Senor markusen.

Voici encore un chapitre de la saga : Aurillac-Gecko summer tour 2012 avec en Guest star le talentueux musicien Senor markusen à l'entrevue :

Can you tell us the story of the one-man-sound-system you've created, the different steps you passed by to become what you are now ?

I started playing on the street 2 and a half years ago. I had been a didjeridu player since 1997, and an occasional percussionist for many years too, but never played everything together. I started playing on the street only a didjeridu and a shaker, and I slowly added other instruments but always thinking about the structure to hold them. I'm an architect, so it had to be like that! That slow process also allowed me to get familiar with every new instrument I added in the combo.

What is your impression about this Aurillac Festival ?

Unfortunately I was 2 days late, I couldn't see much of what went on and I have no reference from other years because it was my first time ever, but the impression I get of it is that it's a huge, huge festival but still things seem to be under control. The level is very high, the audience is really interested in the contents and it's quite literate as well. The festival seems to be also focused in linking artists with programmers, which I appreciate. I found it very professionaL.

In what kind of place do you habitually produce yourself, bars, public places or big festivals ?

My natural environment is the street, a particular spot in Barcelona's Parc Güell and also didjeridu festivals around Europe. But my goal take my show out of the didjeridu scene and find space in the general music-theatre scene, for which reason I've been travelling to many different festivals around Europe this summer

We heard you talk about your particular way of creating your own didjeridu, can you tell us more about ?

 I don't make my didjeridus, but the didjeridus that I play are a modern version of the traditional instrument. These are made with hemp paste, an evolution of a project that starts in Austria and continues in Australia -strange isn't it?- where it's somehow on standby now due to high costs of production. The people from Australia bought the patent to the people from Austria and now they've stop ther production because it's too expensive to afford.

What are your feelings when you are playing in front of people ?

Different everytime, but the ideal feeling takes place when I experience people's enjoyment of my performance and they give back the energy I send out initially, that exchange is the best!!

What kind of music are you listening, can you give us the name of some artist you like and some who influence you ?

At this very second I'm listening to Nicolas Jaar. I like all music, really all, and I listen to all music, but I believe electronic music is the style that has most influenced the music I'm making in this project. Probably Aphex Twin, Chemical Brothers, Daft Punk, german minimal techno, also Jay Dee... it's funny all of them are quite old stuff that keep influencing me today.

Have you played with other musicians before, what are the inconvenient or the positive point to play alone ?

I have played with other musicians for most of my career. The main inconvenience of playing with others is the difficulty to arrange appointments and to make things go ahead! However, differences among musicians are part of the real interest in sharing musical experiences. To be honest, I much prefer to play with other musicians, it's more fun!! But playing alone was an option given by the circumstances: more money when performing on the street, no need to arrange rehearsals but just rehearse anytime, anywhere and make the thing work quicker!

La traduction est pour bientôt !