Fifteen years ago in a dirty but stylish underground nightclub in Vienna, Austria, an unknown DJ worked the turntables for the first time. Little did the crowd of joint-smoking punks and mods know that they were there for the birth of superstar DJ, Peter Rauhofer. Spinning early house and techno from Chicago and Detroit, in the blink of an eye, word of his skills reached the managers of the most fashionable clubs all over the world. DJ bookings in Paris, Rome, Milan, the UK and Hollywood began filling his calendar and everyone from Madonna to Depeche Mode started asking him to remix their songs. But it was his own hit ‘Let Me Be Your Underwear’ (as Club 69) that gave him underground legendary status.

As Peter’s popularity grew, he decided the best place to fully concentrate on his career as a remixer and DJ was New York City. He arrived in NYC with a tribal beat plus two Club 69 LP’s (‘Adults Only’ and ‘Style’) and several more club and chart successes (“Diva”, “Unique”, “Drama”, “Alright”, “Muscles”, and “Twisted”) already under his belt. When the independent label he was signed to, Tribal America folded, another independent, Twisted, eagerly signed the hot remixer/DJ. With Twisted, he went on to release an album as Size Queen and, under the name Club 69, remixes for the likes of Funky Green Dogs and Danny Tenaglia. His work as Size Queen and Club 69 gained a cult following among house music connoisseurs, making his aliases part of a short list of the 90’s most recognizable remixer names.

As more and more work started to come in from the major labels, Peter progressed and, like Puff Daddy turned to P Diddy, he changed his remixing name. Working under his real name, Peter Rauhofer, he became one of the most sought after mixmasters in the industry. Then suddenly the second independent label he was signed to, Twisted, closed. After having gone through this with Tribal America, he decided the time was right to make one of his dreams come true and start his own label. With his clout as a top remixer for major labels along with his legendary tracks on the independents, he signed former Twisted artists Celeda and Suzanne Palmer and Star 69 was on its way. (Star 69 was chosen as the name for his label so devoted fans would have a link to his previous work.) With 40 releases so far, things are only getting bigger as Peter’s focus on the label becomes stronger. The labels next step is artist development, getting together with his favorite producers like Daft Punk and Danny Tenaglia to work on tracks for artists albums.

The classic house tracks and right-on live DJ sets of those like Peter Rauhofer, have made such an impact on music, that the Grammy’s couldn’t ignore house music and took notice of it by creating a category to honor the work of DJ/Remixers. In 2000, Peter won a Grammy in the Remixer of the Year category, following in the footsteps of veterans like David Morales and Frankie Knuckles. Catching up with the Grammy winning producer, remixer, DJ and label owner was no easy task. Between his travels between the 2003 Winter Music Conference, spinning at clubs all over the world and working on remixes in Europe, we managed a nice chat via the fabulous internet.

You spin all over the world. What are the differences between spinning in America and spinning in Europe?
There is not much difference I guess. People mainly come to hear "Peter Rauhofer mixes" and come to hear my style. They know upfront what they're gonna get to hear.

Your label * 69 is based in New York and you've helped to make the Roxy in NYC world famous. Since the '90's several big dance clubs and tons of small dance clubs have been shut down and pushed out of neighborhoods for allegedly being too noisy or having illegal drug use - where do you see the dance club scene in NYC headed in the new millennium?
It's a sad story with NYC clubs at the moment. I am happy the Roxy is still around - it is one of the last old unique huge clubs in the city.

What was the best experience you've had spinning live?
I guess it is always a great experience when your own productions or remixes are a highlight of your set.

What was the worst experience you've had spinning live?
Everytime a CD starts to skip.

You're one of the best DJ's in the world and are a role model for DJ's who are just starting out. Did you have any DJ role models?
Mainly Junior Vasquez, the way he introduced a "new way" of spinning and manipulating records in the 80s.

DJ's are all over pop culture, being featured as cool and trendy in everything from movies, to music videos, to candy commercials. How do you feel about the rise in popularity of DJ's?
DJs are the new real pop stars of our time.

Since MTV became such a major marketing tool for music, it put a bigger emphasis on a recordings artists' looks. Some people feel this emphasis on looks has lowered the quality of music. What do you think?
A great video can make an average song sound way better. But the best songs are always those you close your eyes to.

What other kinds of music do you like besides house? Are you into hip hop or jazz?
I love 70's rock, 80's New Wave and lounge music.

What's the first 12" record you ever owned and how did you come to get it?
In summer, 1978, my parents sent me for one month to London to learn the English language. At that time I discovered music. My first 12" single was Donna Summer "Last Dance" which I bought there. The price of a 12" single was 99 cents back then!

What did you think of CD's when they first came out?
I thought this will never be the big thing and it will take a long time until people get used to it.

What was the first CD you ever owned?
Frankie Goes To Hollywood - "Welcome To The Pleasuredome"

Within a short period of time, CD players have became a standard part of a DJ set up. What effect has new technology had on spinning live for you personally?
I love spinning with CDs. You can do way more tricks and manipulate songs in ways which were impossible when you played vinyl.

When spinning live, what are your feelings on Vinyl vs CD?
I play 80% CDs.

What kind of needles do you use?
Stanton Groovemaster

When you DJ abroad do you make any special equipment requests to the venue where you are spinning or do you bring your own equipment (if so what do you bring)?
As long as they got 2 Technics and 2 Pioneer CD players I am fine.

You travel a lot, how does that affect your work in the studio?
Somehow I always manage to combine everything.

Do you have a special process when you work in the studio? For example do you just go in and improvise or do you think about beats for a while before you start?
When getting hired to remix a track, most of the time I have the whole remix in my head after listening to the original. If I do not feel a track, I am not remixing it.

How do you decide when a mix you're working on is done?
It's strange to describe but I feel it. I just feel "that's it" and as long as I do not feel it I do not leave the studio. It has to be a satisfying feeling with a smile on my face, then I know that I am done.

I'm sure you have love for both, but do you prefer working in the studio or spinning live?
One leads into the other. After finishing a mix, I can't wait to play it.

You have your own label, *69, and remix for other labels as well, from a label owner and recording artist point of view, how do you feel about people downloading music over the internet?
You cannot avoid it. Once it's on the internet the damage is done. Of course you can reach a way bigger audience like that but it's like cheating on your best friend.

What's your favorite thing about music and about being a DJ?
Making my passion my profession and taking people on endless journeys through different styles of music.

Thanks so much for taking time to talk to me and the ALL ABOUT DJ readers. Any closing words of DJ wisdom?
Let the music use you up!

Look for Peter’s upcoming CD release HEAR: a chill compilation due out mid May. For more info on star 69 and Peter Rauhofer go to star69records.com and peterrauhofer.com