Coucou y’all. It’s bisouK here, the newest contributer at Trash. For my first post I wanted to combine my two loves: music and France. I’m a Texas native, bilingual in French and currently living in sunny LA. I hope you guys enjoy what I do. Bon, des gros bisous du Texas et de la Californie pour l’instant. CIAO

There’s nothing like the French collective Valerie and its members who play tribute to the 80’s with trip taking tunes and fabulous synth. With it growing so quickly and consistently tantalizing us, we had to hunt down Valerie founder David Grellier to fill us in more about the collective and what it has next in store.

bisouK: How do you feel that the concept and execution of a West Coast collective has helped the artists in it?

David Grellier: Our collective is composed of friends, above all else. Passionate people I reunited around the blog and our myspace. Our blog is not only a support, but also a source and inspiration for our music. It permits us to exchange, to test our universe and our projects. We genuinely help each other find parties, perfect our sounds, and advance Valerie. I think today the act of being a collective allows us to have a stronger identity and the best representation.

bisouK: Are there any 80’s movies in particular that have been a major influence for the music that you all produce and play?

DG: (Laughs) Yes, but there are way too many of them to make a complete list! We can mention, though, films like “Ghostbusters”, “Back to the Future”, “Indiana Jones”, “Risky Business”, “The Keep”, “Terminator”, Halloween”, “Blade Runner”…

bisouK: How does the West Coast spirit infuse into the style of Valerie as compared to your Parisian counterparts?

DG: I think that the style of Valerie can be defined as being nostalgic music. The Outrunners use instruments that are 20 years old. We revisit just one period in time in one big synthesis blow. We don’t make a new style.

bisouK: Where was the best Valerie party to date and when will there be another one?

DG: Right now the best memory I have is from the first Valerie party last year in Nantes, France. We had invited Russ Chimes, and English artist who has become a part of the Valerie team and who has, outside the collective, become a really good friend. And so we really had the whole team present, and today that’s the most difficult thing to accomplish…but we’re definitely going to have another one before the end of the year!

bisouK: Minitel Rose came out with their CD recently throughout France and we see that Anoraak has his release planned as well in September. Who else in the collective has CD/EP’s coming out?

DG: For my part, I’m finishing the next College EP that will be coming out also in September. With the Outrunners we’re coming out with a superb limited edition 7”. Maethelvin and the Outrunners are also going to come out with many singles on a small Dutch label.

bisouK: Are there plans to come out with a Valerie compilation?

DG: It’s a project thats coming along little by little. When it’s ready you’ll be the first to know (wink wink).

bisouK: Tell us about working with The Zonders. Are they your exclusive go to guys or do you use other people artists for the albums, etc.?

DG: I met The Zonders thanks to Discodust, for whom they do the posts’ graphics. So they did some as well for Teenage Color and I immediately fell under their spell of their work. The Zonders do kind of the same thing as Valerie, but for graphics. It’s very 80’s inspired in style and codes, and in addition to being so amazingly talents, they’re also super cool. They’re passionate guys with whom it is incredible to work with.

bisouK: Are there difficulties ever in keeping the collective cohesive?

DG: Not really, everyone inside Valerie is free. That’s to say that we don’t have a contract with each other. It gives each group the opportunity to have fun and find what they wish. I see, for my part, the blog like an artistic work in and of itself that I work on just like my other groups (College and Sexy Sushi).

bisouK: What would Valerie say if she came to us in a dream?

DG: I think she would be really happy to see her name in bright colors on the T-shirts!

bisouK: So where can people find those dope t-shirts you make?

DG: To acquire a handsome Valerie T-shirt the only address you need is:
Valerie.merchandising@gmail.com Get yours today!

To ice this cake we have a smooth listen called D.A.I.S.Y. by College. We advise you to take this premiere track like the virgin it is…and enjoy it like a $20 whore.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

College – D.A.I.S.Y

Related posts

• The Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival
• Speak the nu-slang with Sweat.X!
• Rogerseventytwo This: More Lowdown on the Lowlands