The Standard: You have been part of the 'French Touch' since the mid 90's, but you said you never felt part of scene at that time. Do you feel part of something today?
Cosmo Vitelli: Though I'm not 100% sure to know what the French Touch sounds like musically, I don't think I could be included in this nice concept, it's really not the same background and esthetics. I've just known the people for ever and some are good friends. I'm actually not very comfortable with the ideas of 'family' or 'scene', but of course there's a proximity with many labels or producers, like Ivan Smagghe & Kill the DJ, Tim Paris, Correspondant, the people of Versatile, Throne of Blood here in New York, etc...
You also said "I never considered making music as a hobby, but never thought of myself as good enough to make a living of it." Did you go over that today?
I can deal with that. It's just that some people are naturally gifted for promoting their music and their image, and guess what? I'm not one of them.
Bot'Ox ft. Anna Jean The Face of Another (I'm A Cliché, 2013)
The name of your label 'I'm A Cliché' is a reference to the song by Punk band X-Ray Spex because "they were about fun, rather than rage". You also said that you are "not obsessed with the functional side of dance music". Do you think good music should be where you do not expect it?
That's the dilemma about dance music : it's a lot based on codes, tricks, and most of the audiences like very clear signals "This is the break", "this is me cutting the bass, you'll have to shout in 8 bars"... What I like in music is possibly the absolute opposite, and being a DJ - at least for me - is all about finding the way to have the people and yourself almost on the same line, wanting the same thing. It's the DJ's job to try to bring people to this point, and that's what makes it exciting. People who wants to play music for themselves really should do it, but at home.
DJ Spun of Rong Music said "The big part of the punk rock spirit is individuality. There’s an anti-social and sarcastic and comedic aspect as well. As punk rock became more mainstream and after the backlash against disco. By the mid-80s, being into disco was as anti-establishment as you could get." Do you agree?
Sure, I do, but he says that about disco in the mid-80's, not sure he would about it today. Everybody does disco now, or supposedly... All the nu-disco thing, most of it doing this miracle to produce the less groovy and disco-ish music ever.
Bot'Ox Grands Boulevards (I'm a Cliché, 2013)
Tell us about Cosmo Vitelli, the movie character. Why did you pick this name?
It was a long time ago, I can't remember. It must be a good movie
It seems Bot'Ox is a lot of fun and good music. We saw a video of one of your live shows which looked amazing. What are your next plans?
We have an album Sans Dormir coming out in November, some live shows in France and Europe - it's two guitars, bass, drums and sequences so it's basically a rock band. We produce some other artists records too, there's a lot to come on I'm a Cliché. We're quite far from electronic music.
Bot'Ox Blue Steel (I'm A Cliché, 2009)
You are playing at our Saturday 'Night People' party tonight. What is your favorite Saturday night track these days to make the dancefloor jumping?
Dunno if it's a Saturday night one, but Witches by Rouge Mécanique has a lot of what I expect from a dance music track.
What is your definition of a Night People?
People who are able to spend a night without looking at their watch or taking pics with their phones, and eventually being reactive to what's happening around them, music included. This definition is brilliant, it should be in Wikipedia. (laughs)
