New album coming out – ‘Inner Visions’ – It’s back to the music…
Jacque, welcome to the DMC World. Brilliant new album swinging our way entitled ‘Inner Visions’ which we will come to later. But let’s go 20 years back and the explosion of Acid House, which you embraced in the South of France just as Mr Laurent Garnier took over Paris. What musicians, songs and clubs influenced you into the world of dance music way back then?
“There was so much amazing new music and that special feeling when something is so new. Musically it’s got to be Lil Louis ‘Blackout’, Frankie Knuckles ‘Your Love, Adonis ‘No Way Back’, Armando, Larry Heard, Steve Poindexter, Chez Damier, Ron Trent ‘Altered States’, Carl Craig, Derrick May, Juan Atkins, Underground Resistance, Joey Beltram ‘Energy Flash’, Frank de Wulf ‘B-sides’, CJ Bolland, Sisco Ferrera, LFO, Nightmare on Wax, Mike Dunn, Simon Harris, Aphex Twin. And the clubs that really influenced me when were in the UK were the Hacienda and Club UK, whilst in the States there was Twilo and The Sound Factory – plus in Europe, Boccacio and Boy in Paris.”
You have played at some incredible festivals over the years, Sonar in Barcelona, Dance Valley in Amsterdam, I Love Techno in Ghent, Creamfields in Buenos Aires and Global Gathering in the heart of William Shakespeare country. What festivals really have stood out for you over the years and why – spinning to one and a half million people at The Paris Techno Parade must have been special…?
“Festivals have given me more experience how a massive crowd feels and how to work their emotions though a great selection of music. With festivals, you’ve got to go straight to the point because you don’t play so long – maybe 1-2 hours and you can’t build the mix step by step, so you have to make good choices at the right time when you play a track. When you’re back in a club, it’s normally easier as you play longer sets, mine are usually 3-5 hours long and you create your own story and catch the energy from the crowd. The Paris Techno Parade is around 150,000 people, but Love Parade in Berlin is one and half million people, it’s just massive. I just played half an hour, but when you think about it, you’re playing for so many people and you are controlling so many bodies and minds though your music.”
So ‘Inner Visions’, the new long player – ‘Spiritual Life’ is the stand out track – what was the thoughts behind that tune as you made it?
“Spiritual Life” is about spiritual things when you travel in different countries and meet different cultures and opened my mind and I now feel tolerant. Also House music from New York or Chicago is a spiritual thing, with producers like Kerri Chandler and Joe Claussell and I like the way they make music. I did this track with all these influences.”
‘Energizer’ on the album, has odes to Detroit and Chicago – which DJs/producers from these seminal cities are legends for you?
“Can’t get enough of Juan Atkins, Carl Craig, Derrick May, Kevin Saunderson, Adonis, Derrick Carter, Mike Dunn, Green Velvet, Steve Poindexter, Larry Heard, Adonis…”
You obviously have a great love for New York, what are your favourite memories from this magical city – the best in the world?
“I love New York like I love London, Berlin and Barcelona. You can feel all the different foreign influences in N.Y.C when you walk in the street and you don’t have to talk, just feel the energy. It’s a really special place for that.”
What are the big 10 tunes you are playing at the moment?
– DJ Jus Ed present Nina Kraviz “First Time EP” (Underground Quality)
– Kirk Degiorgio “Isomer Shift Ep” (B12)
– Luna City Express “Rough Neck” M.Tanzmann Remix (Moon Harbour)
– Leron Carson “China Trax” (Sound Signature)
– LCD Soundsystem “45:33” Theo Parrish Remix (DFA)
– XDB “Cagomi EP” (Metroluxmusic)
– Jerome Sydenham “Jango 02” (Ibadan)
– The Black Dog “We Are Sheffield” Autechre Remix (Soma)
– Davor “Transitional Object” Remixes” (Matrix)
– Optic Nerve “Reassimilation EP” (Diametric)
What was the first club you ever played at?
“It was in France whilst I was serving in the army in ’88, in a small city called Metz – but I don’t remember the name of the club. Sorry!”
Clubwise, you have played at some brilliant clubs, rocking dance floors everywhere you go. Tell us your favourite memories from:
Tresor in Berlin
“Love Parade in 2000, I played for 4 hours and it was so hot downstairs that when I finished playing, I was completely wet through! My shoes too!”
Space & Pacha in Ibiza
“Carl Cox’s Space night had an amazing sound system and light show, and near the end I did a back 2 back set with Carl which was really special.”
The Ministry of Sound in London
“When I played there during the 90’s with Dimitri from Paris, it was the biggest club for House music. It was the place to be, and where the music takes over your senses. In France we don’t have this kind of club culture.”
The Arches in Glasgow
“It was at Slam’s residency with Derrick May (a really good friend of mine) and we hadn’t played together for a long time – it was incredibly funky and soulful!”
Volar in Hong Kong
“Great music, and some amazing top models!!”
Who in your mind are the best DJs in the world ever?
“Derrick Carter, Derrick May, Dave Clarke and Laurent Garnier. When they mix it’s a real emotional story. With Dave it’s more of a physical and amazing technical mix.”
How important to the ‘Inner Visions’ album was working with your long time friend and sound engineer Sebastian Rexovice?
“We have known each other for 20 years now, and I’ve had more DJ experiences’ than Sebastien, but he has more technical experience with machines than I, so we control the sound in a different way. I make music with instinct, with analog synthesisers and he shows me the way with new software.”
What is the best and worst thing about living in Marseille?
“At its best, it’s a fantastic place to live. There’s sea and sun and it’s a beautiful city. Its worse side is that the streets are dirty.”
What is your ONE favourite Acid House moment you have had over the last 20 years?
“When I played the first time in England @ Club UK, the crowd were really up for it and so many had come to specifically see me because I had had many write ups in music magazines. The crowd were really open minded and English party people really know about how to move their bodies to the music…”
What was it like providing music for the fashion show of Jean-Paul Gaultier?
“I was inspired by the wild fashions of Jean Paul and I tried to translate musically what he was thinking, and with the help of, again, some amazing models and JPG himself, it was another amazing experience for me.”
Favourite Ibiza experience?
“I love the island’s amazing clubs but nothing beats relaxing my body and mind in the peace of a quiet villa!”
You have remixed the likes of The Audio Bully’s, The Advent and P. Diddy – who were you most honoured to be asked to touch their work?
“It’s got to be the Audio Bully’s because there were vocals,so it was a new way of working for me.Sometimes you sample some words to introduce into your music, which is kind of like another instrument, but with a song you create your rhythm and melodies from this song and it’s not the same inspiration.”
Best record you’ve ever made?
“‘Echospace’ and ‘Body and Mind’from the new ‘Inner Visions’ album. “
For the new album, you enlisted the help of French poet Aline Soler and Russian artiste Vika Prokopaviciute for artwork – where does this love of the arts come from?
“I’m curious and also interested in lots of different arts. It was really exciting that ‘Inner Visions’ was made with some collaborations. I gave the artist and the poet the sounds or the source in fact, to find inspiration for their expression in their chosen artistic fields.”
What is next from the Jack De Marseille studio?
“I am working on remixes for Trisomie 21 and Scsi-9 and also this Winter, I am working on the music for a documentary about my DJ & music life as Jack De Marseille.”
Jack De Marseille releases “Inner Visions” in November – www.jackdemarseilledj.com
