D-Nox (Plastic Park/Sprout, Germany)

Hey Christian, how are you man?

Tell us a bit about yourself… How old are you, where do you live and when did you first get into electronic music?

I´m Christian D-Nox from germany. Right now I live in cologne and I´m still not 30 yeas.
I´m djing in clubs and other parties since more than 13 years. So everything started quite early for me. I discoverd techno in the early 90´s and it was just a question of time that I decided to play this kind of music also as a Dj. Before I was already playing music at school parties with the young age of 12 – 16 years.
The magic year of techno for me was 1991 / 92 ...

What were some early musical influences (both in and out of trance music)? Which artists and DJs do you think inspired you to want to start DJing/producing?

I´m born in a family full of musicans. My dady was always playing guitar or bass, also my oncles were always making music ... So for me it was always around. The first music I liked (consious) was Ac/Dc, Led Zeppelin or Deep Purple. Later I also digged Metalica, Pearl Jam and all this big Hard Rock Sound. As teenies we were always hanging out, skating and doing things which u do when u are 14, 15 years old.


Your style is a mixture of different genres, you don’t seem to stick to house, trance or techno, rather playing a mixture of both… Tell us a little about the way you look at music and mixing and what you try and push out when you play a set?

It is because my taste is quite open and I dont like to put myself into a folder. I can´t imagine just to play one style. Must be to boring. So I always play a big mixture of styles. Its just need to be danceable and enjoyable. I dont like it to dark or fast, I´m not making music to put an aggressive vibes on the floor, I dont like suicide music and I also dont like it boring are cheap! It looks like if it is more easier for me to say what I dont like than to say what I like.... For me the most important thing is to make the people happy and let them have fun as much as possible...

Who are some of your favourite artists these days? Who do you think makes fully innovative music? Any up-and-coming artists we should watch for?

My favs are for sure Beckers, he is the man of the year and for sure for the next ones too. Another one of my favs is Motion from Paris. He is a very talented guy and I really would like to push him as much as I can. Also I like a lot the music of Infusion, Andre Absolut and many many more. But all of them making this crossover sound which I like so much.

You’ve got quite a few production credits over the years (and a lot recently with Frank Beckers)… Tell me a bit about how you got into production and your relationship with guys like Frank Beckers… Any other collaborations you would like to mention?

Getting into production was actually quite a long way, I was always the Dj and I never thought about having my own trax. I did pretty well as Dj all the years and I was not even trying to do anything. But after a few years I decided to get some equipment to start to get in the whole story of producing music, this was 1997 but anyway from there it took me another 4 years before I released my first tracks.
The releastion to Beckers also started back into 2000. We met us at a party and anytime we saw as again we had a good time. He is a great Dj and producer and one day I asked him about writing music together. This was last year in after my first rainbow serpent in 2004. Directly the first track we made became quite popular and people were asking for more. And now we are so busy with writing music and doing remixes that I wish to have more time for studio. This is the only project I have, I just write music with Beckers. Thats all but big time fun and enough!

You own 2 labels, Plastic Park and Sprout… Can you tell us a bit about the direction for each label? Who are your label artists? And what up-and-coming releases are there?

Sprout is my baby .... I was thinking about to have my own label since a few years, so it was just a question of time. I´m doing both labels together with my partner Tobias Bayer. We only release the music we like. On Sprout we release club music and we try to go with the time and see whats new and whats coming next. So we are not affrait of releasing new and different styles. Plastik Park is more for the basic progressive trance sound. Future releases will be from Tim Fishbeck, Absolut & Blade, Kasey Taylor, d-nox & beckers and a BIG BIG tune from Motion! Watch out for infos.

You tend to release a lot on vinyl, what are the advantages of releasing this over CDs? Is it strictly because you are selling to a DJ market, or is it because of .mp3s etc? or both?

Its because the real market is still asking for vinyl and I like vinyl much more than cd´s, even if I play cd´s. Mainly we wanna reach a different market with our music. We dont think there is any market for trance music. But we also care about all our fans which dont buy vinyl. Once a year we release a cd compilation where u can find all vinyl releases from Sprout & Plastik Park. And by the way I dont have any problems with mp3´s. Especially in our scene I think it is a very good promotion tool.
Of course it hit the market and many labels broke down but this happends from time to time. Its like the nature, a whole evolution. Things happends and other things follow. Soon most of us will buy mp3´s online and most of the Dj´s will play with Cd or out of the Laptop.

I look at your bookings, and you’re a very busy man… Tell me a bit about your travels as a DJ. Whats your favourite country to play? What about the best party you’ve played at? Where would you like to go again?

Yes the last two years became quite busy, but this was always my dream. Now I can live my dream and enjoy all the experiences I make. Of course its not always nice to sit for hours in a plane or being at transit at any airport but thats part of the show. Mostly it is worth it. I love to play and I love to travel. Good parties are everywhere around the world and its more easier for me to say where I dont like to play.
Mexico was untill now the worst place for me to play.
Japan, Australia, Portugal or Switzerland belong to the best places I have been to, but also Brazil, Sweden or Germany has wicked parties and thats why I will always go there back again.

You’re no stranger to Aussie crowds, with appearances on the RSF mainstage 2 years running… What are your impressions of our country? Any memories of while you have been here?

My memories are big like a book .... where can I start? First of all there is Green Ant, without them I would have never been downunder. I´m very thankfull for all they have done for me. Frank Venuto u made me a dream become true.
I really like ozzie people. U guys rock big time!!! Mostly friendly and open which makes u guys very special in this world. I also like the contry and his variety. The beaches, the forest, tasmania and much more things.

I hear your due down again in October? Can you tell me a bit about that? Where are you playing?

Untill now it is an idea and we are working on it. I will try to get about 4 gigs for about two weekends. We were thinking about melbourne, sydney, cairns, hobart! Lets see if we can realize it. Its depense on so many things. But I´m really up for it! So if somebody is interested in a d-nox show please contact: booking@mpdqx.com

With so many different things going on, it must be hard to find a life outside of music these days… What do you do when you have some spare time? Any hobbies or interests outside music and the industry?

My life is music and music is life! I cant be without it. There is always something to do and I cant leave it. My hobbies are good food and enjoying silence. I´m a lucky guy who has a great girlfriend. She supports me in all the things I do.

Any thank-yous, last words or people you’d like to mention before we wrap things up?

My love Nadia – she is my number one!!! All my friends, Beckers for the great production skillz, Tobias for the great labelwork, Kasey Taylor & Chris Meehan for supporting us, Jamie Steven for believing in Beckers, all promoters and labels around the world and god for giving us this talent!

Thanks a lot my friend, hopefully we’ll see you in October. Till then, have fun and good luck!!!