1. For many artists, they cite a defining moment for themselves when they knew they wanted to be a singer. For many it was the appearance of Elvis on the Ed Sullivan show, to another generation it was the Beatles’ appearance on Sullivan half a decade later. Is there such a defining moment for you?
My love for music in general really started out of my love for film, and film soundtracks. I think it was when i saw the film «Blade Runner» for the first time, i was just completely mesmerized and obsessed by the music, i’ve just experienced something i’ve never experienced before.
How could just a few notes create such an evocative panorama of powerful emotions and mental images ? I had to know.
That’s when i started learning how to compose music and creates new types of sounds through electronic instruments as well as modifying the sound of acoustic ones.
2. When you’re not creating music what are you listening to? Who are some of your favorites?
Actually my tastes are all over the place. I try to stay curious about all sorts of music. My interests range from various shapes of electronic music such as Brian Eno, Aphex Twin, Robert Rich , Massive Attack to jazz musicians such as Brad Mehldau , Erik Truffaz, Keith Jarrett, to contemporary classical like Philip Glass, Steve Reich, Ligeti , to all sorts of rock/pop such as U2 , Blonde Redhead, Chris Whitley, etc..
3. What would you say is your greatest moment so far as an artist, either on record or live?
I think the greatest moments are yet to come :-)
In fact , i find the whole process of making music to be a succession of magical moments !
4. Do you believe music can change the world or is just something to listen to? How much can music influence current events?
Music can be a powerful force, both directly and indirectly. It can drive a social movement , tackle social issues directly.
But it can also change things in us indirectly, in a very profound way. Music being probably the most abstract of arts, it can access your soul directly, bypassing the filter of rationnality. By making you feel diverse emotions in ways you might not have felt before, it opens your mind about looking at things around you in a different way. It can get you to see the world in more ways than you would have imagined.
In a way , it encourages you to consider other points of view, and notice that there are more common basic things in all of us, humans, than there are apparent differences.
So in that sense , yes in can change the world , indirectly , by linking all humans to each other through the common experience of this abstract thing called music.
5. How has technology affected the music industry? How has technology affected your career as a musician?
That’s a very complex issue. I think it affected it in both good and bad ways. Right now everything is more or less in a chaotic state, in a transition mode. Technology has been giving musicians more control over their destiny , and yet making it even harder for them to make a living. The «music industry» is taking different shapes, the new tech companies have been replacing the old record companies, but they are not acting necessarily in the benefit of musicians, more in their own benefit. We’ll see how all of this turns out.
One other thing , is that we should get rid of this prevalent concept of talking about «technology» as if it was a real person , capable of thinking on its own. I think it's a trap.. All there is , is a set of tools created by us , humans. Therefore, it’s up to us to decide how these set of tools should be used.
We tend , strangely , to become passive victims of technology, to let loose of all responsability in controling it. I often read on the web comments like « well , that’s how technology is shaping things right now, we should just get adjusted to it». Thats’ profoundly absurd.
It’s up to us to make sure that technology is benefiting us, and is enhancing our common happiness. It's up to us to drive technology in the right direction, not the opposite with technology driving us in whatever random direction. It’s not our predetermined destiny to become passive slaves to it. ( and that’s actually pretty much the theme of my present album)
The nature of my music being mostly electronically based, i'm very much at ease with all kinds of technology and always looking for new interesting stuff. But i never forget that they are just tools, and i always keep some form of critical distance towards it.
6. Now for my Barbara Walters question: If you were a pair of shoes what type of shoes would you be?
Tricky question :-)
Perhaps the ones i’m wearing right now :
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