THOMAS SCHUMACHER

2012 - 02.22

A cool and cloudy Sunday morning in Berlin.

7.00 am: The long queue of highly aroused, impatiently excited people stretches 500 deep. Thomas Schumacher arrives with his gear slung over his shoulder and steps into the dark underground – delicious music paradise – to ply his trade once again.

7.02: Thomas Schumacher passes by the coat check and enters an immense, 15 meter soaring walled techno cathedral, bringing back memories of his first Warehouse Raves in the early 90ʼs in Germany and the UK. In 1996 the UK was also the country that gave Thomas Schumacher his first international breakthrough “Ficken” released on the then Manchester based label, Bush Records.

7.45: Passing through the dark and heaving, sexually charged first floor on up into the light, white, palpitating second floor – hedonism reins supreme as Thomas Schumacher heads directly to the DJ booth.

8.00 am: Breakfast beer with a Jagermeister chaser. Thomas Schumacher begins to sort through his selection of music and the edits and bootlegs he produces in his studio exclusively for his own use. Using his production skills not only for his own releases and remixes for artistʼs such as Trentemöller, Booka Shade, The Knife, Jimmy Sommerville and Monika Kruse, to name but a few, but also to sculpt and refine his unique DJ sets.

9.00 am: Thomas Schumacher opens with his remix of Monika Kruseʼs “Wavedancer” in honor of his college and friend who also happens to be standing right beside him, having just finished her own set.

9.20: A sweet Japanese girl comes up to the DJ booth to ask Thomas Schumacher if she can leave her handbag with him for safekeeping. He agrees on the condition that she shout them both a double Hemmingway. Thomas Schumacher holds a special place in his heart for all things Japanese. His fascination with Japan and the many friends he made there on tour led him to live in Tokyo for 8 months in 2000. He came back to old Europe in 2001 when his track “Schall” broke out of the underground and became his first Top 20 commercial hit. Being in the Top 20 Pop Charts back then meant a mandatory appearance on Top of the Pops. Thomas Schumacher refused. He sent an Elvis impersonator in his place. A few months later he hit the Top 10 again with „When I Rock“. Once again refused to appear so, for first and only time in German Top of the Pops history, they came to

him.

10.43: At the peak of the set, bright light seeps onto the dance floor. The VJ has programmed the shutters to open simultaneously, letting in the grey morning light and bathing the screaming, dancing, shouting crowd. Revealed in the light, anonymity is erased.

11:46: Thomas Schumacherʼs set combines new standout tracks like James Blackʼs “Limit to your Love” and Federico Molinariʼs “Limpia Madrid” with his own bootlegs and releases such as “Hey Lyn” and one of his classic releases with Elektrochemie “Pleasure Seeker” both released on Get Physical Music. The Berlin label took advantage of his production skills again when they chose him to compile and produce their annual label compilation “ 8 Years Get Physical” in 2010.

1.00 pm: The Japanese girl is back to collect her handbag with another round of Hemmingway. Thomas Schumacher steps out of the DJ booth and disappears into the crowd.

7:20 pm: As the sun setʼs on another perfect day, with his gear slung back over his shoulder, Thomas Schumacher heads for the Taxi that will take him home to sleep.