Interview: Nout Heretik Soundsystem

1. Tell us a little about you.
a. Where you are from?
b. Who were your major musical influences?
c. How long you have been involved with music?
d. How long you have been involved with making music?

I’m from Paris (France), my major musical influences are Fat boy slim, Dj Hell, Yer man, Aphex twin, ….
I ve been involved for 10 years, Hard Rock (ACDC, Gun’s N Roses) at the beginning, and after the underground electronic music (DJ Radium, Leeny Dee, Parties from Network 23 and Technocrates. And recently, Techno Electro and filtered house.
I ‘m a DJ since 10 years and I’m making tracks for 7years and liveset for 5 years.

2. How long were you part of the free party movement before you set up Heretik Sound system?
I set up Heretik system with my friends at the same moment we began to go to the Free party, this movement and this music gave me the wish to become an activist.

3. How many members were part of the original Heretik Crew?

We were three friends Leo Jano and me from the 94 (Val de marne) and we were looking for other people to buy a sound system. A friend of us (Miss Gnafeu) made the connection between us and a group of guys from the 78 (Yvelines). We had a good contact together and we decide to buy a big sono (Martin Audio speakers , the same from the rolling stones concerts)

4. What brought the original members of the Heretik Sound system together in the first place?

We had the desir to make parties where we can all mix and share with the public, our friend our passion for the underground electronic music. We were all seduce by the underground meltingpot and we really enjoyed making some new connection with the public.

5 What do you think you add to Heretik that is different to your other crew members? What are the elements that other members add to the sound system?

I’m one of the most famous represent of the Heretik Hardfloor musicwith Beuns ; it’s a kind of hardcore but much more dancefloor and the sounds are less aggressive . I’m also the only one who take care of an underground music production (www.lediableaucorps.org)
Sao is taking care of the organization and the website, Popof, noisebuilder, Beuns, KRS, are making livesets, several mumbers of the crew are DJs, Jano is taking care of a part of the logistic of the party and the other are human performers

5. You manage 30 labels in France. How different is every label from each other? What are the similarities among every label?

All labels are regroup by different styles of music .
I m producing a little bit of Drum’N bass but it is very hard in france , Trancecore (only downloadable on our website, no vinyles for the moment) , techno electro (level 75 rec) , Hardtekno, Tribe (French core), Hardfloor, and Hardcore.
« Le Diable au Corps » is specialise in hardfloor and hardcore labels but we are recently doing some techno-electro according to our music feelings , not by commercial needs cause this type of music is ditribute worldwilde by a famous distributor who takes a lot and leave to the production absolutly nothing.We just enjoy !!

6. You moved on from DJ-ing to predominantly doing live sets now. What was the evolution to this?
I was invited like a DJ in several party and a lot of people said me they liked my tracks and they wanted to have a different version played in a liveset; so I decided to adapte the tracks I have made in a liveset . but now since 1 year I’m recording my liveset to obtain tracks. It’s much more interesting to play liveset than to mix vinyles;, you ve got much more possibilities during the representation and it is more funny.

7. Heretik made a massive mark in history books among the free party movement when you set up a massive sound system in a public swimming pool in the middle of Paris in the late nineties. Videos from the night show angry police trying to curtail the party. What kept you guys going that night?

Well we all taught that the police will make everything possible to stop the party, so we decide to take some mesure against it !
First of all we’ve created some charities with the willing of taking over abadon spaces and redistributeit to charities like ours.This would have helped us, in case of a trial, to defend our selfves in telling them that it was a benefit party to reclaim this abandon space to those artistic  charities and by that it was absolulty not a rave party.
To make this true to the police eyes at the door we ‘ve distributed manifest to everybody so the police came to us more with diplomacie other than violences as they use to do these days.
Mean while we had invite the televison media to make them witness of an inventual violent intrusin of the police.Finally the police came and we had a talk with them until midnight and they go away ,but we were sure that they will wait for us at the end … but nobody was there our stratagem have worked , they didn’t know who we were what we were doing there so they decide to say nothing and 15minutes after we left the wall that we break to get inside was allready block !

8. What other parties have you done that are similar in scale and scandal similar to the pool party?

None ;) …

9. What was the free party scene like when you first started? Are you still working to keep the free party spirit alive? What is the future of the free party scene in France?

