I bought this Ablum a few years ago in London and thought that I needed to bring this intereview to everyone's attention out there. There is so much attention to categorizing genere's of house music today its tends to become "geeky". I couldn't agree with Cyrils comments more, here:
In the liner notes for the BBE compilation "City 2 City", you say that House Music and Techno are so much part of the same family. But through the past years it was always split up by organizers & promoters. For the media, House Music became the music for clubs, and Techno the music for bigger events like Raves. Do you think there is now a time to change this attitude?
Yes…... I cannot school or tell people what they should do, that's not my job. In my opinion, Carl Craig's music is Techno but at the same time for someone who listens to really fast, hard and banging stuff it might feel like House. I think I am really old school. To me, House is Blaze, Kerri Chandler, Marshall Jefferson, Mr Fingers … and Techno is Derrick May, Carl Craig, Kevin Saunderson … Techno is more electronic sounding Music. It doesn't mean necessary that it is fast or hard. It can be fast and hard or whatever. It is more futuristic and more electronic whereas House is more Dance music for Clubs. I don't think one style of Music should be played in one place and another in a different place. I just think House Music is Deephouse, Vocalhouse, Techno. Whatever sticker you want to put on the music, it is a big family. The reason why I love House Music so much is because it's so diverse, it has a very eclectic source of inspirations and to me, this is what makes it so beautiful. To say loving House is listening to only one style of house and stick with it, it is the opposite of the idea of this music. It's an open-minded style which finds its roots in different styles.
In my opinion, and this is only me thinking, I might be wrong but I find a lot of people, young people, a younger generation than mine, who are lost with music. The funny thing is, when they talk to you about music, they give it so many specific names: "I listen to tech-house but with electronic, etc. etc …" When you play in a club they come up to you and ask something, showing they're obviously a bit confused about what is what. I think today it's important for people who really love the music and really care for it to just play it in its wide spectrum. This way you show those kids House Music is not only what they consider boring and jazzy. I hate the jazzy expression. You have jazz and other different music, but the jazzy thing. I can't stand this abbreviation: "Tech-House", I don't play "Tech-House". What the f*** is "Tech-House"? I play Techno and I play House, and I love those musics for what they are because they have character. I think today the big risk for music to become completely without flavour, like politically correct with Jazz solos and Lounge style. And this Lounge thing is really killing our music too. The music we do, House Music, is to dance to in clubs. It is not to drink Champagne and look pretty. You can do this if you want but when you're listening to "Adonis - No Way Back", it's a sweating track, and it's bouncing. It's about Drums and being in a club, feeling the music and it's not about being all snobbish and listening to cheesy jazzy, whatever! I think the best way to communicate with people, like myself, when I discover music, and I discover music everyday, and learn more everyday about it, I like to be struck by something. I like to listen to something and say "Hey, what is this?". I think the best way to play music to people is to find how rich this music is and try to give the audience all the options, all the keys. You might prefer the Deep sounds, the Techno sound … but now when I dj, I really change my mind and my way of approaching things. I get older and I realize that lots of people don't really know the roots of this music, so I try to play a music that is as much as possible part of the House movement.
A few years back I used enjoy being a bit like a….."I've got my renegade moody French guy problem…and sometimes I wanna go "oh you like Blaze? Ok I'm gonna play you 25 Blaze records in a row and you're gonna like this"…you know I used to be like that.
Today I'm more like "Wow", this is really an emergency. Lots of people talk about our music but they really don't have the keys to know about it because it's difficult to have access to that music you, Gerald and I love so much. I think when you dj today it's not only doing your job, and I believe you know this too because you've been doing this for a long time on your website. I can feel when we discuss, you have a strong sense of responsibility and you want to communicate about this culture. I really respect this. And myself as a DJ today, I feel this too, when I go somewhere, thinking to myself "You know what? There might be some kids who actually don't really know about this music and maybe, if I'm not too bad I can find a way to go in different directions, so people are gonna think "Oh, wow, ok. House Music is not only this one groove. It has many channels, many moods and feelings, and I can find my way into this".
