Translated material
Para One
The headliner of the second party Zhurka was Jean-Batist de Lobier, better known as Para One. He was one of the founders of the Parisian label of Institubes, the producer and participant of the cult rap group TTC , and many representatives of the new wave of French Touch call him among the advanced French producers of electronic music. Advanced Music decided not to miss the opportunity to drag Jean-Batista into the half-covered gilded corridor of the Circus club, which turned, thanks to two curtains, into an impromptu make-up to find out what colleagues appreciate him so. The company was made up of a booby table and a lonely stool.
Tell me about your childhood, have you received a musical education somewhere?
It all started with the fact that I learned to play the piano and the organ when I was a child. Then I scored all this for several years, but later discovered hip-hop for myself. Then I decided to organize a group.
And when did you first deal with the marching?
He seriously - only when he moved to Paris in 1997.
And where did you live before?
In the province of the French Alps. Well, you know, the mountains are like that. I moved to Paris because I had to study a movie in a film school. There I met some people and realized that I could make my own music and create my own label.
Along the way, so you did.
Well, yes, Hahaha.
In the 93rd year, you collected a hip-hop band Paradox H, he yourself produced all the songs and wrote texts. What are they talking about?
In fact, they were very political ..
But what about weapons, chicks and cocaine?
Cocaine was with TTC. Everything related to tiptoe and drug was with TTC. But before that I was very interested in politics.
Is political music popular in France?
Yeah, very much. In fact, the entire French rap has always been to some extent political. But it bored me, I was just fed up. And went on.
Do you think political music has some kind of effect on politics itself?
I think .. it's difficult. When I was engaged in such music, when everyone was engaged in such music in the 90s, it was a strange period for France. The suburban territories were covered by violence, and people behaved as if nothing was happening, so someone had to talk about what was happening there. It seems to me that this is the meaning of rap.
And what about this now? Guys from the Justice clip is still there?
Yes, it is. There is a lot of violence around, and it is obvious. The fact is that he was pushed out of the city, and now it is simply not so noticeable. If you come to Paris, you will not notice anything. But every day is a confrontation with violence. I am sure that here in Russia, in Moscow, everyone will understand what I'm talking about.
How did you meet Teki Latex?
Ha, well, actually, I met him for an interview, just like you and I are now. We made friends, and, thanks to the fact that we lived nearby, it was very easy for us to hang around and do something together.
It turns out that you started working together simply because you were neighbors?
Well, yes! That is .. no, in fact, we also have a lot in common in relation to music. Therefore, together with the TTC team in 2001, we created Institubes.
So are you a business partner or just a musician on a label?
Just a musician. I decided not to get into the business, because .. I don’t know .. I am satisfied with this situation, because I can always say what I think, I can influence the label, but I do not have to do it. In addition, I can always disappear for some time and engage in cinema.
Do you feel a party, like ED Banger?
Who? Ah, yes, everything is exactly the same.
Why, in your opinion, ED Banger suddenly became so popular.
Well, they have their own characteristic sound, and they know how to please the public, they know how to sell notes. Institubes is more marginal, we experiment more and try to do things that people are unlikely to expect.
It seems to me that ED Banger is more for party -minded people, and Institubes is for people who want more music.
Yes, I see it the same.
Tell me how you found Surkin ?
We held a remixes competition and found his work pretty good. She was not the best, but good. It was a remix to the song "Catalogue", from the second album TTC. We already knew who he was, because he went to our parties as a child, and I considered him something like a younger brother. Therefore, we simply said to him: “Let you prick you something, and if you succeed well, we will release it.” And it turned out well, so we kept the promise. He always makes a very loaded sound, boldly looks at things. He knows how to build a concept.
Tell us more about your classes by directing and successes in this field
Now I am working on my first full -length film. I am going to finish it until the end of 2008 and, I hope, it will be released in 2009.
What is he talking about?
I don’t even know, I'm not a screenwriter. I don't know seriously. But I want to make a true film about the people of my age in this world now.
You like the movie Mr. Oizo “Steak” (in the Russian box office -“change face” -mim. Am)?
