Interview: Alexkid
Date: February 2001
Location: via email to France
Words / interview: Des Berry
2011: Setting the scene
Another email interview, so nothing is remembered about this one. It never got published and I’m only posting it as its 10 years old. Looks like Alexkid is still doing things in 2011. With fish…
Back to 2001
Q. Firstly did you adapt your name from the old computer game ‘Alex Kid’?
A. Oh No!!! Don’t say that!!! Now Mr Sega is going to send his Yakuzas and chop me into pieces and fry me as a “Kid Tempura”. I think I’m in serious trouble now.
Q. A brief summary of your career to date, please.
A. It’s six or seven years. I’m strictly doing music, for myself and with other people. Apart from the 4 EP’s on F Comm I have also released tracks on Guidance and something is coming out on Ovum. I also have a Dub Band called Dubphonic with two old friends I started music with. We’ve released an EP on Subtitled, and we did a remix for Dorfmeister’s Tosca on G-Stone. We’re finishing an album right now. And a very secret Pop project.
Q. What music particularly inspired you?
A.Everything inspires me. World Music, Blaxploitation, Hip-hop, Funk, Pop. Only good music can give you the vibe. But I think my inspiration comes mostly from movies and TV-Series Soundtracks.
Q. How did you start making music?
A. One day, in a dream, the one now I refer to as “The Dream with a big D”, Jimi Hendrix appeared to me with a beautiful Fender Stratocaster Guitar and a Ball. Then he pointed at me with his finger (he was floating in the air), and said, “Here my son, the time has come for you to choose. Choose the ball, or choose the Guitar!” I picked the guitar and he left. He disappeared in his endless elevation! And I heard the voice say “Now it’s in your hands….”. I woke up in a cold sweat, and since then It’s the only thing I’m doing.
Q. Have you ever had a proper job?
A. Well… I thought musician was a proper job, but if you’re talking of a job that makes you bored and you get money at the end of the month, I used to be a Golden Boy in Managua (Nicaragua), but I was making too much easy money. So I quit too see what it was like to lead a real difficult life working non-stop and trying to live from your creations. So I became a musician.
Q. Describe your music and the Alexkid sound.
A. Cinematic/Afro/NuJazz/Funk with Beats. Balearic for sure.
Q. What makes you different from others?
A. The fact that Jimi Hendrix did talk to me. I can also fly, but I usually don’t tell anyone. In our society it’s not good to be seen as different. So I’m pretty much low-profile on the fact that I hear voices and that I can fly. I’m sure you understand that. (‘Fruitcake!’ – BP)
Q. Your music features well respected French musicians. How did you meet these people and what are their backgrounds for those that have never heard of them?
A. Well , when you’re a musician , you get to meet other musicians. I was lucky to meet talented people like Jean-Philippe Rykiel who’s been working with Salif Keita, and Yossou N’Dour. Renaud Pion who’s been working with Dead can Dance, Bomb the Bass, and Gavin Friday. Christian Lechevretel who’s been working with FFF, P18 and now with his band Liquid. Stefan Goldman is a musician soulmate, we’ve been working together since the very beginning. He’s a member of Dubphonic.
Q. The EP is titled ‘What I Did On My Holidays’. Where are your favourite holiday destinations?
A. I usually go to Mallorca to see my family. Every summer since I was 20. If you get to know the place, it’s great.
The best sunsets ever!
Q. What is it like being French?
A. Well, I’m half Spanish so it’s not that hard to handle. Maybe you’re referring to the French touch thing? We have a French touch for sure, but it’s not that Disco filtered thing. Now there’s people like Pepe Bradock and Julien Jabre, so it helps to be proud of the French scene. More French producers are less obvious and more subtle in their productions now. It’s going better.
Q. Who should we be looking out for?
A. You should be checking out Llorca’s new Album out in April or May on F Comm. It’s a Soulful House album. Amazing. And for French producers that are not doing Filtered Disco. There are a lot of good things going on.
Chateau-Flight is my favourite Album at the moment (I-Cube and Gilb’r). It’s so deep and Funky.
Q. What is the outlet like for your sort of music in France? If I ever move to France what radio stations / DJs and magazines should I check out?
A. Radio FG and Radio NOVA, Trax Magazine, CODA Magazine, Crash Magazine, Technikart Magazine. Nova Magazine.
Q. As time goes on many producers lose their way, failing to keep up with current trends. How do you keep up to date or do you just do your own thing?
A. I’m changing gear and try not to do the same old thing. Use different influences. That’s what keeps me alive. Even if the listener might get lost ‘Uh! his previous EP was Breakbeat, and this one is Afro House?’
Q. Have you ever done remixes? If so who which was your favourite?
A. With Dubphonic. We did Tosca’s “Orozco”. Out on the Album Suzuki in Dub.
Q. What are you currently listening to?
A. Placebo and Chateau Flight.
Q. Are there any artists / musicians / vocalists that you would like to work with?
A. I’d love to work with Portishead.
Q. Hobbies? – Birdwatching? Stamp collecting? Anything that might surprise us?
A. No, I’m a boring guy. I’m obsessed with computers and music. That’s the only thing I do. I love going to the movies, I wish I had some more time for that. Oh Yeah! I forgot! I’m a Pokemon Master. I have 87 of them at the moment. I gotta catch them all!
Q. Are you planning to come to the UK for any gigs etc.?
A. It doesn’t depend on me. You know, in the UK you are still crazy about guys like Daft Punk or every single thing labelled with the French touch. Promoters in England don’t care about anything else that’s French with no filter.
Q. Like everyone else remotely involved in music do you DJ?
A. Yes I do, but I prefer producing. I’ve been DJ’ing all over Europe, but I never get to play in the UK. I love the UK but I’ve never played there. (There’s a hidden message for promoters in here!)
Q. An LP? What can we expect on that?
A. An LP out in June on F Communications.
Q. One last request?
A. Stay Fresh and Eat Cereals.
Peace,
Alexkid
Interview originally submitted to Breakin’ Point magazine 2001. Unpublished.
Listen: Alexkid – Bienvenda
www.consultthismusic.co.uk 