Ep 69 // PAUL KALKBRENNER

Nearly 4 years since they last saw each other in LA, PAUL KALKBRENNER meets Arman in his emerald green 1961 Maserati Ghibli for a chat in BERLIN. Bonding over a love of Mozart, KALKBRENNER mentions he was a terrible instrumentalist as a child, having learned and suffered on the TRUMPET. The KEY to this experience, however, was that he never let it deter him from pursuing music.

He may be one of technos biggest superstars, but the biggest thing that defines his career? TENACITY. In his own words, KALKBRENNER describes this force of self-determination that built his launch pad: “there were many hard years, but I STUCK WITH IT.” Referencing a few of his earliest musical memories, he shares love at first listen was ISAO TOMITA’s Picture at the Exhibition: II. Admiring the LAYERS of sound woven into the song he heard blaring from his parents double cassette tape, KALKBRENNER realised that - the art of layering - was exactly what he wanted to master.

Swerving between German and English, Arman and K could chat for hours. East Germany, during his childhood, looked exactly like the pictures - grey. KALKBRENNER describes the sound of footsteps from the border guards as the only noise from the street at night. These nights had an impact on his craft, as KALKBRENNER believes silence is as important to sound. His warning to the music industry? Do not change because of the times. Instead, use time as a resource to distill your own authentic sound. Slipping into his DRIVING GLOVES to get back on the road, the lyrics “right here, right now” play over the layers of his own track, leaving us with a message. We have the power to make dreams reality if we are tenacious enough.

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