- Title: USA: FRENCH DUO "AIR" START THEIR CONCERT TOUR OF THE USA
- Date: 19th June 2001
- Summary: SMV (SOUNDBITE) (French) DUNCKEL TALKING (TRANSLATION NOT AVAILABLE) (5.23)
- Embargoed: 4th July 2001 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Entertainment,General
- Reuters ID: LVA3MAU1P3QHINB361PXGI7HDBPI
- Story Text: French electronica duo Air is on the other side of the Atlantic for the next month in support of their latest release, 10,000 HZ Legend. Reuters caught up with the band recently to get all the details on their new album and the difficulty of playing before a French audience.
Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoit Dunckel have dropped another collection of their unique blend of electronica music on the world. Air's latest effort, 10,000 Hz Legend, hit music store shelves on May 29th.
The album follows the French musicians' other recordings, the film score to The Virgin Suicides and the immensely popular seminal debut album, Moon Safari.
Air gets some help on 10, 000 Hz from guest musicians like Beck and Sugar and Yumiko of Buffalo Daughter.
Air recently sat down with Reuters before a club performance in Washington to talk about their new album and touring in the United States.
The duo told Reuters that the key to their album recording is spontaneity. Most of the tracks on 10,000 Hz Legend were realized in just one take.
"Our specialty is not to have any concepts," says Nicolas Godin. "We do everything- then afterwards, we try to find the concept."
"We say in the interviews that we have some strong intellectual concepts. But, in fact, we don't - we just use some feelings that we record," said Jean-Benoit Dunckel.
"After, we analyze what we have done. That's interesting because it's like doing some psychology work on yourself."
The group claims laziness as the catalyst for its musical inspiration.
"The best way to create is just to relax. and to be lazy,"
said Dunckel. "The French way," Godin added.
"You have to be in harmony with the stars and the universe,"
said Dunckel. "You have to express yourself. So, you have to have plenty of energy and fever in yourself to express. And so the best way is to be lazy, and to sleep and hang out in Paris."
Air will be touring in the United States with their band through July 12th. After a month's vacation, they'll embark on a European tour.
The group told Reuters that touring is easier in the United States.
"It's more positive. They appreciate- I think more- the show because they just decide to spend a good night, you know.
In France, they wait for us to be bad," said Godin.
Those sentiments are apparently shared by Jean-Benoit Dunckel, who says the French audience has a unique way of showing its affection.
"In France, we suffer from certain love and hate relationships. They love us -but in fact the way to love us is to hate us," said Dunckel. "So, the relationship is very strange. But abroad, like in the U.S. or in England it's much more natural. Especially- in the U.S. we are still underground and we have a very special audience," said Dunckel.
That underground audience is certainly a growing one. All of Air's shows in the U.S. have so far sold out- perhaps slowly paving the way for a 21st-Century French invasion. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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