Abe Duque: I pulled myself out of the game

ABE DUQUE TALKS ABOUT HIS NEW MUSICAL PLANS, NEW YORK’S NIGHTLIFE IN THE ‘90S, THE OPPRESSION OF THE POLITICALLY CORRECT NARRATIVES, MARTIAL ARTS AS A MEDITATING PROCESS AND OTHER INTERESTING STUFF

Abe Duque has been around in techno music and New York’s nightlife scene for more than a quarter of a century. His powerful and always recognizable sound has provided a few generations of nightclubbers with trippy and unforgettable moments on the dance floors, as Abe Duque’s nights in the legendary Limelight club became the cradle to shape New York’s techno scene during the ‘90s.

However, despite all these impressive credentials, Abe Duque can be described as one of the most underrated artists in the techno world. And this low profile is due to his own informed choice which is the logical continuance of underground roots and once chosen path. In the era of superstar DJs, when an artist became a product of marketing which is pushed by the managers whose main goal is to maximize profits, Abe Duque still keeps the spirit of the 90’s in his music production whose main characteristic is an always moving forward experimental sound with a sense of humor and mostly focusing on the music itself than on the artists ego.

Staying away from deserved blazes of glory, nowadays, Abe Duque has swapped the life of a demanded and actively touring all around the world artist to a happy and harmonic family life in his hometown city New York. He became very picky about the gigs that he performs and does them currently only when he is sure that it is the right place and right moment. But according to Abe’s words soon he will be back on track with a bunch of powerful releases and maybe good techno music lovers will be lucky to catch him again somewhere in the world with his fantastic live shows or DJ sets.

We were lucky to have a chance to talk with Abe about his current lifestyle, his passion for analogue equipment, New York’s nightlife in the 90s,  the oppression of the politically correct narratives in modern society and other curious things.

Interview: Dmitry Tolkunov

Hi Abe! It seems that you have had a long break from touring and producing music. Will there be any chances to hear some of your new music or to see your gigs soon?

Hi! For the last few years, I’ve been dedicating myself to something else. Basically, my wife got pregnant with twins and I’ve been raising two girls. For me, it is the biggest thing in my life and I decided to drop everything else and dedicate myself to the family 100%. It is very hard to have a family life when you are a DJ because you are traveling all the time, especially the way I was traveling around the world 24/7.

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Carl Craig: We were serenading Detroit and building our idea of the musical future

TECHNO LEGEND CARL CRAIG TALKS ABOUT HIS MUSICAL INFLUENCES, NEW PROJECTS, DETROIT TECHNO SCENE, FAVORITE SETS AND HIS PASSION FOR BREAKING EXPECTATIONS

Carl Craig is one of the leading forces of Detroit techno – a musical genre that was born in the mid 80’s of the previous century and reflected a sorrowful atmosphere of a dying city with closing car factory’s and serious social problems, as well as the passion for futurism, new technologies and desire for a brighter future.

Carl Craig made his first steps in music with a mentorship of one of Detroit’s techno godfathers – Derrick May, who saw a large potential in young 17 years old Carl and helped him to release his first track. This was a lucky start, which helped Carl to get noticed by the expanding audience of followers of the new and groundbreaking for that time techno music.

Right from the start of his musical career Carl Craig achieved a reputation of the artist that was always breaking expectations and had a deep passion for experiments with different musical forms. For different kinds of projects, he had a bunch of monikers like C2, BFC, Paperclip People, 69, Innerzone Orchestra. Mainly the originality of his style is based on bringing the influences of other musical genres into techno music, starting from classical music to jazz, funk and disco. As Carl perfectly describes his adventurous approach in doing music: “I have a bad habit of getting my hands dirty in every little thing, and I really do enjoy it.”

The status of a true legend that formed and influenced much techno music is not having Carl Craig resting on the laurels. He is, maybe even more than ever, full of creative energy that helps him to play dj sets and different kinds of live shows in the best festivals and night clubs all over the world, do new music and run his own label Planet E Communications with a fantastic catalogue of releases that can be described techno’s best golden collection music.

We had a lucky chance to talk with Carl Craig about his new exciting projects, musical influences that formed his style, Detroit’s techno scene, his social activity with running his own foundation, favorite sets as well as many more interesting things.

Interview: Dmitry Tolkunov

Hi Carl! It will be interesting to know what you have been up to recently in your musical production – some new releases, remixes, interesting collaborations?

