What are you first memories of coming to Berlin and how did the relationship with Tresor come about?

First of all, I am no stranger to playing in Germany. I was playing here heavily during the mid 90's. The label Harmonie Park, and the releases on the label were well received all across the country. I use to play regularly in the M1 club in Stuttgart, from which I keep the fondest memories of playing in Germany.

This was long before the Berlin explosion.  Long before Berlin became super cool.  I first played in Tresor during the mid 90's during a tour with the M1 club actually.  But as a DJ from Detroit during the mid 90's, you automatically knew that if you were ever to visit Berlin, that you would absolutely have to go to Tresor. That was one story you had to pack in your suitcase, no matter what. There was always a strong Detroit / Berlin connection, and Tresor's role regarding that was crucial. Tresor provided several musical outlets and possibilities for Detroit artists. Whether it was releasing a record on Tresor, or playing there, these were the most crucial aspects that an emerging DJ could have behind him.

Whilst putting together Tresor's 20th Anniversary Mix you have had to revisit many classic productions from many legendary artists and friends. How was that trip down memory lane?

Yes, it was a very sentimental journey. It made me reflect on what I was doing during that time in my life, and just how much the scene has changed for electronic music all over the world.  I was working in Record Times during this time, and these were records that I constantly ordered on a weekly basis. So I am very familiar with these releases. These were the staple makers of any Techno scene in the USA. It was like being on one giant dance floor that was common in multiple cities. These releases were no strangers within Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee, Ohio, or NYC.

You're called an educator for your work tutoring kids on music production at the city's Youthville center. Does this come across in your dj sets as well?

No, not at all. This is an entirely different aspect of what I am doing.  t's important to be able to balance the different roles that you may play. If you don't, then what you do will get redefined by someone else. When that happens, it is possible to lose sight of what you are trying to achieve. Combining djing and teaching is too stiff of a mixture.

This mix is the first in a series of projects collaborating with Tresor Records. What's next on the Mike Huckaby agenda?

This mix cd has evolved into the possibility of doing a 12" for Tresor Records next year, in the spring of 2012. This is something I am glad to become a part of. The opportunity to do a release on Tresor Records has never presented itself to me until now, and now the time is right for this. During the mid 90's I wasn't releasing hard techno that was typical of an average Tresor release. Since there is a house floor within Tresor now, I plan on finishing the rest of the tracks for this EP, which will have a fine balance between house and techno. The goal I have in mind is to be able to equip a dj with house and techno tracks that can be played on either floor.

We understand that you've been spending a lot of time in Berlin recently, when and where might we be able to catch you playing in the near future?

I usually do a spring and fall European tour every year. I still reside in Detroit, and teach at Youthville 8 months out of the year. Berlin is where I am based during the duration of the tour. This is also another aspect of the Detroit Berlin connection, because Berlin is the best European city to accommodate electronic artists traveling throughout Europe during shows and events. I will be playing at the Panoramabar on November 26th, and at Tresor on New Year's Eve.

Taken from SLIM Mag December Issue

Artist of the Week: Mike Huckaby will air Tuesday December 20th at 18:00, with repeats Wednesday at 12:00, and Saturday at 10:00.