Mike Shannon talks about a lifetime of DJing and producing experiences ahead of his next visit with Det Gode Selskab celebrating 10 years.
Mike Shannon has been DJing since he was 12 years old. Starting out in south west Ontario Canada, he had Chicago and Detroit on his doorstep and an influx of UK imports at his local record shop. It was still the early nineties and as Techno was beginning to evolve in its 2nd phase, Shannon came into his own as a DJ.
Playing underage clubs and “pushing” cassette tapes of his mixes onto friends, he soon became a notable selector in the region before moving on to making music in his late teens. Following in the footsteps of compatriot Richie Hawtin, and alongside peers like Jason Hunsberger, Shannon fed on his expansive influences as part of the 3rd wave of Techno producers and DJs.
By the early 2000’s he was releasing music for the likes of Force inc, Minus 8 and his own Cynosure imprint, in what was beginning to become known as Techno’s minimal epoch. Everything from Dub to Deep elements informed his sound with Shannon’s expansive approach often taking him into regions of Jazz and more experimental genres without losing that innate connection to the dance floor.
Over a few decades Shannon has cultivated a distinct sound, and while it is still sparse, his music remains firmly rooted in the enduring technological driven ideologies of Techno’s origins. From analogue machines to computers to modular systems, Shannon’s music has always remained on the cusp of technological advancements. At the core of his music, there is always a groove, possibly transplanted by those early Detroit and Chicago influences, and amongst his peers and fans it has become known as the Shannon shuffle.
He continues to release music on his Cynosure recordings when he is not being courted by the likes of Rekids or one of Hawtin’s labels and when he is not in the studio he is either Djing or playing live somewhere around the world. Making an early move to Berlin, he has always been at the core of the Techno scene and he is no stranger to Jaeger’s DJ booth either.
With a return visit this Saturday for Det Gode Selskab and a track on their upcoming 10 years of DGS compilation looming, we got in touch with the DJ and producer to talk more about his early years, the minimal progression in Techno and the future of this music.
I know your first clubbing experience was at an all-ages club in Ontario, but what was it about the music that got you into it and had you had any relationship to that kind of music before experiencing it in the club setting?
I was already listening to dance music before hearing it properly in clubs.. I was always into dancing since the first time I heard Michael Jackson’s thriller when I was a kid. There was such a huge wave of great dance records happening when I was 5 years old.
Just to put time into perspective here. All my years, I’ve always had a thing for breakdancing and the electro dance floor in general. When the term techno came up it was just another word for what we were already dancing to. The house music dance moves were very much a thing at that time too. Rarely see those anymore!
In an interview you mention early XL and Warp records making an impact on you. Do you remember specific records or artists that appealed to you?
One that really stuck out for me was this record from Lex Loofa called « Bounce to the ounce » for example and the obvious ones from LFO, Sweet Exorcist, Polygon Windows… Nightmares on Wax was in there too. XL was over the top things like T99, Praga Kahn and the Prodigy of course.
Those being English labels, and you located so close to Detroit back then, must have made for an interesting confluence of influences. What was unique or special in the scene in that region for you?
The interesting part about the scene that I grew up in was that Toronto really had its British roots musically and Detroit was just a few hours away. So somehow I was getting the best from both worlds. The British Rave vibe and the Detroit warehouse scene colliding.
How do you think it influenced your musical tastes that early on?
It really did! I think the soulful side of Detroit and Chicago sound very much has been the core of my sound and the British influence on some of the sound design and synth patches is really prominent. Chicago style swing and groove really shines through on so many of my productions.
Did Djing come first for you and what was it that initially sparked an interest in becoming a DJ?
I was always interested in sharing the music that I was into with my friends and showing new people new music. My father bought me a mixer for my 12th bday and I started to create mix tapes with everything I had. I was making mix tapes for friends in High School. At the time it wasn’t so easy to find music like that and the mix tape thing was really alive and well. I used to sell mix tapes from the smoking area of my school like a drug dealer.
I had a few friends that were serious djs that were playing an all ages club called ‘Vinyl Messiah‘ and those djs (DJ Roo and D.Riehl) were the ones that showed me the way. D.Riehl sold much of his house collection to me as he became one of the premier Drum and Bass djs in Ontario.
At what point and how does that morph into making and producing your own music?
