Interview with Maureece

Loukas/CPU/Rewind-Music

Hello Everyone! It's me Loukas again... I noticed how last issue lots of you enjoyed my interview with Freejack. I've found another producer that has made it famous with his productions. But different to Freejack (Hugi 20) this guy has had 3 releases made using a tracker, but now he is into midi.

Maurice Pinkster adopts many names for his productions (for example: E-MPhasis, I-MPact, Zanthrax, Ecister and Maureece). He is 20 years old and lives in Holland.

Louk: Hello Maureece, how many years have you been making music for?

Maureece: I've been producing professionally for 2 years. Before that, I used to perform live using scream Tracker when I was making hardcore music. I did that 3 years before my professional career started, but I have always been busy with making music.

Louk: What made you decide to start making music?

Maureece: I have always listened to dance music since the early days (1989 onwards). From this I had my own vision of music. When I had the chance with simple PC programs, I started to make my own music, based on my own vision. After many years practicing, the quality became better and even now I am still learning.

Louk: When you started making music what equipment did you use in your studio...?

Maureece: I started making music with a tracker with samples that were 8bit and Mono. Then I had an Atari running Cubase, a Korg X5, a Juno 2, a Boss (Reverb machine), an Akai S2000 Sampler and a Zoom 1200. After that I went back to a tracker (16 bit 44khz stereo) but with samples from Midi equipment like an MU-100, Juno 2, etc. The percussion I used was still made from samples, but the melody lines were taken from Midi synths and converted to wav.

Louk: ... and what equipment do you use now?

Maureece: Now I'm producing with Cubase again, For a full list with what a use go to http://home.conceptsfa.nl/~maureece and click on the studio link.

Louk: What was your first production (including tracked tunes)?

Maureece: I don't know the name of it, but it was a hardcore track and had many stolen samples in it. :)

Louk: Was that production your first release?

Maureece: No, my first production was "Dark Earth - Wisdom of the grave" (Unknown Species Records). This was many years later..

Louk: How did the deal with Radar Records happen?

Maureece: Well, the record company I work for (80 aum, now AMP international) released their own records. It was a kind of licensing company. So I, and other producers (for example Freejack, Alpha Breed, Folko etc.) were producing tracks, then I made a CD with all the tracks I produced on and sent them to different companies for them to listen to and decide whether they would release it or not. On one of those CDs was "Trauma Trigger" and "Mysterious Power". Combined forces liked these tracks and contacted us to say that they would like to release it on their Radar label. Freejack and Alpha Breed had also released tracks on Deal Records (ran by Combined Forces too), so I was the 3rd producer from AMP/80aum who released a track at Combined Forces.

Louk: Ah, what projects do you have which will be coming out on vinyl in next few months?

Maureece: Ahhhh.... the new Maureece track "outcast" is coming up, there is a new E-MP-hasis track "Empathize". That is a hardhouse track so it is a lot heavier than my stuff as "Maureece". Also some techno and Progressive Trance that I have produced went to PIAS in Germany, so I hope that they are going to release something by me. Oh yeah, a Hardcore release is coming up on FIX records under the name "Zanthrax" (135-145 bpm track), it will be released in the UK at Hardtek. And a compilation Double ep on Gangsta records (formally known as Ruffneck records) will be coming up too. This is very intense hardcore (170-180 bpm). And I hope to complete the new Ecister for EDM/Nutrition Records.

Louk: You've worked with Larenzo Nash (the voice on Human Resource - "Dominator"), how did that happen?

Maureece: Well, I've never seen him, the lyrics came from tracks by him which were very popular. These tracks came from the early house days... tracks like Stronger Than Steel, Dominator and Mindcontroller were some classics by him. So Stronger Than Steel is a kind of a remake. The lyrics from Smoke in the sky have never been used before, the lyrics were in the archive on DAT which I had from him. I'm now busy with the lyrics from Dominator.

Louk: Out of all the tracks you've made which is your favourite?

Maureece: Hmmm, this is a difficult question, ok I'll do it in different styles. For trance music it has to be the remix of "Folko - Spread love". For Hardhouse it's my Ecister track "Instigator." For club tracks it's "I-MPact - Stronger Than Steel" and for Hardcore it's "Zanthrax - My project (FIX 14)".

Louk: Do you often use samples in your tracks or is it mostly Midi Based?

Maureece: My Loops and Vocals are always samples but I never steal other things. The Vocals I use are from movies or a singer. All the other stuff is midi like my melodies, strings, percussion etc.

Louk: Where do you get the drum loops you use from?

Maureece: Sample CDs, other CDs or ones I've made with Rebirth or a drum kit.

Louk: You use trackers to sequence your tracks don't you... using such a big studio, wouldn't Cubase be easier?

Maureece: Well, in the first place I swore by a tracker, so midi had no impact on me. I tried producing with it but the stuff I created was very bad. Later I saw Jack (Freejack) working with Cakewalk. So I learnt it and now I use Midi and the Studio Equipment much more.

Louk: Cool, which producers do you like?

Maureece: J.Edoo, P. van Kerkhoven, Piet Bervoets, Benno de Goeij, Pascal Minnaard, Ron Hagen, S.Scheltema and others like them.

Louk: What are 3 tips you'd give to people making music?

Maureece: 1) Create your own style but listen to other things to expand your knowledge and vision. 2) Your final mix is very important, so every instrument must be clean and your low, mid and high frequencies must be good, so not too many low and not too many top-high, mid is the power in a track. 3) Be different, so be original and dare to make other things and if you want to copy another style put your own vision into it.

Louk: How much money have you made from your releases?

Maureece: I get my money at the beginning of 2001, this is because my first records came out at the beginning of 2000, it takes a year before you get your statement from it.

Louk: Would you like to tell me 5 web sites you visit regularly?

Maureece: www.news.be, www.gangsta.nl, home.conceptsfa.nl/~maureece, www.dancegrooves.com, members.tripod.com/killing_play

Louk: What is your top 10 this month?

Maureece:
01) K-traxx - Straight on
02) DJ Simple - Afterhour
03) Folko - Spread love (all around the world) (Maureece's progressive trance vocal mix)
04) Three drives - Sunset to Ibiza
05) John Whiteman - Can't beat the system (original mix)
06) Ecister - Instigator
07) Signum - Jewelry of nature
08) Rank1 - Black snow
09) Ultra noise - Freespace patch
10) E-MP-hasis - Empathize (extended version)

Louk: Do you get sent many promos from record labels?

Maureece: Only CDs and if I am at the studio (where the 12" promos are sent to), then I take the good ones with me.

Louk: Thanks very much.

Maureece: Thanks to you to, I enjoyed it, I hope some new breed will stand up and start producing!!

You can contact Maureece at: maureece@conceptsfa.nl
Or check his website at: http://home.conceptsfa.nl/~maureece

Info On Maureece's Releases

Maureece - Trauma Trigger (Radar 015)
eMPhasis - Sliders (Radar 017)
Maureece - Primary Attack (Radar 018)
i-MPact Feat Larenzo Nash - Stronger Than Steel (Radar 020)
i-MPact Feat Larenzo Nash - Smoke In The Sky (Radar 021)
Dark Earth - Wisdom Of The Grave (Unknown Species 1298001)
Ecister - Gemination (Nutrition 056)
Folko - Spread Love (Maureece Remix) (Nutrition 059)

Loukas/CPU/Rewind-Music