WORDS GILES WOOD
FRENCH CONNECTION
OVER THE YEARS THE FRENCH HAVE SHIPPED SOME
REAL QUALITY ACROSS THE CHANNEL LIKE CHAMPAGNE,
BRIGITTE BARDOT AND THIERRY HENRY. KNOWLEDGE
CAUGHT UP WITH THEIR NEWEST EXPORT, REDEYES,
TO SEE IF HE WILL GET ADDED TO THAT LIST.
“It has been a busy few days and I don’t think it will address and just bounced him a copy of ‘Ghost artist? “I have been into ‘70s jazz and soul for a long
get any easier,” explains Julien, aka Redeyes, when Squad’. I didn’t think anything about it until one day I time. Growing up in Toulouse it was just part of my
describing his whistle-stop tour of the UK which, was out camping in France with some mates. It was childhood. My friend’s dad was a jazz pianist and
amongst others, sees him play Swerve, Movement, the middle of the night and my phone kept ringing one day he made me sit down with a cup of tea and
Momentum in Leeds, 1Xtra with L Double, Ministry but I didn’t answer it because I thought it would be a a joint as he played me his old records. Immediately
radio and finally dropping a hip hop and jazz set at joke call. After the fourth or fifth time it was pissing I was hooked. John Coltrane, Curtis Mayfield plus
World Percussion Sessions in Camden before he me off so I picked it up and it was Bingo telling artists from Black Jazz Records all had a major
boards the plane back to his native Toulouse. “As me they wanted to sign my track. Not what I was influence on me when I was a kid. Later, hip hop
long as I have some time to go shopping at least my expecting to say the least,” as he laughs into his pint. grew bigger and I found myself drawn to the more
girlfriend will be happy.” musical artists like A Tribe Called Quest or The
With the forthcoming ‘When Will It Ever End?’ EP Pharcyde so I have always taken those influences
Redeyes is the latest in a line of new artists emerg- scheduled on Bingo for a November release, it all into my drum & bass. Anything with a real musical
ing onto the scene with real talent and individuality, seems to be progressing perfectly. “There is a tune vibe has me interested,” he explains.
which, luckily for him, hasn’t gone unnoticed. Several with Alix Perez on there called ‘Clone’, a track with a
heavyweights like Fabio, Marky, Danny Wheeler and wicked French producer called Sweed titled ‘Kashmir’, With his return to French soil getting nearer, Knowl-
Zinc in particular have all recognised his creative a solo effort called ‘Double Funk’ and the title track,” edge questions what his plans are for the future.
flair and snapped up his recent offerings. “I definitely he explains. Having already unleashed a series of “I’ll be doing some work with Hugabass from The
have Zinc to thank for a lot of what has happened funk-infused belters via the likes of Creative Source, Funktastics and probably causing some chaos with
so far. He has been so supportive and dished out Crisis, Innerground and TOV and a barrage of further Audio Unit, especially MC Youthman. There is talk
some real important words,” says Redeyes. tracks on the horizon from W10, Brigand and Vandal of some collaborations Sabre and Zero Tolerance
Records, Redeyes explains that “the rest of the year but we’ll see what happens. I’ve also found out that
With his first release ‘Ghost Squad’ / ‘About to is all about DJing. I will get back into the studio soon Focus from Basic Operations has sorted out a US
Change’ already out on Bingo and promo copies but I want to see all of the releases out first.” tour so hopefully that will go down a storm.”
of the soul-tinged ‘Pusherman’ doing the rounds,
Knowledge wanted to know exactly how this con- So how did Redeyes, who draws his moniker from For more info check out www.myspace.com/red-
nection came about? “I managed to get Zinc’s AIM an Ini Kamoze track, come to be such a soulful eyesdj
48
K48_RedEyes.indd 48 17/10/2006 17:09:25
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