Date: 23 October 2006
Text: Juggler
Taken from: Goagadar Magazine - www.goagadarmagazine.com

Juggler:
Hi Sam.
What were the main reasons for you to think about doing a trance-related web page?

Sam:
When I started my first trance website in 1996 (this was before Chaishop) I loved trance music and wanted to learn HTML (the page programming language of the internet). Chaishop came one year later in cooperation with Markus and Cynthia of Taifun Design and Mat of Mushroom magazine. The idea was to join forces to make the best website for trance culture.

Juggler:
Did you have some problems or it was easy?

Sam:
It was a lot of work but at that time it was rather easy to attract a lot of people to use the website. It took some years to convince party organisers and labels to pay money for advertising (in order to finance the project) but in the end we managed – and we’re still here after nine years!

Juggler:
Why the name Chaishop?

Sam:
Because a Chaishop on parties stands for a place to chill out, make friends, exchange information and get inspired. This is what we wanted Chaishop.com to be.

Juggler:
How is the Chaishop present moment?

Sam:
Very good! We’re working on many projects parallel and actually just extended our core team in Hamburg. Especially our new audio show Chaishop Music News is very appreciated – it presents the latest trance releases being moderated by Mikadho and myself. And it always features an interesting interview and a DJ set on top.

Juggler:
When you started your project there wasn’t any other web sites doing the same...do you think Chaishop still is the world’s number 1 website for trance culture ?

Sam:
Hehe, good question! Surely there’s a bunch of websites today, which are better in special areas like Goabase.com for parties. But I believe Chaishop still stands out with the broadness of information and services being offered and by the fact that we’re not only active doing the website but also in other areas like our label Chaishop Records, our print magazine Trancers Guide to the Galaxy, our audio show Chaishop Music News, our booking agency Chaishop Interzone Booking, our media agency Chaishop Media, etc…

Juggler:
Chaishop is an individual project or there are other people involved?

Sam:
Chaishop involves about 20 people worldwide. The main crew currently consists of five people in Germany while four of them work together in the Chaishop office in Hamburg.

Juggler:
How do you see the trance culture in this moment?

Sam:
Still growing and going mainstream. We have to learn to preserve our ideals but be willing to grow and accept new people, ideas, changes. Especially I’m very happy about the broadening music on trance parties these days.

Juggler:
What can we expect from Chaishop in the future?

Sam:
We’re currently working on a complete redesign which will change design but also structure and functionality of Chaishop. Also the production of the next Trancers Guide magazine will start soon and you might get more releases by our new label Chaishop records in the near future.

Check out:
www.chaishop.com
www.trancersguide.com
www.chaishop-media.com
www.cibooking.com