Thought this was pretty cool. The news itself is not new, but it was nice to see some nice quotes from Richie, articulating his thoughts on the retrospective CD.
Here's the link: http://www.sonicnet.com/news/story.jhtml?genreNameForDisplay=Dance%2FElectro nic&genreDirectoryName=dance&id=1123320 Jason Birchmeier ---------------- Editor All Music Guide http://allmusic.com 734-887-5600x186 ---------------- Techno Luminaries Richie Hawtin And John Acquaviva's Label Turns 10 Plus 8 Records plans series of classic tracks, U.S. tour. Contributing Editor Corey Moss reports: Richie Hawtin and John Acquaviva's Plus 8 Records, one of the most respected techno labels of the last decade, will honor the past with a compilation series, tour and concert event celebrating the imprint's 10-year anniversary. Plus 8 Classics, a three-CD series that will be released separately in October and November, will feature pioneering techno artists such as Holland's Speedy J (born Jochem Paap), Japan's Ken Ishii, Boston's Fred Gianelli (a.k.a. the Kooky Scientist) and Detroit's Kenny Larkin and Dan Bell, along with tracks by Hawtin and Acquaviva. "I spend a lot of time working on new ideas and trying to push forward artistically, which was also the main driving force behind Plus 8," Hawtin said. "So when I started thinking of releasing a classics album set, I felt a little apprehensive. But I realized that to work on new ideas and to push forward artistically, you need to understand, or at least be aware of, the building blocks and history of what you are involved in." Hawtin and Acquaviva started Plus 8 in early 1990 out of the Detroit basement where Acquaviva's father made fresh mozzarella cheese. Their goal was to release their own singles with Hawtin producing under the alias Plastikman and expand the boundaries of the relatively young music called techno. "When we started recording we thought we had already missed the boat and that techno was just a fad to many people," Hawtin said. "Luckily this didn't faze us, and we just went ahead with our plans, racked up [record-] pressing charges and bills on John's credit card, and the rest is history." Minimalistic Style Throughout the decade, Plus 8 became known for its minimal aesthetic in music and design. Its From Our Minds to Yours compilations, the first of which was released in 1991, were revered worldwide. "Plus 8 defined, for a lot of us, not only what the sound was, but a whole set of experiences growing up," said Johnny O, manager of Detroit's seminal Motor nightclub. "For those before us, there was the Music Institute, but for us it was the Plus 8 parties, the Hard, Harder and Hardest parties. All of the events they did were like the gateway for the next generation of this scene." Johnny O also said that staying influential for a decade was no small feat. "Ten years is huge. It's a reference point to figure out how much this music has been a part of people's lives." Plus 8 Classics collects many of the label's classic tracks, along with a number of rare and out-of-print singles, including Cybersonik's "Technarchy," an early collaboration between Hawtin, Acquaviva and Bell; Larkin's "Colony"; several cuts by Hawtin alias F.U.S.E., including "Substance Abuse" and "Slac"; and a few Plastikman tracks, including "Spastik" and "Krakpot." "I thought it was the right time to document the first phase of Plus 8, not only for the past or present-day techno supporters, but for the future supporters and producers who didn't have the luxury of being around during such an incredible time in techno history," Hawtin said. Techno's Memory Lane Hawtin and Acquaviva began compiling music for the series in 1998. It has been a daunting task from the outset, Hawtin said. "[I remember] sitting in my living room with all the original vinyl and just going back down memory lane," he said. "It took another year of relistening, thinking, talking to the artists, to friends and to peers in the techno community about their favorites to really come up with a list of songs that everyone was happy with." To coincide with Plus 8 Classics, Hawtin and Acquaviva will launch a U.S. tour Sept. 9 in Denver. Five dates have been confirmed, and several more will be added. "I don't think people really ever knew what to expect from the next Plus 8 release. Was it hard, soft, ambient, experimental? Was it music at all? A T-shirt perhaps, a condom? Or even a print? We always wanted to keep people guessing, to keep the anticipation there," Hawtin said. "I believe that's what you can expect from the tour. It's been a long time since John and I have done such a focused tour together, so who knows where that will take us all musically." Along with the Plus 8 tour, the label also will host the From Our Minds to Yours party Oct. 28 in Detroit. Speedy J, the Kooky Scientist, Theorem (born Dale Lawrence), Larkin, Bell, Richie's brother Matthew Hawtin and Clark Warner will be among the performers, according to Hawtin's spokesperson. Meanwhile, Hawtin has just re-released the first volume of From Within, a rare three-album series of ambient music he recorded with prolific German producer Pete Namlook. The second installment is due in October, with all three released on Hawtin's Minus label. Plus 8 Classics tour dates: Sept. 9; Denver, Colo.; Skylab Sept. 21; Boston, Mass.; Axis Sept. 22; New York, N.Y.; Twilo Sept. 23; Los Angeles, Calif.; Giant Sept. 24; San Francisco, Calif.; Spundae
