ELLEN ALLIEN ///
INTERVIEW SARA CARDACE ///
PHOTOGRAPHER MICHAEL MANN ///
DATE JANUARY 23, 2004 ///

DJ/producer Ellen Allien (pronounced "alien") has been a fixture on the Berlin scene for more than a decade although you'd never know it from her sweet, ingenuous take on music and life (part of the allure that's caused more than one interviewer to come away with something of a crush).

As a DJ, Allien is world-renowned and known for her hard - but not overly aggressive - techno style. She continuously pushes the envelope, mixing in unpredictable styles and weaving obscure influences into even her most danceable tracks.

Allien's BPitch (pronounced "bitch") parties rocked Berlin in the decade following the fall of the Wall, and the label that grew out of them, BPitch Control, is one of the most respected in Germany. It has been a defining force in the creation of the Berlin sound. Allien's latest solo album, Berlinette, finally put her on the international radar, landing her international gigs like a much-anticipated second U.S. tour (which unfortunately got cut short when Ellen got stopped at the Canadian border).

How did you get involved with the electronic music scene in Berlin?
After the Wall came down in '89, the club scene rose up a lot in Berlin because it was very easy to find cheap places to have parties, and the police didn't stop us because of the political atmosphere. During the Second World War, Hitler completely cut up German culture, so after the war they let everything go. In 1990, I had my first techno gig at Tresor - before that I was going to a lot of parties but I didn't like it so much because I was more into hip-hop. This was a different group and they danced so crazy to acid music. It was too fast for me! I couldn't dance to this. Everybody looked so stoned on ecstasy, you know? And I hate drugs.

So why the change?
There was one night at The Planet, and the thing was, I was dancing for four hours and no guys came to me to put their hands on my ass or anything, like in hip-hop, or to ask me stupid questions, "Oh you are a very nice chick!" Anyway at this party nobody was talking shit to me, and everyone I met at the bar was so nice. And that's why I started going more to electronic events because they were more modern and there were so many beautiful people. This was for me a new lifestyle completely. It's not only the music, it's also the social aspect.

Why did you start BPitch? What is it that you weren't finding at the existing labels?
When I started BPitch we had only a few labels in Berlin and I liked the music, but it didn't fit me so much. I opened the label because I was thinking that there are so many people coming to Bpitch parties - like thousands and thousands of people. There have to be some artists that make music, and I thought maybe if I open this, they'll have the power to carry on. Different cities in Germany, like in Cologne, the Kompakt people, they make more minimal stuff. And in Hamburg, they make more minimal pop. Frankfurt is more trance, and in Berlin we have the Detroit thing. BPitch for me is the Berlin sound.

And what about the music you spin?
I don't play only breakbeats because I don't like one style. I mix it up. Hypnotic tech stuff and breakbeats and rock stuff and sometimes some funk. I like the mix of music. It's not easy to find those records. It's always nice to produce them yourself because then you can do what you really like.

You played in New York recently, right?
I did a U.S. tour this fall and I make my next U.S. tour in May. In Germany we have such a big scene. It's so different. It's interesting how the U.S. government can cut music and the arts. I love the music scene in America but every time I go there, I feel so happy I live in Germany. We are so lucky; everything is so free here.

You're one of the names most associated with the Berlin renaissance: What do you think about how trendy Berlin has gotten?
It's a very powerful place. If you like to work here or make art, it's very great. It's very cheap, food is not so expensive, and a lot of people are here - it's very international. Everyone gives something. It's a good place to be for a little while. It's the same in Barcelona - it's amazing. You find little designers everywhere, and people in bars are always talking about art. It's nice.

It must feel good to be doing so well at something you love.
No, I've actually lost a lot of money on BPitch Control! But it doesn't matter. It's okay. I'm very strong person, I'm not always dwelling. If you can work in freedom and carry on and still exist, that's the most important thing. ///