So what do you think the big misconception with House Music is?
I think in the past as I was very passionate and in love with the music, maybe sometimes I would say things like "It is like this" or "It has to be like this", and I didn't mean it in a pretentious way, I was passionate and I realize that some people might take it as a pretentious way of thinking. So I don't wanna sound pompous. I just think, as I said before, people sometimes put a sticker on House Music, thinking it is only Club music, or it is only Lounge usic, or it is only one thing. In my opinion House music is very rich because it's got its roots in so many styles, and it has so many aspects. Listen to K Alexi and then listen to Blaze and it's a different world but it's still the same family. It's beautiful and this is why today I'm still so in love with this music. So I think the misconception about house, it's not one simple thing that only does "boom boom boom", it has so many faces.
A lot of people see DJ Deep as an ambassador of House music, especially in the communication between Europe and the US. Does it make you proud?
That's really nice to say this, but I really don't think so. I mean I'd love to be, or I don't even know if I'd love to be but I don't think this is true. Some People might admire the fact I'm a very concerned about being truthful and very strong on the path I follow. Some people might recognize this as a proof of … When I say something, I really mean it, I really love it, I really try to be authentic and sincere about it and some people might actually respect this, and that's why they may state ambassador but I don't think that's accurate. But what's a reality is that I'm digging as much as I can for this music I love so much because I feel it's in danger.
The future of House music: Everyone is now talking of early 90s House music and Acid house. Do you think there is now a chance to have a better presentation of House music?
There is definitely a hype or trend about Old School House, if I can put it this way. And I'm happy about it somehow because I miss the early very authentic, spontaneous, simple productions of House, the ones that really got me involved with this music and in love with its sound. So I'm pleased with that. I think it is not a good sign that history repeats itself and people tend to copy something that was happening 10 years ago. I think we need fresh air, we need renewal, we need new inspirations, and we need new sounds. Maybe people are too scared to really admit it or say it, or it's not PC to say it, but I do say it. This music is biting its own tail; it's like going in circles, so YES we need something new for sure. The fact that it goes back to its very essential roots is also a very good sign in a way, because it means, in my opinion, that new young kids are actually listening to very authentic, spontaneous, raw tracks and get inspired to do them in a very new and refreshing way. This is what I've been waiting for; this is what I've been hoping for…
Your own labels Deeply Rooted House and Housemusic Records came up with great releases in 2004 & 2005. When and why did you decide to create them?
I started the labels a year ago, both of them. I was trying to make music and I was not happy with myself or anything I would do, I was really unsatisfied, I didn't think it was right. One day I realized I had very talented friends and, without sounding arrogant in any way, I couldn't communicate with my friends in the way they actually listened to what I was saying because they knew I was very respectful of their work. With external ear and eye, I was trying to lead them in the direction they wanted to go; for example giving them ideas or suggestions about their track that would actually complement what they where doing. So I said to myself: "Maybe it's a good idea to create a label and try to focus on this very deep rooted sound from the original House because, as a DJ, I was missing these kinds of raw House tracks. I was buying and playing a lot of songs but when it came to playing tracks I would only spin old Kerri Chandler, Ron Trent or whatever … And as for current tracks, except for a few, I didn't find enough to satisfy me as a DJ. So I thought it might be a good idea to focus on an imprint and try to do this.
Housemusic Records is a reissue label. LB Bad "I like to move" was the first release. I love this track so much. I was thinking: "This has to come out again." I know a lot of friends who are gonna freak out when they hear this and all my DJ friends didn't have the original record. So I thought it would be a good idea to actually release the tracks people don't necessarily know and today, when they hear it, they say "Wow. This sounds so fresh. What is this?"
What is important for you when you choose a track for your own label?
