'Never trust a man without regrets' - The Horrorist Interview

Oliver Chesler aka The Horrorist, Dj Skinhead and the founder of the label Things to Come has been a solid figure in the techno scene for over 20 years now. The veteran achieved huge recognition for his ‘Manic Panic’ project and has been steadily going since. His dystopian themed tracks have seized a new life form, relative to the frustration of a generation living through a socio-economic and political nightmare.

The Horrorist has been billed on the techno super star line up for Unpolished 2017 which sold out in a mere 2 hours, his songs can be heard as the featured soundtracks in their promo videos. The outspoken avant-garde Chesler often sings about violence, sex, disease drug taking and the demise of world.

In this interview, MOTZ discusses The Horrorist's favourite synths, the relevance of his music in todays society, the power of ecstasy and his upcoming projects.

Tell us some of your favourite synthesizers?

For synthesizers the Roland SH-101 is my all time favorite. More than the Minimoog or ARP 2600. There is just something so amazing sounding about it and the way the sliders let you pull in out bass or modulation inspires you. When you add in it’s sequencer and fast envelopes this synth is just mind blowing. Next I would say the Ensoniq ESQ-1. This is also from the 80s and it has digital oscillators with analog filters. You can get them cheap and really the sound is just total love. I also love some new synths like the Analogue Solutions Telemark which is semi modular. Pair the Telemark with two hardware sequencers and magic happens. It’s an instant Depeche Mode machine. I also use a lot of modular stuff. There are some modules you can can’t duplicate in software. My favorites would be the WMD Sequential Switch, Transistor Labs Stepper Acid and the Allright Devices Chronoblob. I love ANY drum machine or guitar pedal.

Do you consider your songs to be autobiographical?

Absolutely. When up and coming musicians ask me for advice on how to make good music I tell them go out and live! Never trust a man without regrets.

Your music seems to be more relevant now than ever, why do think that is?

There was a time I was definitely more crazy than anyone around me. For better or worse the world is catching up! It could also be that I am making songs with lyrics and if a song is good as we know it lasts forever. I have well over three decades of making music behind me. I also throw away 4 of 5 songs I create just because they aren’t good enough. You can learn skill but you have to have taste and the strength to say ok I spent 2 weeks on this and it’s terrible.

Recently I saw that someone gave you a sanitary pad to sign. What other weird objects

have you been given or signed?

Sweaty human flesh with a standard ballpoint pen. What could be more weird? It’s painful for me and the person. It also doesn’t work and even if it did would wash away in 5 minutes. That’s the power of ecstasy right there.

Your career is still going strong after two decades of being in the industry. What changes have you seen throughout this time span?

All the girls have gotten younger and better looking? Kidding aside… being paid for music has ended. I make some money doing remixes but 90% of the cash comes from performing live. I’m not complaining though because the trade off is anyone can get there music to everyone just by posting it on the internet. I think thats amazing.

Do you think techno is still an underground genre?

Just wait two hours to get into Berghain and then ask that question.

Tell us about any new projects you have coming out?

This year will be one of my most prolific as far as released music goes. I have a single and album coming out on Aufnahme + Wiedergabe. This label run by Philipp Strobel & crew is what I consider today’s Mute. They are real music lovers there. The first single is for a song called Programmed. It’s about how we are a computer simulation. It’s been remixed by Thomas P. Heckmann, Silent Servant & Lado. Then on A+W my album Separate Dimension will be released. It’s 12 songs I worked very hard on. I think the world will really enjoy it. With the team behind Killekill and Flexiwave I am also relaunching my own label Things to Come Records. Of course I will have my own music released on it among some old artist that we all know and some new faces. I’m also working on side projects with Alex Bau, The Hacker, Neil Landstrumm, Al Ferox and much more!

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