Dr. Motte

The dance scene in the mid-80’s was small and barely noticed by the general public. A hint of the mass phenomena that defined the 90’s was no where to be found. His associates only wanted to do with electronic music and the sounding out of these new developments unfolding in music. In 1989 from this zeitgeist there arose a bold idea that would make a mark on the history of music and make Dr. Motte live forever.

‘Friends’ regularly visited the underground parties in England, reported Dr. Motte about the drastic measures of the British police forces against these events. They would be spectacularly dissolved and sound systems would be taken into custody. The party crowd however was not to be deterred. They danced to music ghetto blasted into the streets.

Inspired from this image Dr. Motte thought about how he could bring this spirit back to Berlin. The solution was as simple as it was magnificent: an exhibition – a demonstration the modern culture of electronic dance music. Under the motto “Peace, Happiness and Pancakes” there followed 150 music and dance lovers on 01.07.1989 at the Kürfurstendamm.

After that, things were no longer as they once were. Electronic dance music was the most important youth movement of the 90’s with the Loveparade as the chief symbol. For this 1 day in the year the Loveparade dissolved all the borders and over the years and eventually grew to become a national and international gathering.

Germany, whose reputation even today is massively seen through they perspective of world wars, was now seen in a different light: open, happy, young! Berlin became sexy!

The number of the visitors grew to such a degree in so few years that the Loveparade 1995 due to space constrictions had to leave the Ku’damm and moved to the spacious area around the Street of the 17th of June. In 1999 the Loveparade broke all previous records. Dr. Motte held court at the closing rally in front of around 1.2 million ravers from the whole world on the Siegessäule. For the overwhelming success of the Loveparade, Dr. Motte remained underground. From the increasingly commercial tint of the spectacle he remained the same. When in

November 2005 the trademark ‘Loveparade’ was to be sold to a fitness chain entrepreneur, he was opposed to the move. As one of 5 associates of the Loveparade Berlin GmbH he was outnumbered and finally refused his right of veto in order to maintain the “Holiday for electronic music” for society. At any rate the Loveparade was threatened with bankruptcy and negative financial viability and the end was well in view.

After the first parade under new management in the summer of 2006 is was clear to Dr. Motte that the decision was a mistake. The idealistic content and aims of which he was always a strong proponent were now shuffled to the curb. This is why he distanced himself publicly from the Loveparade and the new owners.

In the years following, things cooled off for the ‘Father of the Loveparade’ – ‘Dr. Motte’ still tours around the world as a DJ. He plays at the biggest festivals and in world renowned clubs. As a representative of German electronic music from the Goethe Institute in Munich in cooperation with the Foreign Affairs Office in Berlin he was invited to “Germany On Display” in Nanjing (eastern China). As well he alsois engaged in various initiatives such as “Laut gegen Nazi’s” (loud against nazi’s), ‘Freiheit statt Angst’ (freedom instead of fear) and many others.

AWARDS _2010 Help Music Award _2007 DJ Meeting Livetime Award _2007 DJ Awards Lifetime Achievement Ibiza _2000 Musik und Maschine Award (Tresor Award) _1999 BZ Kultur-Preis _1999 Bambi _1997 VIVA Comet