Alex Niggemann has had an established name within the international dance scene for quite some time now. The German DJ and producer is often described as persistent, stubborn and straight forward, showing how much he truly cares about his music and the scene at-large.
Since 2005 Alex has released music on labels like Poker Flat, Compost Black Label, Get Physical, Tsuba, Soma, 8bit, Last Night On Earth and Watergate and, of course, on his own imprints AEON and Soulfooled.
We sat down with Alex for a relaxed and open talk about the life of a DJ, AEON and Soulfooled, festivals, and his vision for the underground scene. Additionally, our article will also feature Alex’s EXCLUSIVE PODCAST for us, in collaboration with Welcome to the Future Festival, where he will be playing on July 25. Make sure you check the podcast out at the end of the article for 60 quality minutes of house music!
In your biography you’re described as persistent, stubborn and that might be construed as negative for some people. Is that because you think people don’t understand you or is it that you just don’t care what other people think of you?
No I actually, in some terms I don’t care what other people think, but it’s actually more that I’m never satisfied with the things that I do, so it’s more that I always think that things can get better in my music, that there’s always something I’m not really happy with. A product is never finished for me so that it is something to leave and say this is it. It’s always good to have critics. But I’m not really the person who let people tell what I should change about my music. It’s my artistic right what to produce and what I want to play.
We know how horrible it can be to travel as an artist. Is there anything super weird that you experienced on one of your trips?
It’s always weird to get stuck at an airport and not knowing how to get home. For example I got stuck in Morocco a few months ago. The organization at the airport was terrible. There was only one counter and a system downfall. Whenever it was working again and got in line they told me that my plane already left. So I got stuck for 24 hours in a shit hotel, with no money, as no one took credit card, food or drinks.
Do you have a certain habit while waiting on the airport, any guilty pleasures?
I eat too much shit for sure at airports, that’s a bad habit. But actually I have fear of flying. I’m not a believer in God, but I do always pray that I can get home safe. I do that a few times before take off. I’m that afraid of flying that I hope there’s something or someone that looks over me. So maybe in a way I believe in something?!
Did you accomplish your dream of becoming a star with bling-bling, cars and girls?
Alex: “Who said that?”
You….
Alex: “No never!!! * laugh* “
No that has been taken out of context. But I did write my own lyrics when I was younger and I was definitely a hip hop guy, but I realized very early that I wasn’t the guy to go out and perform on a stage with a microphone in my hand and make a crowd go wild by rapping, singing and screaming. So I’d say that to be a dj is like the middle of being a producer and being a stage performer. I’m more the guy that works at the background and produce music. And since I’m living in Berlin and my parents passed away, a lot of things changed for me and I really see that there are more important things in life than money and bling bling.
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