Editing Alec Empire (section)

==Biography==
Wilke's father was a working-class socialist, himself the son of a radical activist who perished in the [[Nazi concentration camps]] of [[World War II]].<ref name="faceculture">[https://web.archive.org/web/20160303185636/http://faceculture.ad2stream.com/index.php?cnti_key=11739817 Alec Empire – 2008 – II] [Video interview], FaceCulture, 2008-03-05, retrieved 21 March 2008.</ref><ref name="yates">Catherine Yates, "King of Pain" (p15-18), ''[[Kerrang!]]'', 6 April 2002.</ref> His maternal grandfather, Karl Steinhof, was a self-made millionaire who patented the first domestic hand-knitting appliance during the economic boom in Germany in the 1950s.<ref name="faceculture" /><ref name="steinhof">Herbert Schurich (inventor), Hand knitting appliance, US Patent 2,762,213, 11 September 1956. [https://books.google.com/patents?id=0ndGAAAAEBAJ Google Patents].{{dead link|date=July 2021}}</ref>

Wilke grew up during the [[Cold War]] near the [[Berlin Wall]], which he passed every day on his way to school. The frequent sight of patrol guards with guns influenced his outlook on life from an early age.<ref name="octvvideo">[http://www.oc-tv.net/en/movies/alec-empire.htm Alec Empire] [Video interview], OC-TV.net, retrieved 22 July 2007.</ref> He describes Berlin at the time as: "Probably the most left radical place in Germany in the 70s, terrorists, a lot of demonstrations, and probably the first address to hear the latest American music, because of the radio shows the US soldiers brought to Berlin."<ref name="2002interview">[http://www.digitalhardcore.com/News_Item.asp?News_ID=25 Interview – The definitive Alec Empire Interview] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203091920/http://www.digitalhardcore.com/News_Item.asp?News_ID=25 |date=3 February 2007 }}, [[Digital Hardcore Recordings]], retrieved 30 January 2007.</ref>

===Early influences and career===
At the age of ten, Wilke's love of [[Hip hop music|hip hop]] led to a [[Vogue (dance)|vogueing]] career on the streets of Berlin.<ref name="pitch97">David Day, "Riotous Empire", ''Pitch Weekly'', 28 August – 3 September 1997. [http://www.alecempirefansite.com/press/atr280897.html AlecEmpireFansite.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928150259/http://www.alecempirefansite.com/press/atr280897.html |date=28 September 2007 }}.</ref><ref name="DIS">[http://www.drownedinsound.com/artist/view/2420 Alec Empire] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060318123940/http://drownedinsound.com/artist/view/2420 |date=18 March 2006 }}, [[Drowned in Sound]], last accessed 4 August 2006.</ref> Later disillusioned by that genre becoming increasingly commercial, he left it behind in favour of a completely different form of musical expression. He had played guitar since the age of eight which coupled with his politically charged upbringing eventually led him to [[Punk ideology|punk]] music; he formed his first band, Die Kinder (The Kids), at age twelve.<ref name="DIS" />

By sixteen, however, Wilke came to believe that the punk movement was "dead" (though the [[anti-establishment]] punk attitude would figure significantly in his subsequent output). After leaving Die Kinder, he began listening to classical music and experimenting with electronic instruments.<ref name="thewire">Biba Kopf, "Daft Punk", ''The Wire'', Issue 166, December 1997. [https://archive.today/20070629205756/http://www.gostimirovic.com/artists/alecempire/press/press1.html Gostimirovic.com].{{Dead link|date=November 2009}}</ref> He eventually became fascinated by the [[rave]] scene, and, following [[German reunification]], frequented underground raves in [[East Berlin]], believing his native West Berlin scene to be too commercialised. Known earlier in his career as LX Empire he produced a great deal of what he refers to as "faceless DJ music".<ref name="forceinc">[http://www.alecempirefansite.com/force/force_notes.html Force Inc. Music Works] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070910061605/http://www.alecempirefansite.com/force/force_notes.html |date=10 September 2007 }}, AlecEmpireFansite.com, retrieved 22 January 2007.</ref> In 1991, while DJing on a beach in France with his friend [[Hanin Elias]], he caught the attention of [[Ian Pooley]], which led to the release of a number of [[12"]] records on the [[Force Inc.]] label.<ref name="forceinc" />

