Access Music - Ajunabeats Interview

JOSE ALVAREZ BRILL
by TK (translation edited by Ben Crosland)

Interview with José Alvarez-Brill (Stern TV, Wolfsheim, Witt/Heppner, De/Vision, No Comment etc.)

There aren't very many playing in the same league as José Alvarez-Brill. It's not only since his big success with the German band Wolfsheim that he is regarded as one of the top German producers in electronic music! Access Spotlight had the opportunity to meet the busy musician, producer and avowing Virus-holic in his sanctum, the Pleasurepark Studios.

Spotlight: José, thanks for sparing some time. After your big No.1 success with the new album from Wolfsheim "Casting Shadows" you're busy again with new productions. But let's start at the very beginning: when did you start with music and how did it come about that you're working mainly as producer?

José Alvarez-Brill: I've started with music about 25 years ago, roughly – I don't want to make myself older than I am! (laughing). It all started with the guitar, then came the first home recording experiences: at that time it was with a Fostex A8 machine, which was later replaced by a B16, followed by the ADAT 24, and now there's the Pro Tools TDM System. The same development happened with sequencers: I started off with a Notator C+, that was a 16 track MIDI sequencer, very old, then went on to the first Notator for the Atari and so on and now it's Logic System 6.1.

After that I drifted away a bit; then I produced some videos and ended up doing music professionally, with the earliest instances going back to Wolfsheim and 1991.

Spotlight: When you start with a production, how are we to imagine it, what is the first creative thing you do?

José Alvarez-Brill: Normally, when I start with the production for a band, there is already a demo recording. I listen to it and sort out the vocals in my head. For me, the canto, the voice respectively, still is the most important thing. A voice like Peter Heppner's is unique of course; it stands for success. But here it's very important how the voice is being presented. Therefore, at first, I check the vocals to see whether they are well sorted, whether the lead vocals are harmonious, whether the lyrics make sense etc.

I think most people go for the music first; for me, it's the vocals. So there you go: starting from the demo, you try to unravel the playback and to characterize the strengths of a band and to try to work them out. I think nothing of producing a band in a such way that they don't recognize themselves afterwards. After I've unravelled everything a bit I take a look into the existing MIDI setup and simply start at the bottom, like building a house - just the basics to start, with drums, bass drum and bass; very solid until the voices are on top at last and then there is the final polishing.

Spotlight: You have just set up another studio, which equipment do you use?

José Alvarez-Brill: In the main studio, in the A, we work with an Avalon-Mixer, 96 channels; still analog, because I simply like the sound. Now we have a Pro Tools 3 System for recording, in which, by the way, I am very fond of using the Virus A as TDM plugin (laughing). Soon I will switch to ASIO drivers, so I can also use the Motus and add the Powercore to it. I also like to work with the Novation – can I mention that here? (grin) – but even more with the Virus C, which is absolutely my favourite, my main instrument at the moment. Well, and of course the usual stuff, you know, the things you need... ;-)

The most important for my personal development now is the small system in the second studio: two 02R's Desks from Yamaha, an Apple G4 with Double Giga Hertz, two Motu 2408 and two Powercore PCI cards. And there's another Powercore unit coming up; I think it's remarkable that it can meet the standards of the Pro Tools system.

Spotlight: Which two other devices besides the Virus C would you take with you on a deserted island?

José Alvarez-Brill: My Urei compressor and my Avalon microphone preamp (okay, when the microphone is included).

Spotlight: What are you using the Virus for?

José Alvarez-Brill: For everything!!!

Spotlight: Thanks! (we are laughing)

José Alvarez-Brill: No, true, it really is that way. The first question is always, what can the Virus do in this or that case, like: we have a bass problem, let's take a look at what the Virus says. And then it's also a great one for triggered pads and even more, and since the Virus C, also for special FX sounds, that make beautiful and strange atmospheres that are not very common. It has always been great for the bass, too. So it's a real universal tool (laughing). Hey, that really is the truth!

Spotlight: What do you consider the specific advantages of the TDM and the C?

José Alvarez-Brill: For the TDM I mostly use standard sounds, e.g. the Bassman Patch I already mentioned. When I know exactly, it should be placed here, then I take the TDM virus, because it pops up just like "wupp", everything is saved in the arrangement and I don't need to tweak a lot. When I need to tweak or look for sounds I want to change, I take the analogue Virus, a real Virus. Tweaking is more fun and you can also seek faster. Well, Virus C of course has more patches whilst the TDM Virus is limited a bit in that way. And, of course, an advantage compared with the C is: I can open up 6 instances.

Spotlight: What is your favourite Virus feature?

José Alvarez-Brill: The Main Volume.. just kidding.. well, looking at quantities, you are tweaking the Cutoff more than anything else. I like the Sound here very much. With many other digital based instruments it doesn't pay tweaking the filters. But "most favourite feature", let me think, the arpeggiators are very good and the C now also has a very handy effect section. It's pretty geil.

Spotlight: What are your 3 favourite patches and how do you use them?

José Alvarez-Brill: The Bassman!! That's my all time favourite. Especially for the Wolfsheim" Spectators" it was always the solution when a bass was needed. It was always that sound, that was powerful but also unobtrusive, not like other basses. There really are some elaborately produced basses, but you do get fed up with them soon. Well, withthe Bassman, it's pure power; it just turned out to be a very good bass weapon.

Spotlight:Your Producer's Tip of the Day?

José Alvarez-Brill: What a lot people get wrong, is when they don't have the right pressure in their sounds: they always think, the playback is still too empty and always add more sounds. One should work more on the sounds that are there already, work them out so they "sound".

Spotlight: What are your plans for the future?

José Alvarez-Brill: I don't want to blab out too much, but we have to work on the distribution of music. Here we have a lot of stagnation at the moment. And here we as producers have to take the initiative. And then there are a lot of other projects, at the moment we've been working for Lou Bega, which is total contrary to Wolfsheim, but just to show you the spectrum. And in October we will do the second long-player for Juicy Junk, and until then I have two TV jobs to do...

Spotlight: Are you still interested in new artists?

José Alvarez-Brill: We at the production company and at the publishing house (Arabella, The Factory) are keen on new artists, particularly if they really want to work, have the stamina to work really hard and have the stamina to stick to something. If so, they are welcome to contact us: