Fritz von Runte, ‘The Last Album’ interview
”I think ultimately Governments are not on our side…”
Fritz von Runte is a reclusive Manchester-based super-remixer, DJ and record producer with incomparable vision and respect from the highest echelons of the music community. Although largely known for his remixes and mixtapes, Fritz has been producing music for films, theatre, art installations and other acts for over twenty-five years, making him a true multifaceted artist.
"You have to hand it to mysterious Mancunian Fritz von Runte for the scale of his ambition" Record Collector.
Fritz von Runte breaks an eleven year silence with a new album of original music. Plus an in depth (and illuminating) interview about music, politics, the differences in working with major stars to working with rising talents - and body waxing!
Essential listening for anyone with an interest in electronic music, it was released at the end of last year on Marshall Records, in Fritz’s own words: "2020 is strange enough and it seemed appropriate to do something different" - as 2021 begins, this feels even more relevant.
Staying true to his experimental ethos and continuing to eschew mainstream trends, ‘The Last Album’ features avant-garde, immersive, left-field tracks with weighty synths, off-tempo beats, acoustic bass, electronic brass, a sterling cast of collaborators and no shortage of found sounds.
Background
Quietly making waves and working independently since the late 1990s, Fritz von Runte's trademark multi-dimensional production style made him an in-demand producer and remixer. His guerrilla remixes of The Beatles and Beastie Boys took over the internet in the 2000s and his 'Lily Allen Remixed' album was the most downloaded of 2009.
Also known for official avant-garde remixes – or redesigns, as he calls them, in the 2010s 808 State, Pet Shop Boys and Peter Hook's supergroup Freebass all requested Fritz' remixing magic. "Fritz's redesigns are legendary" –Graham Massey, 808 State.
2011 saw Bowie2001, a project where Fritz remixed the back catalogue of David Bowie, re-edited Kubrick's 2001 film and mashed it all together - to much critical acclaim. https://bowie2001.com/
Most recently, von Runte remixed New Order's 'Music Complete' entire album, releasing it as Music Remixed, and produced a concept album in Japan as ‘Bearnoises’.
‘The Last Album’ (digital/limited CD) presents an auditory trip of varying curveballs and represent a fine body of work by a consummate artist in his prime. The physical CD features an exclusive remix by techno legend Graham ‘808 State’ Massey and House producer Sasse plus more exciting collaborations with Miyakawa Dentaku, and Gary Asquith from Renegade Soundwave.
Fritz von Runte’s guerrilla remixes of The Beatles and Beastie Boys took over the internet in the 2000s and his ‘Lily Allen Remixed’ album was the most downloaded of 2009 (UK).
in 2011 Bowie2001: Fritz remixed the back catalogue of David Bowie, re-edited Kubrick’s sci-fi epic movie ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ and mashed it all together - to much critical acclaim.
We first became aware of Fritz von Runte via his 2016 remix of New Order’s ‘Music Complete’ album, releasing it as Music Remixed - a complete reinterpretation of New Order’s acclaimed album with very different versions of all eleven tracks.
The Last Album – released Nov 2020 is Fritz’ first record of original music in eleven years and is a spectacular saunter through the subgenres of Electronic music in Fritz’ trademark multidimensional production style. Throughout it is notable for its intricacy and diamond sharp attention to detail.
From the radio friendly contemporary Electro-Pop ‘Housefloor’ banger ‘Dance Party in the Living Room’ ft. vocals from rising star Beca to the palpable chemistry between Runte’s beats and the spoken word trip-hop brilliance of cultural icon and Trip-Hop pioneer Leslie Winer on the track ‘Pioneer B’.
Another favourite track from the album is the street-walking progressive broken beat saunter ‘Musique Magique’ which is imminently due for single release.
Interview
We caught up with Fritz to discuss politics, the differences in working with major stars to rising talents - and body waxing!
What 'political' challenges - if any - do you see yourself and other Electronic music artists coming up against in the music industry?
”I can't speak for others, but I think art is how people like me cope with an increasingly oppressive world. Even when we're not being literal, we're doing things to express ourselves against ideas we don't agree, or towards the ones we do. Here in the UK, the latest reactionary announcements that people should retrain says a lot about the government's disregard for arts, music, photography, theatre, etc. We're all miners, tax-paying machines in those people's eyes.”
