Matthias 'Matty' Heilbronn - Interview

DHN - Where have you just come from?

Matty - Miami. I played at rain. It was an old school set.

DHN - As a lad what introduced you to house?

Matty - Going to the Garage in New York. I went there with some friends and was just wow.

DHN - How did you find clubbing in Germany in the mid-eighties?

Matty - I was doing a party up north in Bremen for a couple of years, which was really good. There was a good scene in Berlin and Hamburg but in south Germany it was a harder situation.

DHN - How was your time spent at Axis studios from 1989?

Matty - I started there as an intern, making coffee, buying food, stuff like that. After I moved up to engineering and began editing and mixing.

DHN - How was Francois K as your "mentor"?

Matty - Very Interesting! It took me a long time to understand where Francois was coming from.
He'd make some quite fumy remarks and can be an asshole but I learned so much from him that it was all for the good.

DHN - Tell me about II Deep Productions?

Matty - It's basically James Preston and myself. We've worked together for a long time. Back then I wanted to incorporate him into my production situation. We're not doing too much together now because he has his own band and stuff like that.

DHN - Last year in Centro Fly you told me a label of your own was possible in the future. Any update?

Matty - No. I decided not to do it. A lot of people I know in that area aren't doing well. I think it would do more stress than benefit me. I talked to Jodi (girlfriend) about doing a label together but she wouldn't want to leave Wave and it would pretty much be a full time job.

DHN - What would you consider to your production break?

Matty - I'd say the "Abstract Truth" one. It's pretty much my favorite.

DHN - What are you working on at the moment?

Matty - I've just finished a Roland Clarke remix for King St, I just finished a follow up to II Deep All-stars on King St as well. I did a cover version of an old Stevie Wonder record for Wave but I have to finish mixing. I'm starting a Chez remix for Sony France, it's a down tempo record. Then I'm getting started on my album in March on BBE. Hopefully I'll be finished by the end of the year.

DHN - How did you find djing in Ireland?

Matty - Well, the club was pretty horrible (Olympia) and when your playing with someone like Todd Terry it's a different profile so overall I didn't really have much fun. There was hardly anybody there and very little atmosphere.

DHN - Would you come back to right this wrong?

Matty - Well what's the clubbing scene like in Dublin?

DHN - Very political. It works sometimes. Recently we've had Deep and Mr. Chandler, which were pretty hot.

Matty - Kerri plays a lot in Henries right?

DHN - It seems a second home for him.

Matty - Yeah I've heard a lot of good things about Cork

DHN - Favorite club
Matty - The Garage and B&S
DHN - Dj
Matty - A lot of DJ's inspire me indifferent directions. Francois would be one.
DHN - Song
Matty - John Coltrane " my favorite things".

Matty -'s residencies Rain in Miami and My club in Greece

After witnessing Larry Levan in the Garage in '86, a young Matty - Heilbronn realized it was New York or nowhere. Starting as a fetcher at Wave Music he mastered all aspects of the studio under the watchful eye of Francois K. Within a few years Matty - had become one of New York's most in demand editors and was introduced to and worked with many of the city's finest including Danny Tenaglia, MAW, and his hero Levan. His flawless mixed dj sets and sharp productions have him playing on all corners including Ibiza and Japan. Last year saw Matty - engage in his solo Irish performance. Due to the shite venue (Olympia) and gangster cover charge (25 punt), it proved a rather fruitless night for all concerned. Let's hope his return to our shores is swift and whoever promotes it has a wee bit of cop.

Calvin Sweeney [DeepHouseNetwork]