The next tracks Kerri is putting on the label, "Six Pianos", "Mental Moonlight Fiesta" and "Light the World", are tracks we talked about with Kerri. Then he had this brilliant idea of coming up with a way of putting all his magic and originality into them. It was more a communicating thing that leads actually to the tracks. As for Gregory's track, he often called me to ask my opinion playing the track on the phone. And then we talked like this and I went to the studio check it out. With this one, he called me up one day, and asked "I'm not sure, what do you think?" I listened on the phone and I said "Don't move! Stay in the studio! I'm coming!" I jumped on my scooter and I went to his studio because of what I heard on the phone, I gotta hear this. Then I heard it in the studio and I fell in love with the track. I said: "Please, let me release this" And this is how it happened. Most of the time, like the next 12" by Manoo, he sent me a very short demo of maybe a 30 second loop from the track and asked me "What do you think?" I went crazy and said "Manoo, this is so dope, you have to do it!" And then he finished it up, we spoke about it, and it became the track it is now. For me, the relationship with the artists is very important, it's essential.
I think a lot of people are waiting for another 12" from DJ Deep. Is there some time left to work on new tracks?
I sold all my equipment, so it won't happen in a long time. Maybe one day I'll try again to make music but I don't think it's the right time for me just now.
I noticed that in Miami most of the DJs tend to play with CDs and Final Scratch. Do you think that the DJ culture improves with technical innovations?
I'm gonna answer to you in two ways. The first thing, about technical innovations: For instance, we manufacture those mixers with my friend Jerome Barbe, the DJR400 mixers, for instance. This is based on a very old technology from rotary mixers and it's actually limited in features compared to current ones but the sound it has and the way it reacts with the faders give you so much feeling, so much emotions almost like you feel this mixer is alive. The limited features force you to be creative in a different way, and I think it is similar in music today. Today every kid can make music, you can get Reason or any program very cheap, very easily and have access to millions of sounds but that doesn't make you creative. In the first place, you don't know what you wanna do or you don't know how to express yourself. Sometimes it even blocks you because you end up loosing time looking on technology features or options that carries you away from the original desire of making music. Especially when it comes to house, less is better! At the end, the essential is what really matters instead of all the features.
On the other hand, I do recognize that programs like Final Scratch or whatever equivalent are great. As a DJ I can only carry 100 vinyls with me and CDs, and that's already really heavy, I'm not a strong guy, I cannot carry like three record boxes. So, when I go to a club, I'm limited in my choice of music. When you have Final Scratch, you have a fantastic world that is open to you because all of a sudden, you have access to thousands of records. I think this is a great innovation. I have nothing against it. Personally I have a problem with reading records in a list. I need to see, to touch, to recognize ink marks on the records because it brings back memories. But this is only me, this is my problem and my vision of things. I try to play more and more with CDs because it's convenient, it's lighter and it prevents me from damaging my original pressings or whatever. CDs are great to play friend's music that is not available on vinyl yet or to compile. Let's say "I would like to have some Old School Chicago House records but I don't wanna bring all my originals with me." So I'm gonna do for my own little CD compilations with the tracks I really feel like playing and I don't have to bring those extra originals with me.
The funny thing is, when the CD thing started, I thought I would travel lighter with only CDs. I end up travelling with more stuff because not only do I have a lot of vinyls, I now have a lot of CDs on top of that.
The past years we had so many parties together. Some were good, and some were really outstanding. So when is the point during a night in the club when you feel it is a really good night?
I think when you're a professional DJ you have to know that by going from this record to this record to this record you have your little tricks: You play something people know a bit better and then you drive them slowly to something they know a bit less. I'm very bad with those tricks. Usually when I don't know where I'm going I'm a bit plumpsy, I just follow my path and people get carried away because I have my strange visions of what would be nice with that. In my opinion, a night is really great when I can go from one song to the other because in my mind I like the lyrics I'm gonna answer to each other even if the music is very different but it's gonna say something to jump from this record to the other. And when I feel it and get really enthusiastic and if I can see people feel it too, it becomes a great night. When the feeling is there, I can really let my mind flow and go wherever I want it to go and people are on the same tune, this is a great night. And you can see it happen like, on one transition you think to yourself "Ok, I'm gonna try this. Are people gonna dig it?" [Since it would be a bit crazy to go from this to that] If they are, then yes! it's a great night, you are free to do whatever you want.
No comments:
Post a Comment