Vitalic Q&A
Jon Drake
Viva La Fete
"My roots are disco (Gorgio Moroder for example), then New Beat, which is very close to nowadays music. Later i discovered rock stuff like Stooges."
The French have proven themselves to be some of the the world's greatest contributers to electronic music over the last ten years. Casius, Laurent Garnier and Daft Punk all spring to mind as examples of the French's fine musical offspring. Pascal Arbez joined this esteemed group of gallic pioneers in 2001 when he released his 'Poney' EP under the name of Vitalic. Since then it has been an ascending journey for the former Guildford Uni student, seeing him play to thousands of people all over the world.Here, New Noise accosts him with a few relevant - and a few not so relevant - questions.
What did you do before becoming a producer?
I was a student. I had a masters in economics and applied languages. When my studies were finished (in Guildford, then Paris) I decided to go back to Dijon and devote six months to the music
Why do you think the French have been so consistent at producing good dance music over the years?
I don't know. The French music in th '80s was quoted as terrible and that was mainly true. Maybe Daft Punk opened a few doors.
Where do you see the future of dance music going in terms of sound and technology?
It is difficult to say something reliable about that. On the one hand, studio technology improved production tools and made professional production affordable. On the other hand, most people listen to low bit rate MP3s in £5 earphones... Also, you can produce an entire album with just a computer, which is a revolution and makes music affordable for everybody. But that's also a reason why so many people sound the same.
Who are your influences from dance music and beyond?
My roots are disco (Gorgio Moroder for example), then New Beat, which is very close to today's music. Later I discovered rock stuff like the Stooges, but I also like some French music like Rita Mitsuko, or Etienne Daho. And I love piano/voice stuff when it is interesting. I am not keen on raggae and hard rock.
How did you become friends with The Hacker initially?
The first time I met him was in front of Rex Club in Paris at the end of a party and we didn't know each other. I bought a chicken sandwhich; he was drunk and me too. Then someone intruced me to him, he asked for the sandwhich and kept it. A few weeks later he called me for a remix on Goodlife and came to Dijon. We became friends little by little, after about 2,578 bottles of vodka.
When he made 'La Rock 01' did you feel it would be such a classic?
No, I felt like it was a floorfiller for techno DJs. You never know what's gonna happen with your tracks. I am not that self confident.
How important do you feel the Radio Soulwax CD’s were in getting that track heard?
It was essential. I think they made it popular and reached the rock audience. I am very grateful to them. I am always happy to play for their Radio Soulwax shows. They are also maybe the only DJs that make me dance for two hours now.
What has been your most memorable live gig and why?
That's dificult to make a choice. I think that the second time I plaid at Dour Festival in 2005 maybe - that was crazy - 24,000 people and me alone in front of them, with just a few machines. I've had other similar parties, but the first one is the like no other.
What do you feel the main differences are between your alias' of Dima and Vitalic?
Dima was mainly hard techno. Vitalic is more disco/punk. Pascal is a zoo with virtual freaks in his head.
After collaborating with many people over the years, who would you most want collaborate with, dead or alive?
I really like Etienne Daho, with his tiny voice, like he is not singing. But the Boss is Gorgio Moroder. Still.
With not having a vast record collection yourself, where do you stand on the debate about vinyl against MP3?
I've read many things about that and I still have no precise idea. I admit it is convenient to put MP3s on your iPod, to sort them on your computer, to buy them at three o'clock inth morning while having a BBQ with some friends. On the other hand, the sound is not the same. I can hear the unprecise bass and the metallic high end and that really disturbs me on a HIFI. I don't have that many vinyls, but I have a quite nice CD collection.
What’s next for Pascal?
Album, then touring. It is what my life is all about...
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