GET SCHOOLED :: Sébastien Tellier

The 33 year old French multi-instrumentalist is no stranger to being erotic, from having fellow French friends like Air as well as making this year's album Sexuality, an "11-track meditation on lovemaking." After having his song featured in this year's Eurovision Song Contest (which is sort of like an American Idol between European countries), Tellier is landing in San Francisco Thursday, December 4 to bring his take on the new Parisian pop, as well as sitting down with us to talk about soft sex and V-neck shirts.

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Q: We are very thrilled to have you back in the States. I went into American Apparel a month or so ago and noticed ads for your new album, Sexuality. How did you get involved with the brand name to do a promotion which essentially released your album before record stores, [at] at a clothing store?

A: It was by chance. American Apparel and I share the same aesthetic for soft sex and easy color, and that links us with a similar philosophy. They even made a Sébastien Tellier t-shirt for me and started the promotion in July.

Q: I totally felt a perfect pairing. I have a bunch of friends who purchased the Sébastien Tellier tee. It's an ultra-deep V [neck], oversized tee, right?

A: Yes, you're correct.

Q: Speaking of your new album, Guy-Manuel de Homen-Christo [that also did Daft Punk] produced it. How did you connect with him?

A: Guy-Manuel is the best producer. He's really clever and doesn't use his brain when it comes to music; Guy feels the music. As for me, I'm a composer of the music and don't see some things that Guy does, so he's very good and does everything that I don't see. I'm a composer and I'm always thinking about the music from the beginning until the end of the day. It's always on my mind and he's a producer, always, and coming up with new things.

Q: He's brilliant, and your new album is great as well. Can you tell us about your live shows? Does it only feature you on stage?

A: It's a really intimate setting. I do have a band; there's four of us on stage. I've been on tour for the last year so this is a new band for this tour. I play guitar and channel. I want to see kisses in the crowd and have everyone excited to hear the songs.

Q: What about lights, visuals, projections? Do you have all of that stuff?

A: Lights are important to mood. We use soft pink lights that remind us of the 70's; it's a very natural setting, but also electronic. I want it to feel more real as if the spirit is "woody" so sometimes there's not too much light.

Q: Your video for "Divine" (which was also iTunes "Video of the Week" for New Music Tuesday) puts you in various venues like a library, liquor store, a ferris wheel, a police lineup. What was going through your head, or does it have meaning?

A: It wasn't trying to be hip; the video has no meaning. I just made it because I don't live just one life. If you're going to be happy, you got to live your life how you want to.

Interview by Shahim Ali

Pictures courtesy of management

GET SCHOOLED :: Claude VonStroke

Claude VonStroke is a busy cat. The Detroit transplant who cites San Francisco as home now is working on three separate projects while also balancing being a dad and a self-professed hater. But at the end of the day, it’s nice to see someone with a refreshing sense of honesty. Check out our Get Schooled edition with him below. Mr. VonStroke plays Mezzanine on Saturday, November 1.

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Q: Tell me a little about what’s on your plate at the moment.

A: For Mothership, we have a new album for Catz n Dogz for promoting. As for Dirtybird, we just got a new girl and her record is coming out in a couple weeks. I’m also working on an album, and Justin Martin has one too.

What is the process like for remixes? Do you approach that any differently?

Some people just try to do a different version of a song. I tend to make a new track each time. I go about it in the same way, though.

How did you make it out to the City? It seems San Francisco is sorta a long call from Detroit.

You know…I was dating this girl who wanted to move out here, and then she didn't end up going out here. [laughs] I didn't want to go back to L.A., and I didn’t want to go back to Detroit, so I stayed. I don’t know how I got out here sometimes.

With so much new music out there, how do you keep track of everything? Do you have friends or publications you have faith in?

Now it’s getting to be hard. We get over 100 promos a week and 30 download offers. It takes several hours of work. I try to listen to everything, but sometimes it takes me a little while. There’s going to be chances I will miss something. There are labels I usually trust, but with magazines, I don't really listen to at all [due to advance nature of reviewing releases].

On your MySpace page, you list yourself under “ghettotech.” I’m trying to wrap my head around that, especially since what I’m finding includes a lot of pornographic imagery.

It’s also a sound from Detroit that's usually called “booty;” it's just a style of music that is faster that my genre, but the beat of it is really funky in the pocket – big bass, the spirit of it…it's really dirty, yes, but it’s not only the lyrics, but the vibe on how the beats are done.

What can people who haven’t seen you live expect?

It kinda depends on how it’s going to go, what time I end up on. If I play before Switch, it will be one way; if I play after, I'll play another way. He plays gigantic, so I’m going to work with that.

What was the last song you got stuck in your head?

This track on Kindisch Records, “Thrill” by Philip Bader and Sascha Braemer.

So no, like, Hall & Oates or anything?

Oh, you mean regular music?

[laughs] Or whatever gets stuck!

Maybe Dora the Explorer – I hear it all the time with my two year-old around.

If you had the chance, would you pick a different name? Maybe VonTouch, or VonCaress?

It was just a total joke at first, but it caught on. My first track somehow got into lots of people’s hands and then I went with it. It's interesting how many Europeans don't get it, but people in America do it. Europeans really think it's a real name.

Is there anything you refuse to play?

Almost everything. I'm not even kidding. I'm really kind of a hater.

Really? [laughs]

There's just a lot of bad stuff that's out there. Less that half of one percent of it is good – and then maybe half of that. Certain bass patches – as soon as I hear it, the big room electro, [that] will just get shut off, I'll just put in the trash. Some people like it, but I definitely know what I like. I will go into any genre if the song is amazing, but I don't play any music that is bad.

Interview by Jenz

Pictures courtesy of Dirtybird

GET SCHOOLED :: Heidi

Last week we were excited to host Heidi; she's sure to be back soon, so check out the Get Schooled with her below!

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Heidi (Get Physical, U.K.) - a London-by-the-way-of-Ontario DJ known for her knack of pulling up infectious beats to bring to the dance floor! Playing for us Friday, August 8 with fellow headphone wearers Craig Kuna, Kevin Knapp, and Eric Sebastian.

Check out how New York City partied when she stopped by (courtesy of AirDropTV):

GET SCHOOLED :: Drop The Lime

We'll be starting a new feature called "Get Schooled" (a working title, as this is as clever as Jenz can get hungover on a Monday), where we spotlight upcoming artists with videos, photos, interviews, and whatever other educational tools we can get our grubby hands on. The first one ran last week; check it!

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Drop The Lime: a New York producer and DJ who knows what a party should be! DJs from Argentinian spectacular Club Zizek and SF's Tormenta Tropical also join in spinning for you on July 24. Check out what you'll be on board for: