Louis La Roche AMA 02/08/2019
AMA:
Q: Favorite track produced?
Favourite track of mine is probably Back to You or All I Had. There’s a song from the new album called ‘What You Wanted’ and it’s my favourite song at the moment. In terms of songs I’ve produced, I’m super happy with how Crystal Bats — Anyone turned out.
Q: In the future what do you see yourself doing?
I’d love to go further into production for other artists, bands, DJ’s. It’s a big passion of mine, as much as I like writing my own music, I think collaboration with singers is really where my heart lies.
Q: What’s your take on the trajectory of the Future Funk scene, given the changes it has gone through since the days of Hit Vibes?
I think Future Funk is probably here to stay for a while longer. It seems to be changing again recently in turns of its sound. There’s far more experimentation being done these days, and I think that can only be a good thing.
Q: Do you have a favorite producer?
It changes everyday, I like so many different genres. Daft Punk, Prince and Michael Jackson are probably my biggest influences.
Q: What’s your favorite childhood movie?
Back To The Future, Indiana Jones, The BFG, Braindead.
Q: How would you compare future funk and French House? Is Future Funk the continuation of French house or something else entirely?
I think French House tends to be more loop based and heavy on filters. FF is more focused on 80’s Japanese Funk artists as it’s sample source compared with American Disco and Funk that French House samples. Plus I think French House is more DJ friendly, whereas most FF is made my bedroom DJ’s who don’t really see nightclubs as their market.
Q: What do you think has been the main different with music distribution from the 2000s to today?
Everything! CD sales are pretty much dead, the divide between majors and independents has massively narrowed, and the chance to have a ‘hit record’ is pretty much stronger thanks to algorithms.
Q: What was the most important moment in your musical career?
Most important moment? Hmm that’s a tough one. I suppose failing. When you fail, you have to pick yourself back up again. When a release doesn’t do well, or a show is empty, it forces you to rethink what your decisions are. You learn and you grow, that’s what this industry is all about.
Q: What artists or genres outside of French House and disco/funk do you enjoy the most? Side question: Have you ever had any project before this one?
Pop, Jazz, RnB. I think RnB is probably my second biggest influence. I remember have Aaliyah’s self-titled CD around the same time Daft Punk’s Discovery came out (2000 or 2001?). I would have been 10 or 11. So it really had an impact on me. Timbaland’s beat really had an impact on me. Later I discovered J Dilla, and that’s where I learnt all about swinging drums and taking things off-grid.
Q: Have you ever had any project before this one?
Yeah I’ve had a couple of side projects (EWE, Paddywaggle) but I first started producing in 2006 as Night Facilities.
Q: How did you get onto the stylo remix?
It was just a bootleg at first, and I heard Gorillaz liked it, so they kind of endorsed it! It never got an official release though. There’s lots of unreleased remixes I’ve done for big names that have never been released. My biggest was for Madonna, she really liked it. She has a say on who remixes her, so that was cool, but the label changed their mind on what the single would be, so it never came out!
Q: For any artist just starting out, what would you recommend as go-to sample packs or VSTs to hit the ground running?
Honestly it doesn’t matter. Just find a good all around synth and learn it like the back of your hand. Instead of just clicking through presets, you’ll be able to turn the sounds you hear in your head into real sounds. It’s all about limitations.
Q: When and how did you start to produce music and Future Funk?
I started producing on a 4-track recorder when I was 12–14, then I got FL Studio at 15, and started putting out French House music at 17 in 2008. Though I wouldn’t say my music started out as Future Funk, I definitely think that a lot of what I’ve written could be labeled as Future Funk. The Peach EP, Me & Her EP, Super Soaker EP, and most recently Don’t Hold Back EP and Dusty Cassette EP.
Q: Any thoughts about collabing with a future funk producer?
Never say never! I think if the persons ideas are good enough and their production skill is up there, then yeah sure. I think it’s all about experience and time plays a big part in that. It will be interesting to hear where producers just starting out now, will sound in 5 years.
Q: Do you have any hobbies other than music production?
I’m big into film! I think if I wasn’t a musician, I’d probably go into making films and music videos.
Q: Are there any new and interesting artists you’re getting into, whether it be in the Future Funk or French House community? Or are you sticking more to the old school stuff for general listening?
