply irresistible groove every time he emerges from the studio or works the turntables. Links: Label-website: www. GOGO Myspace-site: www. The weather is much better than Germany, my studio rent is cheaper and of course the love for REAL music which exists in the country played a role, too.
Sometimes it would of course be nice to be closer to family and old friends. I think that you find House Heads and music lovers in every corner of the world. For instance I had the pleasure to play some really great events in Europe lately. I think the Soulful House scene fortunately sees a little revival there. The big difference between South Africa and any other place in the world is the amount of people who are deeply in love with House Music. It is not just a niche market here, but one of the biggest genres in the country, which has full media support.
And South Africans really do know their music, as they do a lot of research on it. If something is hot is released, they will be the first ones to know about it.
This obviously leads to musically very well informed crowds. I guess everybody has to have his lows to enjoy the highs. It is just natural that not all things work out all the time as one would wish.
Inspiration for example is nothing you can force. I rather get moody, when I can not work in studio for a too long time. As my album is just finished as we speak, there will be some single releases taken from it during the next month.
It feels impossible to cut it down to just a few. I guess that I took influences from various genres and many styles, which eventually and hopefully led to my own style. Even within the House Music scene, there are many people and even more tracks, that I could write down.
It has to be the computer these days. In current studio environments it is simply the key tool, even if you only would use it to sequence your music.
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