Alec Empire
Biography:Alec Empire (born May 2, 1972) is a German musician, best known as a founding member of the band Atari Teenage Riot, who has also generated respect for his solo work.
Born in West Berlin as Alexander Wilke, Empire grew up near the Berlin Wall in a place where rich and poor neighbourhoods sat next to each other. His mother was the daughter of the inventor of the first domestic knitting machine, a self-made millionaire until his company went bankrupt upon his death. His father was a working-class socialist and the son of a Jewish man who died in the concentration camps of the Second World War [1]. He therefore developed a social conscience at a relatively early age.
“My music takes people to places where they’ve never been before. Some never return, and those who did are scared to go back.” - Alec Empire, September 2001
Empire is many things to many people. A man with an extraordinary recording history. The musical revolutionary behind avant garde noise-punk outfit Atari Teenage Riot. The electronic music experimentalist who has made records on a Gameboy.. A consummate musician who has worked with an extraordinarily broad range of peers; for example he is the only producer who has remixed artists as diverse as Blues legend R.L. Burnside, Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore, Bjork, Rob Zombie, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Slayer, Einsturzende Neubauten, and members of the new Hip Hop generation like Company Flow or Prince Paul’s Handsome Boy Modeling School amongst a host of others. He has toured with Rage Against The Machine, Wu-Tang Clan, Beck, Ministry, Nine Inch Nails to name just a few. He has played in over fifty countries - as a DJ in small clubs mixing a remarkable set comprised solely of Sun Ra Records, leading Atari Teenage Riot on world tours and most recently the triumphal appearance at Fuji Rock in front of 20,000 people.
The head of a series of labels that have produced music of an abrasive and forward-looking quality unmatched anywhere in the record industry. But 29-year-old Berliner Alec Empire is more even than all this, as his expansive new double-album, Intelligence And Sacrifice, clearly demonstrates.
“Intelligence And Sacrifice really reflects what I am about right now. To keep it simple I recorded and produced CD1 with a new band. I took the hard metal element of ATR, added electronic rock beats and a lot of guitars and noise, and then, of course, my vocals. Yes, you’re right: It’s Digital Hardcore’s Rock album, our ticket to headlining festivals and the stadium tours.
We played the first big shows at Japan’s Fuji Rock Festival. Some of the guys I used on the record will not be able to tour constantly, so I called up some friends. I had Charlie Clouser from Nine Inch Nails on synths, famous Japanese noise legend MERZBOW on drums, Gabe Serbian from The Locust on a second kit, and ATR’s NIC ENDO on synths/keyboards. Nic is in fact a permanent member in the band and is responsible for all the special effects, sounds, noises, and the “Third World War” 14 minute apocalyptic finale of the last song “New World Order.” We left the place in ashes. Kids went totally insane and they didn’t even know one of the new songs! So CD1 is like driving an expensive car very fast and crashing against a wall.
CD2 is the opposite. It’s not songs, it’s very “far out” electronic music without any vocals. The concept is, “A cycle that never ends,” you find the beginning of track one at the end of the CD, so you can loop the whole thing, and it goes around and around. It’s a downward spiral. It’s very personal. The making of this album was very complex and each CD took over a year to record. With ATR we used to have 8 tracks or less, here I had up to 120.”
“I was born in West-Berlin in 1972. I grew up in a city with a wall around it, occupied, a warzone that inspired David Bowie and Iggy Pop and many others. I was born into this intense atmosphere. And it is a part of me, no matter where I go in the world. Of course I started in punk bands, then for a while in the early nineties I made underground techno records, up to 100 Eps for DJs. This is where I learn how to produce. I had to have the right ideas very quickly to survive. We used to make a record a month, they didn’t sell enough to chart, but we did so many, that we made quite a lot of cash. Then I started ATR in 1992 and left the dance scene behind. It was a political move to fight Germany’s upcoming nationalism that led to the racist attacks in parts of the country. We soon realised that this was a European problem.
