XLR8R’s Inbox cozies up with Helmut Josef Geier (a.k.a. DJ Hell) this week. The German techno don debunks S&M rumors, recovers from an ear infection, loves tailored suits, and loathes cheap hotels. DJ Hell’s Teufelswerk is out now on International Deejay Gigolo.

XLR8R: What are you listening to right now?
DJ Hell: Silence. I recently had an ear infection. Should be listening to loads of remixes for my upcoming Teufelswerk remix album though…

What’s the weirdest story you have ever heard about yourself?
That I’m a masochist who likes to be whipped by a dominatrix.

What band did you want to be in when you were 15?
The Damned.

Worst live show experience?
I couldn’t figure out the cables.

Favorite city in which to play?
Rio, Kiev, Tokyo…

Favorite studio toy?
Fender Rhodes Stage, although I can’t play it much myself.

What is one thing you couldn’t live without (excluding the obvious essential, i.e. air, water, etc.)?
Quality—in music, fashion, art, life… everything.

What is your favorite item of clothing?
Chic, tailored suits. A Margiela one is my current fav.

If you could reduce your music to a single word, what would it be?
Avant-garde.

Describe your personal hell.
Cheap flights, cheap hotels… anything cheap.

For what did you always get in trouble when you were little?
My birth name—not the best one to have in Germany.

With which other artist would you most like to work next?
David Bowie or David Hasselhoff.

What’s the last thing you read?
Cinema Stories by Alexander Kluge.

Complete this sentence: In the future…
I will be farming.

Stupidest thing you’ve done in the last 12 months?
Having my car broken into and a large part of my music stolen in Ibiza.

What’s next?
I don’t plan or predict. I just do.