In the first of what will be a regular series of features on the FACT site, we asked Surgeon to pick out five records from his record collection and talk about them. Simple as that.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that Surgeon, AKA Tony Child, is the best British techno DJ alive; it’s a plain fact. Historically he’s best-known for a hard, industrial style – one given full voice on his recent mix CD for Warp, This Is For You Shits – but that’s only one facet of his sound. His sets are diverse but coherent, exquisitely modulated things: last time we had the pleasure of hearing him spin, alongside Hardwax’s DJ Pete, he was dropping immense dubstep tracks from the likes of RSD alongside swinging minimal, grotty Detroit house and undulating, Berlin-style warehouse bangers. It should come as no surprise that he’s acknowledged as a key influence by artists like Marcel Dettmann and Ben Klock.
As a producer, Surgeon is responsible for some astonishingly good records. His albums Basictonalvocabulary (1997) and the Detroit-flavoured Force+Form (1999), both released by Tresor, are masterpieces, and the latter was featured in FACT’s recent 20 Best UK Techno rundown. His collaboration with Regis (now part of the Sandwell District crew), British Murder Boys, was a singularly fascinating project – bringing a very British industrial aesthetic, not to mention a dose of situationist politics, to bear on rolling, dub-infused techno. Sadly BMB are now defucnt, but Surgeon has remained busy: his recent remixes of Shed and Scuba are quite simply next-level, and his version of Orphyx’s ‘Burning Flags’ shows he’s still not afraid to make some very, very scary music.
01: COIL
LOVE’S SECRET DOMAIN
(TORSO, 1991)
Why Love’s Secret Domain?
Surgeon: “I could have picked – almost – any Coil album. Horse Rotorvator was the first Coil album I bought – that was their current release at the time – but I picked Love’s Secret Domain because it sounded so advanced when it came out; I know it influenced a lot of people including myself. Lots of great songs on there.”
Does the occult-cum-spiritual aspect of Coil appeal to you?
“I like the fact that they lived the life (and death for Jhon Balance) of their music. Gives it more gravity, greater depth. Life is art, art is life.”
Do you think there’s an equivalent in techno?
“Nothing that really goes that deep, but that’s just a personal opinion. Maybe some people have religious experiences listening to Tiesto!”
Are you a fan of TG, Chris & Cosey, etc? Peter Christopherson’s subsequent work?
“Yes, I listen to all those too – but none have made such a strong impression as Coil.”
02: SCOTT WALKER
SCOTT 4
(PHILIPS, 1969)
This is a very warm, romantic record, but also very ominous, very angry at times – ‘Hero Of The War’ in particular is very bitter.
“Something I find unique about Scott Walker is that on the surface these songs can appear to be nice pop songs, but they have a powerful dream-like quality which makes me feel like he’s singing to my unconscious rather than conscious mind.”
This album is emblematic of a time when commercially viable pop music and bold experimentation, sonic ambition, were not mutually exclusive. Do you believe that this is still possible?
“I really do hope so. I think self-awareness is the biggest hurdle with that these days.”
Have you heard much of Scott Walker’s recent LPs – Drift, Tilt, etc? Have you delved into old The Walker Brothers stuff (Nite Flights etc)?
“Yes, I am a huge fan of all of those records too. ‘The Electrician’ on Nite Flights is possibly the greatest song ever recorded. I’ve often heard Scott Walker described as a ‘Godlike Genius’, and I agree entirely with that.”
03: THE ART OF NOISE
(WHO’S AFRAID OF) THE ART OF NOISE
(ZTT, 1984)
“This is the first, and for me best Art of Noise album, released in 1984. As well as the ‘hits’ ‘Moments In Love’, ‘Beatbox’ and ‘Close (To The Edit)’ there are many great abstract pieces on the album which works brilliantly as a whole. Kraftwerk are always cited as a profound influence on modern electronic music; Art Of Noise aren’t often mentioned, but they represent the eccentric English counterpart to Kraftwerk’s very teutonic persona.”
04: BAUHAUS
THE SKY’S GONE OUT
(BEGGARS BANQUET, 1982)
Were you ever a proper goth?
“No, I hung out with some (sort of) goths at school. Most of that music was awful though! Bauhaus are from Northampton, where I grew up. A schoolfriend’s dad taught them at Northampton Art College, so for us it was a ‘local band’.”
Did you ever play in any bands yourself before you started making electronic music?
“Yes, lots of fun, droning guitars and feedback, quite bad really. Later on I played tape loops and electronics in a jazz-rock fusion band (according to Wikipedia!)”
Bauhaus have been unfairly treated by history – they get dismissed by a lot of people as “that goth band” and not taken as seriously as they deserve…
“I agree: they were much more than just a Goth band. They’re far more varied than goth bands of the time. More ‘art-rock’ to me.”
05: WHITEHOUSE
RACKET
(SUSAN LAWLY, 2007)
You’ve said before that William Bennett’s approach to his art is a big inspiration to you. Can you elaborate?
“It’s just very pure, a rare thing these days.”
Have you heard any [Bennett’s italo/hi-NRG DJ alter ego] DJ Benetti sets?
“Yes, I’ve seen him play as Benetti about 4 times now. Always a great party!”
Is it fair to say that British Murder Boys were strongly influenced by Whitehouse?
“Perhaps a little, but I was always a lot more into Whitehouse than Karl [Connor, AKA Regis] was. I think early Mute bands, especially Fad Gadget in the live setting, were even more of an influence for us.”
Do you think it’s possible in 2009 for a band to be as shocking and confrontational as Whitehouse once were?
“Perhaps, but I’m not sure I’d want to experience it! People’s boundaries of acceptance are so different today compared to when Whitehouse began in 1980.”
Edna Snarik
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