Twenty Questions

Frenchbloke

Just for the record, why the name "Frenchbloke" when you're obviously not French?

There's actually no real reason. I was maintaining the Optimo website & was challenged to get more site traffic. Uploaded a Britney / Mount Florida thing & the name Frenchbloke was
born (primarily in case everyone hated it & sent out a lynch mob armed with big pointy sticks).

What are you up to these days?

I'm off (real) work with a collapsed arch on my foot, so plenty of time playing with software that makes noises. Also being prepared for the imminent arrival of our fourth child.

So what are the tunes that have been ringing in your head lately?

Lately? Err...the all singing & dancing Dsico's You Fight Like A Girl, Munk's Apertivo album, YMO's Technopolis & Renaldo & The Loaf's Bearded Cats.

If push comes to shove, what are the five of your all-time favourite albums?

Throbbing Gristle - D.O.A.
Kraftwerk - Autobahn
The Silicon Teens - Music For Parties
The Human League - Reproduction
Liaisons Dangereuses - Liaisons Dangereuses

Can you recall the first time you bought a record that was utter shite? Where did you buy it?

I've been blessed with the "Can you let me hear a bit of this?" attitude in shops. If they didn't, I didn't buy it.

Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?

GG Allin or Tom Jones

So what happened to the working relationship of Frenchbloke & Son? Give us the full, uncut story please!!!

Basically, there was a lack of communication from all three parties. It wasn't till January 2004 that I found out what happened with the Bowie mixes I did (sadly "Laughing Gnome" wasn't available). My lack of interest in DJ-ing - I'd been knocking back things since 2001 - I am not a DJ. My past experience with the music industry as a whole makes me very wary. I'd been shafted in the past and wasn't going to let it happen again. The reason I handed in my notice in December 2003 was that I'd promised myself that if I heard the excuse of 'coming down here to make a go of things' once more that'd be it. And that was it.

I had a very nice eight months off. There is a cracker of a clause in the management contract that F&S had with Avalon stating that all the music must be original & does not breach the copyright of any third party or something. I neglected to mention that at the time of signing & was holding onto that in case it all went pear-shaped. I reclaimed the name...well...it was my name. I made it up. Nothing had happened with the name to warrant me not reclaiming it.

You've also seemed to have "retired" from doing mash-ups these days. What do you think about the direction bootlegs are heading these days?

Who said I'd retired? They seem to be going backwards instead of going forward. Back to the old school or something. The Linkin Park & Jay-Z [thing] isn't where they should be going.

If you were asked to do a greatest hits album for Frenchbloke, which 15 tracks would you choose to represent your entire bootlegging career?

"Right Behind", "Ich Habe Meine Bizkit", "Kraftwerk's Waltz", "Children's TV Theme No.1", "Destiny's Kennedys", & lots of bits & bobs that only ever cropped up in the mixes.

The Last of Frenchbloke:

Last blog that you visited that was brilliant = I can't say that I have.

Last encounter with the opposite sex that involved bootlegs = Seriously? Bastard 9 where the creepy woman was heckling us.

Last album you heard that gave you the creeps = Mamas & Papas Greatest Hits. Or anything by Wet Wet Wet.

Last concert you went to that was awesome = Kraftwerk, Glasgow, 1991. Or the Sahkö evening at Sonora, Glasgow in 1994 where Ø, Panasonic & Jimi Tenor played all evening. Fantastic.

Last mash-up you heard that made you wanna reconsider your "retirement" from bootlegs = But you still haven't answered my question: who said I had retired?

What is the most misunderstood thing about you that you would like to clear up here once & for all?

I'm not as scary as folks make me out to be.

There were some misunderstanding between you & IDC regarding a track of his appearing in your blog. What really happened?

I was demonstrating that the IDC mix of [Soundhog's] "Curdler", as compared with the Soundhog mix of [IDC's] "Scratch", was actually piss poor. Shite. Pish. A waste of hard drive space & time. But then, I'm no fan of IDC's work. I don't 'get it' must be a North-South thing.

In your opinion, should music be made free?

No. But once you buy it, it's then yours to do what you want. Make an ashtray, scratch the heck out of it...

If Michael Jackson asked you to do a boot to bring his credibility back, would you do it? What would your terms be? Humour us please...

That I'd be in total control. And that if no Jacko actually appeared on the track....& can my chair in the studio be against the wall please.

Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...

IDC = Too big for his own ego. Totally over-rated. Sonically, a mess.
Eddy Temple Morris = A big kid let loose in a studio (in a good way).
Fad Gadget = R.I.P. Always two years ahead of Depeche Mode. Sorely missed.
Nick Kilroy = R.I.P. The man, or one of the men behind Gabba.net. He really liked music.
Rainbow = Twangers...
DJ Zebra = Who?
Fini Tribe = Or Finitribe, depending on which record. The rosicrucian for fish, apparently. Showbiz chums, if you can call them that of mine.
GHP = Frankie Detorri. Over-rated. Totally.
Essex = The only place where I saw a handgun waved about in a car.
GYBO V4 = The new black.

