Sladkih 13: SHADOW DANCER

Dečko je s svojo vlečko na stol privezal Paula Farrierja aka SHADOW DANCERJA in ga neusmiljeno pital z gumi-bonboni vse dokler ni priznal vseh svojih “sladkih 13″. Posredujemo vam prevod necenzuriranega in neodslajenega priznanja našega gosta, ki bo v naše vrste sprejet v soboto, 15.3.2008, na skrivni lokaciji v Klubu K4 na Kersnikovi 4 v Ljubljani.

1. Od kod prihajaš in kako si se začel ukvarjati z glasbo?

Rodil sem se in odraščal v Liverpoolu, vendar sem se kot otrok preselil v Wales. Z bratom Alom sva že v mladosti (med devetim in desetim letom) začela ustvarjati glasbo s poceni sintetizatorjem in kasetofonom. Veliko sva poslušala Jeana Michela Jarra, Pet Shop Boys, Kraftwerk, Wang Chung, Isaa Tomito in druge … tako da sva si že od nekdaj raje želela igrati na sinte kot na kitare.

2. Kje in kako živiš zdaj in ali se tvoje okolje (mesto, država) odraža v tvoji glasbi?

Živim na gori na severu Walesa. Sredi ničesar. Al živi v Manchestru. Če bi ustvarjal glasbo, kot jo Biosphere, bi lahko rekli, da je name vplivalo okolje, ampak - ne - Wales ima samo težko acid techno sceno (v katero očitno ne spadava). Pred leti sem živel v Manchestru in to se je definitivno odražalo v moji glasbi, mogoče se v njej še najde kakšen “odmev” iz tistih dni … Imel sem romantičen pogled na mesto, ki je bilo izjemno pomembno, saj je Britaniji dalo veliko neverjetne glasbe - Factory Records, acid house, Autechre, 808 State, Bugged Out! - v resnici pa je vsa scena odmrla, potem ko so klube izrinili bari s poceni alkoholom. Vendar se stanje izboljšuje, Manchester je znova oživel z večeri, kot so Prostitutes & Policemen in Contort Yourself.

3. Ali si šolan glasbenik?

Ne … nikoli nisem hodil v glasbeno šolo. Poskusil sem se naučiti igrati klavir, ampak sem preveč neučakan. Al je hodil na učne ure bobnanja in kitare, ampak se mi zdi, da se je enako počutil. Preprosto vem, kaj mi zveni dobro, in se tega pač lotim …

4. So te starši podprli, ko si začenjal z glasbeno potjo?

Oče nama je kupil prve kose opreme, ki sva jo potem uporabila. Mama naju tudi zelo podpira, zdaj ko je denarja bolj malo ;-) Ne spomnim se, ali je bila tako zagreta tudi na začetku, ampak … recimo, da “ja”.

5. Ali slediš trendom (glasba, moda …) in ali se v tvojem glasbenem stilu odražajo trenutni trendi?

Mislim, da sva prestara, da bi se z modo ukvarjala do take mere … čeprav najbrž le vpliva name to, kar ljudje nosijo v klubih, v katerih igrava. Pravzaprav nosim to, kar mi je všeč … ne gre za statement ali kaj takega. Glede glasbe. Ko sem prvič slišal zvok založbe Ed Banger, sem si vsekakor želel tako zvenet. Vendar če poskušaš biti tak, kot drugi izvajalci, ne boš pritegnil pozornosti ljudi. Trenutno je vse preveč producentov, ki posnemajo distorziran slog kakšnih Justice ali Digitalism, tudi takšen zvok se slej ko prej izčrpa. Glasbo, ki bi jo lahko ustvaril, tako zgolj omejuješ. Poslušam veliko različnih žanrov in v svoje delo vključujem ideje iz vseh. Pa naj gre za Jeffa Millsa, Todda Edwardsa, Interpol, Kinga Tubbyja, Timbalanda ali pa Jerryja Goldsmitha, vsi imajo določeno dinamiko, ki mi je všeč in jo najbrž poskušam vplest v najine komade.

