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Go BackGuy Gerber "Music is more important than the beats"

Posted: 2/9/10 11:46

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Guy GerberOwner of the acclaimed Supplement Facts imprint, Israel native Guy Gerber has been responsible for some of the biggest records in recent memory.

Since tracks such as 'Belly Dancing' and 'Timing' first found their way in to the sets of a one Sven Vath, Gerber's rise has been meteoric, with recent efforts such as his 'Hate/Love' EP and last years 'My Invisible Romance' LP enhancing his reputation as a shrewd production force.

Renowned for producing rich, melodic, synth infused productions, as well as constantly exploring the various dimensions of sound, Gerber is outspoken too - not only does he take exception with much of modern dance music, he's also is keen to switch the focus back on to "the music" rather than "the beats".

Somewhat the worse for wear after a long day Dj'ing and partying aboard a Vagabundos Cadenza cruise alongside Ernesto Ferreyra and Robert Dietz, I Voice caught up with an animated Gerber for an interview conduced by a path. In an Ibizan harbour. At 10:30 pm. Hardly a conventional interview setting, yet Gerber, as you'll soon note, is hardly one for straying down the conventional road.....

Hi Guy, first off, how has the summer been? What's been your best memory so far?
The summer has been very.....suspicious. At the start of the summer I wasn't so sure how it would work out, but in the end everything worked out really well.

What made it suspicious?
Because I don't trust myself....... and I definitely can't trust others - but in the end everything worked out well.

Are you still based in Israel? If so, why not move somewhere else such as London or Berlin?
Actually I love Israel, and try to get back there as often as I can. Right now though, I kind of live in New York, Berlin and Paris, as with touring they're the usual places I end up in.....I kind of split my time between three main places I guess, so I'm not even sure exactly where home is any more! Music is not like anybody or anything else, as it's always been there for me. It's changed my life and it's the only thing I can count on...

Anyway, has your own upbringing in Israel affected your outlook on music at all?
Here's the thing. In Israel there is no real "scene" - we were always imagining what happened outside of the country we all first became involved in music. There were no real boundaries to what we did, so in a way it was easier as we weren't following any sort of musical rulebook....

And when did you first come to Ibiza?
I first came three years ago, and instantly loved the vibe here..

What will you do here when you're not playing here?
Well, it won't surprise you to hear that I like to make music. A lot. My last LP, "My Invisible Romance" was almost entirely produced here last summer, so Ill party a bit, and spend some time making more music.

How has your life changed since you dedicated it to music?
Music is not like anybody or anything else, as it's always been there for me. It's changed my life and it's the only thing I can count on.......

Right.....! Well I understand you used to be a professional footballer. Is music your first love?
When I was a footballer, the people didn't understand my love for music. Yet after I listened to The Smiths and The Cure, everything changed for me, and I realized there and then that music was my real calling....

Is electronic music popular in Israel?
No, not at all...

Has Israeli music influenced you at all?
No, I always wanted to do something that's much bigger (than Israeli music). I never felt like I was part of it over there. The hebrew language is very bad for lyrics. For example "I love you" in Hebrew translates awfully to lyrics. People in Israel think it's ok, yet I immersed myself in electronic music as it's always evolving.

As though dance music transcends language and political barriers?
Exactly.

What kind of profile do guys like yourself and Shlomi Aber have in Israel? Are you recognized on the streets?
Every door I open in Israel people are very welcome, even if they've no connection with electronic music. While I did my best not to be famous over there, it's pretty hard not to be famous over there at the same time........

And what do you make of your music being labeled as 'Posh trance' by sections of the music media?
I don't like it, but I don't give a fuck at the same time. To define is to limit!

Do you consider yourself a trance fan?
In Israel, trance is a taboo. You see these two people, (pointing at his girlfriend and her friend)- they like trance! So I'll leave it up to you to decide if I like it!

Is melody an important aspect to the music you make?
Something that I've learned while producing and listening to music is that occasionally the sound quality can be very bad, but if the melody is good, people will remember it when they get home. So yes, melody is important to me.

Do you consider yourself a producer or a Dj more?
Producer first and foremost.

What was your original intention for your Supplement Facts label?
Hmmm.....to be honest, I wasn't even so sure myself at the time (I started it). Now that it's very well known and I'm happy about that, but there's also little I can change about. Right now I don't really remember actually.......

Moving on! The label have had some very popular EP's such as Till Von Sein's 'Sundowna' and Ryan Crosson and Guti's 'You've Got Me' released recently. How did they come about?
With the Guti EP, I was in Argentina and had been listening to a lot of his stuff at the time. Yet at the time I wasn't still 100% sure of some of his sounds. Yet when we met at an after party, I realized how fantastic a producer he was, and practically insisted he released on the label.....
***

Ok, we're hearing a lot of rumors about you working with hip hop mogul P Diddy. Can you elaborate on this for me?
It all started when he called me asking if he could sample one of my tracks for an R n' B album he was producing. After that he invited me to New York and suggested that we could start a sort of remix project. He wanted it to be a club project, and I explained to him I wouldn't really be in to that. I wanted to make something more deep and produce a new LP. We eventually came to an agreement and now we're working on more music together. Diddy got me back to making "real" music again.

What do you make of dance music in 2010?
I think it is too loopy. That's why people like Seth and Nick Curly and Ryan Crosson are pushing it in to a kind of indie territory were the music is more important than the beats. The music is becoming more important than the beats, people need to remember that.

What's next for Supplement Facts and Guy Gerber?
Our next release is by Lee Curtis. I'm a huge fan of his music. This next track is so advanced, that I just had to sign it to Supplement Facts. I just signed his new album to the label also. The label is moving in a direction where we are trying to make music that Dj friendly, but also suitable for home listening. These days, music needs to be more meaningful and emotional than something you'd just listen to in a club. Now though, I've got to run. Thanks!

Dates
03th Spy Bar, Chicago
04th Space, Miami
05th Cielo, NYC
07th Malta
08th Kehakuma @Space, Ibiza
11th Divinae Follie, Bisceglie (Bari)
12th Green & Blue Festival
17th Rex, Paris
18th Tenax, Florence
22th Kehakuma Space, Ibiza

3rd October Space Ibiza Closing Part2

www.myspace.com/guygerber | www.facebook.com/guygerber | www.supplementfacts-records.com

 Words by Stephen Flynn

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