Which genre of music do you consider the most "under-used" in bootlegs?

Opera, Gamelan, 'Early Music', Exotica, Steel-Drum band, & I dare say a lot more that'll spring to mind later.

What do you remember about the following years:

1979 = I was 11.
1983 = Saw Depeche Mode live for the first time.
1994 = My son was born.
1999 = Wasn't the end of the world.
2004 = Back With A Big F**k You.

What's your favourite Saturday night record?

Whatever I feel like listening to on a Saturday night.

And your Sunday morning one?

Whatever I feel like listening to on a Sunday morning.

Complete the following sentences:

I describe myself as... devastatingly handsome*

Music changed me by...it just did.

When it comes to vices...[it's] coffee & cake.

The last time I cried was... [when] my daughter was born.

My most treasured possession is...Liaisons Dangereuses "Los Niños Del Parque" 12" autographed. A present from Beate Bartel to celebrate the birth of my daughter Connie.

If I have any regrets...I'll regret them at that time.

When we die...we die.

Lastly, I'd like to be remembered as...devastatingly handsome*


Listen & Learn: A Frenchbloke Anthology Vol.1:
[All tracks are OFFLINE now]

01) Easy Charlie

02) Geetar Freak On

03) Destiny's Kennedys (By Frenchbloke & Son)

04) Hands Around My Cock

05) I Like Leather

06) Ich Habe Meine Bizkit (By Frenchbloke & Son)

07) Ugly Electric

08) Right Behind (By Frenchbloke & Son)

09) Dream House

10) Walk The Thong

11) Depeche Minogue

12) Sunshine Again

13) Walkable Balloon

And for a limited time only, click on the link below to grab Frenchbloke's latest mix:

Everything You Do Is Wrong

You can visit Frenchbloke's blog & read his ramblings here.

PS: Congrats on the 'latest addition' to your clan...

posted by KiDG @ 12:03 pm

Dsico: That No-Talent Hack

Just for the record, what's with the "That No-Talent Hack" tag? Any wonderful story behind it?

I was joking around with some friends years ago about the absurdity of tag lines on an artiste's name, mostly talking about DJ Spooky "That Subliminal Kid" & so I thought yeah...I'm goin' to get me one of them. There you go.

What are you up to these days?

The new album, You Fight Like A Girl, has just come out this month, so I've mostly been sorting that out, trying to find a distributor for it. Reverberation Records is doing Australia (which is great) but I haven't managed to hook anything up in Europe or the US (which sucks). Also lately writing some new shit for another release later in the year that may include a whole bunch of remixes of You Fight Like A Girl.

So what are the tunes that have been ringing in your head lately?

The Emperor Machine. F**k I love that new album Aimee Tallulah Is Hypnotised. I can't quite put my finger on why. It is so close to muzak or incidental 70s science show soundtrack but then it's not. [Others include] Sonic Youth's Sonic Nurse, rediscovering Sebadoh, Pavement & that slacker sound. I listened to III (by Sebadoh) constantly last week at work.

Can you list out five of your all-time favourite albums?

In no particular order:

Leonard Cohen - Songs Of Love & Hate
I had a copy on vinyl that I picked up at Glebe market. I was in first year Uni & listened to it constantly, much to the distaste of my girlfriend at the time as she absolutely hated it.

Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
The opener. The whole album just fits together so perfectly. Even the little interlude with the vocal playback from tape.

Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
Their (& the Dust Brothers) finest album ever. Sampledelic party album like no other.

LB - Pop Artificelle
Atom (TM) / Atom Heart / Uwe Schmidt's electronica styled 70s cover album. It just blew me away when I first heard it. Uwe Schmidt was such an inspiration to me when I was starting to get into & start writing electronic music in the 90s. Micro edits, wacky synths, & more "funk" than you can poke a stick at.

Luomo - Vocal City
Embodied the clicks & cuts, error-inspired era of the time & yet was a really lush & enveloping listening experience. I never really like house much until I heard that album.

Mouse on Mars, oh that's 6! All their early stuff. I've gone off the new sound a bit though.

When was the last time you bought a record that was utter brilliance? Where did you buy it?

The Emperor Machine's Aimee Tallulah Is Hypnotised late last year online through Juno.

Which artiste, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?

Uwe Schmidt must have been the most influential electronic artiste for me. His rate of output is phenomenal. I've always wanted to know just how he get some of those sounds & manage to do so much.

Can you recall what are some of the most bizarre or embarrassing moments during your entire DJ-ing career?

Moscow must have been the most bizarre, being flown all the way to Moscow to DJ for an hour or so in this little club right near Red Square. And then I got really trashed as well. So I supposed it was both bizarre & embarassing. MTV was even there. I have a vague recollection of trying to act sober while they were interviewing me.

What is the most outrageous rumour you've heard that is said about you?

In High School this guy Michael used to tell people that I was a professional Ten-Pin Bowler. What a bastard. I shoud have kicked his arse, but he was a mate, so what can you do?

