Ryan and Lee (foreground)
What’s the meaning behind the Visionquest name and how did you come up with the pyramid logo?
Shaun: We first started using the term ‘Visionquest’, back when Ryan’s family had a remote holiday cabin up in the North of Michigan. The four of us used to go off on these
retreats together to make music and share ideas. These would involve going on long walks into the forest and generally reconnecting with our natural environment.
Ryan: The idea of the Visionquest has been something that dates back to the beginning of the evolution of man’s consciousness and we are just realigning with it. The Egyptians did
it, the Mayans did it… in many ancient civilizations, and some Amazonian and African tribes still present to this day, it is seen as a right of passage towards spiritual enlightenment.
Seth: It’s always played a significant role from the transition from being a child to adulthood within Native American Indian tribes…
Lee: We’ve always been intrigued by Native American culture… my dad's side of the family has traces the Chippewa Tribe in our bloodline.
Seth: …I’m also quarter Native America (as well as Egyptian, African American and White American)…
Ryan: We all love the ethos of Native Americans and believe that they were much more in tune with their surrounding and closer to the spiritual aspects of their character than we
will ever be.
Shaun: Our amazing designer Pilar Zetar came up with the pyramid logo but we wanted it to represent the Eye of Providence (aka the all seeing eye), which can be found on the Great
Seal of the United States (just look on any one dollar bill), as it has some very powerful symbolism attached to it that we all feel strongly about.
Visionquest has been described by many people as “innovative” and you talk about yourselves as the new breed of DJ’s from Detroit in a generation. What do you think makes
music innovative and how is your music pushing things forward?
Lee: For us, it's less about classifying and categorizing music but more about how we think the music can contribute to broadening perspectives and creating long lasting material
that people will connect to on a deeper level.
Shaun: The label is meant as a platform for us to display our taste in music whatever the genre may be. We have been fortunate enough to have friends making the exact music
that we felt the world was missing. Each release up to this point is literally coming from close friends of the group which has really cemented everything as a family affair.
Seth: The concept is pretty simple, to push musical boundaries and put out music we love while having as much fun as possible doing it.
You cite the early Detroit greats of techno, minimal and house as key influences on your music (Derrick May, Richie Hawtin, Theo Parrish) – what or who is motivating you right
now?
Seth: Ryan is out main source of motivation, without him we’d most likely get very little done! Other than him it’s mainly our friends and recent musical discoveries… for me people
like Jared and James (My Favourite Robot), Laura Jones, Dinky and the wonder duo Tale Of Us.
Lee: Eric Maceo Plex is making some of the best dance music out there at the moment and Footprintz never cease to blow my mind with pretty much everything they do.
Shaun: Ricardo Villalobos and Dan Bell are still and will always be huge influential and motivating to us.
In 10 or 20 years time young producers may cite you as a defining influence on their music. What is it about Visionquest that you think or hope would inspire them?
Lee: The fact that we never took anything too seriously.
What is each member’s strength that they bring to the group?
Seth on Ryan: “The Rock that we all lean on.”
Seth on Shaun: “The person who can read both sides of the page and lead us into the light.”
Seth on Lee: “My only competition when it comes to grilling.“
Ryan on Seth: “The most creative energy with the best raw ideas and long term potential.”
Ryan on Shaun: “The silent, patient one who’s the reason we’re all in Europe in the first place.”
Ryan on Lee: “Musically the most talented but still flatly refuses to live in Europe.”
Shaun on Seth: “A recovering creep.”
Shaun on Ryan: “The reliable one, our lynch pin.”
Shaun on Lee: “Man-Bear-Pig.”
Lee on Ryan: “The glue, the fibre that holds us all together.”
Lee on Shaun: “The reason that our careers are moving forward because he got us out of Detroit.”
Lee on Seth: “Future Boy. The Visionary. Borderline insane but we all love him for it.”
At recent gigs Lee and Ryan you have been playing live together, and Seth and Shaun have been DJing. Tell us more about your plans for the upcoming live set? ?
Seth: What were trying to do is paint pictures with sound and create unique atmospheres for people to enjoy. Right now were working with some exciting people to develop a visual
element to our performance that will provide new environments for listening to dance music.
Ryan: We are going to be renting spaces and transforming everything, to the point where the lines between gallery installation, club night and stage show meet; transforming spaces
into three dimensional environments where the clubber can interact with the space in a different way to just a normal rave or club night. This excites us… the idea of what hasn’t been done before,
but doing it with out breaking too many rules.
Shaun: I think with the nights we’ve done so far, like the fabric showcase, we’re just starting to show the musical side of the journey that we plan to create. The visual side will
come later and by degrees. We have some great new artists for the label who have some great ideas, like this group from Montreal called Footprintz. We want to create shows that span the musical
spectrum, and offer something more than what people are used to.
Seth and Shaun (foreground)
It must be a lot of fun four friends travelling, playing, working together – especially as you’re not known as the most serious of guys! – can you tell us about your best Visionquest moment.
Ryan: From a work point of view for me getting my hands on the very first pressing of VQ01 and actually getting to hold the vinyl. After so many years of dreaming and such a long
time spent planning that was a pretty special moment.
Shaun: Selling out fabric and Watergate for our label launch nights wasn’t too bad either.
The Visionquest gig at DC10 last summer was a key date of the season. How are you feeling about your upcoming set at DC10 on 3rd August?
Lee: I always love playing at DC10, where they let the crazy be crazy.
Shaun: Our Visionquest showcase night last there last summer was one of the best parties I’ve ever played at so expectations are pretty high for this year’s party.
What format will it take (live / DJing)?
Ryan: No set format…
Shaun: … we’ll be making it up as we go along…
Lee: …though it will most like involve us all playing together and separately in different combinations all night long.
DC10 is considered by many as their favourite underground club, what’s it like playing there?
Seth: I absolutely love coming to play at DC10. It’s run by outstanding people and there is never a moment where you don’t feel at home. You can always play the music you
want and take people to a distant place without feeling the pressure to really push.
Lee: To be allowed to musically run riot in one of your favourite venues in the world in front of a crowd that really know their shit is always a dream come true.
Visionquest Beach Edition Spring Summer Collection 2011 EP featuring Maceo Plex ‘Falling’ is out now on Visionquest
