Few djs inspire as much idolisation and hero worship as that of Jeff Mills, the techno dj famed for his lightning fast mixing techniques and timeless productions. As being part of the second wave of Detroit artists - those following on from the original techno pioneers in the late 80s – he has nurtured the sound and taken it all over the world, attaing a near mythical status in the process.

Ahead of his gig in Liverpool’s very own Circus, Jimmy Coultas caught up with him to chat about his djing experiences and his current fascination with scoring films.

"You're scheduled for your first set at Circus in February, which although is mainly a house club has been seen recently to be more open minded musically, particularly with how well Laurent Garnier's two sets have gone down. Are you excited about this gig and do you have a good rapport with Liverpool Clubbers from your past visits to Bugged Out!?"

I've only played in Liverpool a few times. Each time, I really enjoyed it. The people are very exciting to watch. These days, the line between House and Techno, etc. are becoming even more narrow. A diverse mixture of people is always great to play for. Hopefully, I'll be able to play a wider range on that night.

"It’s interesting you say that about Liverpool as containing an interesting crowd to watch. Having djed around the world what is the best place to dj, and what region is currently the most surprising place where dance music is really taking off?"

There are many places in the world. Nagoya, Japan or Bordeaux, France, NYC, Brussels, Belgium are a few. Any place has the capacity to have a fantastic party. It really depends on how well the DJ and audience creates the situation. Right now, I'd have to say the most surprising place would have to be in the countryside of Japan. Because of their size and capacity they often fall after Tokyo so, the urge to see more, experience more is at a high level. The smaller cities are really exceptional to play in.

"The Choice CD you recently compiled highlighted some of the influences from your past that extended beyond techno. Do you get the chance to play sets predominantly made up of this more eclectic soundtrack of disco, soul, electronica and jazz?"

No, it’s not so often. And when I do, it has to be advertised well in advance so that people are informed before they come through the door. I think it's rather strange but, this is the way a lot of promoters think it should be done. Like many other Djs from Detroit, there was a time in our past when we did not play only Techno or House. I like to go back every once and while but, my strong desire is to go forward. Very far forward.

"Speaking of moving forward, How much of an honour is it to be asked to compose entire scores for films?"

It is a privilege to do so.

"You re-scored "Metropolis" and now Buster Keaton's "The Three Ages" do you
see a much brighter future between sound and vision with dance music in particular, especially within clubs where the role of the VJ and audio-visual acts like Hexstatic are becoming more common?"

Yes, the integration of sound and video, both working for a common goal is happening right now. It's a very exciting time! The new technology has made it possible so that one person can control sound and visual at the same time. As a result, the DJ/VJ set can become more conceptual, more focused. It allows the DJ or VJ to become more expressive with the atmosphere. Whether it becomes common depends on how well it's received by the audiences. If positive, I would think that many other DJs/VJs will start work this way. It requires more energy and attention but, I think it's worth it if what is being shown a screen and what music is being played is in complete harmony.

"One example of a visual/audio connection with dance music was your Exhibionist DVD. The DVD seemed to be an attempt at chartering the lightning fast manner in which you mix, and explaining the science behind the way you push the boundaries of how people mix. Do you ever worry that this style might alienate members of your audience?"

No. I think many of us in the music/Dj industry take for granted that everyone views DJs the same way. This is not true. What we tried to do was display DJing as artform. The Exhibitionist DVD was not an instructional program. If I thought about alienating the viewing audience, I probably wouldn't have made the project.

"And finally, what gives you the most satisfaction, djing or producing?"

Watching people reach a higher level of consciousness. A fixation. For a few moments in their lives, they transcend and become lost in the fantasy of it all. As a DJ, I'm trying to create the opportunity for this to happen.