ATR is 100% about politics, in my own work I also deal with more personal issues, things that happened in my life, and so on. Even if I don’t separate that approach from politics, I had to make that step because I felt that people might understand my views better if they know what goes on in my life. It’s exciting, there is a real fresh new wave of enthusiasm at DHR about this record.”
Digital Hardcore’s first releases arrived in 1994, and within four years the imprint had secured worldwide distribution, opened offices in London and New York and set up subsidiaries for experimental offerings (DHR Limited), music by people under 20 years old (LESS THAN 20), Hanin Elias’ Digital Riot Grrrl Label (DHR FATAL) and the revered progressive electronic music imprint Geist.
Alongside this feverish level of band and label activity, Empire continued his own journey through sound. During the early ‘90s he released a clutch of EPs and five full-length albums on the Mille Plateaux label that showcased his own evolving sample-based compositions. While ATR were embraced by fans of progressive and avant garde rock - from the renowned BBC DJ John Peel, who was an early champion, to the Beastie Boys, whose Grand Royal label released the first ATR records in America - Empire’s solo and remix work built him an enviable reputation among European electronic music aficionados and the American industrial/rock audience. And it’s this duality; this ability to be at ease in both camps that has led to the creation of Intelligence and Sacrifice.
“Some people don’t know in which “category” to market my album. It is indeed two albums combined into one, for the price of one. I see this as an advantage these days. Times are changing, the barriers between genres are fading. This album will reach many people and I know that one of the two CDs will introduce something new to them.”
“Some people won’t know to which audience my album will appeal, it is indeed two albums combined into one, for the price of one. I see this as an advantage these days. Times are changing, the barriers between genres are fading. It’s quite possible to enjoy both Nu Metal and experimental electronica. This album will reach many people and I know that each of the two CDs will introduce something new to them.
In many ways, it feels like this is my first real album.” He has a point. This is the first time the two facets of Empire’s musical output have been put together in the same place, and, in a world where music as abrasive as that of Slipknot or Staind can find itself topping sales charts world wide, this may not simply be Empire’s finest hour, it will also surely become his most widely accepted recording to date. Constantly ahead of his time, Empire may at last have found that the rest of the world has caught up with his expansive and extreme form of creativity. Don’t get left behind.
Discography:Albums:Limited Editions 1990-1994 (Mille Plateaux 1994)
Generation Star Wars (Mille Plateaux 1994)
Low on Ice (The Iceland Sessions) (Mille Plateaux 1995)
The Destroyer (DHR 1996)
Les Étoiles des Filles Mortes (Mille Plateaux 1996)
Hypermodern Jazz 2000.5 (Mille Plateaux 1996)
