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You have worked with so many bands; Goldfrapp, Nine Inch
Nails, Depeche Mode, Erasure, The Jesus and Mary Chain, the
list is endless, how do you approach each project as each band
is so different?
"The most important attitude to have when approaching any project
is: "What am I about to learn?". I rarely enter a project with
preconceptions, just try to spot other possible avenues to pursue
with the artist. You know when you are correct when you start
to visualize the sound (if you can't see it don't record it,
Flood circa 1990!). Regarding specific artists, Trent Reznor
was like a hurricane, as was Keith le Blanc, there was an urgency
of creation that opened my eyes and ears. You learn to optimise
the flow when the creation rears its head; the studio was a
large instrument."
How did you first meet up with Depeche Mode? You even did
a remix for them.
"I was working for Mute and was by default naturally involved
in some aspects of recording. I did some remixes but mainly
worked with Alan Wilder on his 'Liquid' album. Oh yes, I played
the harmonica on 'Personal Jesus', and did some dub passes for
'Songs of Faith and Devotion'."
You've worked with producer Flood (Smashing Pumpkins, NIN,
Depeche Mode), as well as the likes of Steve Lyon and Mark Stent,
was it easy to integrate into a production team and assume your
role?
"During a period I did work a lot with Flood on various Mute
projects. Watch, learn, and know when it is right to open your
mouth."
You are a big fan of Arturia's software synthesizers, how
do you feel about them having used all the classic synths yourself?
"Performance is the essential element that makes music touch
the nerves. My initial exposure to soft synths was one of skepticism
as the element of performance/accident is less possible. Real
knobs and buttons respond more fluidly than their virtual brothers.
If you accept this restriction then you can start having fun
with soft synths. I've used the Arturia
Moog Modular V and get a huge buzz from jamming the beast
into a sequencer to chop up later. It has the bass that makes
me nostalgic!
Arturia Moog Modular V2
(Click image to enlarge...)
Obviously the power of the soft to emulate the original is
of paramount importance to most and my Arturia
Moog Modular V and Arturia
CS-80V do pretty much what it says on the box. For me it
is another instrument/sound source with its own characteristics
and adds more colours to the palette.
Sometimes I have to sit down and pinch myself - in my first
band we had a plywood box with an oscillator and a fuzz pedal
and that was the extent of available 'homemade' technology,
but for us it was cutting edge! I could not have dreamt back
in 69, the power in my Power Book of today. Finally everyone
is able to express his or her creativity and imagination, music
has become more egalitarian, if a little bland. However a factor
that was not possible with the original synths is the ability
to start with other user's patches, this can allow the workflow
to speed up considerably."
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Having your laptop at MUTE's Worldwide Studio, it must be
so useful to load up, say the Arturia
ARP2600V, and say to the artist, 'Here, use this'.
"Generally it is liberating to have an arsenal of soft synths
at one's disposal. Being a Gooner and adopted Parisian I have
nothing but praise for Arturia. I never used the original CS-80,
it was totally out of my sphere, but at Mute it was a real education
watching Daniel programme the ARP and Moog."
Goldfrapp's 'Black Cherry' tour was a major success, tell
us about your involvement with them.
"I was around Mute when the Felt Mountain demos were circulating
and adored them as they had a Chanson/ Liede feel about them,
right up my cul-de-sac. I was starting to work a lot in France
at this period and paying particular attention to the voice.
I would love to have contributed some small trinkets to Alison's
voice on that album. A couple of years later I mixed a recording
of Goldfrapp live which led onto mixing a number of later live
gigs."
Although they are now a part of the EMI Group, MUTE has a
fine list of artists, what's it like to be involved with the
MUTE team?
"Hmm, the Mute story, a veritable roller coaster of change and
progress. I feel very fortunate to have spent 12 years of my
life working for Daniel. Personally the most sublime period
was the rapid expansion of Mute with the associated labels (Blast
First, Rhythm King, Product Inc). Under this umbrella there
was Sonic Youth, Big Black, S-Express, Bomb the Bass, Swans,
Young Gods floating through the corridors rubbing shoulders
with Depeche, Nick Cave and Wire. Hell, 5 years before I was
working in a bank!"
You also have your own project and label, tell us more.
"I had an experimental label through Mute, 'Parallel Series'
with the idea to cross-fertilize some of the rigour and composition
of 'classical' electro-acoustic music with a bit of feeling
and dirt from 'rock' electronic music. Seemed a good idea and
we released 4 albums which did ok.
Circumstances changed and the label slept. After moving to Paris
I awoke the label to release an album called 'Capture' under
the name of 'The Digital Intervention'.
The project developed after a chance meeting with a young French
singer/actress, Olivia Louvel. Her formidable voice brought
a superb contrast to my bleak electronic wastelands. I was forced
to focus on my own music as she has a fine eye for visual detail.
The project has evolved into two streams now with Olivia writing
her own songs, check her web-site for illumination: www.olivialouvel.com.
Piquet (my artist pseudonym) is threatening to release a new
noise fest when certain musical contributions have arrived."
What else is in the pipeline?
"I have just finished a project in France working alongside
a young French engineer producer, David Husser, and together
we are planning sonic assaults."
Many thanks for the interview!
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