Jamie Lidell Interview from MUTEK 2013

It has been nine years since Jamie Lidell last played Montreal’s MUTEK Festival. And it’s funny how things have changed and in some ways stayed the same. As the festival has evolved, so too have many of the returning musicians on the bill (with both Matthew Herbert and Jamie Lidell as extraordinary examples), and yet they retain their musical influences from years—and in some cases, decades—past. 

“There is Brandt Brauer Frick’s work, there’s my recent work—admittedly more like Price’s funk than pure electronic—and then there is MUTEK Festival connecting the dots,” an energetic Lidell told us prior to his Thursday night show at Metropolis. “It’s a super-cool homecoming.”

Lidell’s performance involved his signature vocals and a keyboard player. It was followed by a percussive set of drums and programming by Brandt Brauer Frick, which Lidell joined them for a few tracks to beat-box along. Lidell says he revels in the unexpected moments on stage and the turn of events that often happen when performing live, and he says he likes to be authentic on stage, revealing much of what he’s doing for the audience. On previous tours, he had cameras recording on stage, projecting his setup to the audience.

“I once opened for Four Tet, and a transformer exploded,” he recalls, of a particularly dramatic moment from years past. “Everything died on stage, just 20 minutes into my set, and I had no option but to only sing. I sang pure acapella and I did beat-boxing for 20 minutes and I held it down. Then people started singing along with me. That’s the thing—people are really cool. A lot of artists think people are stupid, but you can’t underestimate your audience. I try to remember that if anything goes wrong that the crowd will be on my side. I like being on stage, recovering, and bouncing back. The audience gets even more into it. You fall off the wave, you emerge, and catch a bigger wave. Or you drown,” he says.

Over the years, Lidell says he has become more grounded. He’s been in the music industry for a while, and his move from New York City to Nashville has impacted his outlook. “The pace of life is completely different, and everyone is patient and so friendly,” he says. “It’s strange to have lived in a big metropolis and being used to a cold abrupt style.” But now, as a homeowner with his wife, Lidell admits, “We do miss New York and going out and having infinite food options, but Nashville is our base—and we still get to travel a lot. I’m lucky my wife travels with me sometimes.”

Lidell is at a place where he can even give back and help younger musicians. “I was touring with a good friend of mine who is only 21 and when he did his first show with me, he was shy and awkward. But by the end of 20 dates, he was more aware of himself, and I thought, ‘Shit, give him another 50 shows and he’ll be on fire.’ As an artist you have to get over yourself and your fear. When you get knocked down you have to get back up… and enjoy the process. If you have a tenacious spirit, you’ll be alright. You can’t be a drama queen… And you need to be really hungry for it.” He closes our conversation with some proper advice for us all: “Stay hungry.”

Originally posted at: http://news.beatport.com/blog/2013/06/03/jamie-lidell-comes-full-circle-at-mutek-in-montreal/