Although Empire was a prolific producer and DJ at this time,<ref name="fansite">[http://www.alecempirefansite.com/dhr/dhr_notes.html The Destroyer/Digital Hard-core] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070807070207/http://www.alecempirefansite.com/dhr/dhr_notes.html |date=7 August 2007 }}, AlecEmpireFansite.com, last accessed 4 August 2006.</ref> and made a comfortable enough living, he nevertheless saw the rave scene as [[decadence|decadent]] and selfish. This angered him, as he and his friends lived in a city embroiled in politics, and the demise of communist-led governments had given rise to increased conservatism in Germany, whilst few people cared. The German [[neo-Nazi]] movement had invaded the scene, declaring [[tech trance|trance techno]] "true German music".<ref name="fansite" />

Empire retaliated by utilising [[Sampling (music)|samples]] of 1960s and 1970s [[funk]] – a predominantly black style of music – in his solo work. In order to further spread the message, he gathered like-minded individuals [[Hanin Elias]] (also a former punk) and [[Carl Crack]] (a [[Swazi people|Swazi]] [[MC]]) to form a band. In 1992, the trio became known as [[Atari Teenage Riot]] (ATR).{{Citation needed|date=November 2009}}

===Atari Teenage Riot and Digital Hardcore Recordings===
{{Main|Atari Teenage Riot|Digital Hardcore Recordings}}
In Empire's words, Atari Teenage Riot's complex musical style was intended to "destroy" the "simulated harmony" of the mainstream electronic music, and that, besides their [[Protest song|protest lyrics]], "riot sound produce riots". Empire, who is [[straight edge]], also stated that it was a reaction to both the [[Fashion victim|fashion-victimized]] and drug-fueled nihilism of the rave scene of the 1990s, once saying that "You can't read or do anything else while listening to our music."<ref>{{cite magazine|access-date=19 March 2018|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xGB0iIRXtJEC&pg=PA26|title=Bring on Der Noise|page=26|publication-date=January 1997|volume=12|number=10|magazine=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|first=Mike |last=Rubin|date = January 1997|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20180319041912/https://books.google.co.kr/books?id=xGB0iIRXtJEC&pg=PA26&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false|archive-date=19 March 2018}}</ref>

ATR signed a record deal with [[Phonogram Records|Phonogram]], a major UK label, in 1993. The two parted ways after only a couple of single releases, due to the band's refusal to play by the label's rules.<ref name="atronion">Todd Hansen, [http://www.avclub.com/content/node/23323 Interview: Atari Teenage Riot] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227021736/http://www.avclub.com/content/node/23323 |date=27 December 2008 }}, ''[[The A.V. Club]]'', 7 July 1997, last accessed 12 December 2006</ref><ref name="indymedia">[http://www.indymedia.ie/article/80386 Alec Empire Interview: "People Are Organized But Political Music Is Not Really Being Made."], Indymedia Ireland, 28 December 2006, retrieved 23 January 2007.</ref> In 1994, using the non-refundable cash advance from the deal, Empire started an independent [[record label]] that allowed its artists the freedom of expression Phonogram were unlikely to give. He named it [[Digital Hardcore Recordings]] (DHR); the direction his sound had taken came to be known as "[[digital hardcore]]". That year, DHR released [[Extended play|EPs]] by [[EC8OR]], Sonic Subjunkies, and Empire himself.

While working with ATR, Empire continued steadily with his solo output. He recorded for Force Inc. under several pseudonyms, including the [[Detroit techno]]-inspired Jaguar. He also recorded several albums for Force Inc.'s experimental sub-label [[Mille Plateaux (record label)|Mille Plateaux]], including ''[[Generation Star Wars]]'' (his first full solo album) and ''[[Low on Ice (The Iceland Sessions)|Low on Ice]]'', which he recorded entirely on his laptop during a three-day tour of Iceland with ATR. In 1995, ATR released their first proper album, ''[[Delete Yourself!]]'', on DHR, and, in 1996, Empire released his first solo album for DHR, ''[[The Destroyer (Alec Empire album)|The Destroyer]]''. In that year, Empire and [[Mike D (musician)|Mike D]] signed a deal to release a number of DHR's recordings on the [[Beastie Boys]]' [[Grand Royal]] record label in the United States.<ref name="dhrbiog">{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalhardcore.com/artist_bio.asp?Artist_ID=90|title=Digital Hardcore Recordings: Biography|publisher=Digital Hardcore Recordings|access-date=30 November 2016|archive-date=9 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509033535/http://www.digitalhardcore.com/artist_bio.asp?artist_ID=90}}</ref>