Hi! I’ve been working on a new project with my longtime partner Moritz von Oswald and we are almost done with it. Also there is a new Kenny Larkin record coming out that I did a remix for and I’ve done some things with Seth Troxler for his project Lost Soul of Saturn. Also, I’m continuing to do the series of “Detroit Love” compilations on my label, and we just had Stacey Pullen’s record released in this line and a lot of releases are yet to come.

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Rebolledo: Trying to make the world a better place

REBOLLEDO ABOUT PLANS FOR NEW MUSIC, IMPRESSIONS FROM THE LAST BURNING MAN, MAYAN WARRIOR MISSION, AND OTHER INTERESTING STUFF

Mauricio Rebolledo is one of the most notable dj’s and musical producers in the world of modern dance music. He got recognized by the lovers of contemporary sound through an impressive number of interesting releases on leading electronic music labels like Kompakt as well as through running his own label with a sarcastic name Hippie Dance.

Besides being an actively touring dj and a fruitful musical producer, Rebolledo is also known as a musical curator of probably one of the most significant musical stages on the famous Burning Man festival called Mayan Warrior. His deep and thoughtful sets that he plays annually on the top of Mayan Warrior на art-car on the festivals closing ceremony already became for many impressionable beings a life changing experience. Rebolledo is also a co-owner of two famous clubs in Mexico – TOPAZdeluxe in Monterrey and M.N. Roy in Mexico city.

We had a lucky chance to chat with Rebolledo about the specifics of the sound of electronic music in his home country Mexico, the idea and mission of Mayan Warrior, impressions from last Burning Man, plans for new music and some other interesting things

Interview: Dmitry Tolkunov

Hi! It would be interesting to know what you have been up to recently in your musical production – any interesting releases in plans?

Hi! Lately I was working on a remix for M.A.N.D.Y, they are re-releasing one of their classical tracks from 2000’s and asked me to do a remix for it, I was very excited about it as if they are my really good friends and I really like this track as well. I’m also working on a new track for the Kompakt labels compilation called “Velvet Desert”.

As for my label Hippie Dance I have in plans to release soon some great music of Lasser Drakar who we can say is an electronic music veteran here in Mexico, it will be some amazing stuff that he have done in the beginning of 200’s but it never got released, it will come out in November.

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Afrika Bambaataa: Into True School ways and Futuristic waves

AFRIKA BAMBAATA TALKS ABOUT NEW MUSIC, HIS RECENT TOUR WITH JAMIROQUAI, DEVELOPMENTS IN HIP-HOP, THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE ZULU NATION AS WELL AS MUCH MORE

Afrika Bambaaataa is one of the key figures in modern music as we know it. His influential role is as the inventor of hip-hop – one of the most popular music genres nowadays as well as a cultural movement that also includes things such as graffiti, break-dancing, a recognizable street style and technically advanced way of DJing.

As the inventor and godfather of hip-hop, Afrika Bambaaataa is responsible for its birth as a cultural movement, as well as being the one who stands behind its ideological base. Being a warlord of the cruel Bronx street gang, Black Spades, in the early 1970s, he radically changed his lifestyle after a trip to Africa and doing some research into African history. After coming back to New York, Afrika Bambaaataa decided to part ways with the criminal life and to start to promote a new way of thinking for the black people’s community, which he called –Universal Zulu Nation. Universal Zulu Nation became the philosophy and way of living which gave birth to the early True School hip-hop. The backbone of its ideas was to stop bloodsheds on the streets and to start sorting all conflicts via DJ, rap, graffiti and break-dance battles. The new style and music, which was then called hip-hop, was borne in the bowels of these battles. Many former street gang members said that hip-hop saved their lives.

After becoming a respected and well-known figure in New York’s cultural scene for throwing parties in the Bronx where he was DJing, organizing different kinds of art battles and promoting Universal Zulu Nations ideas, at the beginning of the 80’s Afrika Bambaataa began a successful career as a recording artist. His first release “Planet Rock” became a superhit which stormed the charts worldwide. The melody from Kraftwerks song “Trans-Europe Express” which was used in ”Planet Rock” also made Afrika Bambaaataa famous as one of the first sampling pioneers. Releases that followed shortly after – “Looking for a Perfect Beat” and “Renegades of Funk” helped him to achieve international fame and he gained the status of a forward-thinking artist that brought new concepts into modern music.

