Tracks of my Time- Norman Nodge (interview)

Published March 6, 2014 | By skrufff

Skrufff have recently introduced a Q&A series asking a bunch of our favourite DJs and friends what their favourite, not so favourite and life-defining tracks are. This week, Berlin techno hero (and Berghain resident) Norman Nodge shares his secrets . . .

Skrufff (Jonty Skrufff): Your all-time favourite club track?

Norman Nodge: “It´s hard to name only one, but with a gun on my head I´d say Surgeon – Intro Version II (Tresor 85). Panic from the very first moment, hectic sounds but strangely enough in a positive way, it just takes you on an intensive ride.”

Skrufff: The track you’ve finished a set with the most often?

Norman Nodge: “Most often means here maybe twice or three times, I don´t have a regular closing track. If it´s on me to close the night I tend to take a track which is connected with memories and feelings for me and others and/or tunes you would not expect to hear in a techno-venue, like Visage – Fade To Grey.”

Skrufff: The track you cleared the floor with (what happened when?)

Norman Nodge: “Taking the risk to play apparently inappropriate music makes DJing appealing and interesting in my eyes. Only spinning sure shots is boring. But nevertheless I don´t feel comfortable when the floor is clearing in a noticeable way. And that happened unfortunately once when I chose Editors – Papillon in the wrong moment. Fortunately the audience just used the moment to refresh at the bar and came back when I played the next track.”

Skrufff: The track you rescued a floor with?

Norman Nodge: “Speaking for the last few months, Robert Hood – Drive (Phase Nocturnal Remix) was, and is, the track to bring people back to the floor or cooks those who are already there.”

Skrufff: The cheesiest/ guiltiest secret track you love?

Norman Nodge: “I have a lot of tracks in my hidden shelf which no-one would imagine that I love them, for instance UNKLE – Heavy Drug (Surrender Sounds Mix). Endless pads and choirs, I would usually turn something like that off after a second, but this track caught me and I can´t explain why.”

Skrufff: The track that everyone else loved that you hated?

Norman Nodge: “Hate is such a strong word, I´m a Virgo, I want peace, love and harmony. If I don´t like music I just ignore it and don´t hate it. For instance I very intensively ignored Laurent Garnier´s ‘The Man With The Red Face’, which apparently everybody else loves. Amazing bassline, not to forget a great video, and the man himself is one of my Techno-heroes, but this tune contains way too much sax for my ears.”

Skrufff: The track that you loved that everyone hated?

Norman Nodge: “Don´t know if I loved many tunes that everybody else hated but there are some tunes which would have deserved much more attention in my humble opinion.”

Skrufff: Anything you’d like plugging?

Nodge: Nothing special, I play here and there and from time to time releases come out with a remix of me in it. And I´m too lazy when it comes to produce own material in the moment.”

Norman spins at Berghain next on 15 March.