Despite his hectic touring schedule, I felt it was only right to stop and probe Dutch maverick Nymfo about the enigmatically-titled Headbangers Ball ep out on Commercial Suicide.
After all: he’s not a Headbanger. He’s a D&B DJ. What on earth is he on about?
Why the title Headbangers Ball sir? Is it from the olde rock show? or something much more… specialised?
That riff in that tune reminded me for some reason of the theme to ‘Headbangers Ball’!
There isn’t really a kinky story behind this all. But it was the working title already after five minutes and I was still feeling that name when I finished it.
Well I hear there is a rock & roll link… after all you’re on tour a lot? I know Klute is as well, with his band The Stupids.
Tonight is gonna be very hectic for example. I have to cycle in Amsterdam for 10 minutes to get to the venue!
Besides that I’m just back from my US tour and that was mayhem. I played six shows in 11 days and the US is a bit too big to cycle.
So I saw a lot of airports and saw that shitty United Airlines safety video way too many times!
So apart from the cycling, what’s the touring routine like, day to day? I was always interested in biographies of touring bands, that it was the mundanity of the daytime hours that were the killers on tour.
My US tour wasn’t very rock & roll to be honest. Most of the clubs I played closed at 2am, I don’t like after parties, so I always went to bed around 2.30am. My flights didn’t leave after 12pm, so I had some good sleep during this tour. Daytime I was travelling and otherwise all the promoters were always keen to show me around in their city and grab some nice food with me.
How are you producing these days?
Before I wrote this EP I wrote all my tunes half in Reason and half in Ableton. But this whole EP is 100% Ableton. I still like to make sketches in Reason during flights and waiting at airports, because I can make my ideas realistic in this program pretty quick. But Ableton has got much more options to make the mixdown better for example.
I moved to a new studio last year October and I’m really feeling the vibe in that studio. So besides this EP I wrote a lot of new music and did a few remixes as well! I’ve got a new single for Dispatch coming up, my remix for Vandal Records just came out and got much more stuff to come out. And yes, I’m thinking and working slowly on a new Nymfo album. But let’s talk about that in another interview when we are getting closer to a release for that.
Speaking of interviews, it’s been a while since we last spoke. What have you experienced since that’s stood out in the memory?
December 2013 I played on the beach in Goa, India! What I liked about that was that I had a proper Christmas dinner the night before in Amsterdam where I was freezing my balls off and the day after I played a set on the beach in India wearing my trunks! Another gig I always remember is playing on the beach in Vladivostok. It was so far away and a mission to get there, but the 15 hours of travelling was worth it!
What’s good travel food for some on on the goa, I mean the go?
When the promoter wants to book the flight I always check this with them. I hate flying around 18h because I know I’m getting hungry around that time and I don’t want to eat horrible airport/plane food. So I want to fly before dinner so I can eat a nice meal with the promoter when I arrive, or after dinner so I can eat proper food at home. I always find this very important. I try to avoid the fast food, but sometimes that’s the only option.
What are some artists that are delivering right now, for you?
I’m discovering new amazing artists every day. But some artists I’m feeling at the moment are Detail, DLR, Special Request, June Miller, EastColors, Machinedrum & Ena.
And as you’re always on the move, how do you receive your music?
Most music I get is via e-mail. And when I’m on AIM people are still very nice to me and send me new music as well!
Headbangers Ball / Beep is out now. Listen and download.
