Michael Mayer was born and brought up in the clean air of the Black Forest, deep in Germany's south-west corner. As a kid his days and nights were filled with music, either liberated from his parents' collection, absorbed via his bedside radio or tentatively played on the household's piano. He first heard DJs at youth discos and was smitten, immediately beginning his own record collection - Italian disco, the Pet Shop Boys, extended 12" mixes of pop tracks and classic funk are its foundations. At the age of 20 Michael moved to Cologne, the warmest part of Germany in both temperature and attitude. With the help of Wolfgang and Reinhardt Voigt - already-cherished Cologne artists - he forged a characteristically grounded career, equally mundane and insane. Michael's time is split between producing tracks, DJing globally (he tours Japan and the US in late 2003) and overseeing the distribution of many of Europe's underground labels. He works at Kompakt, a deceptively named business incorporating a vibrant release schedule, recording studios, distribution centres and a gigantic record store, all in the heart of Cologne. Every Friday Michael eats with best pals and fellow Kompakt artists Tobias Thomas and Aksel Superpitcher, before partying at Total Confusion, their Studio 672 clubnight.