6. Katera država oziroma glasbena scena je, po tvojem mnenju, trenutno najbolj kreativna?

To bo zvenelo kot kliše, ampak bi rekel, da sta to Nemčija in Francija. Pa ne zgolj zato, ker sva pri nemški založbi ;-) Zadnje izdaje Siriusma, Boys Noiza ali pa Modeselektorja se mi zdijo res vznemirljive. Na francoski sceni pa se mi zdi neverjeten novi Feadzov EP … potem so tu še Strip Steve, Bobmo in Surkin. V zadnjih letih je na sceno, ki ji pripadamo, vplival rock, vendar se zdi, da se nekateri vračajo k housu in technu poznih osemdesetih in zgodnjih devetdesetih (Alex Ridha ga imenuje party techno) … Surkinov ‘White Knight 2′ je zelo lep primer tega. Zdi se, da je v sodobni glasbi le malo več igrivosti.

7. Najljubši album vseh časov?

‘Loveless’ zasedbe My Bloody Valentine. Mogoče zato, ker me pač spominja na nek čas in prostor v mojem življenju … mogoče pa zato, ker ni ničesar, kar bi podobno zvenelo. Kot najstnik sem bil obseden z njimi. Ne vem, ali je to, da so se My Bloody Valentine letos znova zbrali, dobra ideja … Občutek imam, da bo novi album pravo razočaranje.

8. Zakaj je/so tvoj/i najboljši prijatelj/i tvoji najboljši prijatelj/i?

Ne vem, ali sploh imam “najboljšega prijatelja” v tradicionalnem smislu. Sem zelo samozadostna oseba. Moj brat najbrž … ee … me razume bolje, kot kdorkoli drug. Upam. Vendarle me obkroža veliko krasnih ljudi, ki me podpirajo.

9. Najljubša računalniška igrica?

Najbrž ‘Flashback’ na Megadrivu. Nisem ravno na tekočem z video igricami.

10. Najboljša hrana za zajtrk in najboljša hrana za takrat, ko si pijan ob štirih zjutraj?

Za zajtrk samo kava! Ne prenesem hrane, takoj ko se zbudim. Ko sem pa pijan … katerakoli hrana z nezdravo količino soli.

11. Če ne bi bilo nobenih omejitev (prostor, čas, ogrožene živalske vrste …) - katero žival bi si najbolj želel za domačega ljubljenčka?

Gizma.

12. Na kaj v življenju si najbolj ponosen?

Osebno sem ponosen na to, da se spravim z riti in nekaj dejansko naredim z glasbo. Manjkalo mi je samozavesti, dolga leta sem mislil, da se bova vsem zdela slaba. S časom sem ugotovil, da nimava ničesar izgubiti, in zdaj počnem nekaj, kar imam rad … in v čemer drugi uživajo. Misel, da lahko komad Shadow Dancerja koga ustvarjalno navdihne, tako kot je mene - recimo - The Black Dog, je nenavadna, ampak se obenem počutim, kot da sem le naredil nekaj, kar ni bila izguba časa. Zdaj mi producenti, kot so Mr. Oizo, Kavinsky in Feadz, ki so bili še pred pičlim letom moji glasbeni “junaki”, dopovedujejo, da so jim najini komadi zelo všeč, in to je osupljivo … Imel sem preveč usranih, duhamornih, uničujočih služb, da bi karkoli od tega jemal za samoumevno.

13. Zadnje besede…

Ni nevarnosti.

Sweet 13: SHADOW DANCER

1. Where do you come from and how did you get involved with music?

I was born and raised in Liverpool, but moved to Wales as a child. My brother, Al, and I started making music when we were young (9-10 years old) with a cheap synthesizer and a tapedeck. We were listening to a lot of Jean Michel Jarre, Pet Shop Boys, Kraftwerk, Wang Chung, Tomita, etc…..so we always wanted to play synths rather than guitars.