He began to spread the influence of hip-hop culture and Zulu Nations worldwide and after his trip to France, he inspired the founder of French hip-hop scene Mc Solaar to start to make music too.

During his musical career, Afrika Bambaataa has made a bunch of successful albums and singles and has had many opportunities to collaborate with great artists from different musical scenes, such as George Clinton, James Brown, Nina Hagen, Westbam, Bootsy Collins, and Gary Numan. Nowadays, he is still full of energy and tours worldwide with his DJ sets and live shows, releasing new music as well as not forgetting his role as a mentor when doing public talks to promote Zulu Nations’ ideas.

We were lucky to catch Afrika Bambaataa between his tours, talk about his recent tour with Jamiroquai, the essence of Zulu Nation ideas, his plans for new music, and other interesting things.

Interview: Dmitry Tolkunov

Hello! What have you been mostly focused on recently in music – making some new tracks, touring, or combining these things?

First Peace Be Unto You and the good people of Earth and Beings of Beyond in our Universe. Rotherham Afrika Bambaataa has been focusing on recording many new songs and music for humans to listen and dance to and just came off a successful tour for our brother, Jamiroquai, in many countries as well as some DJ club dates. We have new songs out that you can only order online. New songs called “Funk On The 1, Tribute To Sly and The Family Stone”, ”Do Them Old Dances”, ”On The Dance Floor” featuring Lord 7even and EDollaz, “Radar” featuring Dominique. We have our True School Radio Station every Tuesday on streetwireradio.com with Dr. Shaka Zulu,Lord Yoda X from 8 pm to 12 and our 24 Hours a Day True School Radio On trueschool.airtime.pro for people who just like all types of good music and are tired of hearing the same 10 songs on other radio stations, can now switch to True School Radio and enjoy good music from Earth.

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Egyptian Lover: Just like in the 80s

ELECTRONIC MUSIC PIONEER, EGYPTIAN LOVER, TELLS US ABOUT HIS LATEST ALBUM, HIS OLD SCHOOL APPROACH TO CREATING MUSIC, VIEWS ON MODERN EDUCATION AND WAYS OF DEVELOPING HIP-HOP, AS WELL AS MUCH MORE..

Greg Broussard, an important man and artist, with his ironic alias Egyptian Lover, has already been in the music industry for 35 years. Starting from the early days of his musical production, he invented a unique Egyptian Lovers style that he still follows. His music represents the early ‘80s hip-hop and electro sound, being pure analog electronic with danceable drum machine beats, vocoder robotic voices, party vibes and a good sense of humor.

He still keeps the balls rolling, being an actively touring artist, releasing new great albums and running a record label. Young generations and older guys with nostalgic feelings for ‘80s electronic music dance to his sets in nightclubs and festivals all over the world.

We found this remarkable artist in his LA studio focused on a new album. Greg was kind enough to tell All Andorra many interesting things about his approach to making music and videos, shared some exciting memories of his early days and his views on modern reality, and it was certainly a very interesting talk.

Interview: Dmitry Tolkunov

Hi Greg! Not so long ago you released a great album, “1985”, and a bunch of videos from the songs on it. What are your future plans for Egyptian Lover?

Right now I am in the studio working on the next album – “1986”, which will complete the series of the 3 albums that began with “1984”. I also just released a video for the song “Beyond The Galaxy” that I made with DJ Qbert and am planning to release a video for the song “International Freak” next month. And I continue touring, I really love it and it inspires me.

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Asia Argento: Rock-n-Roll Suicide

ASIA ARGENTO TALKS WITH ALL ANDORRA ABOUT HER LATEST MUSICAL PROJECTS

Asia Argento is mostly known to the mass audience like an actress and a film director. Having artistic roots from her great-grandfather- the well-known futuristic composer Alfredo Casella, father – famous horror movies creator Dario Argento, and mother – actress Daria Nicolodi; had a huge impact on Asia’s development. She started appearing in movie’s since she was 9 years old and played in a few during her teenage years as well. At the end of the 90’s, Asia started as a multi-language actress with roles in American movies like Michael Redford’s “B. Monkey” and Abel Ferrara’s “New Rose Hotel”. In 2000 she made her debut as a film director with a very sincere movie using autobiographical tunes named “Scarlet Diva”, in which Asia also played the main role. In 2004 she directed her next film “The Heart is Deceitful Above All things” where she also played a role. The last film directed by Asia “Incompresa” starring Charlotte Gainsbourg , was released in 2014 and happened to be the critics favorite and one of the most noticeable premiers during the Cannes Festival.