The free party in 1996 was very underground, no promotions was made on the side of it , there were not any Hardtekno shops , no websites telling poeple whre to find the party there was only flyer that you where able to find in a party when you were asking for it
The activist sound system at that time were : Network 23, Teknocrate, Furious
Those parties were about 500 people not more.
The spirit of the free party decrese very fast. Nowadays we are in a “post free party”, the movement have totally destroy by some capitalism law that the french government have vote for, now it’s like imposisble to do a private party ,even if there is no neibourgh to complian about the noise, if you have more than 250 people inside they can take your sound equipment and you can have the right to pey a big big fine.
Today parties happened in club and sometimes in outdoors ( teknival if the government says yes ) .The public didn’t follow those radical changes, they’d like to go in some unusualand different places each times.
I think that the future of the free party movment will be as today there will be no return to the source!
To kep the spirit we try our best to let people have a free access to our music via internet
All our production are dowloadable on our website : www.lediableaucorps.org
 

10. There are strict laws in France regarding the free party movement that have been met with major manifestations across the country. The free party movement changed in terms of size and the nature of the crowd.

a. What sort of problems did you face with the law/ police?
b. What did you do to get around the issues of an obvious change in image and direction of the scene?

We were use to do parties in wharehouses or outdoors away from living areas , the debat is open on this who was disturb ??
Enough people to prohibit this type of stuff and they also had in their lws private places! …
We took part in some discuss with the governement to defend that but it was useless. So we just ask arequisition of a field once a year to organize an outdoor festival during the 1st of july,every times they gave us approval 1 day befor the event .. a shame .. in case they do not gie us the othorisation to do this festival we have think of a trash concept sound system.Simple concept based on a low cost sound sytem with a mp3 player somewhere in a public place of paris , just bring people at that place and let go until the end. Like that nobody know who organise this and all the responsibility goes to the governement and it stupid laws …   
 
11. How often to the original Heretik crew get together for parties?

1 time a year we organize a major open air festival generally the 1st july this year we re celebrating or ten years of existence with Trouble fetes, TNT and NAwak.
This party each year have a different theme that we use for the decoration of the event, the sound system use is one of the best and that can regroup about 15000 people for one night ,like 3 years ago. The concept for 2006 is the circus ,some circus tents will be install, ther will be some art troups like CRS ( circus road system) and we ask party people a 5 euros participation and we have to reach the number of 10 000 people to be in our cost. 

12. Working with so many artists and across genres within the electronic music arena are you concerned about becoming too commercial? Do you think you are looking to move in a more commercially viable direction?

I produce the music that i love ,the artist produce are all friends or become friends, I love doing parties with them as a dj or organizer . we ‘re a collective , “Le diable au corps “ is a group of friend and a group of work, we listen to each others tracks, we give and take advise, we help each others, that makes us growing up !
I do electronic music cause it’s what make me crazy since the conception of a track to how it makes people moves on the dance floor, I just don’t give a damned of what some people says it is commercial or not ….

13.  How have Heretik fans changed from when you first started?

First of all we do mot have « fans » .We’re not the Rolling Stones ! we got of course some people who likes us for our music or parties that we do and we thanks them a lot !
There’s some other that we dissapoint cause we are not in their expectations. Our public really change depending whre you find him.

14. Recently you have become more involved with the infamous half and full moon parties in Thailand.
a. What has made you interested in this movement now?
b. Are you playing a lot of your old music at these parties?

Koh Phangan is « the fest island » one of my friend Jo ( DJ albatar- le bison rec) is taking a place in the organisation of the half moon party and he propose me to held with him a second dance floor during these party .This dance floor will be like the alternative scene of this transe festival. These half moon party are bi-mensual , we have the project to invest the full moon too that miss crueltly an alternative living electro scene
I will be play live sets,mix in techno elecrtro,Breaks filtered house music and why not if the public is resseptive something more like my roots hardfloor and hardcore.

15. Do you plan to split your time between Thailand and France?

Yes in Thailande ,France and Tchecoslovacia where the free party movment and the public is more interresting . I think I will try to play with my friends( Jo,Willyam MSD and Fix Trouble fete)   all around asia , I sahre with them the Koh Phangan adventureand maybe other will come and join us !