2. Where and how do you live now, does the place (city, country) somewhat reflect in your music?

I now live on a mountain in North Wales. The middle of nowhere. Al lives in Manchester. I think if I was making music like Biosphere, you could say I’d been influenced by my surroundings,
but - no - Wales only really has a hard acid techno scene (which we obviously don’t fit in to). I lived in Manchester years ago and that definitely was reflected in my music, so maybe there’s
still some “echoes” of those days…..I had a romantic view of the city that was so important in bringing so much incredible music to the UK - Factory Records, acid house, Autechre, 808 State, Bugged Out! - but the reality was that the whole scene had died out once clubs were replaced by bars with cheap alcohol. Manchester is making a come back now with nights like Prostitutes & Policemen and Contort Yourself, so things are looking up.

3. Do you have some classic music training?

No…..none. I tried to learn the piano once, but I’m too impatient. Al took lessons for drums and guitar, but I think he felt the same as me. I just know what I like the sound of and do it….

4. Were your parents supportive when you started your production/DJ career?

Our Dad bought us the first bits of gear we used. And my mum is very supportive now when cash is a bit short ;-) Can’t remember if she was so keen at the start, though…..but I’ll say “yes”.

5. Do you follow trends (music, fashion,…) and does your current music style reflect what’s trendy right now?

I think we’re too old to be that bothered about fashion…..although I probably am influenced by what people are wearing in the clubs we play. I just wear what I like, really…it’s not a statement or anything. In terms of music. When I first heard the Ed Banger stuff, I certainly wanted to sound like that. But if you just try to be like other artists, you’re not going to catch people’s attention. At the moment, there’s too many producers copying the Justice / Digitalism distorted style, and there’s only so much you can do with those sounds. You’re just limiting what music you can make. I listen to lots of different genres and like to incorporate ideas from all of them. Whether it’s Jeff Mills, Todd Edwards, Interpol, King Tubby, Timbaland or Jerry Goldsmith, they all have certain dynamics that I love and - I guess - try to put in our tracks.

6. Which country/music scene has the most creativity in musical output right now?

A bit of a cliche, but I suppose it’s Germany & France. Not just because we’re on a German label ;-) But I’ve been really excited by the recent releases by Siriusmo, Boys Noize, Modeselektor. On the French scene, the new Feadz EP is incredible…..and there’s Strip Steve, Bobmo and Surkin. In recent years, the scene we’re part of has been influenced by rock, but there seems to be a movement back to late 80’s / early 90’s house and techno (party techno as Alex Ridha calls it)…..White Knight 2 by Surkin is a pretty good example. It seems like there’s a bit more fun in the music now.

7. Favourite album of all times?

‘Loveless’ by My Bloody Valentine. Maybe it’s just because it reminds me of a time and a place in my life…..or maybe it’s just because there’s nothing else that sounds like it. As a teenager I was obsessed with it. I don’t know if MBV getting back together this year is a good idea though…..I’ve a feeling the new album will be very disappointing.

8. Why is/are you best friend/s your best friend/s?

I don’t know if I have a “best friend” in the traditional sense. I’m a very insular person. My brother probably…..er…understands me more than anyone else. I hope. I do have a lot of fantastic, supportive people around me, though.

9. Favourite computer game?

Probably ‘Flashback’ on the Megadrive. Bit behind the times with videogames.

10. Best breakfast food, best »I’m drunk and it’s 4 in the morning« snack?

Just coffee for breakfast! I can’t handle food first thing in the morning. And when I’m drunk….any food with unhealthy amounts of salt in it.

11. If there were no limits (space, time, endangered spieces…) - what pet would you most love to have?

A mogwai.

12. What are you most proud of in your life?

For me personally, it’s actually getting off my arse and doing something with music. I lack confidence and thought for years that nobody would ever think we were any good. Eventually, I realised there was nothing to lose and now I’m doing something that I love….and that others enjoy. The idea that somebody could be inspired creatively by a Shadow Dancer track, in the same way that I was by - say - The Black Dog, is weird but makes me feel like I’ve done something worthwhile. And to have producers like Oizo, Kavinsky and Feadz who, only a year ago, were my musical “heroes” tell me how much they love our stuff is amazing………………I spent too long in shitty, soul-destroying jobs to take any of this for granted.

13. Words to live by…

There’s no danger.