Squeeze the Trigger (DHR 1997)
The Geist of Alec Empire (Geist 1997)
Funk Riot Beat (as Death Funk) (DHR 1997)
Death Breathing (as DJ 6666) (feat. The Illegals) (DHR 1998)
Curse of the Golden Vampire (with Techno Animal) (DHR 1998)
We Punk Einheit! (as Nintendo Teenage Robots) (DHR 1999)
Miss Black America (DHR 1999)
Alec Empire vs. Elvis Presley (El Turco Loco 1999)
Intelligence and Sacrifice (DHR 2001)
Death Favours the Enemy: Live 2002 (DVD) (DHR 2002)
Live CBGB's NYC 1998 (Alec Empire vs Merzbow) (DHR 2003)
The CD2 Sessions: Live in London 7-12-2002 (DHR 2003)
Futurist (DHR 2005)
Singles and EPs:"Trip Men" EP (with T.N.I.) (Force Inc. 1991)
Yobot EP (Force Inc. 1992)
suEcide EP (Pt.1) (Force Inc. 1992)
suEcide EP (Pt.2) (Force Inc. 1992)
Das Duell EP (with Biochip C.) (Force Inc. 1993)
"Bass Terror" EP (Force Inc. 1993)
Limited Edition 1 EP (Force Inc. 1993)
Limited Edition 2 EP (Force Inc. 1994)
"Spinball Attack" (as Naomi Campbell) (unknown 1994)
Digital Hardcore EP (DHR 1994)
Death EP (DHR 1994)
Cook EP (as DJ Mowgly) (DHR 1994)
Destroyer EP (Riot Beats 1994)
Destroyer EP Part 2 (Riot Beats 1994)
"SuEcide" (Pluto Rmxs) (white 1994)
"SuEcide" (Wonka Remixes) (Rare Grooves 1994)
Pulse Code EP (with Ian Pooley) (Mille Plateaux 1994)
Uzi Party (as DJ Bleed) (DHR 1994)
King of the Street (feat. Brothers Crush) (Riot Beats 1995)
Wipeout EP (as Wipeout) (Position Chrome 1996)
The Destroyer EP (Grand Royal 1996)
"Hetzjagd Auf Nazis" (Panacea remix) (Position Chrome 1997)
No Safety Pin Sex EP (DHR 1997)
Shards of Pol-Pottery: The 2001 Remixes EP (with El-P) (DHR 2001)
"New World Order" EP (Beat 2001)
"Addicted to You" (DHR 2002)
"The Ride" (DHR 2002)
"Gotta Get Out" (DHR 2005)
"Kiss of Death" (DHR 2005)
as Jaguar:Jaguar EP (Force Inc. 1994)
Berlin Sky EP (Analog 1995)
Two Space Cowboys on a Bad Trip (with Ian Pooley) (Force Inc. 1996)
Two Space Cowboys on a Trip to Texas (with Ian Pooley) (Force Inc. 1996)
The Jaguar EP (Force Inc 1996)
as E.C.P.E.C.P (Riot Beats 1995)
"Generate" (Riot Beats 1995)
E.C.P. (feat. The Slaughter of Acid) (Riot Beats 1996)
as Richard Benson:Debut EP (Force Inc. 1995)
"Diamonds and Pills" EP (Force Inc. 1995)
Rich in Paradise EP (Force Inc. 1996)
DJ mixes:Capitol Noise - Chapter 1: Noise And Politics (Capitol Noise 1995)
DJ Spooky vs. Alec Empire (with DJ Spooky) (double cassette) (DHR, year unknown)1
Generation Star Wars Party (19.12.'95 Bunker) (DHR 1995)1
Live At CBGB's New York City 4-11-98 (CDr) (DHR 2004)1
The Destroyer Mix Tape #3/98 (CDr) (DHR 2004)1
The Destroyer Mix Tape #4/04 (CDr) (DHR 2004)1
Japanese Noise Pt. 1 & 2 & 3 (3CDr) (DHR 2005)2
Tribute To R. Mooog (2CDr) (DHR 2005)2
DJ Mix Sun Ra (CDr) (DHR 2005)2
Live at the Suicide Club 1995 (CDr) (DHR 2006)1
1 Mail order and online store exclusives
2 Tour exclusives
Other tracks (compilations, etc.):"Unequal Chord" (as LX Empire) on Techno Rave (!Hype 1991)
"Yobots Around My Neck (Theme Fom Tekkno Boy)" from Tekkno Boy (Deutsche Schallplatten 1992)
"You Must Confront", "Anti-Nazi-Soulfood" and "Forgive Not Mothafuckers! ('Cause it Doesn't Make it Alright!)" (as Alec Empire), "Youth Against Racism" (as Nero) on Destroy Deutschland! (Force Inc. 1993)