Check out my Spotify playlist ‘Louis La Roche Selection’. It contains only new music and small artists that I love.
Q: What is your music production wisdom for beginners?
Learn a synth like the back of your hand, have limitations, look into mixing way way before you look into mastering, parallel compression is your best friend.
Q: What kind of films do you watch?
I’m big into crime and gangster films, but also Science Fiction films. Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese, Quintin Tarantino, David Fincher, Stanley Kubrick, Wes Anderson.
Q: What’s your take on the growing move the Future Funk scene is making from the bedroom to live venues? With your experience, do you see any parallels with other EDM / house genres?
I think people need to take their time more. A lot of the FF I hear works really well on digital platforms and in headphones, but wouldn’t convert well in a live setting. That’s why French House works better due to it’s House connection, simplicity and repetitiveness. FF producers need to focus on getting the best out of the samples they’re using, EQing properly, not compressing too much, have long intros and outros for DJ’s, having good dynamics and builds etc etc. It’s the same with what happened with Dubstep. It grew out of Garage and people at first didn’t really know what it’s sound really was. Eventually so many people knew Dubstep as the ‘wub wub wub’ genre and it became a parody of itself. I really hope FF doesn’t go the same way.
Q: Besides DJ’ing and producing, do you play any instrument?
Keys, Guitar and Bass. I sing too!
Q: Pick or fingers?
Fingers for bass, pick for guitar.
Q: What attracted you to the MJ Falling In Love track for “Love”?
I’m a big MJ fan and that song was kind of slept on. I guess because it’s more of a ‘ballad’ or ‘slow jam’. I just loved those rhodes chords as the drums and bass come in and the way he sings ‘cry’, I put it on loop and the rest is history!
Q : Your favourite album from MJ?
Honesty it’s changes all the time. I love the deeper cuts on Thriller, like Baby Be Mine and Lady In My Life, but I owe a big source of inspiration to Teddy Riley and the work he did on the Dangerous album. In terms of listening to an album all the way through though, I’d probably pick Bad, simply because I adore the synth sounds and massive snares that Bruce Swedien made.
Q: Is there any chance we get a sequel to REDGIANTS or your Scenery Mixtapes series to hear more of your unreleased tracks?
Yes! I have so many demos from this new album, the most I’ve ever written for a project. So I think a sequel to REDGIANTS sounds like a good way to put them out! I still really want to go a new Mixtape similar to Scenery, it just takes a long time. I love digging through records in person, that’s why there’s so much Soul records on the Scenery tapes. So yeah, it’s gonna happen!
Q: How do you feel about touring? Has playing shows across the globe and interacting with so many different crowds shaped the way you prepare your sets and write your music?
Totally! I used to DJ other peoples music a lot. A typical DJ set I guess, but as I’ve got older I’ve released people really want to hear your own stuff, so my sets have morphed into a semi-live show too. I still play other peoples records, but when I play my own, I have all the stems ready at my fingertips, so I can do a live version right there in realtime. Putting FX on things, taking things out, putting elements on loop etc. I definitely put the music I write in two boxes now. Music for listening and music for the club. I know there’s two very different markets for both and I’m honoured that people like each side. I try not to focus too much on one over the other but It happens sometimes. This new album is very relaxed and isn’t really club music at all!
Q: How much can we expect from your new label?
It’s just gonna be a cool way of outputting some artists that I like. No rules, just good music. If I like a song someone sends me enough, I’ll release it. I’m tough to please though!
Q: The concept for “Do U Wanna Ride” is based around slow RnB ballads from the 90’s but what was the process for you choosing the Acapellas?
I just wanted to pay tribute to all though ballads I grew up on. I found a couple of acapellas in the same key and worked out a new structure for the verses/pre choruses/ and choruses.
Q: What are your top 5 Future Funk artists right now?
I’ll give you 3, In no particular order, Letherette, Proux and Vantage.
Q: Do you plan on making a 2006 ep?
1986 and 1996 were both made in 2016, and I did start on a 2006 but I didn’t feel like a had enough ideas for it. So I never finished it!
Q: Any last words?
Thank you for your questions people! Hope that was as fun for you as it was for me.
This AMA was held in the Future Funk Subreddit Discord. Join it here: https://discord.gg/guF4qvU
