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For over ten years now, we’ve been running into each other at birthdays and a range of different parties and cool events. This man always brings a positive vibe. This week in the series MY FIRST GIG: Dutch René de Vries a.k.a. Minimaster: “That’s how I got to know all the well-known oldschool DJs.”
“It’s quite a strange story how I ended up in house music. When I was fourteen, I hung out with some older guys and one day we ended up at a huge tent behind Sloterdijk station in Amsterdam. I think the event was called Beat Club, but don’t pin me on that, it’s been so long.” (laughs)
Revelation
“In any case, my friends could enter through the regular entrance because they were older. I crawled under the tent canvas and suddenly found myself on the dance floor. A whole new world opened up for me! What a revelation. I completely lost myself in all those acid sounds. The whole experience stirred something in me, and at that moment I knew: ‘I want to do this too.’”
Radio Undersound
“Not long after, I started scouring Amsterdam record shops for good music. That’s how I met DJ Idger and Martijn Loot (Bizar M). Through them, I also got to know Lewis Bos. Lewis was way ahead of me. He also played with Gino (Lightner – see picture below), Dano and Jeroen Flamman from the Party Animals and had his own radio show on Salto 88.1 FM called Radio Undersound. So I was thrilled when he asked me one day to become his sidekick.”
Oldschool DJs
“Of course I said yes, and things progressed fast in the studio. All the artists would come by at some point. Naturally Jeroen and Dano, but that’s also how I got to know all the well-known oldschool DJs. So my first gigs were technically in front of an audience – but not an audience I could see, because they were on the radio.”
Tips and tricks
“I learned the finer details of the craft from Lewis, and later also from Dano, Gino, Jeroen Flamman (foto below) and Abraxas. I often joined them when they had to play somewhere, usually standing with them on stage, putting the records back into their sleeves. Meanwhile, I studied them and picked up all kinds of tips and tricks.”
Ultimate rush
“My first gig for a big crowd must have been in 1991/1992, on King’s Day in Amsterdam, back then still Queen’s Day. I played together with Martijn, Lewis and Idger in a small coffeeshop right across from Club iT. The coffeeshop was so tiny that we had the turntables hanging halfway out of the window. We mainly played oldschool and classics. I’m 100% sure that Jaydee’s “Plastic Dreams” and “Waterfall” by TFX / Atlantic Ocean (Dave Leatherman) were played. And it worked! Within no time the entire Regulierdwarsstraat was packed with thousands of partygoers. It created a euphoric feeling; the ultimate rush! It was amazing to see people laughing, partying and dancing. Making sure the crowd is having a great time is a huge drive for me.”
The needle kept skipping
“A funny detail: because of the massive crowd and constant movement, we ran into a practical problem. The swaying crowd and constant bumps caused the needle to skip all the time. We fixed it by stuffing cushions under the turntables. That’s when I learned: if this happens, just pick up the needle and put it back. No stress.”
‘What awful noise'
“My family wasn’t there during that first gig. I did send my mother to the record shop every now and then to pick up vinyl for me. When she came back, she would always say: ‘What awful noise.’ (laughs) I also took her to event locations sometimes, before the party started, so I could show her the DJ booth and the venue.”
BOE
“This really made me want more! Back then, though, you had to put in quite a bit of effort to get booked. I didn’t have a manager and approached the organizations myself. Around that time I met Martijn van Langen a.k.a. DJ Baba, who ran the organization M.A.D. together with good friend Lydie. I played for them regularly. In 2007, I got into a conversation with Jeroen Flamman, who was organizing the Manic Mondays at Club LA in the Kerkstraat in Amsterdam. He suggested that I take it over from him. Later, I started organizing events myself in the Amsterdam city center and worked behind the scenes at BOE (Best Oldschool Events) & HC (Hardclassics).”
Thundergods from Asgard
“As Minimaster I’ve played at countless small events, but also at larger ones like Free Festival and Mind Controller. At some point you know everyone. For example, if Jeroen Flamman hosted a party at the Hemkade, he would often put me in the second room. Since 2014, however, I’ve been part of the formation Thundergods from Asgard with Patrick den Dulk (Coldfusion) & Ted Scheffer. With this group we’ve played at many mega-festivals such as Ground Zero, Hellraiser and Pandemonium.”
From early hardcore to disco
“Over the past nearly thirty years I’ve played pretty much every style, from early hardcore and oldschool to techno, house classics and disco. I originally started with early hardcore, but my heart is increasingly with techno. Being able to play all styles is also a tip I want to give upcoming DJs: try not to focus on just one genre but be versatile. It will help you grow.”
“Of course, in this COVID era there are very few gigs. Hopefully things will pick up again next year. I do host a weekly radio show, Digital Bass, every Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. together with DJ Julian Ruiz on Amsterdam Most Wanted (AMW). In this show I mainly play techno. Every week we also welcome interesting guest DJs, such as JP Lonestriker or Robin Albers. And the circle has come full circle: I started out in radio, and now I’m back again.”
This interview with Minimaster was originally published in July 2020 on This Is Our House.
Who is Minimaster?
DJ Minimaster is a Dutch DJ known for his oldschool harddance music, particularly the period between 1989 and 1992. DJ Minimaster was inspired to become a DJ at a young age in Amsterdam and has since performed at major events like Hellbound, Hellraiser, and Dance Valley, specializing in genres like early hardcore and hardstyle. DJ Minimaster also co-founded the Dutch House Collective (DHC.FM) livestream platform to feature Dutch artists.
Minimaster was born and raised in Amsterdam, where he was captivated by the acid house scene at age 14. This led Minimaster to pursue a career as a DJ. DJ Minimaster spent time observing other DJs at various clubs and parties before starting his career.
Minimaster’s career began with hip hop breakbeats and acid music, which evolved into old-school, early hardcore, and hardstyle. DJ Minimaster is best known for his “oldschool” style, which he defines as the period from 1989 to 1992.
Minimaster has performed at many large-scale events and festivals, including Hellbound, Hellraiser, Pandamonium, and Dance Valley.
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