16. Are there any new productions or labels to be expected from you? If so, tell us a little more about the artists and the music itself.

We actually have founded with Sao (Heretik) the label LEVEL 75, wich is really part of the international techno-electro rising scene. We produce mostly friends which have reached a high quality music level and are looking for an international distribution, which is granted to us by the french company Discograph. By the way, we receive lots of demos, we listen to everything and are really open to produce any music we like - we just signed some italian guys for a destructive electro house EP !
Level 75 is really a electro techno dancefloor project, but we are at the moment thinking about creating some other labels for minimal or more housy stuff...

Vincent Aze Interview

1. How would you define your style of music?

I’d like to regroup it under one vast term in order to avoid any unnecessary classification: underground dance music. It’s called underground because you don’t hear it on the radio or on TV. This music is mainly heard in clubs and bars and is produced by artists who want to have fun and push the boundaries of music. There are too many sub genres for me to remember. Depending on the venue, crowd and time of the night, the style will vary accordingly. It has to be groovy, rolling, pumping. I also like to play different styles, especially in HK because there are so many different people who like different styles; and it suits me well. In any case, I like to build up the set starting quiet and finishing crazy.

2. Do you go by the name Viny Vega as your DJ alias?

That was for fun in the beginning when I started DJing. I had taken it from the movie Pulp Fiction… “Vincent Vega from Amsterdam”. Now I use my real name, Vincent Azé. Only the name Planet Vega remains at Yumla.

3. What got you into music in the first place?

I guess listening to music and going out to parties was not enough. I found my way DJing and creating loops in my home studio. I also organised a party last year for the French May and invited Jack de Marseille to HK.

4. Who have been your major inspirations/ influences?

Carl Cox for his enthusiasm, Richie Hawtin for his precursory technique, Jack de Marseille for his eclectism and why not Laurent Garnier for all of that.

5. What got you on to DJing on the radio in France?

A friend introduced me to the guy running the electronic music show on Galaxie and he wanted me to play on air. Live radio broadcasting is great. BBC and FG are solid examples. This Galaxie radio used to be a great local radio station in Northern France at the border with Belgium. I played two Saturday evenings before people go out clubbing, and that means a lot of people in that area of the world on a Saturday night. I loved being in a room playing music and knowing that other people, somewhere, in totally different situations, were listening to it at the same time.

6. Having DJed in London numerous time, do you think the move to London broadened your exposure to electronic music in terms of genres and styles?

South of France, over 10 years ago when I started listening to electronic music was a buzzing place. We had the biggest outdoor & indoor parties with the best DJs & live acts playing. So it all started there. Then I moved to London and started DJing and playing in bars and clubs. There you can definitely get loads of records, practice your skills and learn from professional artists.

7. You managed to get some sweet gigs in London at Herbal and Electrowerkz. How did you manage them? Why did you not continue DJ-ing in London?

I met people in London who were organising parties and wanted me to play for them. I have been living in HK for over 3 years and don’t have much time to back to London just for a DJ set! It would be great but I have a day job and limited number of holidays. But you never know, I am open to the idea of going back just for that.

8. How did you end up in Hong Kong?

The company I was working for in London offered me a position in Hong Kong. How could I refuse?

9. Why have you chosen to stay in Hong Kong for so long?

I just can’t get away from here.

10. What is your favourite club in Hong Kong?

I go to the usual places in Central. It’s great to have Volar bringing DJs from everywhere. They can accommodate enough people and have a good sound system. They were immediately keen on having this French May party in their club and I surely encourage them to keep on doing more electronic music parties. On totally different note, Yumla is a fantastic place because you can just walk in and out, chill & dance your tits off. Yumla is the place where I started DJing in Hong Kong. I play there monthly at a night called Planet Vega. These two places give me what I need.

