The story behind "YORK - The Awakening" by Torsten Stenzel | Muzikxpress 220

[@muzikxpress]

Which York track or remix is your favorite one?

[@Dashoost]

Jastamba - Torstens Suspicious remix

[@billski]

The Awakening (Will B Remix) by far.

[@salmonbandi4665]

Rank 1 - Reachers of Civilisation.

[@atlantisairwaves2]

York - The Awakening (Natious Remix)

[@74alida]

PPK - Slave to the Rhythm (Torsten Stenzel Rmx)

[@dflorin27]

What an interview, i am so glad to see those legends like York on your page. People like him make's us to be happy with their music when we are not in the right mood.

[@muzikxpress]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it! I did an interview with Torsten about the York classic "On The Beach" as well, that should be online in a couple of weeks from now! :)

[@Oliver-OBM]

Thanks, Twan! I love "Red Light District - Did You Hear Me? (Phase II Mix)"

[@benpetz6816]

For me the best trance producer ever. Dont forget all the taucher productions and remixes He did especially for me Legend B. lost in love taucher remix and of course you mentioned ayla - ayla taucher remix

[@OGMillwood]

One of the things I loved about York - and especially The Awakening - is it seemed to take trance back to its roots. At a time where the genre was getting super-commercial, The Awakening did away with massive riffs and breakdowns which producers like Ferry Corsten and Matt Darey were developing, and reminded me more of the Cosmic Baby / Dance 2 Trance approach of the early nineties - ambient, reflective music with a rhythm. I remember when The Awakening released in Australia in 1998, and it felt like a breath of fresh air against everything else happening in the club scene. Awesome interview with a legend for one of his all-time classics.

[@MichaelBoogerd]

Wouldn’t have guessed that a legend like Thorsten Stenzel still sees DJing as a new experience for him

[@muzikxpress]

Yeah, as he explained in the interview, he was always more busy with producing (for others) than his DJ career, so he started much later with DJ-ing :)

[@fezmania5078]

A fantastic interview. I loved it. Torsten is among the best. I have been a fan of his since the 90's. Thank you for doing this interview. You did great, as usual, Twan. I wish Torsten the best as always. He deserves a lot more success and accolades. He is a legend.

[@muzikxpress]

Thank you! Loved talking to Torsten, it is crazy to see behind how many awesome tracks and remixes he is!

[@plamenivanov1506]

Another great interview! So glad that Torsten is DJ-ing more these days. His sets are really good!

[@MornéNel-b7e]

On the beach are my favourite track of York ,most of his tracks have that sea party feeling in it 🏖️🌅🥳

[@caylyph]

Haha now I know where the alias „York“ originates from. :) You know Twan, these are just rare pieces of details you don’t read/hear anywhere else and this is what makes your videos so valuable. Good man!

[@KeirMurphy]

I'd love an old school Ferry & York sound collab!

[@rocko44444444]

Lovely fellow! These interviews always makes me suprised, how many aliases a producer have. I'm always learning with these, thank you Twan!

[@muzikxpress]

And thank you for watching!

[@rocko44444444]

@@muzikxpress I'm always pleasured with these stories! :)

[@edbrown84]

The quake remix for me remains the best. The banging sound of trance in 99'

[@ryan1mcq]

This tune is a classic, always reminds me of the Gatecrasher Wet CD from 99

[@MrBendixxx]

Oh man, Quake deserve some credit here, and he's right, the Quake remix is what was known here in the UK and Ibiza from '99. I feel like the Quake remix really pushed the track heavily into the clubs and compilation CD's. The remix is actually a very good snapshot of the big trance sound from 1999. Alas, I do like the original, but man, that Quake remix was too good.

[@muzikxpress]

@@MrBendixxx But he says that in the UK most people love the Quake remix 😉 And in the beginning of he explained what kind of vibe he had in mind when they made the track. He doesn’t say he doesn’t like the remix (I’m sure they had to approve it hehe), but he said his own favorite version is still the original.

[@scottgraham5480]

Wow! I just said precisely the same thing regarding the Quake remix in a comment then I seen this, the nostalgia related to the summer of UK radio in '99.. It was a big feature of sundown back then 😊

[@robtissera1]

Thanks very much for that. Please see my comment. That is the true story of how this track was created 😊 Also, Judge Jules deserves a huge thank you from this guy. Jules played our quake remix 53 weeks in a row on Radio 1. That is what helped to make it such a big seller. Got to say watching that interview has rattled my cage. He doesn't even like giving any credit to his own family. all the best and have a great weekend 👌😉

[@onelifeliveit0]

Well....I'm from the UK and absolutely hate the quake mix lol 🤣 destroyed a masterpiece in my opinion. Original ext easily my favourite​@@muzikxpress

[@billski]

​@robtissera1 your remix is perfect mate. Love it. I only made my own because I couldn't get your own in .wav to use in my sets. Thanks for making such an all time UK classic.

[@philrichardson99]

One of my favourite trance tracks of all time, thanks for doing this!

[@muzikxpress]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@AL573]

I remember this time very well. This track was huge. Imagine the limited possibilites back in the days when producing a track. Nice dude btw.

