>> G-Stone
bio: RIGHT ON, PROBABLY. EVEN THE MOST IMPASSIONED scholar of dance music couldn"t argue that these two have produced the "masterpiece of the century." Everything they do is yet another step forward for a city that"s always been on the cutting edge, and although it"s lighthearted and playful, it"s done with a refined aesthetic and attention to detail that would impress even Alma Mahler. Peter Kruder and Richard Dorfmeister first appeared five years ago, at a time when Vienna was seriously lacking in good dance music. Since there were no labels to speak of in their hometown, they released the G-Stoned EP on their own label in 1993. At the time, "trip hop" was barely a flash in some journalist"s brainpan, but tracks like "High Noon" and "Original Bedroom Rockers" added thick but subtle touches of psychedelic to the popular acid-jazz sound. Their sound was lush and organic, amazingly well-produced, and deliciously sleazy. Although the music on G-Stoned was top-notch, the cover attracted far more attention. The now-classic photograph, a parody of Simon & Garfunkel"s Bookends which exploits the duo"s uncanny resemblance to the American folk band, quickly became their trademark. It"s a big joke, but it"s also a clear example of how they work: they spent an entire day working on the photograph, making sure the light and shading were "just so" and trying to make the picture as perfect as possible. "Bookends is my favorite Simon & Garfunkel album," says Dorfmeister. "In America it"s so easy to find. Every time we"re in the States, I always buy one copy - I already have eight or nine. It"s interesting, because the artwork is slightly different on each one. The color"s slightly off, or it"s on a different kind of paper." This attention to detail is what makes their music worth hearing; the most frivolous ideas are executed to perfection, turning even their sleaziest musical jokes into timeless gems. Thanks to the success of G-Stoned and their 1996 DJ Kicks mix CD, the duo were inundated with remix offers from everyone from David Holmes to David Bowie. Given the opportunity, most producers will cash in on sudden success, taking every offer they get and churning out a mix every weekend, ensuring quick and violent career death. But Kruder & Dorfmeister decided to concentrate all their musical energy into solid, high-quality remixes. They work only with music they like, and spend three weeks on each mix, building an entirely new composition around the original vocal. It"s less of a remix than a reconstruction; the song may wear someone else"s name, but the music is just as original and listenable as their own work. These remixes, including makeovers for Bomb the Bass, Depeche Mode, and Alex Reece, were recently released on The K&D Sessions, a compilation on Germany"s Studio !K7 label. Since there hasn"t been a new EP in years, this is the t best thing to a proper full-length. Although the world is calling, Kruder & Dorfmeister are perfectly happy in Vienna, keeping their work close to home with a solid "do-it-yourself" ethos. They continue to record at home, using up-to-the-minute technology to accomplish what once required hours of expensive studio time. Without financial pressures, they"re free to produce the music they want and develop their sound on their own time as DJs. They travel frequently throughout Europe, bringing the continent"s diverse influences back home and exposing Austria"s finest music to countries that normally couldn"t care less. Now that the music scene in Vienna has picked up a bit, they"re growing along with it, collaborating frequently with local musicians and serving as inspirations for other self-starters. "In the last year, a lot of people have been giving this a try. [Thanks to our success,] they"re realizing that this is possible, even in Vienna!"
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