11. How do you think the music scene could be improved in Hong Kong? What’s on your wish list?

Comparing to a few years ago, there are now enough clubs and bars to have a drink and for music to be heard. Now we could do well with more concerts and live acts.  Venues are difficult to book, expensive and over regulated by the government. So I’d put on my wish list a proper concert hall without seats, and the freedom to use late at night. That way we could bring in more artists, organise more parties and listen to more styles of music. I am also thinking of a global music festival in HK. There is one in Barcelona for Europe (Sonar) and one in Miami for the States (WMC). I am sure the very same guys travelling miles to attend these festivals would also love to come to HK and get the Asian crowd dancing on their beats. HK is a central spot in Asia and has a lot of to offer to foreigners. So why not? Let’s not comment on radio broadcasting in Hong Kong because podcasts seem to be taking off big time so we soon won’t need to turn on the classic radio anymore.

12. Where do you plan to go after Hong Kong?

Hopefully heaven.

UTB Interview

Nilly: What does UTB stand for?
EpZ: UTB “ c’est rien c un truc bidon” ;) stands for first of all having a good time with friends, staying connected with these friends, spray good vibes and playing music where ever we can! 

Nilly: Tell us a little bit about the collectives you are from.
Nu: I'm "Banditos" guy forever :). I made this musical project with Seb in 1999. We are now split between Paris and Montreal but always continue together. Last year we created Quadbyte with Franz_Wa especially to make and fuse music with and of our friends.

Franz_Wa:  I was playing classical music when I was young , and Nu had been my master in electro. When I met him and we met EpZ in a sort of collective, UTB was born !!

EpZ: Well since 1996, I’m from every where!! This everywhere is where I met those guys! Now I’m still working with a French collective call Kohort (http://kohort.org/)

Steam Punk: Well I am not in any collective just a Dj friend of EpZ.

Nilly: UTB is a collective with no boundaries. How do you manage to collaborate on global scale?
Franz_Wa: Well we work each other in our own place, share files and talk about what we can do with it.

EpZ: Well technology is our mother of all. We play and do some tech music along with some tech instruments and we use technological ways to communicate over the globe ;)

Nilly: Who are other artists that you collaborate with? Tell us about their origins and style.
Epz: Well for now we have a lot of work to do by ourselves.  But independently, we do some stuff on the side. For example, Nu is working on the next album for The Banditos with his Canadian counterpart Seb. Steam punk is trying to get us a gig in Istanbul that’s his job!!  Franz_Wa is trying to stop drinking beers and maybe make a hardcore album (just joking) and for my part well try to keep those guys together in the same direction! When it’s done I would like to work with a lot of people all around the globe and share this work with UTB project !

Nilly: I understand you all met thanks to the free party movement. Were you actively involved in producing music?
EpZ : Yes all together producing music , organizing parties and festival a lot of work  !

Nilly: What are your specific styles?
Nu: All styles with predominant drums :)

Franz_Wa: A sweet mix of electro and groovy break beat

EpZ :  For my part  I’ve been through a lot of styles and I’m still doing a lot of different things but what I love most is break beat and break core and techno.

Steam Punk: Most of my Dj experience has turned me into heavy dance techno like Technasia productions

Nilly: How did you develop this style?
Nu: We have no special method ... we work :)

Franz_Wa: It’s not a will to develop a style we just make tracks and after we decide on the specifics of the style.

EpZ : By playing a lot together. Now it’s hard as we’re far away from each other but thankfully the internet is here.

Nilly: What were your main inspirations?
Nu: New wave,  breaks beat, and especially dance floor music :)

Franz_Wa: It comes from jazz to drum n bass passing by punk and rock n roll. 

EpZ : Well from all the music that I listened to since I was a kid. What I have learnt during piano lessons, my dad and mum, my louloutte and all the music and sounds that I hear.

Steam Punk: For now I do not produce but I have inspiration from a lot of stuff from Madonna to hardcore electronic music.

Nilly: How different are your styles from each other? How do your styles complement?

Nu : I'm a drum machine :)

Franz_Wa: Well my sounds are more classical than the others I love doing sweet melodies. I often use emulation of rhodes and moog synths.

EpZ :a lots of difference too many maybe haha ! I think this is what is links us all > we’re not doing the same thing and when we play together it’s awesome

Nilly: The free party movement is less prevalent these days apart from Tekinval arenas. Would you agree?

Nu: I would not agree or disagree; it's a music arena like any other.

