”It’s like you did the remix, sent it to a blog and it all happened. That’s how it started.” – João Miguel
The Twelves is João Miguel and Luciano Oliveira from São Paolo, Brazil. The duo which broke-through in 2007 with a remix of M.I.A:s Boyz. A break Luciano claims was just an accident. Since Boyz they’ve provided the world with electropopish remixes of, to name only a few, Erlend Øye, Kylie Minogue and Chromeo. After almost three years of touring they were about to make their first live show in Sweden . We had to meet them.
Luciano: Yeah, I have planned like everything from the start. Since I was like five years old I said that in 2007 I’m going to do a break trough with an remix of M.I.A. And I stuck to my plan, and after I’d done the rest of the things in my life I did that.
João: Seriously. It was kind of an accident.
L: That’s your opinion. You’re entitled.
J: It’s like you did the remix, sent it to a blog and it all happened. That’s how it started.
You’ve played drums/guitar in an indie rock band and you’re playing a lot of indie rock on stage, like Gossip and Phoenix. But it’s the remixes of those songs… And most of it are electro tunes. Do you think that original pop/rock songs are to lame for the dance floor?
L: No I don’t. The problem is usually they’re not in the same tempo area that we use. We use 115 to 130 BPM, that’s what we like to play on the dancefloor. A lot of indie tracks are a lot faster than that. So it’s rare that you get to use them. It happens.
L: Actually most of the tracks we’re playing live are not even remixes. Luckily Phoenix belives in giving out their vocal tracks, which I think is great. I wish I had, you know, every vocal track of every song we’re playing out there. It would make my life a whole lot easier. Cause actually it’s not a remix, it’s like an old disco track that I use like the bass, like Gaz Nevada from ‘78 or something and then the vocals from Lisztomania is playing on top of it. That’s it.
People like us, who didn’t actually live in the 70’s seems to like 70’s music more than ever. Why?
L: I know this. That’s one of my believes. In the 70’s it’s like the music was handmade. I love the fact that nowadays everything is very democratic. Everyone with a lap top and some pirated software can start making it, you know blogs – great. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the blogs. But in the 70’s it’s like you really had to work hard at something to get a record out. And even if you did you had to go have studios. And every studio gear in the 70’s had its own sound. No matter if the music is good or bad, that’s another thing, but the music sounded unique. So yeah it’s the hand-made aspect that attracts me. And I try to copy it. And what we do today with software and all it’s getting really hard. That’s something you only can do if you have real analogue hardware.
Is that something you would like to try?
L: I would love to! But imagine touring with all the equipment. Just one synteziser is like this big and weights like two tons…
J: Too much luggage that could get lost.
L: At this part of our lives, we just get lazy. We could pack our lap tops in a backpack and then we’re off.
Let’s say you’ve had like thirty people carrying your luggage..
L: Yeah, I would’ve loved that.
J: Where are they?
J: I’m originally a drummer so I would love to get back to that, but I mean I need someone to carry around that stuff.
How far from today is the thirty people carrying your luggage?
L: Oh I guess it depends on…
J: Oh, we need an album. And it need to be succesful.
L: Yeah, basically it’s up to us but we’re just travelling a lot. So the parts like concentrate and making a lot of original music when you’re travelling that lot.
But is that something that you would like to do. Or are you fine with what you’re doing today?
J: Actually I would love to have a band.
L: I’d love to try it, but I guess it’s not like you can just say ”yeah I wanna have a band now”. We have to work really hard for it. Especially when you live in Brazil. But in Europe if you have a band and some friends you can just tour with a limited budget. But in Brazil you need flights for five people, hotel for five people all that.
The Twelves – Works For Me
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Etiketter: The Twelves