THE HACKER… on tour with Miss Kitten and calling from the tour bus…
Hi dude. So Michel, you met Caroline aka Miss Kittin nine years ago, and exploded onto the world scene with your groundbreaking first album ‘1st Album’ then unleashing ‘Two’. Which album do you think is the best, and what do you think were the best tracks?
“I met her 15 years ago!! About our albums, I can’t really choose oneI like both equally. On the first album my favorite track is ‘Life On MTV’. I think it’s amongst the best thing I’ve done. On the new one, I’m really proud of ‘Party in my Head’ and ‘Electronic City’.”
You travel the world DJing – what is the worst thing about being on the road all the time?
“Wasting your time in airports, planes, trains, cars, on a bus etc… The travelling part is really boring for me. I have crazy phone bills, because it’s the only thing you can do just calling your friends!”.
How did you and Caroline first meet?
“In a club in Grenoble, our hometown. It was around 1992 and it was the first Techno club in town. We became friends because we were amongst the first to be interested by Techno music.”
Who are the people you listened to as a teenager that swayed you into dance music world?
“I think it was bands like Depeche Mode and New Order first, then other bands like Nitzer Ebb, DAF and Front 242 which lead me into the world of Techno.”
You have released your own personal albums such as ‘Reves Mecaniques’ and numerous mix CDs including A.N.D. N.O.W.’ – why did you think it was important to go your seperate ways for a time?
“I think we needed to explore new things and work with other people, after 5 years of working together we needed some fresh air. Those experiences really helped the new album as well.”
Producers, new stuff around you are into?
“Producers – Dusty Kid, Maetrik, Function, Sleeparchive, in a more Electro Disco style, I really like the band Heartbreak and the London label called “Dissident”.
Best DJ you have played with?
“Jeff Mills, I-F, Hell and Laurent Garnier.”
What do you think are the best tunes on the new album?
“‘Party in my Head’, ‘Electronic city’ and ‘Ray Ban’ – but it’s hard to choose!”
Your album to me, is like the perfect Saturday night out – glamorous, swirling melodies, a real feel good factor – what are the best clubs YOU have been to in France?
“The Social Club in Paris is one of my favorite club’s in France right now, a really good atmosphere, good crowd, and I know everybody which always helps…”
I come back to your house after a night of partying, what are you spinning…?
When i go back home after a party night I don’t really listen to music, but if I have to pick one tune, it’s ‘Seventeen Seconds’ by The Cure. Dark and perfect to come down to.”
This big live tour you are on – what is the one gig you are really looking forward to?
I know that glasgow will be crazy, I’m really looking forward to Spain also, but maybe it’s Australia that I’m more excited about…”
“Who is the best music producer we have ever seen?
“Daniel Miller, Mark Bell, Aphex Twin and Jeff Mills.”
Is St Tropez in your home country just a real waste of money to go to?
“YES !!!!!”
What is next for The Hacker 2009?
Well after the tour with Miss Kittin, I will be releasing a few 12″ here and there – I’ll let you know Dan. Lots of love.”
MISS KITTIN
A pleasure to hook up. You started DJing at 22 and quickly started playing obviosly around your home country France, then met the brilliant DJ Hell down in Marseille who asked you to make a record for his ‘International DJ Gigola’ label – what’s the story there?
“Destiny I suppose. In Marseille, David Carretta invited Hell to his house in the countryside for holidays and to make music. David asked me to join. I was traveling in my small car and just decided to stop my studies. Hell drove with me to David’s house and we spent a few days there – it was fun. He told me about the label he was about to start and David was doing the first release. I played him a tape of tracks I did just with an 808, Plastikman style. He liked it a lot and asked if I had more. I went back to Grenoble which was my hometown, told Hacker about it and we wrote ‘Frank Sinatra’ and sent the tape to Hell. You know the rest.”
You love the arts but also are into a very wide range of music – who are your favourite artists ever and also, what are your top 5 albums ever?
Well I don’t have absolute favourites but love Johhny Cash, Aphex Twin, PJ Harvey, Blondie – many people. My top albums are…
KLF ‘Chill Out’
Artificial Intelligence ‘Volume 1’ – Warp
Boards of Canada ‘Music Has The Right To Children’
Blur ‘Parklife’
Depeche Mode ‘Violator’
That’s what I am thinking now, but I can’t say if tomorrow it will be the same list!”
Caroline, what were the best clubs like in Southern France in the early 90s when you were just started DJing?
It was more illegal parties. I remember one happening in an electric plant in the countryside. The promoters just broke the fence and installed big Turbosound monitors everywhere. The meeting point was somewhere out of a motorway exit, hundreds of cars waiting for the signal. I heard Daft Punk’s rollin’ and scratching for the first time there. I started to DJ in places like that…”
What was the move to Switzerland all about?
“To join some friends. I never moved somewhere for any other reason. To share a moment of my life with certain people, a vibe, an inspiration, to grow, learn etc… I was fascinated by the whole Mental Groove Records possee. They suggested to me to live with them in a squat, they had a club in a basement and I helped painting, working at the bar when I wasn’t DJing somewhere. I learnt a lot about music in general, about sharing a project. My versatility as a DJ was born there and then. They opened my ears. It shows you don’t have to be in Berlin or Paris to live your dream.”
You have worked with The Hacker obviously, Felix Da Housecat and Chicks on Speed on productions plus tags with Sven Vath, Steve Bug and Ellen Allien – but what do you think has been your best release so far?
“Hard to say. Probably with Hacker because it had so much impact on our life. I also love the Felix Da Housecat songs for many reasons, it was such an adventure.”
Who is the best ever French DJ?
“Laurent Garnier”
What do you think is the best tune yourself and The Hacker have ever recorded together?
“‘Stock Exchange’ or ‘Party In My Head.”
