Deejay News by Miss Ess Jay: Exclusive Interview with Pieter Steijger

Wednesday 6 March 2013

Exclusive Interview with Pieter Steijger

Born in The Netherlands in 1989, Pieter Steijger is a DJ / Producer, and label boss. With a passion for music at a very young age, Pieter first had his taste of the decks at the tender age of 13.

He founded Frameworx Music in 2008, releasing his own work plus that of his duo partner Sander Young. He released his first album Luminosity on his birthday - 14/2/13.

Hi Pieter, thank you for taking the time to do this...I would like to start by asking you what is your earliest memory of music, and can you remember how it made you feel?

When I was a kid and I was playing (most of the time with Lego), my dad used to play music from Kraftwerk. I was so impressed by those electronic sounds. It was an amazing feeling. Ever since that moment, music has always been a part of my life. Not much later I started playing the drums, and I took piano lessons. Eventually I started to make my own music.

Who has been your biggest influence throughout your life?

I think that Carl Craig should deserve that compliment. His musicality, sound and technical knowledge inspires me a lot. I also got my influences from artists like Kevin Saunderson (Inner City), Derrick May, Kenny Larkin, Pink Floyd, Underworld, Dubfire, Sasha, MGMT, Richie Hawtin, Paul Kalkbrenner, Booka Shade, Deetron, etcetera.

If you could work with anyone, past or present, who would it be and why?

I don't know. Of course Carl Craig would be very educational to work with. He is a musical magician. But I think it would be also very cool to add some Techno influences to a band or artist like the Editors or Kanye West.

How would you best describe the atmosphere in the studio when you and Sander get together?

Most of the time I work solo on projects. If you are alone and you've been working for hours on a track, it's good to have somebody that provides you a new perspective and input on your creations. When Sander enters the studio he notices things I didn't hear yet or he provides some input that takes the track to another dimension. When we work together on a project, we complete each other which results in awesome tracks and in new ways of creativity.

If music was never an option as a career to you which profession do you think you may have chosen?

I think I would become a (Dutch) designer. Or I would get a career as manager of a band or DJ.

Who is your favorite singer/band to listen to right now, and do you get chance to go to see your fave act perform on stage at any time?

Actually I don't have ‘one’ favourite act. Nowadays, I listen a lot to the Editors, Errors, Nosaj Thing, When Saints Go Machine, Kollektiv Turmstrasse, Nicolas Jaar, Paul Kalkbrenner, etcetera. So I try to see them whenever I get the chance.

And finally Pieter, if you could give one piece of advice to someone who wanted to start out as a DJ, what would it be?

Just create your own music. Invest in a quality workflow that will foster your creativity. Be inspired by the artists and movies you like and of course by your own background and environment. Don't start with it for the wrong reasons like money, women, or fame. And focus...