EpZ: It’s still prevalent but with less free spirit in it, free parties these days means nothing but a Teknival ….too Bad ! But hopefully some guys keep it real. 

Nilly: How do you look to keeping the spirit of the music and the festivals alive?
Nu: By providing cheesy music :)

Franz_Wa: By letting people dance.

EpZ : In doing what we’re doing spread good vibes everywhere, anywhere and talk to people that we met around gigs make them understand that everybody can live free !

Nilly: What is your main music philosophy?
Nu: Creating music with feelings and emotions.

EpZ:  Break it!!

Nilly: What is your philosophy on music and making it universal like the philosophy behind French May in Hong Kong?
Nu: Divide emotion and pleasure!

EpZ: Well share it, let people dance! It’s an art and not a crime!

Related web site

www.banditos.org
www.quadbyte.net
www.designer-toyz.com

UTB Interview

Nilly: What does UTB stand for?
EpZ: UTB “ c’est rien c un truc bidon” ;) stands for first of all having a good time with friends, staying connected with these friends, spray good vibes and playing music where ever we can! 

Nilly: Tell us a little bit about the collectives you are from.
Nu: I'm "Banditos" guy forever :). I made this musical project with Seb in 1999. We are now split between Paris and Montreal but always continue together. Last year we created Quadbyte with Franz_Wa especially to make and fuse music with and of our friends.

Franz_Wa:  I was playing classical music when I was young , and Nu had been my master in electro. When I met him and we met EpZ in a sort of collective, UTB was born !!

EpZ: Well since 1996, I’m from every where!! This everywhere is where I met those guys! Now I’m still working with a French collective call Kohort (http://kohort.org/)

Steam Punk: Well I am not in any collective just a Dj friend of EpZ.

Nilly: UTB is a collective with no boundaries. How do you manage to collaborate on global scale?
Franz_Wa: Well we work each other in our own place, share files and talk about what we can do with it.

EpZ: Well technology is our mother of all. We play and do some tech music along with some tech instruments and we use technological ways to communicate over the globe ;)

Nilly: Who are other artists that you collaborate with? Tell us about their origins and style.
Epz: Well for now we have a lot of work to do by ourselves.  But independently, we do some stuff on the side. For example, Nu is working on the next album for The Banditos with his Canadian counterpart Seb. Steam punk is trying to get us a gig in Istanbul that’s his job!!  Franz_Wa is trying to stop drinking beers and maybe make a hardcore album (just joking) and for my part well try to keep those guys together in the same direction! When it’s done I would like to work with a lot of people all around the globe and share this work with UTB project !

Nilly: I understand you all met thanks to the free party movement. Were you actively involved in producing music?
EpZ : Yes all together producing music , organizing parties and festival a lot of work  !

Nilly: What are your specific styles?
Nu: All styles with predominant drums :)

Franz_Wa: A sweet mix of electro and groovy break beat

EpZ :  For my part  I’ve been through a lot of styles and I’m still doing a lot of different things but what I love most is break beat and break core and techno.

Steam Punk: Most of my Dj experience has turned me into heavy dance techno like Technasia productions

Nilly: How did you develop this style?
Nu: We have no special method ... we work :)

Franz_Wa: It’s not a will to develop a style we just make tracks and after we decide on the specifics of the style.

EpZ : By playing a lot together. Now it’s hard as we’re far away from each other but thankfully the internet is here.

Nilly: What were your main inspirations?
Nu: New wave,  breaks beat, and especially dance floor music :)

Franz_Wa: It comes from jazz to drum n bass passing by punk and rock n roll. 

EpZ : Well from all the music that I listened to since I was a kid. What I have learnt during piano lessons, my dad and mum, my louloutte and all the music and sounds that I hear.

Steam Punk: For now I do not produce but I have inspiration from a lot of stuff from Madonna to hardcore electronic music.

Nilly: How different are your styles from each other? How do your styles complement?

Nu : I'm a drum machine :)

Franz_Wa: Well my sounds are more classical than the others I love doing sweet melodies. I often use emulation of rhodes and moog synths.

EpZ :a lots of difference too many maybe haha ! I think this is what is links us all > we’re not doing the same thing and when we play together it’s awesome

Nilly: The free party movement is less prevalent these days apart from Tekinval arenas. Would you agree?

