The Standard

This Wednesday, Le Bain welcomes the official after party of Soulwax headed by the band’s drummer turned DJ, Steve Slingeneyer, aka One Man Party. We met the ‘Punk who loves to dance’ for a Standard Q&A on the Beat.

Photo by Ro

The Standard: Hi Steve, You have been part of Soulwax since the mid-90’s, which put us back almost twenty years ago. What memories do you keep of the very beginning of Soulwax?

Steve: We admired each other before we played together. Then we got together and my first gig was a huge festival called Pukkelpop in Belgium. We used to play three shows a week for a year and a half. It was crazy.

It seems Soulwax was put on hold between 1998 and 2004, I guess in part because of the worldwide success of the Dewaele brothers as 2Manydjs. What did you do during those years? Did you become a DJ yourself at that time?

I had left the band in 1997 and moved to New York City, where I married and played music with Tracy Bonham. After my marriage fell apart I had to start over in NYC, so I played in several bands, became a waiter and a DJ. This is about the time DFA was kicking off and 2manydjs came to play At APT, Lit… I used to go see them dj and we hung out and it felt like I never left.

How did you come up with the name One Man Party?

James Murphy blessed me with that name. I am a punk who loves to dance. LCD & Soulwax were very close in tour [and] we did our fare share of partying.

What is your own definition of a very good time spent alone?

Hmmm, a stroll in a city you never been before, a moment of enlightenment on the dance floor, the little things you know.

Soulwax ‘Part Of The Weekend Never Dies’

You have been touring with Soulwax for the last 6 years. What do you like the most in spending your life touring? and what is the worse?

The best thing is playing live in cities you never dreamt of seeing in your life. Meeting people all over the world and maintaining friendships, going to great bars, restaurants… The worst is when traveling so much you tend to lose your sense of time and space. It gets hard to stay grounded.

What’s up in Ghent? The Belgium electronic scene is still doing strong and it has been great since the late 80’s. Do you still love to go back home, go out in the clubs etc?

Ghent has been steadily growing into a super small but close knitted scene. Sadly not enough cool club spots anymore… Lots of creative people though.

Who is your favorite Belgian Super-Hero?

André Franquin, the creator of ‘Guust Flater’ (‘Gaston’ in US) comics. Our culture of ‘strip comics’ is our best kept secret.

How would you define your style as a dj?

A mix of Mr Oizo, Bonham and Funkadelic!

And as a drummer?

A mix of Bonham, Moon and Funkadelic: not technical but tight.

John Boham’s ‘Moby Dick’

What should we except on Wednesday night?

An eclectic mix… the opposite of hip maybe? (laughing) No dubstep, no emotrance - it’s definitely cool to do a party in New York just because we know so many people and we can’t see everybody so a party is a good excuse!

This Wednesday November 2, Le Bain presents ‘Mercury Nights’ the Soulwax Official After Party featuring One Man Party (Soulwax), Figo, The Dirty Grand, DJ Musa. Doors 10pm.