INTERVIEW NICK MUIR

because it opened my mind to a lot of really great music.”

Not contaminated with any legacy, electronic live acts such as Justice are quickly conquering the dance scene. Are people tired of DJs?

“I actually think the Justice album is one of the great records of the last few years - I love the ideas and the sound, it's really imaginative and brilliantly executed. Not too many bands over the years have successfully managed to be a live dance act. I still can't believe that The Prodigy are so unique - there's room for a dozen bands like them but nobody seemed to be able to figure out how to do it. And that’s the reason that the live electronic acts are gaining ground, it's because they're finally getting their heads around the practicalities of playing that sort of music 'live' (Ableton has had a lot to do with this I think). Are people tired of DJ's? Well no of course not. How many bands do you know who could play a 6 hour set? Also the DJ has creative freedom in a way that a band will never have because of the nature of what he/she does - the selector aspect is so important, having the ability to chuck something into the mix at short notice which tears the roof off. That's what sorts the wheat from the chaff.”

Especially Laptop bands from France seem to do pretty well - the country you've lived and worked in for four years. Do you have an explanation for this?

“Actually no - I'm not quite sure why the recent trend has particularly suited the French, although I do think Daft Punk did show the way to a lot of kids in France. The French have always been a bit more at home with the funky side of things than the British or Germans who rock harder; Thomas Bangalter was brought up in the disco tradition courtesy of his father. If you think about where Justice are coming from for example, the lines and phrases are recognisably from disco/funk roots but fucked up beyond belief in a way you can only really do with software; its become the French sound.”
Scoring the soundtrack of a Major movie - is that one of your biggest dreams? What are you working on now?

“John and I have actually done a couple of reasonably sized movie/tv projects and I would be up for doing more of course. A lot of musician/producers would be up for that and now that you can do so much with just the computer a lot of people fancy their chances, so competition is fierce. There's so much great music around now though which is definately a good thing - the competition just spurs you on to greater heights. Right now John and I are putting the finishing touches to our next record - one of our favourite DJ's has agreed to do the remix (cant say too much or I'd have to kill you) - I'm doing additional production for a band called Dirty Stop Out run by Joe Corre who among other things owns the clothing and entertainment empire Agent Provocateur - he also happens to be the son of Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood. Must get around to finishing one of my own tracks, too!”

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