Published on inthemix and Members section of Alumbra’s website
Dimitri from Paris, the Legend of House music is back for a special encore performance this Saturday at Alumbra on Melbourne’s Central Pier. DJ Dimitri took some time out to share his musical insights and talent with Monica Buch…
Q. What do you have in mind for your encore performance at Alumbra this Saturday night?
A. Everybody always asks questions like that but there would be no element of surprise. I wouldn’t be a DJ if I prepared my sets, I would be a tape machine, so I never prepare the sets. I always improvise depending on the people I have in front of me. People know me for House and Disco, but every other day of the week when I’m not DJ-ing I’m in the studio preparing new mixes and new edits.
Q. You have released Night Dubbin’ which is an exclusive collection of dubbed out dance music from the 80s. Can I use the word ‘dubbed’?
A. You can say that.
Q. What’s the difference between dubbing and remixing?
A. The difference between a remix and a dub is that remixing is a compilation of music from the 80s. This was the beginning of remixing and it was a very creative time mostly technological because a lot of DJs were gaining access to technology and were able to get their hands dirty with songs. Before [this time] it was all very safe. The beginning of the remix as we know it was complete construction of the original song. The difference between a dub and a remix back then was that the remix was a very safe, slightly longer club version of a song that you’d hear on the radio, whereas the dub was totally different and they were really getting crazy with the actual material and at times you wouldn’t be able to recognise the original song. They were called dubs because they would use a lot of dubbed out effects like echoes, which are now very usual, but back then it was the beginning of that. By doing this compilation I wanted to show that these were the origins of a lot of the remixes we hear today.
Q. You recently were involved in Claude Monnet’s Back to Fundamentals project in Paris. How did the crowd react to your entry of this new foray of music mixology?
A. I always play a mix of things. I try to see how far I can go in playing a variety of things. A lot of DJs stick to one type of sounds like electro, old minimal or house, whereas I don’t like to play the same tracks of the same sounding material. I like variety and if possible I don’t like to play more than three tracks of the same sounding tune. I like to mix sounds and for the texture to be different all night and if I can, and if the crowd will let me, I’d like to slow down the tempo for a little while because it makes for some up and downs, highs and lows because I find that a little bit more exciting than just a massive highway, straight up in your face beats. I find that after a while, even if it’s effective, too much of one thing, even if it’s a good thing becomes a bad thing.
Q. Do you then think that you will take a break from the Playboy Mansion tracks for a little while now with this new style of dubbing?
A. No, a good song is always a good song, but it’s good to mix up something like a techi-House tack with something totally acoustic disco and then back to something that’s vocal House and then move onto something that’s funky House all while keeping the people entertained. It’s very easy to mix the same five tracks but then it all sounds the same so that’s why I like to mix textures and sounds up from the 60s, 70s, 80s or something that hasn’t yet been released. It all makes for a different vibe.
Q. What does Dimitri from Paris do to relax, do you stay in or do you head out?
A. I’m very much a stay in person. I have my own studio at home. Weekdays are mainly my studio days and that’s where I prepare all the special stuff I like to play in my sets. I have to lay my hands on the original tracks and make them a little more special. That would [involve] reediting a lot of my songs, adding effects to them and making them a little more exciting. I have things that actually excite me and that I want to play so I’ll listen to it and go back into the studio and tweak things, which makes it never ending. Music is my life so when I come back from the club I put my case in the cupboard and move onto something totally different.
Q. What were your musical influences?
A. I was more influenced my classical music which my dad was a big fan of.
Q. Since your career launch back in the days of Radio 7 to now, you have carved out for yourself the title of Legend of House Music, what advice would you offer to budding DJs out there who see you as their inspiration?
A. It is more difficult now than it was back then to stick out from the masses so the advice I can say is the one I have used is to make yourself heard as much as you can. The other thing is don’t try and follow even the people you like and don’t try to follow a trend because if you sound like a gazillion others, chances are it’s going to be hard for you to stick out even if you think you’re better. Try to sound different enough for people to notice. Once you’re there, make your difference your uniqueness, which is what makes us special. When you’re different and you sound unique, there’s always room for you. I have carved out a niche for myself; I don’t follow trends and I always stick to things that are unique.
Q. You have progressed through the decades with your music, starting at the 60s and 70s with the Playboy Mansion compilations through to your current project of dubbing 80s music. Can we next expect you reworking 90s music?
A. With history being what it is and repeating itself it could very much be the case. Today’s technology is so easy to access for most people can everyone can take songs and mash them up into something. So there are always going to be influences. We could assume that the next possible main trend would be the 90s and that would be a big return to the original House which hasn’t arrived so far. It looks like it could very well be so.
Dimitri from Paris tour dates:
Fri 26th June – Trademark Hotel, Sydney
Sat 27th June – Alumbra, Melbourne
Posted by starryeyedchameleon 
Posted by starryeyedchameleon 