Interview with PAUL KEELEY [2009]

Interview originally conducted April 2009 via email. Original posted on trancecommunity by motionmigs. [I am currently not affiliated with the site anymore.]


Paul Keeley is a Montreal-based DJ/ producer who has no boundaries in making music. Paul is known to have released various kinds of electronic music in numerous labels including Anjunadeep, Baroque, EQ Grey, Epsilonlab, Thinner, and Morrison. From deep house, to minimal, to progressive, his music tastes define him as a person whom you can't just put in one genre box.


1. Hey man, how has 2009 been for you so far as a Dj and a producer?

so far, so good. i've got some releases in the pipeline and have been spending my music time split between working on both new original tracks and doing some interesting remixes.


2. Among the places you have not yet visited around the world, which country would you like to visit, given the chance? Why?


definitely Japan - just to experience a completely different lifestyle than we're used to here in the west. i think it would be incredibly inspirational. plus, they have all the really cool toys years before we ever get to see them (if we get to see them at all). i'd be doing some major gadget/toy shopping while there for certain.


3. What had motivated you to be diverse and versatile in your music styles?

really the only motivation i have to make music is an intangible need
to create. music just happens to be my medium of choice. in all art
forms, i tend to get bored with convention very quickly, so my music
needs to keep continuously evolving in order for me to stay interested
and passionate about what i do, which is very important to me. i'm
also a great advocate of the happy accident. many times i'll set out
with one theme or idea in mind, and by the end i've ended up at a
completely different place. i blame/embrace incessant knob tweaking
and constantly re-inventing the sounds as i'm using them in a given
arrangement. the only downside to this is that it requires a
completely liquid mix - i can't bounce anything down to audio until
the end for fear of losing the possibility of a chance encounter with
an unintended inspiring sound.


4. Can you name some artists who have made great impacts on you as a musician?


off the top of my head, i'd say lots of artists from the 70's and 80's
who were among the first to really bring consistent use of
synthesizers and electronic instruments into pop music. so, artists
like Pink Floyd, Genesis, E.L.O., Emerson Lake & Palmer, Tears for
Fears, Talk Talk, etc, etc had a very large impact on me in my
formative years. more recently, artists like Underworld, Orbital, The
Orb, and one artist who really blew me away and showed me house music
in a completely new way - Luomo - were very influential in my move
pretty much exclusively into the 4/4 world of dance music. before that
i had been very much into the IDM thing - lots of Aphex Twin, Luke
Vibert, Stereolab, Plaid, pretty much the whole Warp roster.


5. Can you share with us your all-time favorite top 3 tracks?

all-time favorites? hmm, that's tricky, and next to impossible to accurately narrow down to three, but here goes: 1) Pearl's Girl - Underworld 2) In the Air Tonight - Phil Collins 3) Life's What You Make It - Talk Talk


6. Anything for your fans to look forward to in the future? New
releases? Gigs? News?


music, music, and music! i plan to chain myself to my DAW (is that
even possible?) and channel as much music as possible before
summertime hits and i'm forced into the out-of-doors to experience
some of the great festivals and shows of the season. as always,
there's new material n the pipeline, but i can't mention anything at
present. keep a lookout for updates on my website/myspace page.

On behalf of the TranceCommunity members and moderators, I would like to thank you for your time in answering our questions. We would also like to wish you good luck in your career, and we are always here
(around the world) to support you and your music.


my pleasure - thanks for having me!

cheers,
Paul.


Check out Paul Keeley's official Myspace page!