Mihai Popoviciu read the full interview here
Interview: So, this week we have an interesting producer, very talented in my opinion, who brings electro sounds right from Transylvania. Don’t be scared guys, because we have nothing to be afraid off. The best thing you can do is just dance, dance and dance all the night. No vampires, no Dracula, just free music for free people. FOEM/Christ Saddler: Well, Mihai, we’re glad to have you here and we also give you a big welcome! I listened some tracks of yours a few years ago and now i’m glad that you continued your work. But let’s start with some basic questions about you....How did you come to producing? Was your idea or you and some friends? Mihai Popoviciu: One of my friends had a producing software on his PC and I used to sleep over night at his place to produce music. Later I got my own PC. FOEM/Christ Saddler: Hehe...almost everyone of us is starting in this way. Maybe is the easiest.You are also a DJ? Or you only produce music? Mihai Popoviciu: Yes, I also spin records at various gigs in Romania. My only gig abroad was in Berlin in the summer of 2005 at the Gigolove Parade in WMF Club, Berlin. FOEM/Christ Saddler: I was at some of those parties too. I had a great time then... hehe. But let’s speak about your musical roots! When has this electronic music thing started to change your musical pleasures? Mihai Popoviciu: From 10 until 13 years old the only music I was listening to (in an obssesive way) was Queen. After that I started enjoying artists like Scooter, Marusha, Dune and so on. My first contact with detroit techno was in 1996 and few years later I got into electro. I don’t think I will ever stop being in love with electro. FOEM/Christ Saddler: Yeah...middle of 90’s...great music then. Oldies and goldies. What are your musical aims? Mihai Popoviciu: My biggest dream is to be able to live a proper life some day by dj’ing and producing electronic music. FOEM/Christ Saddler: So do you want to make producing as your job? Mihai Popoviciu: Definitely. FOEM/Christ Saddler: Good luck then. I’m pretty sure that you will achive your goals in music. When you sent your last promo to a label, what was their reaction? Which label was it? Mihai Popoviciu: I sent a promo to Gigolo Records about 1 month ago but I didn’t get any feedback about it yet. That doesn’t bother me since I know from experience that things move very slow at Gigolo when it comes to promos. FOEM/Christ Saddler: Do you also make LivePAs? If yes, which equipment do you use? Mihai Popoviciu: No, I don’t make LivePAs yet since I can’t afford proper equipment, but I certanly look forward to get some in the future. FOEM/Christ Saddler: You should do that. Personaly i think that it’s much more interesting to see an artist in a LivePA set than DJ-ing. Do you work together with other artists also? E.g. Remixes? Mihai Popoviciu: Yes, lately I started working with Markus Homm from Germany. We’ll have a vinyl release on Disuye Rec. in the spring of 2006. FOEM/Christ Saddler: Is this the only area of music which youre working in? Or do you also play in a band or something? Mihai Popoviciu: So far electronic music is the only thing I’m working in so far, although sometimes I feel attracted to punk rock. Sometimes I wish I was a drummer in a rock band. FOEM/Christ Saddler: Hehe...that would be nice to see. An electro artist in a rock band :) To be honest, I also want to play as a bass player in a punk band. Now let’s move this interview to a cultural area a little bit. What have you read recently (book, play, film, etc.) that moved or surprised you? Mihai Popoviciu: I have to say that I don’t read too much and I’m not to proud about that, but it’s the truth. A movie that I really enjoyed lately is “24H Party People” (I hope I got the title right). It’s about underground music from Manchester starting from early 70’s up to present days, about the rise of Joy Division, New Order and other music legends. FOEM/Christ Saddler: Your cultural side is better than mine... the last book i read was a C++ manual and 50 pages from one of Franz Kafka’s books. Tell me, in which groups in the internet are you active? Boards? Mihai Popoviciu: I’m an active member in a romanian forum about electronic music. It’s called www.local-intruders.ro and it’s just been created. A lot of good friends of mine write there. FOEM/Christ Saddler: And how did you come to FOEM? Mihai Popoviciu: I found FOEM while I was searching the internet for electronic music netlabels. When I found it I thought I should give it a try and here I am. FOEM/Christ Saddler: That’s great! What do you like about FOEM? Mihai Popoviciu: The whole idea of promoting unknown artists. And I think it’s doing a great job releasing these compilations. FOEM/Christ Saddler: Thank you for your appreciation. We are growing very fast and this makes the tracks from our compilations to be the best. Sometimes it’s very hard to choose because we have such great artists here. How do you see the future of FOEM? Mihai Popoviciu: Bright!!! I think that in the following years it will grow a lot and more and more vinyl labels will look for FOEM artist with great attention. Hopefully it will also get more funds so it can do events featuring FOEM artists. FOEM/Christ Saddler: We will have a party featuring FOEM artist very soon. What do you think of the contemporary popular music which is played by normal radio stations? Mihai Popoviciu: I think it will always be the same: some are good, some are bad. It’s true that the commercial side of the music bussines is probably bigger than ever nowadays, but quality music will always break through. Hopefully. FOEM/Christ Saddler: What do you think about the uprising of netlabels and the conflict between them and the commercial music industry? Mihai Popoviciu: That’s hard to say. I think there shouldn’t be any conflict, but I guess there is one. Netlabels are great for unknown and uprising artists. Since the uprising of netlabels people have more alternatives. That’s a chalenge for vinyl labels and that should make them both better. Competition means progress. FOEM/Christ Saddler: Being a musician or a DJ can be tough and frustrating and many musicians and DJs 'burn out' after a number of years. How do you plan to sustain your efforts over the coming years and avoid that 'burn out'? Mihai Popoviciu: I don’t know how to answer to that question because in my case I can’t think about being ‘burned out’. To be ‘burned out’ first you must be ‘burned in’, and I think I still have to go a long way until I will ‘burst into flames’. FOEM/Christ Saddler: And now the last question: What's one thing you're a fan of that people might not expect? Mihai Popoviciu: I’m a big porn fan. FOEM/Christ Saddler: Great answer! Great final! Didn’t expected such an answer! Have good luck and much fun in your life! FOEM supports you as much as possible (but only in music...) Mihai Popoviciu: Cheers!!! Discuss the interview: Click here Check other FOEM Artists of the Week: 2006-01-29 teflonbuddha 2006-02-05 Alygos |