Exclusive Interview with Gai Barone

Are you all ready for this weekends PP interview with some of the hottest progressive artists of the moment ? Yeah i know u are! So we are really proud today to announce you our cooperation with Gai Barone [Armada, Coldharbour Red Recordings, Afterglow, Silk Royal, Frenetica, Ask4]. A relatively new name to some he may very well be, but Italy’s Gai Barone has a much longer history in dance music than you might think. Maybe its enough if we mention that Markus Schulz named Gai Barone as one of the top 5 newcomers of 2009! That's why we are really proud to have him on a board! And beside he is a really great producer, he is a great person as well! So enough of me talkin here, u will see what he has to say on variety of topics in this exsclusive interview. While reading it, u can play his latest bottleg at the Youtube video somewhere in the middle of the interview; and ofc, at the end of there is his Beatport player so just pick some of his production - and crank it up loud! So lets see what he told us .........

PP: Hello there Gai! Well first let me say we from PP feel honored we got u here on a board and that we have oprtunity to make an interview with u. With your unique sounding, u have always been one of our favourite artists here at Pure People. Ok, so how's goin, all fine there?

Gai: I’m really happy to answer to your questions, friends from Pure people. I always read your interesting news about progressive stuff and new releases..sure, I’m your fan, definitely J

Well , let’s talk about me a little bit; I’m fine right now, so many good things are happing, thanks..

PP: OK for start can u tell us few words about yourself ? Shortly, for those who don’t know you, can u tell us: who Gai Barone is?

Gai: Sure Gai Barone is a lucky guy, chosen by music and living for it, day by day, sharing this passion with a lot of great dancing people! I work with music, and this is such an amazing dream; I always tried and studied to do it, and now I can.

PP: How did u get involved into the music world? When did u start with producing?

Gai: I started to play piano when I was 5 years old, I fell in love with an old organ in a church not far from home, and I begged my mom to help me to learn it; it was such an obsession for me, I spent hours staring at the keys and pedals and listen to the magic of those sounds…anyway I wont tell you all the boring story, but this changed my life and played Bach and Chopin for 15 years.

I started producing some years ago, with a simple sequencer called FT 2, a really funny software and an Akai sampler and a Korg Wavestation ( Hardware, a great Keyboard in my opinion) but my way to produce changed two years ago with Cubase and other precious plugins and the family of Afterglow. Let me say thank you to my boss, friend, or better a brother for me, who supports my choices always!! Mr Plastic Angel from Afterglow!!

PP: How would u describe the sound of Gai Barone? In which genre u place your sound?

Gai: Mostly I’d say progressive-trancy-deep-techy---, it’s a bastard style, I love contaminations! All in all is my sound; music shouldn’t have rules, and I follow the flow, simply listening to it.

PP: Where do u found inspiration for all of your sounds? Is it nature? Everyday life? Tell us more about that. Do u have some musical influences ?

Gai: Sure I’d say all those things, people around me, facts of everyday life, colors.

Oh yes I have a lot of musical influences, so many to name them all, a large range, from Pink Floyd to Genesis, Schubert to Kiss or Dr Dre. It’s a good way to open my mind! I love Ebtg and Depeche Mode, got all their cds and vinyls; to tell the truth I love Tracey Thorne! One day I’ll knock on her door and I’ll ask her ”Can you sing that for me?” Promise

PP: Can u describe us your process of making a track. Is it first an idea in your head and u then go to the studio, or its all at once and about experimenting with sounds? How much time do u need to make one track ?

No rules as I wrote before; sometimes I got something in my mind and I try to realize it in studio, or I start playing some chords with piano or guitar and add layers and layers and layers…too many, sometimes!! For example in Lilith I had 58 tracks to mix together, heavy duty!! Usually I need a couple of days to create the whole track but I need 6-9 days to finish it.

When I remix other artists tracks I don’t use midi, but I try to play it again, trying to avoid arpeggiators, if possible J

PP: What equipment do u use at the studio? Is your production all software based or there is some hardvers used? And if both, in what percentage u use them?

Gai: Cubase is my weapon, for sure, but I love Ableton Live and Reason too, as rewire; I use a Virus and Waldorf hardware too, fat sounds and angelic pads; a good gear is the Liquid mix, and tons of plugins, Native instruments and Spectrasonics the best for me, at the moment.

I’ll spend the last days of my life with Reaktor, and endless source of inspiration and creativity

PP: I will feel free to name few of your tracks which I found really amazing: Eastern Cakes, Lilith, Organum (Deep Mix), Intimate Detalis, Agatha (Gai Into The Deep Mix), your remix of Mr. Cappucino – those are some massive tuneages mate! Are u workin on some new material at the moment? What can we expect soon from Gai Barone? If u have some release schedule feel free to drop it here!

Gai: Thanks a lot!! I’ve the last two months in studio for new productions and coops soon on Afterglow Deep; I love creating tracks for my sessions, bootlegs or new versions of tracks I love. I’ll share with you a bootleg of Faithless Insomnia, ripped from the last Afterglow Session; actually I got more or less ten tracks ready to go…but I’ll keep you updated about the release dates. Also just selectin some tracks for Talla’s Birthday party @ Technoclub in Frankfurt, a dream for me!!

PP: Here is one tough & interesting question. Can u tell us what u think about illegal music sharing (via blogs, forums etc.). Is it killing the producers? Can it somehow help them? What is important people who do that (share music illegaly) to realize?

Gai: Illegal music via blogs or forums is killing music and producers too. If you don’t buy music you like, it means that it’s nothing for you, it has no time! I’ve seen so many forums or blogs sharing my music for free, and it’s incredible nobody can’t do anything!! Support the artist you love buying music, that’s the only way to love music!

PP: Tell us are u DJing beside producing? What do you prefere, Djing or producing?

Gai: I love them both, it’s hard to choose; I started djing in 89 with the rise of house music, my first vinyl is from Todd Terry, Weekend, the bible for me!

PP: What do u think, is progressive alive in the clubosphere around the world? And what u do think: does the future belongs to progressive?

Gai: Ohhh I do hope so, it seems that a lot of artist are getting older and wiser… and bpms going slower…this is my direction!

PP: Choose 5 words to describe your music?

Gai: Strange, free, dark, filled, mine

PP: Ok maybe a boring and stupid question, but can u tell us your 3 - 5 favorite tracks at the moment?

Gai: Not a stupid question, I love Gamma Ray Alpha Child, Stefan Vincent Dazed and Robbie Rivera The main room (part 1)

PP: Is there any producer (beside Gai Barone of course) that u really like and whenever u hear his sound u say “hat off” ? Someone who amaze you everytime?

Gai: I love all the producers who have a real style, I mean Mr Warren, Mr Schulz, Sasha, James Holden, PvD and many many more.

PP: Thank u for your time Gai! Once again, its been an honour for us! PP crew wish u all the best in future, hopefully speak soon w/ some great news! Cheers and take care!

Gai: I thank you my friends, and keep up the good work, I’ll be by your side!!

Ciao

Gai