The Devil is magnetic. He invites us in his crazy circus, that is the brand new album of Monsieur Bernard Fevre, known as Black Devil Disco Club.
The year starts for Black Devil Disco Club witha brand new release. We've already listened to "My Screen" from the upcoming album "Circus". What should we expect from this album?
"Yes, there's a new Black Devil Disco Club coming out on Aprin 11th. I believe it's a very surprising one. I hope you'll be surprised too. It's called CIRCUS and I am proud of it!"
Are there any other collaborations except Nicolas Ker?
"The first extract of CIRCUS was called "My Screen" and featured Nicolas Ker from french new wave rockers Poni Hoax. It was a very eary collaboration as we both live in Paris. I had composed the track and also had some ideas for lyrics. he came to my place, and after a short time he came up with some words which fit perfectly. It's weird, sexy, scary, with a strange sense of humour. There's also pretty wild backing vocals from his lovely girlfriend. Then Pierre Dejon, a promising young director from Paris, came along with the idea of music video, shot in Paris by night with 4 characters. It's a bit like Videodrome of David Cronenberg. I love it. The Sauvage and Sal P from Liquid Liquid did two remixes, which are really different from the original but very groovy. For the rest of the record, there are some really cool guests as well. Some are famous, some are not. Each one is part of this crazy circus, but I remain the ringmaster. I am Black Devil in case you were doubting!
When is the next single coming out?
"The second single will be with Cocknbullkid, a young girl from UK, produced by Metronomy. I did a remix for them a while ago. Danger and Monkpoof made remixes for this single. It'll be out at the end of April I believe... The way Anita (aka Cocknbullkid) sings these lyrics, reminds me the cover of the 1978 record I did. A sexy black devil girl smiling. Scary but attractive."
Why did you choose the name "Circus"?
"As I said, CIRCUS is a record with guests. I'm the boss, the MC, the ringmaster. Everyone performs in the arena and remains under the influence of Black Devil. It's simple as that, ni exception. It's a kind of dictature... I'm kidding! Well, not really actually. In the artwork, once again designed by Non Format, you can see a "circus". It's maybe more a pop album than the previous, but still the "devil is magnetic", as the last song suggests. This sound is in my soul and I still compose and produce the way I used to. Some parts of my work have been helped by technology, but basically, I try to find new tricks in my brain, which is a strange world sometimes..."
Your first release was in 1978 and is extremely hard to find. Tell us a few words about that record. What was your inspiration for that extremely different sound?
"I wanted to do a new kind of disco, unconventional, more wild, more visual, less cheap or vulgar. I've always been a fan of black american music from the 60s plus the Beatles as well. Chopi, Ravel, Wilson Pickett, Damia, Yvette Guilbert... I could spend hours. Anyway, I also loved some french music from the 30s till 50s and some cinema, mostly french and italian, and of course some sci-fi stuff from the 60s. Utopia and stress at the same time."
How was your life and what were you doing between 1978 and 2004 when "Disco Club" was re-issued?
"I used to be in love. In love with the girl, with life, with the world, with friendship, with french wine and cuisine. Life seemed easy, soft and not as expensive as now. I used to go out in clubs like "Le Bus Paladium", "Le Rock 'n' Roll Circus", "La Bulle", "Le Gibus", "Le Palace" and some others everyone forgot. After the failure of my 1978 record, I was kinda depressed and I thought I could only make music as a craftsman to survive, not as an artist. I did some production, some commercials, radio jingles... till 2006. I thought Black Devil was definitely dead, but after some magic, I did this record "28 After" back in 2006, which took me almost two years of writing and producing. It took me some time to recover my skills and bring back old images I had in mind. But, I made it! I'm a working man!"
How did you start your relationship with music?
"When I was 5 years old I was playing with my two hands on every keyboard I would see, so my parents bought me some classic music lessons, which I've never liked, but then, I discovered rock 'n' roll, and that was mind-blowing. Back in the time, I was working in a factory, so it took me 3 years to buy my first keyboard, just before my military service in 1965. I also had the chance to meet a jazzman, who taught me a lot of things. Still useful more than 40 years after. Pretty good investment!"
What are your future plans?