ATR spent the next few years touring the world with artists such as [[Blues Explosion|Jon Spencer Blues Explosion]], [[Beck]], [[Rage Against the Machine]], the [[Wu-Tang Clan]] and [[Ministry (band)|Ministry]], as well as headlining shows as the Digital Hardcore festival at [[CBGB]]'s in New York City in 1998, and the [[Queen Elizabeth Hall]] show in London in 1999 at the request of fan [[John Peel]].<ref name="atrpeel">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/sessions/1990s/1999/Mar19atariteenageriot/ Keeping It Peel – 19 March 1999], [[BBC Radio 1]], last accessed 14 December 2006.</ref> During this time they introduced [[Nic Endo]] to their ranks as a fourth member.{{Citation needed|date=November 2009}}

All of the members found some comfort in their solo work – Empire's output at this time would include his sole release as [[We Punk Einheit!|Nintendo Teenage Robots]], and the [[bootleg recording]] ''[[Alec Empire vs. Elvis Presley]]'', as well as remixes for the likes of [[The Mad Capsule Markets]], [[Mogwai]] and [[Thurston Moore]]. However, ATR's problems worsened. Onstage at one show in [[Seattle]] in 1999, Empire slashed his forearms with a razor.<ref name="yates" /> At another show that year in London, in which ATR supported [[Nine Inch Nails]], the band dispensed with the usual song-based formula and delivered one long barrage of what could only be described as "noise"; this would later be released as ''[[Live at Brixton Academy (Atari Teenage Riot album)|Live at Brixton Academy]]''.

By the end of 1999, Empire was mentally exhausted, Elias was pregnant and Crack was suffering from [[psychosis]] induced by prolonged drug use.<ref name="dhrbiog" /> The band was put on hiatus; its future was made even more doubtful following Crack's death in 2001,<ref name="crackmtv">Corey Moss, [https://web.archive.org/web/20021106043908/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1449099/20010924/atari_teenage_riot.jhtml Atari Teenage Riot Cofounder Dead At 30], [[MTV]], 24 September 2001, retrieved 3 February 2007.</ref> and Elias' decision to leave DHR and create [[Fatal Recordings]].

===After ATR===
[[Image:Alecempire-liveinprato2007.jpg|thumb|200px|Alec Empire performing live in [[Prato]], Italy on 13 January 2007]]
Empire rebounded in 2001 when he, with assistance from Endo, recorded ''[[Intelligence and Sacrifice]]''. The album contained two discs: the first retained the ATR formula, yet exhibited a more polished production style and lyrics of an unusually introspective nature;<ref name="gothtronicint">[http://www.gothtronic.com/?page=23&band=272 Alec Empire (int)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080629201702/http://www.gothtronic.com/?page=23&band=272 |date=29 June 2008 }}, Gothtronic, retrieved 22 July 2007.</ref> the second disc was an electronic instrumental album, and in contrast was more experimental. He used an all-star lineup in his first live "Alec Empire" show at the [[Fuji Rock Festival]] in Japan: [[Charlie Clouser]] (ex-[[Nine Inch Nails]]) played [[synthesizer|synths]], [[Merzbow|Masami "Merzbow" Akita]] and [[Gabe Serbian]] ([[The Locust]]) both played drums, and Endo played synths and keyboards.<ref name="alecfuji">[http://www.digitalhardcore.com/artist_news_item.asp?News_ID=27&Artist_ID=1 Alec Empire Live at FujiRock Festival] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061016005129/http://www.digitalhardcore.com/artist_news_item.asp?News_ID=27&Artist_ID=1 |date=16 October 2006 }}, Digital Hardcore Recordings, last accessed 24 December 2006.</ref>

Empire's next lineup would include a guitarist, Robbie Furze, who would later record for DHR with [[Panic DHH]]. Empire also played a series of live shows performing material from the [[Intelligence and Sacrifice#CD2|second disc of ''Intelligence and Sacrifice'']]; one of these was released as ''[[The CD2 Sessions: Live in London 7 December 2002|The CD2 Sessions]]'' in 2003. He returned in 2005 with ''[[Futurist (Alec Empire album)|Futurist]]'', which was less electronic than its predecessor and had more of a raw punk-rock sound, albeit assisted by drum machines and some processing.<ref name="gothtronicmessiah">[http://www.gothtronic.com/?page=23&interviews=851 Alec Empire a new Messiah? (Interview)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080609212443/http://www.gothtronic.com/?page=23&interviews=851 |date=9 June 2008 }}, Gothtronic, retrieved 20 March 2007.</ref>

