How do you define your sense of belonging to the electronic scene and clubbing?
Belonging to the electronic scene is for me like being a part of a beloved and perfect family with whom I have the same ideals and goals. I feel pretty blessed to have found this electronic movement at a young age, I used to go clubbing 5 days a week, I was a hardcore rager. For me the club is one thing I will never give up on, it's my shelter, my life.
How did the scene develop in your country and which events were the trigger?
Over the years, Paris has been a city with its ups and downs, but I think the scene had a natural growth through different waves: The rave in the ’90s, the clubs with big DJs like Laurent Garnier, Concrete, the Warehouse parties in the suburbs of Paris and now big events like Possession. I think around 2006/7 The clubbing scene was divided into two tribes, the partygoers and the musicians’ geeks (I was part of) merged. I started a party in 2010 with HBT called Dement3d where we were the first to bring the new berlin techno DJs to Paris, and we converted all the kids who were into french touch to Dettmann, Surgeon, Sandwell District. In a way, we laid the path for what would happened after: CONCRETE. Concrete was the trigger event, it put Paris on the European clubbing map! It was the first big club with a program worthy of any renowned festivals. We made the history.
Which sounds and influences represent you?
I am profoundly influenced by my experiences and life, sonically speaking I'm attracted to anything who has a tint of blues, something really deep and dreamy that’s me. But what's funny is I have a pretty geeky culture, from everything from the ’60s to now. Street culture mixed with hi-fashion mixed with the underground counter-culture.
Which are the national and international labels that deserve a mention from you?
I really love XL Records for its wide range of electronic music. Of course, the classic NY Detroit Chicago imprints: Trax / Underground Resistance/ Maw/ Freeze / Champion / Bottom Line / Axis / Transmat / Plus 8 / Dj International / or Warp / R&S / Djax Up / Basic Channel. MaMa Told Ya the label of Anetha is really inspiring musically and visually speaking.
Among the artists, who do you think helped with the growth and the development of the scenes? Between past and present
For the artists, I was crazy about Ron Hardy / Larry Heard / Carl Craig / Maurizio-Basic Channel / Richie Hawtin (Plus 8 era) / Max 404 / Terrace / Mike Dearborn / Jay Denham / Dj Rush. You had all the Ostgut crew with Marcel Dettmann and Ben Klock or Nina Kraviz who helped to launch this new era of techno. Nowadays a new bunch of really talented artists is pushing the envelope to a place we never reach. They are bringing a new aesthetic to the scene which at the beginning to be honest was a bit difficult for me to understand, because it was based on something more free and freaky that I was used to. But as soon as I captured the idea behind it, it gave me a new energy, new ideas, a new inspiration.
Clubs and venues that have particularly affected you?
Concrete who I held a residency for 7 years, Berghain of course, De school…
How is the present? What strengths and problems do scenes face up?
The present is pretty blurry, but I'm taking this time off to do a lot of production, doing some brutal techno, some rap beats and many things in-between!