"I really don't know. It depends. if CIRCUS is a failure, then I'll wait 28 years to make another come back. :)"
The year starts for Black Devil Disco Club witha brand new release. We've already listened to "My Screen" from the upcoming album "Circus". What should we expect from this album?
"Yes, there's a new Black Devil Disco Club coming out on Aprin 11th. I believe it's a very surprising one. I hope you'll be surprised too. It's called CIRCUS and I am proud of it!"
Are there any other collaborations except Nicolas Ker?
"The first extract of CIRCUS was called "My Screen" and featured Nicolas Ker from french new wave rockers Poni Hoax. It was a very eary collaboration as we both live in Paris. I had composed the track and also had some ideas for lyrics. he came to my place, and after a short time he came up with some words which fit perfectly. It's weird, sexy, scary, with a strange sense of humour. There's also pretty wild backing vocals from his lovely girlfriend. Then Pierre Dejon, a promising young director from Paris, came along with the idea of music video, shot in Paris by night with 4 characters. It's a bit like Videodrome of David Cronenberg. I love it. The Sauvage and Sal P from Liquid Liquid did two remixes, which are really different from the original but very groovy. For the rest of the record, there are some really cool guests as well. Some are famous, some are not. Each one is part of this crazy circus, but I remain the ringmaster. I am Black Devil in case you were doubting!
When is the next single coming out?
"The second single will be with Cocknbullkid, a young girl from UK, produced by Metronomy. I did a remix for them a while ago. Danger and Monkpoof made remixes for this single. It'll be out at the end of April I believe... The way Anita (aka Cocknbullkid) sings these lyrics, reminds me the cover of the 1978 record I did. A sexy black devil girl smiling. Scary but attractive."
Why did you choose the name "Circus"?
"As I said, CIRCUS is a record with guests. I'm the boss, the MC, the ringmaster. Everyone performs in the arena and remains under the influence of Black Devil. It's simple as that, ni exception. It's a kind of dictature... I'm kidding! Well, not really actually. In the artwork, once again designed by Non Format, you can see a "circus". It's maybe more a pop album than the previous, but still the "devil is magnetic", as the last song suggests. This sound is in my soul and I still compose and produce the way I used to. Some parts of my work have been helped by technology, but basically, I try to find new tricks in my brain, which is a strange world sometimes..."
Your first release was in 1978 and is extremely hard to find. Tell us a few words about that record. What was your inspiration for that extremely different sound?
"I wanted to do a new kind of disco, unconventional, more wild, more visual, less cheap or vulgar. I've always been a fan of black american music from the 60s plus the Beatles as well. Chopi, Ravel, Wilson Pickett, Damia, Yvette Guilbert... I could spend hours. Anyway, I also loved some french music from the 30s till 50s and some cinema, mostly french and italian, and of course some sci-fi stuff from the 60s. Utopia and stress at the same time."
How was your life and what were you doing between 1978 and 2004 when "Disco Club" was re-issued?
"I used to be in love. In love with the girl, with life, with the world, with friendship, with french wine and cuisine. Life seemed easy, soft and not as expensive as now. I used to go out in clubs like "Le Bus Paladium", "Le Rock 'n' Roll Circus", "La Bulle", "Le Gibus", "Le Palace" and some others everyone forgot. After the failure of my 1978 record, I was kinda depressed and I thought I could only make music as a craftsman to survive, not as an artist. I did some production, some commercials, radio jingles... till 2006. I thought Black Devil was definitely dead, but after some magic, I did this record "28 After" back in 2006, which took me almost two years of writing and producing. It took me some time to recover my skills and bring back old images I had in mind. But, I made it! I'm a working man!"
How did you start your relationship with music?
"When I was 5 years old I was playing with my two hands on every keyboard I would see, so my parents bought me some classic music lessons, which I've never liked, but then, I discovered rock 'n' roll, and that was mind-blowing. Back in the time, I was working in a factory, so it took me 3 years to buy my first keyboard, just before my military service in 1965. I also had the chance to meet a jazzman, who taught me a lot of things. Still useful more than 40 years after. Pretty good investment!"
What are your future plans?
"I really don't know. It depends. if CIRCUS is a failure, then I'll wait 28 years to make another come back. :)"
More info about Black Devil Disco Club you can find here.
