Surgeon 20th Anniversary DJ set

Cold, precise and to the point; Surgeon's answers to DJ Mag's questions ahead of his appearance at Cable, London, on Saturday 26th May are as lean and fat free as the UK techno sound he helped pioneer.

Celebrating his 20th anniversary in the game with a special set at Blueprint, it's a chance to look back on a career that includes starting and maintaing Birmingham club House of God almost that entire time, being part of the celebrated British Murder Boys alongside Regis, a project Surgeon (aka Anthony Child) wryly describes as “a cross between Take That and Throbbing Gristle, but with techno”, and last year's 'Breaking The Frame' album on his own Dynamic Tension label, his first in 11 years and what he labels his “acid space rock album”.

If that doesn't intrigue you, then he's also joined by the likes of James Ruskin and Sigha. Full details after the interview...

Your Fabric mix connected the dots between techno, dubstep and more idiosyncratic electronica. Is that what you'll be pulling out of the bag at Cable?

“As this year marks the 20th anniversary of my DJing as Surgeon, I'll be playing a special '20 years of Surgeon' set which will include many of my productions along with some of my favourite tracks from those times.”

Techno has always relied on harnessing the newest technology to create the throbbing pulse of the future. What's your DJ set-up like these days?

“I've been a digital DJ for over 10 years now, was one of first group to embrace the idea. For me the tools I use to DJ have always been a means to an end. I just use the most flexible, compact and enjoyable system I find to DJ with.

House of God is almost 20 years old itself. What have been some of the high and lows of running a club for that amount of time? How have you managed to keep your enthusiasm for it, rather than simply getting booked to play other parties?

“It's really the friendship and love between all of the people who have been involved in the running of House Of God over the years that keep it going. I really felt that at our 19th birthday in February this year.”

Tresor also hit 20 last year. What was the club like in it's prime when you were resident there? How does it compare to Berghain, the new bastion of techno?

“Tresor and Berghain are so different, I've never tried to compare them. Very different times, very different spaces.”

If you hadn't been serving up clinical cuts all this time, what would you like to have done instead?

“I wanted to be a lumberjack.”

He's not a lumberjack, but he's OK. Catch him at Cable when he plays.

Blueprint
Saturday 26th May 2012
10pm - 6am
Cable

Main Room: James Ruskin, Surgeon (20 Year Anniversary Show), Silent Servant, Sigha
Room Two: Hosted By Colony: Russell Haswell, Tengui, MB & CB

Ticket Prices: £12 Advance, £12 Student/£15 on the door. Get your tickets here.