Only some places.
It seems to most Russians that all French films are comedies. Do you think this is a good image for France?
Well, damn it, excuse me, Haha. In general, French cinema can be great, but it can frankly suck. By the way, my film will not be a comedy. He will be very ... In fact, Russian cinema influenced me greatly.
Let me guess. Tarkovsky?
Not Tarkovsky. No, well, of course, Tarkovsky too. Everyone who studies cinema calls Tarkovsky, I know. But I like Dovzhenko more, do you know him?
Well, of course.
Of course you know him, but if I asked the Frenchman about it, he would say: "What kind of hell is this?"
Tell me a little about the soundtrack that you recorded for the Naissance des Pieuvres.
This film was shot by my best friend. But I would not write music even at the request of a friend if I had not liked the film itself. And he was very strange, and I liked it, so I wrote a soundtrack to him in the spirit of such a pop permit.
Well, you yourself shot the documentary "One More Song" about the Institute of North America. What do you think about the similar Justice movie?
Actually, I did not see him. I myself just shot everything in a row during the tour, and only then I decided to collect a film from the material. So “One More Song” is not the same as “A Cross the Universe”. I did not have a script, there was no plan. I made it just like that, not for the sake of money. And everything in my film happens by accident, it is more experimental, like the music of Institubes.
By the way, the Justice film looks pretty false. Especially the moment when Xavier breaks a bottle on the head of a dude, and then, like, he needs to play a set, after which he tramples suffering. They don't try too hard?
Of course, this was not real. I know that it was not real. This is an invented case, a fake bottle and fake blood. If you compare this story with an episode with a finger at the end of “One More Song” ... This is a stupid story, nothing important, but that dude from Guns'n'bombs really cries due to the fact that Orgasmic almost cut off his finger. It really happened, but this was not in the concept of the film, everything happened by chance. And for this I like my film. Yes, I do not think “One More Song” is a film, this is something completely different.
Don't you think that Justice is just rowing money now?
I think they are trying to be very, very, very cool, it is.
Do not envy them?
Not at all. I am a very subject to stress, so with this level of popularity and glory, I would just go crazy. I like the level on which I am now, it is perfect. Every day I see new places, play, try different things, but people do not expect too much from me.
But you always need to grow somewhere. You cannot just dwell at the level of development at which you are now.
Yes, but I'm trying to experiment all the time and every time go in a new direction.
How do you see the future of Institubes?
It seems to me that our label has a new image now. We sign new people, and they transfer us to a new level, make a label to others. And it seems to me that it becomes more significant, because the label should be strong. Previously, we just did different strange things, and quite randomly. Now we have an understanding, for a couple of years we know in which direction to move. And this is good, because you need to structure everything you do.
And what is your role in all this?
I am now working on a new album. But this is not only my production, because this is our common record with one singer from the States.
Is he known?
Well, like, yes. He released the album 2 or 3 years ago. His name is San Serk .
Oh, San Serk! I just listened to the album of Stereo Image (the joint project of San Serak and Johnny Darka from Junior Boys ) today.
Seriously? Oh, then you understand what we are talking about. He came to me for a couple of weeks, and we signed together. The album will be released in 2009, I think, in the spring. This is a great record, I am very pleased with her. And it is quite what the new Institubes will be. We were fed up with club music and now we want to do something more sophisticated. And San Serk is a synonym for sophistication. He has excellent ideas, he makes good production, he is sensitive .. So I think our album will be a great example.
Did you like the album of Stereo Image?
Yes, I adore it, largely due to the fact that I am a big fan of Junior Boys.
The album received not particularly high marks from critics ..
Yes, I don't give a shit.
What are you doing so as not to get lost in a huge stream of new French music.
Honestly, I just told you this. I work on a new project that will be completely different. This is a way to escape, because it is a music that people do not expect. This is good because it leaves you in a sober mind.
However, this is dangerous.
Yes, but I don't give a shit for it. We started institubes when there was nothing like this yet, so now success does not bother me.
Questions: Andrey Zailer , Sasha Lipsky