Rhythmism.com
Tuesday, Sep 13th 2005, 11:14 AM
#1
Q&A with Brique Rouge's David Duriez (Sat., Sept. 24th @ Sullivan Room)
From his headquarters in Paris, France, David Duriez is the commander of an expanding mini-empire of underground house music. He's the proprietor and visionary behind the pioneering label Brique Rouge, plus it's various spinoffs and subsidiaries – including the trend-setting electro-house imprint Freak n'Chic.
As a globe-trotting DJ with a packed international schedule, there's been a glaring, gaping whole in his resume: a gig in New York City. That grievous error will be rectified on September 24th, when David Duriez makes his New York City debut in style at the Sullivan Room for the Basic NYC bash. For underground music heads in New York, this is a long-awaited chance to check out one of the true pioneers in the scene today.
Here's a brief Q&A with David, but to really learn more about him, check out the Brique Rouge website, packed with downloads, mixes, release info and more: www.briquerouge.com.
And don't forget to check out David at the Sullivan Room on Saturday, September 24th!
Your Brique Rouge empire continues to grow. What is the biggest challenge you face as an independent label in the music business these days?
Keeping it real and ahead of the time, embracing the new technologies, not doing the wrong choices, and keep making enough money to release new music. It’s a big challenge isn’t it?
There's been a lot made about "French House" over the years. Has that attention helped or hurt the French dance music scene? What's happening in France these days, music-wise?
In France you have those you made it and those who are still making something. It’s all about which clan you belong to. However I think the French music scene is healthy and diverse, a bit too pop for me sometimes though. Some producers sometimes forgot what House Music is all about.
Your labels have featured literally dozens of artists from all over the world. How do you find the people you work with? Who is making the best music these days – the newcomers or the old veterans?
I meet people, people send me stuff, I work with friends, I contact people, it’s working like a network. As for the new music it’s changing all the time. Veterans are coming back doing what they do best because newcomers started to do it inspired by the past. The loop will be soon looped if you know what I mean.
You obviously have a fondness for old-school acid house music. What is it about the sound that keeps people coming back and discovering it? What was your personal connection with acid house?
Talking about the loop…The Acid revival is the perfect example. I was very happy when it came back. Exactly like if I was waiting for it for so long. It’s my roots. I was listening to acid when I was 13 and it has lead me to where I am now. That’s how I started DJing. Acid House is everything to me if you ask me why I do and love this music.
You did a track called "Keep House Underground." Do you ever see house music becoming more than just an underground phenomenon and sound?
It is already unfortunately. Of course not in the United States. But in France and UK you can see David Guetta advertising for L’Oreal. I can’t help myself, but without being elitist there is nothing better for me than a small room full of people who know and dig the music for what it is.
As a DJ you've played in Europe and the rest of the world significantly more than the USA. Are you interested in trying to expand your music and your labels in the United States more?
I have played in the U.S. quite alot actually. But never in New York if it is what you mean. I played in Baltimore, Washington, San Louis, Atlanta, San Diego, L.A., San Francisco, Denver and several times in Chicago, my hometown there. I did quite a few tours across the U.S. but your country is so vast that it is almost impossible to be known as a house or techno DJ especially since there is no specialized airplay nationwide. I’ll come back again for a tour before the end of the year.
What is the ideal venue for you to play in – big club? Smaller room? Warehouse?
I like all. It’s just different vibes. I’m really myself in a small warm low roof club
.
I can take some risk, I can play some unexpected things. In a big club or warehouse it’s more about rocking the crowd and then I’m more like a techno dj. To make it short : bigger club, bigger sound.
One of your recent remixes is "Raining Again" by Moby. Did you approach that project differently from any of the other remixes/production work you do?
Not really even if I had the pressure from Mute and Virgin on my shoulders. In the beginning I thought it was a chance to make something more, let’s say, cross-over (a good word to mean cheesy) and then I’ve always this part of me saying : be yourself.
So I did my thing. They did not release it on vinyl but only on a promo cd which is some kind of insult to me when you can think my remix was made for the more underground djs and those djs play on vinyls… Majors you know…
The Miami WMC: Good place to do business or just a non-stop party?
I never took an accreditation. I found myself facing an evidence across the years: I don’t do business really. I just release 12inches for DJs, I do my music, I try to stay ahead of the times and that’s it. Music industry is bullshit and most of the time I’m not part of it. So WMC is only a good opportunity to do the Rest,Relax & Recover BBQ with the Gourmet Recordings team for 5 days which is by far the best event in Miami in my opinion music-wise… yeah I know I’ve no shame but at least you won’t hear the latest funky cheesy vocal shit from whatever UK label !
Are you a vinyl-junkie or are you into the new digital technology when it comes to DJing?
That’s a good question. Can I really say that I’m into digital DJing when my business is to sell vinyls ? I had to deal with this matter two years ago when I started playing a lot on Cds. I’m (was?) a vinyl-junkie but now I have to say that I play mostly on CDs only on Pioneer CDJ1000 which are the only reliable CD players out there. I’m recording my vinyls, the new promos and I buy stuff online on Beatport or DjDownload to play. I don’t like Final Scratch which is way too boring to carry on and install at every gig. CDJ-1000 allow you to do things you can’t do on vinyls, like cueing, looping and what was for me the most attractive feature : the master tempo, one hell of a time stretching ! I can now play hip hop at house tempo and acapella at the speed I want preserving the key! Priceless for a DJ.
