Ministry of Sound gets loved up for the Cassius crescendo
Philippe Zdar and Boom Bass AKA Cassius are one of electronic music’s most respected acts of all time. Pioneers of the French Touch sound in the late 1990s alongside acts like Daft Punk and Etienne de Crecy, they created classic house tracks ‘1999’, ‘The Sound of Violence’, ‘Feeling For You’ and ‘I Love You So’. This must-see duo have gone on to produce artists such as Pharrell Williams, Drake, The Rapture, Two Door Cinema Club and Chromeo. And now Ministry of Sound awaits their sweet music on Valentine’s Night. Dan Prince checks in…
Phillippe, Boom Bass welcome back to DMCWORLD…where in the world are you today?
H : “Hey Dan, I’m in Paris at the Motorbass Studio. The place where Philippe and I record all our music.”
What was the first piece of music you heard this morning?
H: “The first piece I listened to was Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong ‘Porgy And Bess’.”
B B: “Honestly? I woke up listening to a night mix from one of our new tracks – as I think the first moment in the morning is the best to choose between bad or good music.”
A really exciting date for London town swinging our way on Valentines Night at Ministry of Sound alongside fellow Parisian Clara 3000 and The Mekanism. Can you recall your first every venture to the club all those years ago and what your initial thoughts were?
H: “I remember a crazy night at Ministry of Sound with Erick Morillo running after me in the DJ booth with a full bottle of vodka/redbull and wanting me to drink it, but he mixed up my mouth with my eyes so I spent the night running away from him in the booth, which is not so clever. Good memories of ministry though.”
B B: “Nearly. One night stands out, though it was with Eric Morillo in the 90’s…it ended as a back to back and Eric finished standing up on the Technics with someone pouring vodka in his mouth. I remember he was playing ‘La Mouche’…”
Startling news at the weekend concerning Lil Louis being rushed to hospital after some lunatic let off a high powered air horn whilst the Chicago don was doing his sound check at Sankeys. Have you two ever suffered an injury inside a nightclub?
H: “Sometimes the music the DJ is playing can feel like an injury, but an incident like Lil Louis? No.”
B B: “In the last few years having to hear the music some DJs play whilst waiting for your time on the decks can be injury moments in itself.”
You once claimed the craziest thing you ever saw in a club was a couple having sex on the dancefloor at Space in Ibiza. Has anything ever beaten that?
H: “Yes. The same couple are still having sex there.”
B B: “Boombass being use as a sex slave by a doorman…that topped everything since Space.”
Back in 2002 whilst being interviewed you stated that with every new piece of production “we want a musical revolution”. Thirteen years later is that desire as strong as ever?
H: “The desire is stronger than ever.”
B B: “Trying is something as nearly as important as achieving. We still believe.”
A date in your DJing diary you cannot wait for this year?
H: “Valentine’s Day at Ministry of Sound on the 14th of February.”
B B: “Cassius Beach at Sands Ibiza – our party, free early and on the beach…”
What did you get each other for Christmas?
H: “Philippe gave me a fantastic bottle of rum.me <http://rum.me/> I’m late…”
B B: “I got the best rum ever for Boombass. I don’t think he got me anything yet
Where were you on New Years Eve and what were you doing at midnight?
H: “I was in Normandy with friends and I absolutely don’t remember anything, even at midnight…”
B B: “In Switzerland eating at one of my favorite places in the world. No music. Midnight? Fireworks and drunken friends yelling I guess
A piece of advice for the thousands of aspiring producers reading this interview wanting to follow in your foorsteps?
H: “I would say no musical compromise and a LOT of work. And billions of hours listening to music.”
B B: “Surround yourselves with girls. try create something different. Buy at least one piece of gear that is not the same as everyone. Wear earplugs. Never compromise except for sex.”
When was the last time you pressed rewind and listened to a brand new track over again because it was so damned good?
H: “Last week when I discovered Sufjan Stevens.”
B B: “It happens every week. Still buying lots of vinyls…but here’s a few track that I play in each set…
Gerd : Sexy Mothersucker
Michel Cleis & Klement Bonnelly : Gostek
DJ Haus : When I Look At You
Jared Wilson : Ghost Winners
DJ Sotofett : Trans-Jungle-Ride
Tell us 3 bucket list adventures you wanna do before you die?
H: “To stay free. To stay free. To sleep with few girls at the same time.”
P: “Never die!”
And finally…what is the next piece of studio work you are involved with?
H: “We are working on the new Cassius album.”
P: “ We’re finishing our album the day of the Ministry gig as we leave on holidays the day after. Nothing else except helping a young English fantastic girl called Flo Morrissey to finish a great song. That’s it.”
https://soundcloud.com/cassiusofficial
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Ministry of Sound – Saturday Sessions
Saturday February 14th featuring Cassius…
Supporting Cassius in The Box will be fellow Parisian, Clara 3000. Clara first stepped behind the decks at the age of nineteen and now, six years later, she’s one of the biggest underground DJs in France. She also regularly plays on Rinse FM France. In 103, Belgian producer Vito de Luca, known as Aeroplane, will be bringing his “spacious cosmic disco” to the party, the kind of style he’s taken to other artists via remixes for MGMT, Chromeo, Friendly Fires and Justin Timberlake. Joining Vito in 103 is the shining light of France’s tech house scene, The Mekanism. After holding down residencies in 2014 at Parisian haunt, Social Club and Ushuaia via Ibiza’s techno party Antz, he made his appearance on Boiler Room, proof that The Mekanism has become one of the most in-demand underground DJs in Europe. The last time he was at Ministry of Sound he recorded an exclusive Spotlight mix before supporting house legends DJ Sneak and Todd Terry in The Box.
Advance ticket price: From £18
11pm – 7am
103 Gaunt Street, London
Ticket link: http://www.ministryofsound.com/events/calendar/club/2014/11/26/16/04/150214-cassius