[@robtissera1]

Myself and Ian Bland are Quake... I think it's important to provide you all with an insight to the real story behind the success of this track. This guy torsten gave us a guitar sample on a cassette tape and we did all of the production including creating the vocal sample that everyone associated with the track. We created that sample on a speak and spell app on the whisper setting by typing the word 'the awakening' into it. Our mix took the track to number 11 in the national charts and he never ever thanked us for our work . All of the sounds on it were created by us. The pads are from the Roland JP 8080 rack and from the korg 03R module. The stab sounds in the first break are from a Roland JV1080. The bass is from the supanova. The drums were the same drums we used on our own track 'The Day Will Come' the only part that this guy provided was the guitar hook which we compressed the hell out of to make it sound the way it does. Watching this interview makes me sad as he is totally ungrateful. The moral of my post is that you should never forget where you come from and always be thankful for the people that helped you along the way. Both myself and Ian Bland are still heavily involved in djing and production. We are humble guys. Can't believe how ungrateful this producer has been toward us. All of the other artists we remixed got in touch with us and that includes the likes of Armin Van Buuren and Ralph Fridge and several more huge acts but this guy was the least gracious. I'm sure this comment will be removed but I felt like this needed to be addressed to provide you with a little bit of context. Big love to you all. Rob Tissera (Quake)

[@MrBendixxx]

@@robtissera1 Hi Twan, please keep this comment live and not deleted. You cannot concede the fact that Rob and Ian’s work led to this track becoming hugely popular and helped it to chart. This remix is part of the story and success of the track, no doubt. Rob has even given details on how it was created. ❤️

[@marklewis35]

@robtissera1 I was going to mention this to you before I saw your comment. I had a feeling you might have something to say about it 😉

[@muzikxpress]

I already replied to Rob in a private message that I don't have plans to remove this comment. I also told him that I do know Torsten as a really nice and down to earth guy, he's really friendly and polite. And you can hear that Torsten says in the interview that the Quake remix is the version that was pushing the UK sales and that the most people in the UK prefer that remix. So I'm also pretty sure that he's grateful for that :)

[@blandee]

Agreed Bobby , a little nod or thanks goes a long way in this game, we gave that track the missing ingredients it needed and also all the support from Judge Jules ? (also un mentioned ) , be Humble , Be thankful LOVE LOVE LOVE

[@mariusej]

No succesful remix without an inspiring original. If you are so displeased and need to publicly disparage the original artist. You guys should have produced an original track instead of a remix if you think Stenzel delivered the bare minimum. Be grateful for the opportunity to remix this track! I can't imagine Torsten not being grateful for the Quake remix and the succes of this remix. Even if he didn't make direct contact. This interview does not show a totally indifferent and ungrateful Stenzel, but an artist who, despite great success with a remix, prefers his original version.

[@amoloney1984]

I hope you interviewed him about “on the beach” my favorite ❤️

[@muzikxpress]

Yes I did 😉

[@you7788]

Great interview, as always. Keep on that brilliant work!

[@muzikxpress]

Much appreciated! Thanks a lot!!

[@PrettyBlueThings]

Fantastic interview as always Twan! ❤

[@muzikxpress]

Thanks so much!

[@chriswilton9976]

Very cool guy. Favorites of his are Protect Your Mind, and Ayla.

[@L31PZ1G]

Hard to answer, "the Awakening" & "8:15 to Nowhere" (Taucher Remix) still timeless, but there are a lot more great Tracks and Remixes outhere made by Torsten!✌🏻+ ❤

[@Kimo_sabe]

EPIC tune

[@otpornik]

thank you

[@muzikxpress]

🙌🏻

[@Sinfour]

My favorite is actually Reachers Of A Civilisation. I heard The Awekening after I heard Reachers. But Torsten have done lots tracks and remixes that i top favorites. Here is a some: Dj Taucher - Atlantis (Part 3) Ayla - Ayla (Dj Taucher remix) Sosa - The Wave (Dj Taucher remix) York feat ATB - Fields Of Love

[@PlanetLoveRecords]

Thanks! 😊

[@muzikxpress]

@@PlanetLoveRecords 🙏🏻

[@markevansdj]

Brilliant track

[@kristoffscuba5466]

Reachers of civilisation is a great York track.

[@ady2416]

when I bought York "on the beach" I was gifted with Reachers Of Civilization (Rank 1 Remix) ;)

[@Weareonenation303]

I have the Contrast CD, never knew Torsten produced this.

[@mariusej]

1990. He was never credited correct for his work on this release. 'Contrast' should be online now though, and you will see his name in the writers crediting :)

[@thephoenix3155]

Torsten Stenzel made a brilliant remix of Moby’s song Porcelain!

[@muzikxpress]

Yes he did! That one gets a quick mention in the "biography" part of my video ;-)

[@mariusej]

Keep a close eye on Moby's digital back catalogue September 13th! ;)

[@Blaulicht1120]

I think he should connect with Steve Helstrip. Similar vibes!

[@muzikxpress]

Good one!

[@Gino_567]

2 people Ive never been able to find any information on in regards to music production: Randy Katana Steve Murano. Randy katana - in silence would be like 50 christmases in one Steve murano - how did he make those incredible basslines