Laurent Garnier On Princess Di, the Queen and Poisoning Margaret Thatcher
Author: Angie Ng / Jonty Adderley
Friday, January 4, 2002
It was in 1987, however, that he first blagged (fast talked) himself a DJ residency at Manchester's world renowned Hacienda club, spinning alongside his old flat mate Sasha. By 1990, he'd successfully established himself as one of the world's top techno DJs, years before Daft Punk would come along to fertilize his roots.
Never comfortable with categorisation, he began disowning his techno DJ tag almost as soon as it stuck, and went on to set up ultra cool jazz/electronica labels FNAC then later F Communications. Also involved in a British number 1 pop hit, Mr Ozio' Flat Beat (courtesy of Levi's use of the track for an advert) he remains one of dance culture's most vocal and long term champions.
"The most impressive person I ever served was the Queen," says Laurent Garnier, straight faced and without irony. "When she stepped out of that car and I had to open the door and say "Good evening Your Royal Highness, blah blah blah", it was like Wow! The emotions I felt were really strong. Even the French president didn't 'hit' me as strongly as she did, emotionally."
That Laurent Garnier once met the Queen of England as well as Princess Diana and even bonkers ex British PM Margaret Thatcher is just one of the many surprising things about France's number one ambassador of dance. Meeting up with Skrufff's Angie Ng in Malaysia last weekend, he was typically charming with just one exception- "I always hated to be called 'Laurent Garnier - techno DJ'," he said.
Skrufff (Angie Ng): I read somewhere that you're very serious when DJing, so much so that you don't even smile …
Laurent Garnier: "That's not true, it was probably a bad night. If I'm having a good time I dance and I dance a lot when I'm DJing- a hell of a lot! But it's true I concentrate very much and I take DJing very seriously because I want to do the best that I can. I don't drink too much until towards the end of my sets so I can concentrate at the beginning. I'll be thinking 'How can I catch this crowd, where can I go-' and because I play so many different styles of music I really need to be aware about where I'm going. I can't really concentrate with a big smile on my face looking really stupid. So, sometimes I may look quite serious but I'm actually enjoying myself very much."
Skrufff: Very few real bands have emerged from dance culture compared to rock, with Underworld, The Chemical Brothers and Orbital being the main exceptions, why-
Laurent Garnier: "The reason these bands have emerged is because they're rock-orientated as well. I'm just beginning to cross over now with my live show and we now perform at rock and jazz festivals. We've completely stopped doing raves and places like that. I think you're limiting yourself when you do a live show if you're a techno band. You are actually limited by the amount of people that buy your album and the amount of people that like techno. So, the only way to cross over is by either playing at rock festivals or adding elements into your music that will attract a different crowd. Underworld did it because they have a singer and the Chemical Brothers did it because they're quite rock orientated musically. Orbital could be an exception but they've done it because they've made such huge tracks."
Skrufff: reading up on your background, one reference book suggests you're most associated with Flat Eric (Mr. Oizo) whereas other sources still link you with techno, how do you prefer to describe yourself-
Laurent Garnier: "As somebody who plays good music. I don't think I'm a techno DJ, I think I'm a DJ that plays techno, as well as house, Tags