Alex Gopher is a phenomenal musician, and one whom I have had the great opportunity to interview in light of his upcoming release this month! He has remixed tracks by artists such as Fischerspooner, Kraftwerk, Kid Sister, Shinichi Osawa, Dada Life, LadyHawke, and more. The double CD My New Remixes will release in the US on March 16th, 2010 and will be accompanied by his first North American tour in ten years. Check out the interview below along with his 'mini mix' video. We will post some of his new tracks in the near future.
NHNF- How is life treating you at the moment?
AG- I'm back from some holidays in Mexico so I'm really good! Now a lot of work to do but my batteries are fully charged. A new studio set-up to come in the next month or two gives me even more joy.
NHNF- Growing up in France, what ways do you you think the music scene influenced or affected your style of music? Are there any local artists in particular that have influenced or inspired you?
AG- French music is really a small part of my musical culture. When we played rock music with Nicolas & JB (who became Air) in our band Orange, our only inspirations were from the US & the UK. Even though I've always been a huge fan of Serge Gainsbourg. When electronic music arrived, my friend Etienne de Crecy was the first to influence me. The EPs & album "Motorbass" he did with Philippe Zdar was a real point of departure.
NHNF- You are a man of many envious talents- guitar, bass, drums, piano, singing, DJing. Where did you pick up these skills?
AG - Sometimes I think I should have done less things but in a better way...But it comes from my nature, I like to experiment with new things, I like to learn and more than that, I like to do things by myself. I need a guitar? I try to play it. I need a singer? Well, I have a voice, no? So I sing.
Sometimes it gives something quite fragile, simple, but that's something that I love in music, that is close to the definition of rock or punk music, and electronic music of course. In all kind of Arts, I definitely prefer simplicity.
NHNF- You mentioned working alongside Etienne de Crecy and the members of Air in the beginning of your career. I notice you have further collaborated with them on some tracks on your release. Will we see more tracks coming from you guys even further in the future?
AG - To be honest, I don't know... All of us have our own careers, but each time I do a new album I ask Etienne, Nico & JB to help me! And because they are real close friends, I'm sure we will collaborate again...
NHNF- Being one of the pioneers of "French pop", or the French Touch movement, how do you feel the genre has progressed or changed since you have started producing?
AG- That's funny to see the original movement took two different ways. There is the one that I'm more in, represented by Kitsune & Ed Banger and the one much more popular represented by Bob Sinclar or David Guetta. But musically there is a natural evolution which is for me directly linked with what we did over ten years ago. In the beginning of the century, I thought this movement was dead, but it has risen again and that is really rewarding.
NHNF- How do you think your music has evovled since you started?
AG- My interest in music is always linked to new tests, new experiences. I always try record after record not to repeat myself and to always change my sound. My music and my sound is often changing by reaction. When I did my more rock & song oriented album, it was a reaction to the long Superdiscount 2 tour with Etienne de Crecy which was really techno.
This new album of remixes was a reaction after my more rock sound to go back again in an electronic way.
NHNF- Your first tour in the US for more than a decade is throughout late April/May of this year. What cities are you most pumped on playing at?
AG- I have really good memories of my first tour, cities like LA, New York or Phoenix are places I wanna play again!
NHNF- What is one of your favorite tracks to play live and why?
AG- It's changing very often! But I have played the remix I did for "Push" by Shinichi Osawa for more than two years now... I like it cause it's really musical but really danceable and funky at the same time, and it fits with all kinds of atmospheres. I'm proud of it!
NHNF- With the release of your double CD "My New Remixes" coming out in the US this March, what can we expect?
AG- We are releasing this double album as a physical double CD and digitally on itunes store and all the main platforms. And of course we are working on the tour to go with.
NHNF- Can you give us an idea of your music-making progress?
AG- I'm an old-school producer, I work with mainly hardware instruments. I have a studio which is quite classical with an analog mixing desk, Protools and a lot of vintage equipment- synthesizers, drum machines, effects... I often melt real instruments and samples, so guitars or basses are always plugged-in and ready in my studio. The computer is my tool to add the modern touch.
NHNF- What new artists today do you find yourself listening to?
AG- In different categories, people like Proxy, Soulwax, Clap Rules, Vampire Weekend, MGMT.
NHNF- What are some of the challenges you have encountered in your career as a musician?
AG- One of the most difficult things for me is to find the right balance between composition & production. In modern music, both are of equal importance. The right balance gives this magic thing that makes a track a good track. That's my obsession. You have to analyze it and think about it, but at the same time forget it to be fresh and innovative...very difficult!
NHNF- What would you be doing if you weren't a musician?
AG- I'd like to be a photographer. Or a car repairer!
NHNF- When DJing, what artists do you like including in your set? How do you mix it up?
AG- I never think in terms of artists but tracks. But of course there are some bands or names that are often coming up again in my sets. These days, Dada Life, Proxy, my friend Etienne de Crecy, Soulwax, are in good place.
NHNF- Any food for thought or advice for aspiring DJs and producers?
AG- It's much more simple to become and be booked as a DJ when you are a producer. And now with the softwares, it's really easy to do tracks with just a computer. It's just about inspiration and talent. So go ahead and try! But be original & self-critical with yourself, it's the only way to progress.
NHNF- What's the future looking like for Alex Gopher? Anything we should be anticipating? (Aside from your release in March!)
AG- I'm working on a new album with another French producer, 25 Hours A Day. And I'm preparing new releases on my own label Go 4 Music, from UK artists Pablo Decoder & Tim Healey, and from a French yong producer Sovnger.
NHNF- Finally, if your life had a theme song- what would it be?
AG- Difficult question... New Order "Blue Monday"
Buy the new album here.
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