DJ Slip (aka Troy Geary) is an unknown quantity in Europe, possibly known only to DJs for his pounding 4/4 releases on Missile, Subvoice, Communique and Sounds. A vital part of the burgeoning Minneapolis music scene, Slip has varied the style of his work on his debut long-player, and has taken in electro, industrial, hip hop, jazz and roots influences to create a truly diverse piece of work. We tracked Slip down to talk to him about his work and his attitudes towards it.
I didn t really want to put out an album full of dance tracks, he explains, because that s what a doublepack is for. The music on Slipotika is more diverse and is a result of things that have been going through my mind. I moved to Minneapolis in 1988 / 1989, and started off by doing abstract, lo-fi stuff. Growing up in an urban environment in the midwest, Top 40 music is the only thing you will hear. Don t get me wrong, it s not like Americans don t really have a respect or appreciation for good music, it s just that there was no underground scene in the place where I came from.
When Slip finally arrived in Prince s hometown he was blown away by the strong infrastructure of the Minneapolis scene, which boasted world renowned labels, producers and excellent parties .
In contrast, Minneapolis was really cool: it went to shit for a few years, but now it s picking up again. When I started off in Minneapolis I shared studio space with Woody McBride (producer and owner of Communique, Sounds, etc.) and some of his influence rubbed off on the abstract stuff I was making. At the same time, many of the producers I really like aren t into primitive floor music: I didn t start buying vinyl until around 1990 / 1991, and played out soon after that. People seem to forget that techno is really forward thinking.
Unlike many producers, when asked to discuss the state of health of the different genres in the dance spectrum, Slip has a refreshing attitude, and doesn t just defend his own patch. Prefering to adopt an egalitarian attitude towards dance, he believes music is first and foremost a pleasurable experience.
What bugs me is when people say Jungle is going to take over from techno . Both types of music come from the same origins, and both are about entertainment. People should relax about music and enjoy it: you don t have to be a total techno junkie or jungle obsessive to enjoy the music.
However, the honorary Minneapolis citizen believes that the twin threats of the poor economic situation of most producers and the snobbish, elitist attitudes within the scene are in danger of destroying the music he loves.
I think what will ruin dance music is money, elitism and competition: producers feel they have to release records to make a living, but there are really only a couple of people worldwide who are going to make a fortune from dance music. I m also surprised by the attitudes I encountered towards music when I was in the UK. People were very precious about their productions, and seemed in competition with one another. In Minneapolis we are happy when we see new producers making music.
So when kids ring me up for advice, I always tell them how to get the particular sound they want or how to do whatever they re trying to. It s never a case of Don t fuck with my sound , but more that I am helping support new talent and develop this music further.
Slipotika is out now on Missile.