Detroit native Patrice Scott is one of the city's innovative producers of deep house and techno. Motor City — and the iconic producers who contributed to establishing Detroit as the birthplace of techno — had a strong imprint on Scott from an early age. Inspired by Chicago house too, Patrice Scott's style is rooted in the 1990s with contemporary elements of techno. Active as a producer and DJ for most of his life, Scott is an artist with a lengthy and worthy discography. Patrice Scott released a new EP on his own label, Sistrum Recordings in July and the vinyl will drop later this month. We asked Patrice about his creative habits, recent inspirations, and new projects.
1. Hello Patrice! How do you keep your creative self during these times?
Hello, I am doing okay considering the circumstances of our world at the moment but hopefully, better days are on the horizon. Creativity comes and goes for me. During these times my creativity has been less than often and I just go with the flow. When I get inspired, which can be from anything ranging from a picture to a song, I create, if not, I don’t force it.
2. Tell us about your native Detroit and what drove you to music in this city.
Music has always been a part of my life since I was a child. My parents used to play music in our home and my father used to take me to record stores to buy albums starting at the age of five. Those were the humble beginnings of my music collecting.
3. Your sounds iconically range subtly between deep house and techno, with your unique twist. Is there a genre you wish to explore more in your productions?
Lately, I have been exploring more with neo-soul and hip-hop. I have released a few tracks like that but I want to get more into and involve some vocalists and live musicians.
4. What’s your day to day as a music producer? And are there any tools you particularly enjoy?
Well, since COVID, I don’t have a daily routine and it was pretty much the same before COVID unless I was working on a specific project that had to be finished. During times like that, I would wake up in the morning, have my tea, and just get to work. There are days when I am working just off of pure inspiration, and I work late at night which sometimes lasts into the wee hours of the morning.
5. Your main influences range from Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson, and Jeff Mills but also some Chicago artists such as Larry Heard or Frankie Knuckles: share with us your encounters with such artists and how they profoundly impacted you.
These artists influenced me in the early days. My only encounters with such artists were from the music. The productions were just outright amazing and still hold weight to this day. Timeless music!!! Currently, I’m influenced by many like Ron Trent, Joe Claussell, Kai Alce, Theo Parrish, and the list goes on.
6. Are there any European artists you’ve been collaborating with, especially on your own imprint Sistrum Recordings?
Most recently I have collaborated with Aleqs Notal from France and Italian producer Butch Haynes. Both released on Sistrum last year in 2019.
7. Black Live Matters was recently coined to become the largest social movement in U.S. history. As an artist, DJ, and producer, how do you stand up and express yourself in the movement?
I have never nor will be an activist but I do support what is right and what will uplift my people. I have written a few tracks that represent how I feel about the current moment. One was released on my new EP on Sistrum Recordings titled “The Uprise.” It is simply an expression of how people are tired and won’t stand for the bullshit any longer.
8. To you, how does the future of DJing sound like amidst these different times?
I really have no idea what the overall future will hold. That remains to be seen but I do think that some who did not get the opportunity in the past will now get a chance because club owners will try to recoup the money they lost and will hire less expensive DJ’s.
9. Do you believe streaming can become a potential outlet for music producers worldwide?
Before the pandemic crashed our world I always felt that one day the DJ would be able to be anywhere in the world and perform via satellite or whatever the means of technology is during that current day and age. Now it is all coming to fruition. Why does the promoter need to pay or a flight and hotel? They can save money by setting up a giant screen, connecting a great sound system and there you go! I prefer human interaction so in reality, I hope this does not happen but you never know.
10. If there’s one piece of DJ technology that you could create, what it would be?
NOTHING!!!! I am old school and if it was left up to me everyone would play vinyl and that’s it.
11. What are your current projects? Music? Arts? Any other things you’d love to share?
I have a new EP coming out later this month which I mentioned earlier. It’s a three-tracker and I think people will enjoy it. It’s currently up in the digital format on my Bandcamp page for the digital peeps. Other than that I have a project with a vocalist I am working on which is exciting and I have some other things in the making but I’m not quite ready to share the details 🙂
