A Rock Band Reconstructed: A Few Questions for Soulwax’s Steven Slingeneyer

Soulwax has taken many shapes and forms over the years, varying between an electrolush club hopping dance troop to mash-up forerunners to chic post new-wave rockers. Nite Versions proves to be somewhat of a return to the basic Soulwax sound, before the 2 Many DJs side project took over, before band members came and went, before the group forgot about traditional instruments. In this conversation Steven Slingeneyer discusses the comparison between the group’s reception in Europe and America, corresponding influences that both the 2 Many DJs and Soulwax projects have had on one another and the full circle return that is Nite Versions.

CB: In the decade that Soulwax has been together, how has the group’s direction changed?

SS: It’s changed from just playing instruments to DJing to producing to remixing to playing our instruments again. It’s been a weird evolution and we are pretty happy we’ve become something unique in the modern day music business.

CB: What influence has the 2 Many DJs project had on Soulwax?

SS: That’s a hard one. We can’t really answer that one too honestly cause we are part of Soulwax and 2 Many DJs. They have cross-influences each other. We always need Soulwax as a starting point: 2 Many DJs, Nite Versions, Production, Remixing…

CB: How does remixing/mashing relate to original productions in terms of creative output?

SS: Some of the remixes we’ve done consist of just the original vocal with us playing and composing a completely different melody over it, or taking two existing tracks and making them into something different; you make something original out of existing material.

CB: Soulwax and Europe, how does the group’s reception there compare there to overseas in America?

SS: I think the fact that we are/do all these different things have made it ward for people in America to get their heads around what it is we exactly do. Also, dance music and rock music are two completely different genres in America, they cross over a lot more in Europe. We’ve been surprised with the success we have had so far as Soulwax and 2 Many DJs, so maybe we are not the right people to ask.

CB: For those who haven’t heard Nite Versions, what can they expect?

SS: A rock band reconstructing it’s music for the dance floor and playing those versions live as a band.

CB: If Soulwax had one final show to play, who would you most like to share the stage with?

SS: Bill Hicks.