The Last of Dsico:

Last film that gave you wood = There was a film the other night. Can't recall what it was called, cute french girl wandering around half naked in most of it.

Last encounter with the opposite sex that involved a music album = I don't think I've ever had one.

Last book or mag you read that gave you the creeps = The Lovely Bones, I guess, by Alice Sebold was pretty creepy in parts.

Last concert you went to that was boring = I saw David Bowie a while ago & it wasn't that great. I think you get too accustomed to small gigs, where you can see the beads of sweat on the performer's face. So when you are stuck in a seat in the Sydney Entertainment Centre, Bowie standing way way down there & all the songs sound like stadium rock anthems, it's just not fun.

Last mash-up you heard that made you wanna shout "Yeah!" = It's been so long, I can't really remember...

Interestingly, you've mentioned that you're kinda done with mash-ups. Where do you think the whole bootlegging scene is heading?

I don't think it's heading anywhere. It's just going around in circles, chasing its own tail these days. The commercial players have stepped into it but they are killing what was good about some of the early ones. The early stuff used good songs as the basis. Now they just mashup any shit.

How about cover versions? You've done a fair amount of quirky tributes yourself. What is the allure of covering someone else's tunes?

I did go through a bit of a phase of doing cover versions. I think I'm almost out of the woods. I haven't been doing nearly so many lately. There are different reasons. Some are just a straight tribute to the original authors & others have less flattering purposes. Sometimes it is just for a laugh...just for the absurdity of it all. They are however good for developing your programming abilities, coming to grips with a new piece of gear or learning how to use a piece of software without having to be too creative yourself. The "song" already exists, the chord pattern, vocals, melody...you just have to work on the instrumentation & play around. They can be quite quick to put together & instantly satisfying, & you spend more time on the production & programming which will help with getting the sound you want in your original work.

What are some of the most "interesting" comments you've received so far regarding You Fight Like A Girl?

Well, it's just been out for a few weeks so is only just starting to get around. So far everyone has been really into it. Radio in Australia is starting to pick it up. Russell from Reverberation thought it sounded very Human League, which was odd as I'm not that familiar with their work.

In your opinion, what are the factors that make a good song?

I have no idea really. You know it when you hear it. When a song just grabs you by the balls until you can't think of anything else.

Describe your ultimate bootleg fantasy involving Soundhog, Nicole Kidman, Starsky & Hutch & Frenchbloke. Humour us please...

I fool Soundhog & Frenchbloke into thinking that they ARE Starsky & Hutch, & I get Nicole Kidman all to myself. Eh eh?

Let's play word association. We mention a name & you give us your thoughts...

DJ Small Cock = Plate glass & face wounds
Ministry Of Sound = Wankers
INXS = Original Sin
Vegemite = Occasionally for breakfast
Hi-5 = The childrens show?
Bangers & Mash = I am a bit hungry. This pub in Bondi Junction used to do a great Bangers & Mash.
Brown-Eyed Mullet = Huh?
Hillsong = Christian fools
Belinda Chappel = Who?
GYBO V3 = Much the same as the old one. If only they'd ditch those annoying bloody animated gif avatars.

Which genre of music do you consider the most "under-used" in bootlegs?

I have no idea. I suppose there aren't a lot of country & western mashups but that may be a good thing.

What do you remember about the following years:

1980 = I was 5. I think I've seen some photos...
1985 = Primary school, my BMX was the shit.
1991 = High School year 10, girls, school, parties...discovering beer.
1998 = My first release. I had a track on a compilation called Freaky Loops 98.
2003 = Europe, kicking around Berlin, Hamburg, London. Killer year, too much fun.

What's your favourite Saturday night record?

I used to have a flatmate, Joss, we lived over in this huge rundown old terrace house & whenever we were goin' out he'd put on "Meet Me At The Love Parade" by Da Hool. It's terrible, cheesy, awful, but it reminds me of good times.

And your Sunday morning one?

Leonard Cohen's "Everybody Knows".

Complete the following sentences:

I describe myself as...a drunkard.

Music changed me by...giving me a hobby other than skateboarding.

When it comes to vices...I may have a problem.

The last time I cried was...during some terrible cheesy heartwarming film.

My most treasured possession is...it's all pretty replaceable, it would just be a pain in the arse.

If I have any regrets...they are too many to mention.

When we die...we rot.

Lastly, I'd like to be remembered as...myself.


Some cool Dsico's boots & mashes:

1) Too Drunk To F**k [OFFLINE]
(An exclusive Dead Kennedys cover)

2) Love Will Freak Us Apart [OFFLINE]
(Joy Division vs Missy Elliott)

3) Smells Like Electro [OFFLINE]
(An electro version of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit")

You can also download a bunch of Dsico's back catalogue at the Hearing Double site here

As for Dsico's brilliant You Fight Like A Girl album, you can buy it here, or you can visit his website here.

posted by KiDG @ 10:14 am