As an established producer and remixer who's worked with the industry's top names as well as fellow independents, explain any differences in the 'politics' of working with the teams of both Major and independent artists - are there any?
”I think that artists speak the same language, no matter what level you are. Management, labels, usually come in the conversation to talk about non-musical things like distribution, publishing, promotion, etc. It's all part of the ecosystem and it's the way it is. But when I work to another musician, their main focus - like mine - is to make the best work possible.”
It's been 11 years since you last released original music, tell us how the digital revolution in that time has changed the political standpoint of independent artists such as yourself? (if you feel it has)
”11 years ago, we already had streaming. But we still had iTunes and Google Play Music — whereas people would purchase songs to own and that is gone. Streaming is not the fairest system to music makers, especially when you consider costs that some of us have and some of us don't. It's made it impossible to go to a more robust studio, let alone the after work like mastering and publicity. 31 years ago, 10,000 listeners would get you in the charts. 21 years ago, 10,000 listeners meant roughly 10,000 CDs. 11 years ago, 10,000 listeners would mean that at least half of that purchased a download on iTunes/Google/Amazon. Now 10,000 listeners generate the artist 40 quid on Spotify.”
The US has a new President, what are your thoughts on this change of power?
”I think ultimately Governments are not on our side, they're on the side of institutions that seem important to whomever is in power. I think voting in one person it's a derelict system, with a very naive idea that one person should (or even is) in charge of every policy. It's a festival of egos, where's the other side will block new ideas because it's not theirs. In an ideal world we should vote in ideas, not people. People should be hired to execute these ideas, based on merit and competence, not background, gender or colour of their skin. We should be impartially well-informed, on the pros or cons of a general direction, and vote what direction we'd like to go, as a country. I don't hate my neighbours for voting Brexit. I do despise the fact we were lied to right left and centre about it. I detest the reality that the people that lied to us about it are driving to Durham or secretly flying to Italy during lockdown and not being taken to court for their deliberately misleading propaganda. Having said that, I think Trump was a very bad example of a human being, his actions and values are the worst of us. And knowing that these values are not going to be amplified any more in every language, every single day, is a massive relief. And it’s overdue that someone like Kamala is in that cabinet.”
From your twitter feed we can see you hold progressive attitudes towards equality and particularly towards women. Your new album 'The Last Album' features model, cultural icon and renowned feminist Leslie Winer who NME once called 'the grandmother of trip-hop' and also upcoming prodigious star Beca - was it a conscious decision to collaborate with both established and burgeoning female artists? Tell us a little more about working with these incredible artists.
“I personally don't think treating women with respect and giving opportunities to all people are progressive attitudes. I know that's how people call them, but I see it as basic decency. The choice of those artists was purely by my predilection for them. I guess I am a feminist, but I was just trying to make the best album that I could. All art is self-referential. I've started collecting Leslie Winer since I first heard her stuff. It was like instant fandom. And Beca sang in a track that I carry with me whenever I DJ. I've used Beca's vocals as a reference when commissioning other singers for commercial work. I just wanted to pull all the stops to make this album, which is possibly my last. That's the reason, I'm sorry it's not as magnanimous as you seem to think my Twitter feed is :)
Tell us briefly anything you'd like our readers to know about Fritz von Runte…
“That I wax parts of my body, and that discovering this fact made Bill Drummond (KLF) so amused that he's written a play about it (it's in the inlay of my CD).”
Thank you Fritz for a great interview.
article by Heather Minx Ferguson
twitter and instagram @vonrunte
Further listening:
'The Beatles HATE' – FvR's unofficial remix of the Beatles 'Love' album made great waves in the underground scene of the early 00s and was released in protest of the Iraq war.
Full album download http://www.TheBeatlesHATE.com
Spotify Sampler https://spoti.fi/3jojqf0
New Order Music Remixed
Free Download http://www.neworderremixed.com
Spotify full album https://spoti.fi/3lQBMGP
BOWIE2001
Free Download http://www.BOWIE2001.com
Spotify full album https://spoti.fi/34Z80ZG