Laurent Garnier
The Man With The Red Face

According to Laurent Garnier, twenty years ago, the public in France wasn’t morally prepared for a live techno performance in a concert venue. Ravers could dance around a quarry where chalk was extracted or in a greenhouse where mushrooms were planted, but to make decent madames and monsieurs listen to pom-pom in a hall whose curtain recalls the last king — no way, we hadn’t got there yet. However, there is an epic video by Acid Eiffel with a symphony orchestra, the last refuge for any electronic musician. In 1998, the techno-veteran was also invited to a two-week jazz festival in Montreux. It is amusing but among Björk, George Benson, Herbie Hancock, Santana, and Bob Dylan, there was degree of youth brought by Morcheeba, Moloko, Scan X, DJ Krust and the whole delegation of Good Lookin led by Seba. Garnier at the time felt the urge to go beyond the DJ turntable. He was inspired by the live performances of the British Orbital and Underworld, but doubted his own powers. These fears disappeared thanks to Eric Morand, who the veteran founded F Communications with.