Amanda Hunt speaks with legendary French composer and electronic music revolutionary Jean-Michel Jarre about his creative process and being a pioneering musician.
How would you describe electronica and what does it mean to you?
Electronic music is my life. I started creating and crafting it over four decades ago now and I’m so proud that today electronic music is the biggest genre of music. Not only because it’s a style or a genre, but also because it’s a way of producing music. You find electronic music in everything now. Electronica in particular really resonates with me… that’s the reason why I called my last two albums Electronica 1 and Electronica 2.
During your early musical career, did you have any idea that your music was so progressive and ahead of its time?
Not at all. I think we were just a bunch of crazy guys doing weird things on odd machines, trying new techniques and breaking habits. I didn’t have any idea that it would become something like it is today, but deep inside I knew there was something good in what we were doing. I just followed my path with some other great artists, and here we are now after the year 2000, still pushing the boundaries.
Do you have a music lab kitted out with all the latest technology, or somewhere you can trial out laser displays in your home?
I do have different spaces to create and work. One of my studios is located in the place where I live, which has everything I need to experiment, and a proper recording studio. It’s where all my machines gathered along the years are stored, repaired and pampered. The recording studio is mainly turned to electronic music – I don’t have a drum room or anything, I’m just wiring machines, recording, mixing etc. When I have an idea, I can create it on my own with the synths, the drum machines and so on.
I read that on the track Continuous Mix there are secrets which are revealed on a spectrogram. This sounds very technical, scientific and so very clever. Could you explain this process and whether anyone can access these hidden codes?
Correct! First of all, I created a continuous mix because I created the Electronica 1 and 2 albums as a journey. I know that people would just pick one or two tracks and add it to their playlist, but I know that some others really want to experiment the album in its entirety. And I did hide a few messages on the Continuous Mix, but I don’t want to reveal everything because the messages on the Continuous Mix of Volume 1 have been found…but not all have been for Volume 2…I invite you to check and dig online for that.
Your latest album Electronica 2: The Heart of Noise sees a further collaboration of artists within the electronica field, did the working practices differ to those in Electronica 1: The Time Machine?
With the Electronica albums, I wanted to tell a story regarding electronic music history from my point of view and experience, from when I started to now. So I planned to collaborate with an array of artists who are, directly or indirectly, linked to this scene over the last four decades that I’ve been making electronic music. These were with people I admire for their singular contributions to our genre and that represent a source of inspiration for me, but who also have an instantly recognisable sound. At the outset, I had no idea how this project would evolve, but I was delighted that everybody I reached out to accepted my invitation. I didn’t plan at the beginning to have two separate albums, but due to the very positive feedback from everyone, I ended with 30 collaborators…that’s why I split it in two albums.
You are set to work with Gorillaz, how did that come about?
One thing I can tell you is that Damon Albarn and I are friends, and we like spending some time together. Occasionally in the studio…
You are known for fantastic live performances using visuals and FX staging, what can audiences expect from your performance at the Cardiff Motorpoint Arena?
I did a few shows during summer to start my tour. I started with Sonar in Barcelona, followed with Montreux in Switzerland and a few between France, Italy, Lebanon and the great Jodrell Bank festival near Manchester. My creation was driven by a few words: VOYAGE. FUTURISTIC. NOSTALGIA!
What’s next for Jean-Michel Jarre?
Touring for 2016 and 2017, and a surprise around December this year. Stay tuned.
Jean Michel Jarre, Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Tues 4 Oct. Tickets: £34.85-£84. Info: 029 2023 4500 / www.motorpointarenacardiff.co.uk