"Noise So Sweet" and "Dreadlock Kool" (as P.J.P) on Rough and Fast (Riot Beats 1994)
"Feel You Deep Inside" (as Richard Benson) on FIM 100 (Force Inc. 1995)
"You Know How to Love Me" (as Richard Benson) on Rauschen 9 (Force Inc. 1995)
"Alec's Blues" on Tribute to the Blues - Evolve or Die (P-Vine 1996)
"The 6 Wisdoms of Aspasia" on The Spirit of Vampyros Lesbos (Sideburn 1997)
"Alleged Accused Repeated Reused" (with Matt Pizzolo) (feat. Jello Biafra and Seth Tobocman) on DIY-Fest (DHR 2001)
"Tribute to Coil" (Short version) on ...It Just is (Nocharizma 2005)
"Monk Time" (feat. Gary Burger of The Monks) on Silver Monk Time: A Tribute to The Monks (play loud! 2006)
Remixes:"Dschungelfieber" (Alec Empire remix) for Space Cube, on "Dschungelfieber" (Remixes) (Riot Beats 1994)
"31202" (remix) for Ford Prefect, on the compilation Noise Love Unity - Love Parade '94 (D'vision 1994)
"Up Where We Belong" (FP23 mix) for SilkyWay, on "Up Where We Belong" (Phonogram GmbH 1994)
"Imago" (Alec Empire remix) for Air Liquide, on Abuse Your Illusions - Part 1.1 (Harvest 1995)
"Harold" (Alec Empire mix) for Sonic Subjunkies, on Sounds from the City of Quartz (DHR 1995)
"Beautiful Day" (Digital Hardcore mix) for Nicolette, on "Beautiful Day" (Talkin' Loud 1995)
"Dactylo Rock" (Ausrufezeichen) for Stereo Total, on "Dactylo Rock" (Peace 95 1996)
"Die Menschen Aus Kiel" (Digital Hardcore remix) for Schorsch Kamerun, on "Die Menschen Aus Kiel" (Remixe) (L'Age D'Or 1996)
"Know Your Chicken" (Alec Empire remix) for Cibo Matto, on "Know Your Chicken" (Blanco Y Negro 1996)
"MotorRazor" (Digital Hardcore remix) for Think About Mutation, on "MotorRazor 96" (Dynamica 1996)
"Chord Memory" (Richard Benson mix) for Ian Pooley, on "Chord Memory" (Force Inc. 1996)
"No Government" (Alec Empire remix) for Nicolette, on the compilation 21st Century Soul (Talkin' Loud 1997)
"My Way" (Remix by Alec Empire) for Audio Active, on Apollo Choco Remixed (On-U Sound 1997)
"Bachelorette" (Hypermodern Jazz) and "Bachelorette" (The Ice Princess & The Killer Whale) for Björk, on "Bachelorette" (One Little Indian 1997)
"Jóga" (Empire State of Emergency) and "Jóga" (The Destroyer) for Björk, on "Jóga" (One Little Indian 1997)
"Mood of Mods Generation" (Alec Empire remix) for Violent Onsen Geisha & DMBQ and "Papua" (Alec Empire remix) for Surfers of Romantika, both on the compilation Digital Catastroph 1997 (ZK Records 1997)
"The Garden" (The White Chair remix) for Einstürzende Neubauten, on Ende Neu (Remixes) (Play It Again Sam 1997)
"Friss Scheisse" (Digital Hardcore remix) for Schweisser, on "Friss Scheisse" (Bullet Proof Recordings 1997)
"Dr. Moog" (The Destroyer remix) for Buffalo Daughter, on Socks, Drugs and Rock and Roll (Grand Royal 1997)
"Dance or Be Shot" for Bottom 12, on "Dance or Be Shot" (unknown 1997)
"Consumed" (Digital Hardcore mix) for Mark Stewart, on Consumed - The Remix Wars (Mute 1998)
"Crash Pow" (Alec Empire remix) and "Creature" (Digital Hardcore remix) for The Mad Capsule Markets on Digidogheadlock (JVC 1998)
"Like Herod" (Face The Future Remix) for Mogwai, on Kicking a Dead Pig (Jetset 1998)