Nu: I would not agree or disagree; it's a music arena like any other.

EpZ: It’s still prevalent but with less free spirit in it, free parties these days means nothing but a Teknival ….too Bad ! But hopefully some guys keep it real. 

Nilly: How do you look to keeping the spirit of the music and the festivals alive?
Nu: By providing cheesy music :)

Franz_Wa: By letting people dance.

EpZ : In doing what we’re doing spread good vibes everywhere, anywhere and talk to people that we met around gigs make them understand that everybody can live free !

Nilly: What is your main music philosophy?
Nu: Creating music with feelings and emotions.

EpZ:  Break it!!

Nilly: What is your philosophy on music and making it universal like the philosophy behind French May in Hong Kong?
Nu: Divide emotion and pleasure!

EpZ: Well share it, let people dance! It’s an art and not a crime!

Related web site

www.banditos.org
www.quadbyte.net
www.designer-toyz.com

Wee Kids Interview

NILLY: Tell us a little about yourselves and how you met.
Wee Kids: We are made of two members, Popf and Djedjotronic. Popof had been a member of the Heretik Sound System since 1996, and Djedjotronic, a member of the “Sympa” Collective. We where at a party in Vendee, France when we met and our common ways of making electronic music brought us together.

NILLY: How long have you been in the music industry for?
Wee Kids: Popof has been in music since 1998 and was involved with the “Just Listen” label. For Djedjotronic it’s more recent, his first shot was on the first Level 75 single, however he has been working for six years in his secret hiding place!

NILLY: Who were your major musical inspirations?
Wee Kids: We have been through a lots of musical phases: pop, rock, hip hop, dance, funk, disco, jazz, ambient, electronic, a wide range of styles.
Our main inspirations are Electronica for the early 90’s and the Warp Label, more recently it’s the Berlin techno scene with the label “Bitch Control”.

NILLY: What genre of music did you start off with and how did you progress towards electro?
Wee Kids: We started off with Electronic Music that runs our generation’s blood!!

NILLY: You were the first artists to be signed on the Level 75 label, how did you manage this?
Wee Kids: We gave three tracks to the art director who loved them and produced them.

NILLY: What is the main idea behind Level 75 and the artists in the label?
Wee Kids: Level 75 is a Rock Electro orientated label. The art direction makes sure artists of that genre are predominant. At the same time, our second release is electro rock though we refuse to be locked in this style. In fact Level75 is simply doing Dirty Dance Music.

NILLY: Were you fans of the Heretik Sound System and the general free party movement?
Wee Kids: Yes but not all of them! The Wee Kid fans are a melting pot of people spanning people who are into free parties and for people who are strictly into clubbing and dance music. Our aim is to transform all those differences into one “Get freaky on the dance floor!” idea.

NILLY: You are part of a collective called Flavour Freak. How often do you have gigs together? How is the Wee Kids sound different from that of the collective?
Wee Kids: Yes, we often do gigs together. Our sound is different as each member of Flavor Freak has his own sound! That’s what makes the thing interesting and hope fully we’re all different cause it will be boring otherwise! 

NILLY: How often do you collaborate with other artists? Are you strict about only staying within your genre of sound?
Wee Kids: Well really often and with artists across genres and visions of music. That’s a good thing for us as it gives us a wide diversity in terms of creativity. All collaborations are made from the heart and feelings towards each other.

NILLY: Aside from your popularity in France and Europe, has your sound crossed the Atlantic and into the US?
Wee Kids: Yes by Internet. It’s amazing how fast it goes!  We receive e-mails from all around the world to encourage us! We are very pleased!

NILLY: What are your tour plans for 2006? Anything exciting coming up?
Wee Kids: A lots of singles to put out, a lots of gigs to do, a lot of collaborations to have and a lot of sex!!
 
NILLY: What is your philosophy on music and making it universal like the philosophy behind French May in Hong Kong?
Wee Kids: Our philosophy is to not have one! We try to make authentic music and we try to have a lots of fun together. I think it’s the best way for us to make people have fun too. Maybe “everybody get random” can be our philosophy!

Interviews by: Nilly Chaudhuri

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