This month we have an interview and a mixtape with a very special guest,the north american producer and head of the Tigers On A Leash Records, Lou Teti. Check the interview, the mixtape and the promo animation that I made with exclusive soundtrack by Lou Teti
How was the beginning? and what are your tips for the beginners?
I started producing music in the late 90s, so it's actually a little hard for me to remember the details from the beginning, ha. But I've played guitar since high school. I started making music with a computer as soon as I got one and although this seems almost unbelievable at this point, I didn't get my first computer until I was in college. I was recording with a four track before that. It sounded horrible! But it was fun. I spent years making tunes that no one will ever hear, you know, the tunes may have sucked, but you learn as you go and everything starts to come together after some experience. As far as tips, I would say that when you're getting started sometimes the biggest difficulty is 'what to do next'. You get to a certain point in a production and you don't know how to finish. Just move on to something else. Don't sit there trying to rework the existing elements, or endlessly previewing patches. But for me, it's always good to keep moving on something instead of getting stuck. Eventually you will get to a point where you complete tracks. Also, I think taking a bit of time to learn to play an instrument is a very good idea. It can help you get your ideas out faster.
Which are your biggest influences? And who are the best and worst today acts in your opinion?
I've got a lot of influences, I think, and they seem to be changing all the time. The one's that have stuck with me long term are probably the old rock & roll. Queen, Led Zeppelin to name a few. But also 80s dance and pop. I'll always love that stuff, it's just so fun for me. Maybe it's because that was the music from my childhood, but I love it. As far as new acts that I like... I like anything that fuses multiple sounds in a new and interesting way. In the genre, I'm really digging guys like Psychemagik, Drop Out Orchestra, groups like that. I like how they bring something unique to the table, their own character. These days there are so many people making music, it's harder to have your own voice, so I love it when I hear an artist that does. I admire anyone who is creating, and I don't feel like I have the right to say anything bad about anyones art, so I'll skip the 'worst' part of the question. : )
Which are your favorite places to play? And your favorites to have fun?Do you have plans to come to make a South American tour including Brazil?
Well, I actually don't play that many gigs. To be honest it stresses me out! Ha. That said, I do play gigs from time to time because it's basically the only way to make money for all the work I put in. I always have fun when I have some new tracks to try out on the crowds. It's nice to watch people dancing to something that you just made the day before. I try to keep a few tracks that I only play at gigs to keep things fresh and it helps me decide if I should make any changes before the release. And yes, I'd LOVE to come to Brazil. Know any good promoters? : )
How your creative process work?
I usually start with a basic drum part that I like. Then lay some bass on top of it. After that I just keep layering synths, guitar, vocals and more drums. After I lay in some vocal melody, then I write the lyrics and re-record. Lastly, I take away a lot of the stuff that I added. :) In general, I don't usually have a plan for a track. I just start layering elements and then an idea starts to form as I go.
You have a cool gear collection in your studio, which are your favorite ones? and which was your first one?
Well, I have to say probably my favorite instrument is my guitar, a 1980 SG. Love that guitar. I have a few others, but I basically only play that one. As far as synths are concerned I've had tons of hardware synths over the years... Juno 106, pro one, sh-101, Jupiter 6, and a lot more. I really love to play analog synths so I like to have them around, but from a production standpoint I'm not an analog purist at all. Honestly, my favorite synth of all time is spectrasonics omnisphere. I use omni for probably about 60 to 70% of the sounds you hear in my music. I've been using it for years and I still find it sounding fresh and inspiring. Also, finding the right sound (and then customizing it) is incredibly quick and intuitive. Eric Persing is a genius. These days I'm also adding a lot of percussion and bass to my tracks. I have a lot of hand percussion instruments and an awesome mustang bass from the 70s.
What Tigers on a Leash reserves in 2012?
I have two more releases of my own almost ready to go. Hopefully one will be out by the end of the month. I'm also working on few releases with other artists... Some names you might be farmilar with and a few others who maybe you haven't heard of yet. And eventually I think I'd like to do a full length album, but that may be a while off. The album material that I'm putting together might be a little more diverse, not exclusively for the dance floor. Also, I'm working on a graphic re-design so we may see a new look soon.
What was the funniest and weirdest thing ever happened on a gig?
Well, after a gig in Detroit last year my friend (who is a Doctor) was driving me home and we drove right up to a car crash that just happened. After waiting for a while the ambulance never came so we ended up taking the injured driver to the hospital. She looked like she wasn't going to make it, but she actually ended up fine, just a few broken ribs. Not really a 'gig' story, but it's the best I got.
What are your dreams? Your motivation?
Tough question! I don't really know. I think I'm motivated by the great response I've gotten from so many people. It makes me want to keep making more music for sure. Also, other music gets me inspired. When I hear some nice music it makes me want to go into the studio.
How do you think the place you live in have influenced in your music ?
Well, NYC is pretty fast paced. Everyone is always rushing around. I'm not sure that has a direct influence on my music, but it does keep me energized and motivated to keep creating. Though at this point I'm trying to find a place in the country to set up a studio. I have a little too much gear piling up and I'd love to be able to go out to the country and work without any distractions. Maybe nature will give me some new inspiration too!
What is harder, mix a track or a tv show?
Definitely music for me at this point. I mix TV shows for a solid 8 hours a day, so I've got a system down. Additionally, when I mix a TV show, I'm providing a mix for someone else, so I get less attached to the material which allows me to make more objective decisions. When I mix music, it can be hard to let one of my (bad) ideas die, and sometimes that is the most important part.
As a label owner what do think about the labels on our time and about piracy ?
Of course I would love if piracy didn't exist, but it does. It's just a fact of life at this point, so I don't let it get me too angry or annoyed. Most musicians have to face the fact that they are not going to make money from record sales. So if you want to make a career out of music you'll have to be gigging a lot, or get creative about how to make a few bucks. A small electronic label such as TOAL is the same thing. I think most people would be surprised to find out how little money a dance single earns these days. There is a bright side to it though, it's less likely that I will do a remix or something that I don't like just for the money.
You were a Jazz player right?Have you ever heard brazilian music? and what do you think about this tropical influence in todays music?
Yes, I've had a listened to any played a lot of different types of music. One of my good friends JKriv has been a huge fan of Brazilian music for many years. He's a great Pandeiro player and he's exposed me to a lot of Brazilian music. I also had to learn a lot of bossa patterns when studying the guitar in college. I'm not sure that Brazilian music has necessarily influenced my music a lot, but I've always liked it. The rhythm. If anything, I think you may hear some Caribbean flavors in some of my tunes, especially a few that I'm working on now .
Mixtape tracklist: 1. Golden Train / Penguin Prison 2. The Journey (Kolombo Remix) / Sander Kleinberg/Kraak & Smaak feat. Ursula Rucker 3. The Line / Wave Machines 4. Los Rumberos De La Muerte (Kid Who Remix) / Billy Bogus 5. Crime Pays (Cereal Spiller Remix) / Bear Hands 6. Head Up High (Lou Teti Remix) / Andrew Clarke 7. Nice Day (the Moves Nice Mix) / Persephone's Bees 8. This Is The Love / Satin Jackets & Rocco Raimundo 9. When You're Dancing (Extended Version) / Gigamesh 10. Mirikal / Juslo 11. Can You Get It (Black Magic Disco Remix) / Felipe Sa 12. Central Reservation / Beth Orton
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