Empire began 2006 by DJing at [[Industrial music|industrial]] pioneers [[Throbbing Gristle]]'s New Year's Eve party.<ref name="gristle">[http://www.digitalhardcore.com/News_Item.asp?News_ID=182 Alec Empire spins at Throbbing Gristle New Years Eve party in Berlin!] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061208094342/http://www.digitalhardcore.com/news_item.asp?News_ID=182 |date=8 December 2006 }}, Digital Hardcore Recordings, retrieved 21 January 2007.</ref> During that year he remixed fellow Germans [[Rammstein]] (whom he once said were "successful for all the wrong reasons"<ref name="mtvrammstein">[https://archive.today/20121209000122/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1425050/19981109/story.jhtml Atari Teenage Riot's Alec Empire Questions Rammstein's Sincerity], MTV, 9 November 1998, retrieved 3 February 2007.</ref>) and New York hardcore band [[Most Precious Blood (band)|Most Precious Blood]]. He also recorded a cover version of [[The Monks]]' "Monk Time" for a tribute album with that band's singer Gary Burger, and Russell Simins of Blues Explosion.<ref name="monks">[http://www.digitalhardcore.com/News_Item.asp?News_ID=185 HOT NEWS: Alec starts collaborating with Russell Simins (drummer with Jon Spencer Blues Explosion) and Gary Burger (original member of The Monks)!] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061207101305/http://www.digitalhardcore.com/news_item.asp?News_ID=185 |date=7 December 2006 }}, Digital Hardcore Recordings, retrieved 21 January 2007.</ref> ''[[Atari Teenage Riot: 1992-2000]]'', a retrospective album, was released by DHR on 3 July 2006.

===After DHR===
[[File:Alec Empire Nocturnal Culture Night 11 2016 04.jpg|thumb|Alec Empire at Nocturnal Culture Night festival 2016]]
In 2007, Empire announced that DHR would henceforth assume a more "underground" role,<ref name="msblog">Blog: Dead or Alive?, Alec Empire's official MySpace, 28 April 2007, retrieved 22 July 2007.</ref> as his focus turned to a new label, Eat Your Heart Out Records,<ref name="musictowers">Hugh Platt, [http://www.musictowers.com/news/features/interview-alec-empire-bites-back Interview: Alec Empire bites back], Music Towers, 24 April 2007, last accessed 15 August 2007. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070504040912/http://www.musictowers.com/news/features/interview-alec-empire-bites-back |date=4 May 2007 }}</ref> which he describes as "the sound of New [[Berlin]]".<ref name="DIYinterview">[http://www.thisisfakediy.co.uk/articles/8559/Alec-Empire.html Interview: Alec Empire] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506101325/http://www.thisisfakediy.co.uk/articles/8559/Alec-Empire.html |date=6 May 2008 }}, This is Fake DIY, retrieved 25 February 2008.</ref> The label's first release was his 12" single "[[Robot L.O.V.E.]]", followed by an album, ''[[The Golden Foretaste of Heaven]]'', recorded with his new production team and touring band The Hellish Vortex, released in Japan on 28 November 2007 and in Europe on 21 January 2008.<ref name="msblog2">Blog: Getting Ready for Singapore!, Alec Empire's official MySpace, 18 September 2007, retrieved 19 September 2007.</ref>  The second single release, the ''[[On Fire EP]]'', was released on 7 December.<ref name="dhronfire">[http://www.digitalhardcore.com/News_Item.asp?News_ID=223 Alec Empire On Fire 4 track EP out 7th Dec!] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071111173540/http://www.digitalhardcore.com/News_Item.asp?News_ID=223 |date=11 November 2007 }}, Digital Hardcore Recordings, retrieved 19 November 2007.</ref> ''[[Sixteen Years of Video Material]]'', a DVD featuring rare footage of Empire and ATR was released on German video label Monitorpop in July 2008.<ref name="eyhodvd">[http://www.eat-your-heart-out.com/news.html News: Atari Teenage Riot and Alec Empire DVD coming] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070611135935/http://www.eat-your-heart-out.com/news.html |date=11 June 2007 }}, Eat Your Heart Out, last accessed 25 February 2008.</ref><ref name="trilogyrock">"Alec Empire (DE) Interview". ''Trilogy Rock''. [12 May 2007]. (Archived at [http://www.trilogyrock.com/historial-descarregues.php TrilogyRock.com])</ref>

In February 2017 Empire released an original soundtrack album for the German sci-fi thriller ''Volt''.<ref name="volt">[http://filmmusicreporter.com/2017/01/06/atari-teenage-riots-alec-empires-volt-soundtrack-to-be-released Atari Teenage Riot’s Alec Empire’s ‘Volt’ Soundtrack to Be Released], Film Music Reporter, retrieved 27 July 2017.</ref>