LES DISCRETS Interview is up Finally folks 6/23/2010

LES DISCRETS

http://www.myspace.com/lesdiscrets

1. I know nothing of LES DISCRETS tell the world a bit about this
project..

Les Discrets is my musical approach of my artistic goals. I mean that
it's an activity besides animated films and illustrations. It helps me
to complete what animated films and pictures can not explain.

2. LES DISCRETS mixes very delicate and complex sounds all into one I
hear a lot of bands like Old Dead Tree, Katatonia, Dan Swano and Klimt
1918 with other post rock and ethereal elements. In your style did
take a very long while to get to this point?

I don't really remember and I also didn't really noticed. My music
clearely changed when I discovered Epic45. It's a british band, really
calm and progressive. Anathema did have and still have a big influence
on me. But I am not really able to notice how I evolved over the
years. Basically, I would say it took me 4 years to really find my
current style, which is about to change all my life anyway so....

3. Your working with Prophecy Productions a very mysterious label in
its own rights to most in North America. How did that come to be and
are you proud to be on the same label as brilliant bands like Tenhi,
The Bleak vision and Dorenreich to say the least?

Ho yes. I'm proud, happy and honoured. Prophecy is the BEST label I
could have found. they understood, support and trust in Les Discrets
and it's an honour for me to be signed on such an artistic and clever
label. And as you said, the bands they signed are really really good
bands usually...

4. If the members of LES DISCRETS were asked to explain the musical
creation how would you do so?

Usually I don't answer this question, but I want to point something I
said in previous interviews. I thought that composing the drums meant
to say "I want a 4/4 with double kick there and then a slow tempo afer
it". But I actually noticed that this is not composing drums at all!
So I want that to be clear, because Winterhalter actually composed 70%
of the drums (breaks and nuances which is composition of course...)
based on the ideas I had. We rehearsed 4 days before entering the
studio and he recorded the drums in 2 days... He is really a talented
drummer and I had to clear this point because he played very well
considering the short time we had. I really dont want people to think
that he was just a robot who played what I want. We discussed about
it, and my mistake was to think that I composed drums, and it was not
true.

5. I do hear a strong Northern Folkish Black metal element would you
agree the band holds this sound dear?

Yes. Definitely. The funny thing is that many people told me "it
sounds like Ulver - Bergtatt". The thing is that the album that
inspired me the most is Kvelsfanger. And I didn't know Bergtatt when I
composed the first album. I actually wanted to make a mix between epic
folk metal and Arvo Part... But now I know Bergtatt very well.
Fantastic album to me.

6. The tracks are so dense and full how does one create these in the
studio is it over layers of tracking or can you make this in a live
setting in the studio with very few over dubs???

You're right. The studio songs are full of arrangements and layers.
But live performance is something else and it's not interesting to use
samples on stage to re-create what you did on the album. I'll buy a
sampler pedal, and we'll try with the live bands to make it similar
but really "live". It's much more interesting. Considering it, the
songs will certainly be different. But that's interesting. It allows
the songs to have a new life "live". don't you think?

7. The acoustic element seems very important to LES DISCRETS there is
something very personal as yet disturbing about a clean acoustic
guitar and string movement would you say so?

To me, the acoustic guitar gives the picture of wood and soil. That's
why I use it. It adds to the music something organic which is missing
with the electric distorded guitar. I will always use it because it's
really important that Les Discrets sounds organic. It does not mean
that I'll always make arppegios, but anyway, we can use it in so many
different ways!


8. Being that LES DISCRETS came from the roots of Alcest I hear
similar Ideals but I feel your much more ritualistic and nature based
in sounds and feelings. again a much more fragile and flowing project.
Do you feel the human spirit has lost its way in 2010???

Les Discrets does not come from the roots of Alcest. It's not because
the album was released a long time after Alcest that it means that
it's made thanks to Alcest. Of course, it inspired me in some points
etc, but Les Discrets is a will to do my own universe in music. Since
we are best friends with Neige since decades, our music have common
points indeed. I don't think the human spirit has lost his way in
2010. I don't really care about the human being, but mostly about my
feelings and the untouchables powers of life, death and love, things
that human cannot control. Les Discrets is fragile yes, at least, it's
the point of view of someone who is affraid of Death.



9. Are there any up and coming bands out there that really shine to
the members of LES DISCRETS?

I think that Lantlôs is going to become a very very cult band in a few
years. Herbst is a genius and his music is full of modernity. If it
does not find his audience now, it'll find it soon or later. " .neon"
is a masterpiece. For those who don't know this bands, it's released
now on Prophecy Productions. Listen to this. That's the future of music!

10. Is it better to let the music do the talking for bands or is Image
and Fashion a essential needs in todays modern band?

I think it depends of the goal of the bands. For Les Discrets, the
pictures and visual universe is as much important that the music. But
it's not a commercial visual that helps to sell. it's a visual that
supports the music if you already know the music. I think that the
aesthetic and fashion in music works for Madonna and Tokyo Hotel, but
we're no more speaking of music..

11. My last question is a difficult one for most bands please be as
honest at possible please. Do you feel that in 2010 labels are really
needed or can bands with help on Myspace, Digital releases and
internet radio make a name and have success with out them .

Just look
at bands like NIN, Radiohead and now Shadows fall etc???
Very interesting question.
The labels are less needed than before indeed. For example, Radiohead
released one of their latest album only on internet, free download (or
you can give as much moeny as you want if you want to do so) and it
worked out very well. But they are able to do it because in the past
they had good labels that did good promotions etc. It's wrong to think
that labels are useless because they anyway have lots of contacts,
journalists, distribution and marketing skills (yes, music is still a
business) bands do not have. I would not be able to enter and pay a
studio without Prophecy. To answer the question, bands usually need a
label at least at the beginning. And when they are enough famous, and
if they are not affraid of all the contracts, pressing plant stuff,
distribution etc etc, they can go ahead without them. But it becomes a
full day job and it's not my kind...

12. Thank you for the time any last thoughts please place here....
Thanks a lot and sorry for the huge delay. I was too busy to answer
the interview earlier... Hopefully Prophecy is behind me to kick my
butt anyway! :-)