Minimal Wave Records

1. Are you originally from the Toulouse area? What was the music scene like growing up there?

I am from the Toulouse area. Actually, I was born in the Pyrennes Mountains and spent about 6 years in Germany near Stuttgart, and 3 years in Paris and well…the music scene was rock, jazz rock, and rock blues. I must say I was the first “Combo” of electronic music in Toulouse, quickly followed by bands more “New Wave” and “Pop”. At this point, people were asking “but where is the drummer? and where is the guitarist?”

2. Please tell us more about your interest in music. What attracted you to electronic music? and what about painting? We love the Jazz Mad painting, who is pictured there?

I actually have 5000 vinyls and 2000 cds more or less. I am interested in Brian Eno, Electric Prunes, Kim Fowley, early Pink Floyd, Cab, King Crimson, Hawkind, Gong, Amon Duul, Neu!, and so on….Klaus Schulze, Ash Ra, Heldon, Suicide and Coldwave, etc. Electronic music attracted me because the action is faster than making a painting and the construction / emotion / feeling is like a painting, by touch or by frequencies…
The painting on the Jazz Mad lp is one that I made in the 80’s. The girl on the cover was my girlfriend at the time, Myriam and the boy is me. I make all the covers and many paintings.

3. What is behind the title ADN Ckrystall and how was it formed? 

ADN’ means DNA, and Ckrystall is crystal (2 ‘l’s is for all, and ck is for erick) but in French it also means “Attaque de Nuit” (Night Attack!). Every noise can be a waveform, we are all made of ADN’ Ckrystall!

4. We love the lyrics on Jazz Mad. Can you write a little story, a few lines about each track title for us? and Pour l’Amour d’un Cygne (is this from the Greek myth by any chance?)

The Jazz Mad lp was recorded in 3 days! and mixed in 1 day! Not much time! Not much money! but the naive attitude! AND Passion!
Cocaina Vitamina: Many say that this title is always asked about and really appreciated in some German clubs (80s style electro) and in Sweden, Holland, and Belgium. This is why I’ve finished 2 totally new versions of the song.
Pour L’Amour d’un Cygne: Yes, you are the first to discover that! REALLY!!... but it is also a French joke: Pour l’amour d’un Signe (for the love of a sign)
Puckies Power: Puckies are the little people from the Underworld and Heroic Fantasy and Fairies (like the ones on the Jazz Mad Cover)
Haschich T’es pas Cap, another French joke. “HA! Chiche t’es pas cap…” means “HA! You’re unbelievable…”
Dragon’s Caravan and Spanik Electronics: I only had one day for these two tracks so I ran around and with the microphone from the studio, recorded my heart BOMP! and my whispers and a mic taped under my feet to recreate the sound. A police siren and the story can begin…
Tam tam samba: orginally for the radio.
Deutsches Napalm and Biba Angel: This was the in-edit ep ‘84 - Biba Angel for my girlfriend and D.N. for our rebel attitude.
VCO-VCA-VCF, Pitch Frequently Delights the Brain, Coelacanthe Sonar, Melancholie Fluo, Talk Fight Modular Box: from the Museum EP series tapes (3) previews for a flexi, inserted in an art magazine, but I only have the magazine, and the flexi does exist? but where? In Italy? Fortunately, I have the masters! Very experimental just 1 sq10, 1 ms20, 1 dr rhythm box, and 1 korg delta and 1 revor ‘77.

5. Do any of the songs from your career give you a particular satisfaction? 

Yes, Cocaina Vitamina from ADN, Electricity and some unreleased tracks… it’s hard to answer this question.

6. I am listening to Manuel Gottsching’s Sunrain right now. The sounds are very cosmic, more on the bright side, but somehow remind me a bit of ADN Ckrystall. Did you have any connection to Ashra Temple.. I read somewhere (meltingclose.de) that perhaps you did?

I like Manual Gottsching, no connection with Ashra but yes I have some connection with ex Tangerine Dream (Schroeder/Star Sound Orchestra).

7. You started playing in the late 1970’s along with Tim Blake, Gong, and others. We’d love to hear any memories or reflections you have regarding the french music scene of the late 1970’s.

In the late 70s, the french music scene was very varied and more personal.

8. “Jazz Mad” strikes us as a uniquely personal and visionary record. We hear a wide range of musicial references. Please tell us the story behind this album. What were your primary musical inspirations and influences?

The influences range from Magma, Heldon to Bernd Szajner, and at the time I would play alone with synthesizers for 2-3 hours in a live setting where people (as we say actually chill out) are seated, stand, smoke and have time to come into the music and visual projections.

9. How was “Jazz Mad” received at the time of release?

I had press articles with JM Jarre and Klaus Schulze! It was well received by radios, specialized press and I had about 20 live shows in French towns.

10. Your second record featured what has been described as an underground hit, “Deutsch Napalm.” Did you enjoy much club or radio play?

I enjoy clubs a lot (for live and dj sets) but God Bless Radio!

11. Rumor has it ADN Ckrystall’s shows featured a multimedia presentation. Please describe your live shows for us! What equipment did you use for your live shows?

Rumors? Tell me more about it. But it is reality! : )
Actually ADN is me for music and Arnaud does the visuals (with about 19 slide projectors and 8mm and super 8 projectors), so it has a visual dimension and is more than ‘art movies’. I come with 3 keyboards, 1 microphone but perhaps this year we will try with a bassist and another friend just to see how the ADN spirit can grow.

12. What images do you think your music conveys? Did you play this up during live shows?

For animorph, as images like the national geographic nature images. For ADN, dark and cold and romantic. Yes we play a spectacle, underground but “Chic!”

13. Do you remember where and when you bought your first synth? Was it the Korg MS-20 prototype? What other instruments did you use, particularly the set up to record Jazz Mad?

First synth was the Multiman S Crumar. Korg ms20 Prototype is the first ms20, only 100 copies were made. The Jazz Mad set up is here:

14. It looks like you are working on some current projects. What are your plans or ambitions for the next couple years? Why did you choose Dr Strange for your current project name? Does it have to do with the Marvel comics character, master of the occult?

During the next couple of years: I am working on the last animorph (3)
-mygoles and scorpions cd 3/3
-SSR009-006 & 010 on vinyl
-new adn album and adn eps trilogy
-live shows for “Animorph” in Spain and France, about 6 dates, and live shows “Art Contemporain” & Ambient DJ sets about 12 dates
-and….and….
-Yes, Dr Strange is the Master of the Occult, with Agomotto’ege from Marvel!!

15. What is your typical day like? And your favorite films or books if you have any?

After having a coffee (and 2 more coffees)—> shower—> feed the cats—-> see moils—-> water for my reptiles—->take a walk in the little forest—-> little eating——> studio or dj desk—-> portal reception—-> eating—->studio/friends/club/poetry/reading, Voila!
My favorite films:
1/ Brazil
2/ 2001 Space Oddyssey
3/ Phantom of Paradise
4/ Pink Floyd Pompeii

My favorite books:
1/ Rock Machine by Norman Spinrod
2/ Demain Les Chiens by Clifford D Simak
3/ Legends de le fin de siecles by M Moorcock

My favorite comics:
1/ Vuaghn Bode
2/ Robert Crumb
3/ Richard Corben
My favorite music recently:
1/ Colder (cd)
2/ Last Todd Rungren
3/ Last Klaus Schulze and P. Namlook (DSOTM #10) and the last Richard Pinhas “Schizotrope”

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