Sinclar Spectrum: Bob Sinclar at ROOMbeijing on May 27
Bob Sinclar’s career has involved everything from illegally sampling Jane Fonda to having his song “Love Generation” used as one of the anthems of the 2006 World Cup. We got the amiable house hero on the phone ahead of his Beijing debut at ROOMbeijing this Thursday (May 27), and discovered he’s just as pleasant as his relentlessly upbeat tunes.
For me, making music is a question of life or death. It’s like it runs in my veins – I need to make music every day. I discovered DJing when I was 17. When I first saw Cash Money, with Afrika Bambaataa and the Zulu Nation, in Paris in 1986, it just took my body. It’s hard to explain with words, but when you’re feeling something, it’s a part of you. I put all my emotions into my music.
If an artist painted something to represent my music, they’d paint a huge club, with people aged from 7 to 77 years old enjoying the music.
People say to me “Every morning I wake up with my alarm set to play your songs, and it gives me the power to go to work.” I’m not a dark person. I’m not angry, I’m not violent. I like harmonies that give people hope and a message of happiness. If I can succeed in that, that’s amazing.
When I meet someone who says “I never listen to music,” I say “My friend, you are dead!” How can you feel anything if you don’t listen to music? When I’m in a restaurant and the music is bad, the food doesn’t taste of anything – it’s like my body is reacting to the music.
I spent three weeks in Jamaica with Sly and Robbie making my new album Made in Jamaica. They’re amazing people, worked with the best, from Nina Simone to Quincy Jones. I’m not a reggae fan, but a lot of big things arrived from Jamaica. I thought having reggae musicians playing on my tracks might add something eternal to my songs.
With the World Cup coming, everybody in France is complaining about the national coach, Raymond Domenech. I don’t rate him, but the French people aren’t expecting anything, so there’s no pressure on the players. I’m sure they’ll do well. But when you see Brazil, Argentina, Spain – ooh la la, it’s huge! I think Spain will win, though.
Bob Sinclar plays ROOMbeijing on Thursday, May 27. RMB 300 tickets are now sold out; for remaining ticket packages (RMB 1,500 and upwards, including dinner and drinks), contact Max on 135 5249 8776 (English), or Henry on 135 2233 8094 (Chinese). 10pm.