I started getting into making music at around 16 when I got my first synth. It was a Roland Juno 106. I had a crappy sequencer and my friends had some other machines and we pooled our gear together and made a small studio. J.Hunsberger was the main guy that I was working with back then and we really were learning how it all worked on our own.
I know it started with Techno, but by the time you release records like Spherian your sound solidifies around what we categorise as minimal today. What was the progression like toward that sound and how did you know you’d found something uniquely yours?
I think that we didn’t want to be so unique… we were trying to sound like some of the minimal sounding producers at the time. We were really into the German sound coming out of Cologne (Kompakt), Frankfurt (Perlon) and Basic Channel in Berlin. Of course we were really into our Detroit techno thing too but we didn’t want to follow that path at the time. Richie (Hawtin) was a big influence on us that way too but we didn’t want to sound exactly like him either. We were finding our own way by accident to be honest.
What was the key factor for you and your peers (like Jason Hunsberger) to make the move towards a more minimal Techno sound and how were you defining it back then?
I think the key factor was grooming a sound that took in those influences but ended up with something unique. Something that our peers also recognized and supported. It gave us a lot of momentum and encouraged us. An entire movement began simultaneously in Canada that we became a part of by default.
How has the minimal term and the style evolved for you since then and what has remained the constant appeal for you?
I’m not sure that minimal term is really something that I wanted to be so associated with. Of course I’ve made a lot of stripped back records over the years but not exclusively. Somehow the genre got a tarnished reputation over the years, but I think music genres in general have gotten more stripped back and refined. Thats what appeals to me… the essentials used of the best elements and not overdoing it. That’s the timeless combination and appeal for me.
There’s something consistent through your records and it draws a line between those earliest releases and something like last year’s Shadow Move. Even though sonically it might change with the machines, it remains a Mike Shannon sound. How would you distill the essence of that sound down in a few words today?
Oh damn.. that’s tricky… Such a difficult thing to sum up without always sounding like a jack ass! People always talk about the « Shannon shuffle »… I guess that still resonates today.
You often talk about the influence and reliance of technology and technological development in your music. From things like ableton max to modular systems, you always seem to be on the cusp of it. Where has this taken your music in recent years?
We’re making techno after all aren’t we? Makes sense that you would wanna be up on some technology. I’m not really into where things are headed with the AI doing the heavy lifting these days. Pattern generators have been around for ever but just telling some software what you want to sound like and then having it spit out Mike Shannon is too much.
I’m curious how close the AI is to nailing my « formula » these days? But in terms of technology taking my music to different places I think lately I’ve had a love affair with sampling again. Somehow I’m going back in time with old samplers like the EMU E5000 ultra and this VST remake of the old Amiga computer sampler. It’s called Amigo. So badass. So I think you can expect to hear a new Drum and bass EP coming soon! « Minimal « D’n’B ;)
Is it something that you can identify in this latest release for Det Gode Selskab?
Oooh yes perhaps… some use of the old sampler is in there with some of the percussion in the track. Low res gated reverbs n stuff.
As somebody that’s DJ’d at a professional level for most of his life, what does all that experience mean in terms of preparing a set today and what if anything continues to be a challenge?
I guess the challenge today is staying relevant without having to rely on your sex or your preferences. None of that should have anything to do with programming a DJ set but it certainly applies to your schedule these days. Maybe it always did but I was too naive to get that. I find that sticking to the sound that is the most fun for you is usually what people end up vibing on. If you’re enjoying yourself, usually everyone else is too!
You’re also a prolific live performer, but I get the sense from your mixes, there’s also something of your artistic personality to the records you choose to play. What do you look for in records to play out and how important is that connection to the music you make?
I think I really vibe on house tracks that are sexy and create a vibe that provokes and challenges at the same time. Not an easy record to find these days. But if a track has that combo I’m in!
How much does the context play in your selections on the night, and where do you see it taking you in the intimate setting of Jaeger for your next visit?
Oooh context is everything. Nothing worse than hearing someone abuse the crowd in an intimate setting. One of my fav quotes from a lovely London promoter and Toi Toi taste maker once said « you have to treat a 303 like a lady » Somehow the 90’s tempo shift up, lost a few along the way and context went out the window! A real deal club like Jaeger deserves only the highest pedigree of sound and context is everything! One of the most iconic venues in the world that is a respected European institution… It’s been a few years but I can imagine that it’s just like the last time I was there! I really can’t wait to get back in that Sauna booth!!!
Thank you Mike.
Thanks very much and see you soon!
