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Artist
Emile Strunz
12+ albums
UKUnited Kingdom
about
Cause and effect. Love and lust. Four dominant forces that created Emile Strunz, the alter ego of Neil James Smith. Years of exposure to disco, post-punk, and synth pop led Neil to New Order and other European Rhythm invaders, before converting to the Balearic Beat. 1989 was Year Zero, with Belgian New Beat, Acid house and Electronic Body Music having a profound influence. Cause and effect. He then fully committed himself to Joining in the Chant following a near riot at the Astoria in 1990 where Chelmsford's New Funk Brutalists gave a lesson in hard uncompromising electronic dance music that he would never forget, and which led to him contributing to Nitzer Ebb Produkt's official propaganda literature. Cause and effect. A move to London followed, where he would spend the week working in press and public affairs, arranging interviews for Newsnight, appearing in The Times, Cosmopolitan, and the Guardian, and familiarising himself with the corridors of power in Parliament. The weekends were spent in pilgrimage to Ibiza, to Craig Richards' legendary Georgie Parties, and under the arches at the Cross. At some point here, Emile Strunz was born. The synthesis of teutonic stoicism and a Balearic aesthetic made perfect sense. But Emile Strunz would have to wait. A move back to the North and university saw him create the position of Clubs and Dance Music Editor at the Student Union's magazine, and he sought out interviews with Richie Hawtin, Moby, Lee Burridge, and Depeche Mode's A