As a globe-trotting DJ with a packed international schedule, there's been a glaring, gaping whole in his resume: a gig in New York City. That grievous error will be rectified on September 24th, when David Duriez makes his New York City debut in style at the Sullivan Room for the Basic NYC bash. For underground music heads in New York, this is a long-awaited chance to check out one of the true pioneers in the scene today.
Here's a brief Q&A with David, but to really learn more about him, check out the Brique Rouge website, packed with downloads, mixes, release info and more: www.briquerouge.com.
And don't forget to check out David at the Sullivan Room on Saturday, September 24th!
Your Brique Rouge empire continues to grow. What is the biggest challenge you face as an independent label in the music business these days?
Keeping it real and ahead of the time, embracing the new technologies, not doing the wrong choices, and keep making enough money to release new music. It’s a big challenge isn’t it?
There's been a lot made about "French House" over the years. Has that attention helped or hurt the French dance music scene? What's happening in France these days, music-wise?
In France you have those you made it and those who are still making something. It’s all about which clan you belong to. However I think the French music scene is healthy and diverse, a bit too pop for me sometimes though. Some producers sometimes forgot what House Music is all about.
Your labels have featured literally dozens of artists from all over the world. How do you find the people you work with? Who is making the best music these days – the newcomers or the old veterans?
I meet people, people send me stuff, I work with friends, I contact people, it’s working like a network. As for the new music it’s changing all the time. Veterans are coming back doing what they do best because newcomers started to do it inspired by the past. The loop will be soon looped if you know what I mean.
You obviously have a fondness for old-school acid house music. What is it about the sound that keeps people coming back and discovering it? What was your personal connection with acid house?
Talking about the loop…The Acid revival is the perfect example. I was very happy when it came back. Exactly like if I was waiting for it for so long. It’s my roots. I was listening to acid when I was 13 and it has lead me to where I am now. That’s how I started DJing. Acid House is everything to me if you ask me why I do and love this music.
You did a track called "Keep House Underground." Do you ever see house music becoming more than just an underground phenomenon and sound?
It is already unfortunately. Of course not in the United States. But in France and UK you can see David Guetta advertising for L’Oreal. I can’t help myself, but without being elitist there is nothing better for me than a small room full of people who know and dig the music for what it is.
As a DJ you've played in Europe and the rest of the world significantly more than the USA. Are you interested in trying to expand your music and your labels in the United States more?
I have played in the U.S. quite alot actually. But never in New York if it is what you mean. I played in Baltimore, Washington, San Louis, Atlanta, San Diego, L.A., San Francisco, Denver and several times in Chicago, my hometown there. I did quite a few tours across the U.S. but your country is so vast that it is almost impossible to be known as a house or techno DJ especially since there is no specialized airplay nationwide. I’ll come back again for a tour before the end of the year.
What is the ideal venue for you to play in – big club? Smaller room? Warehouse?
I like all. It’s just different vibes. I’m really myself in a small warm low roof club
.I can take some risk, I can play some unexpected things. In a big club or warehouse it’s more about rocking the crowd and then I’m more like a techno dj. To make it short : bigger club, bigger sound.
One of your recent remixes is "Raining Again" by Moby. Did you approach that project differently from any of the other remixes/production work you do?
Not really even if I had the pressure from Mute and Virgin on my shoulders. In the beginning I thought it was a chance to make something more, let’s say, cross-over (a good word to mean cheesy) and then I’ve always this part of me saying : be yourself.
So I did my thing. They did not release it on vinyl but only on a promo cd which is some kind of insult to me when you can think my remix was made for the more underground djs and those djs play on vinyls… Majors you know…
The Miami WMC: Good place to do business or just a non-stop party?
I never took an accreditation. I found myself facing an evidence across the years: I don’t do business really. I just release 12inches for DJs, I do my music, I try to stay ahead of the times and that’s it. Music industry is bullshit and most of the time I’m not part of it. So WMC is only a good opportunity to do the Rest,Relax & Recover BBQ with the Gourmet Recordings team for 5 days which is by far the best event in Miami in my opinion music-wise
… yeah I know I’ve no shame but at least you won’t hear the latest funky cheesy vocal shit from whatever UK label !Are you a vinyl-junkie or are you into the new digital technology when it comes to DJing?
That’s a good question. Can I really say that I’m into digital DJing when my business is to sell vinyls ? I had to deal with this matter two years ago when I started playing a lot on Cds. I’m (was?) a vinyl-junkie but now I have to say that I play mostly on CDs only on Pioneer CDJ1000 which are the only reliable CD players out there. I’m recording my vinyls, the new promos and I buy stuff online on Beatport or DjDownload to play. I don’t like Final Scratch which is way too boring to carry on and install at every gig. CDJ-1000 allow you to do things you can’t do on vinyls, like cueing, looping and what was for me the most attractive feature : the master tempo, one hell of a time stretching ! I can now play hip hop at house tempo and acapella at the speed I want preserving the key! Priceless for a DJ.