During her many years spent in the movie industry, Asia showed her ability to be organic in different genres, starting from roles in big action or historical block busters like “XXX” or “Marie Antoinette” to more art-house oriented, European movies like “Go Go Tales”, “The Last Mistress” and “Obsessive Rhythms”.

Besides acting and directing, one of the Asia´s main passions in life is music. Being a serious record collector and a music lover since her childhood years, Asia has taken part in collaborations with many musicians. She recorded tracks with various big artists such as Tricky and Placebo, and collaborated a lot with less famous but not any less interesting people from experimental and underground circles. In 2014, Asia Argento released the album “Total Entropy” which summed up her best musical works to that point. Asia also occasionally plays DJ sets at different kinds of events in which she shows her unusual musical taste to the public.

All Andorra was lucky to arrange an interview with Asia Argento. Asia told us about her new exciting project “Rock-n-Roll Suicide”, DJing, her favourite collaborations, directing musical videos, as well as what she is focusing on in her career at the moment and her views on performing in Andorra.

Interview: Dmitry Tolkunov

Hi Asia! Thank you for finding time to talk with us. We have noticed (while checking your social media before the interview) that you are having a lot of DJ sets in Italy now. Anything else interesting happening in your musical world?

Yes, I can say that at the moment I’m very into different musical projects and enjoying them much more than movie jobs. I play a lot of DJ sets, do different types of gigs, more electronic ones for dance night clubs, and more mish mash for venues with eclectic musical policies which I enjoy most of all. Besides my DJing, I started a project called “Rock-n-Roll Suicide”. Basically it is focused on finding promising new rock-bands and giving them a possibility to play and to get more attention and publicity in order to help them start their careers. I want to bring good rock music to dance clubs.

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Viktoria Modesta as a futurist and an artist

Viktoria Modesta is a contemporary artist that totally changes people’s views on disability in the modern world. Having, since childhood, a long-lasting health problem, at the age of 18  she had a voluntary below-the-knee leg amputation to improve her mobility and safeguard her future health. She is the first artist that decided to use a limb as a part of an artistic concept and image, proving that things that were associated before only with a disability can look like pieces of art and modern design. Viktoria’s first experience of international fame came after she took part in the closing ceremony of the Paralympics in London. She played the Snow Queen in the ice show (live music for which was provided by the world-famous band, Coldplay). The next step was her video “Prototype”, which was produced by Channel 4 and was first shown on one of the most popular tv shows – X Factor.

“Prototype” was a huge hit. It immediately turned Viktoria into a real star and she became the first bionic pop artist in the world. Also, ‘Prototype’ created a large platform to promote the ideas of transhumanism – the movement that aims to improve the human condition via the use of available technologies to eliminate aging and to greatly enhance human intellectual, physical, and psychological capacities. With such a powerful background, Viktoria also developed a successful modeling career including campaigns for many top fashion brands. At the moment, she is working on a new conceptual album that will be presented to the world soon. In her packed schedule, Viktoria found time for an interview with all-andorra.com in which we touched upon topics such as humanism, futurism, future plans and even a possibility of performing in Andorra soon.

Interview: Dmitry Tolkunov

Photo: Catherine Harbour

You are mostly known to the public as a singer with an eccentric and futuristic image. But there is also another side of your activity – being an MIT Media Lab Fellow and promoter of transhumanism. Can you tell us more about this side of your life and how important it is compared to your musical career?

I think my image tends to be different depending on the scene and the country. Globally my work got known as I was the first ever “Bionic Pop Artist” with the “Prototype” campaign video and helped establish a very real sci-fi, post-disability identity in culture. I started out performing art and music and the introduction of tech and science into my work happened as a by-product of me electing to have a voluntary amputation for health reasons and working with prosthetics in a design heavy manner.

I have been fortunate to be selected as an MIT Media Lab Fellow which brought a whole new world to my disposal and forced me to evaluate how I relate to post-human ideas, biohacking etc. In the past 3 years, I have been working on many projects bringing science and tech with pop culture to performance and live events. That part of my work isn’t always public. Amongst talks and research, the biggest quest has been to use my unique position of how I came face to face with the artificial and create content that shines a light on a much more humanistic and romantic approach towards a technologically advanced future.

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