"R U Still In 2 It?" (Straight Demons remix) for Mogwai, on "R U Still In 2 It?" (Eye Q 1998)
"Keep Trying the Old Number" (Alec Empire remix) for Thurston Moore, on Root (Lo Recordings 1998)
"Atomic Buddha" (Version Alec Empire) for Techno Animal, on Techno Animal Versus Reality (City Slang 1998)
"Heat" (Alec Empire remix) for R. L. Burnside, on Come On In (Fat Possum 1998)
"Keep On Rockin'" (Alec Empire remix) for Shonen Knife, on Ultramix (MCA Victor Japan 1998)
"Trapped in Three Dimensions" (Alec Empire mix) for Ice, on "Trapped In Three Dimensions" (Morpheus 1999)
"Godzilla March" (Digital Hardcore remix) for Destroy the Monsters, on the Godzilla 2000 Japan soundtrack (Nippon Columbia 2000)
"Jet Virus" (Digital Hardcore remix) for Guitar Wolf, on Rock n' Roll Etiquette (Ki/Oon 2000)
"Miss Lucifer" (Panther Girl) and "Miss Lucifer" (Bone to Bone) for Primal Scream, on "Miss Lucifer" (Columbia 2002)
"It's a Burning Hell" (remix) for Brainbombs, on Cheap (EP) (Load 2003)
"Digital Hardcore" (Alec Empire mix) for Merzbow, on Ikebana: Amlux Rebuilt, Reused and Recycled (Important 2003)
"Skool Daze" (Alec Empire remix) for Chris Vrenna on "Skool Daze"/"Late Night Shopping" (7") (Waxploitation 2003)
"Amerika" (Digital Hardcore mix) for Rammstein, on "Amerika" (Universal 2004)
"Reach" (Alec Empire remix) for Panic DHH, on "Reach" (DHR 2004)
"Mann Gegen Mann" (Remix by Alec Empire) for Rammstein, on "Mann gegen Mann" (Universal 2006)
"Oxygen Debt" (Pandemic remix) for Most Precious Blood, on the compilation Threat: Music That Inspired the Movie (Halo 8 2006)
Other credits:"Acid Head" by Zen Faschisten (producer), on "Acid Head"/"L.S.D." (Choose, year unknown)
"There's No Love in Tekkno" (single) by Hanin (producer - as LX Empire) (Force Inc. 1992)
Show EP by Hanin Elias (producer) (DHR 1996)
"Nervous" and "Nightmare" by Nicolette (producer), on Let No One Live Rent Free in Your Head (Talkin' Loud 1996)
Disco Sukkers EP by Killout Trash (mastering) (AIPR 1997)
"Attack" by Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (mixing), on ACME (Matador 1998)
"Megaton B-Boy" (with El-P) by Handsome Boy Modeling School (mixing), on So... How's Your Girl? (Tommy Boy 1999)
"Red Hot Riding Hood" (single) by Lolita Storm (mixing) (DHR 2000)
"You Suck" by Hanin Elias (producer), on No Games, No Fun (Fatal 2003)
"Bypass" by Martin Peter (vocals), on Enough of This?! (Angora Steel 2005)
Alec Empire [The Destroyer]
Tracks: 14
Styles: IDM,Hardcore Techno, Electronic, Experimental Techno, Techno, Jungle/Drum'n'bass
Year: 1996
1.Hard Like It's a Pose 5:49
2.What Are You Talking About 5:01
3.Down With The Shit 4:51
4.We All Die! 7:07
5.Suicide 4:54
6.Bang Your Head! 5:36
7.Heartbeat That Isn't There 3:06
8.Nobody Gets Out Alive! 5:33
9.Fire Bombing 4:16
10.The Peak 3:56
11.Bonus Beats 4:03
12.I Don't Care What Happens 5:11
13.My Face Would Crack 6:47
14.Pleasure Is Our Business (live) 7:39
http://www.link.ge/file/4839/1996---The-Destroyer-.rar.html ძაან გიჟი მასტია ,მე ესენი მაქვს და დავაგდებ ლინYებს .... ")))
This post has been edited by nikousha on 23 Oct 2006, 21:50
Alec Empire, IDM, Drum'n'bass, Hardcore Techno, Ambient Techno
