Releasing a standout album earlier this year, French artist Wax Tailor has a hip-hop background but his culture is huge and you can feel it in his music. After a long and successful tour in France, he’s on the way for his second album and he embodies the future of quality and originality for “underground” french music. He’s french but his music knows no boundaries.

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GIANT STEP: Are you working on a new album?

WAX TAILOR: I’ve just finished a long French tour and I’m working on a new album for march 2007.

GS: How will this album sound?

WT: Its title will be “Hope & Sorrow.” I think these two feelings are in everyone’s life and it’s all about balance. “Hope” for better days, “hope” to face suffering, “suffering” after a deceived hope…I think my new tracks stick to these very different feelings.

GS: Will you have French or American guests?

WT: I’ve worked with Marina Quaisse (cello) on a few tracks and I’ve recorded three tracks with Charlotte Savary. These ladies are with me on stage. I may record with the american ‘The Others’ and I have some projects going on with other artists but it’s not definitive yet so let’s wait a while.

GS: We were all surprised by your first album. How did you imagine it? Where do you find all these ideas?

WT: Actually, ‘Tales Of The Forgotten Melodies’ was like a synthesis of all my influences. Now, I don’t want to choose anymore between a style or another. I have a hip-hop background, but I enjoy so many different kinds of music. I don’t like barriers. I’ve always used “spoken elements” (from movies, advertising, tales, etc…). On my first album I used these elements for the interlude to go from a mood to another without any break. Concerning the ideas, I used to live with a book in my pocket to write down new ideas. I still work with this method : Everytime I have a new idea, I write it down and I keep it for future work.

GS: Can you explain us the title of your first album?

WT: Well, I wanted to build the album just like a story, a tale. I come from the “sampling” culture and I’m like a scientist of forgotten music. It’s an essential part of “sampling” culture. We keep some pieces of old songs everyone has forgotten but which are still in our mind. Very often, I only use rough material, just a simple note that I work from. When I begin to write music, it’s from forgotten melodies.

GS: You seems to be quite friendly with some American artists, how have you managed it?

WT: My relationship with american artists are anything but business relations and it happened just naturally. My album has been released in the USA and I must admit that I’m very satisfied because it was well received. It’s good for the future.

GS: What was surprising in your first album was the quality and the originality, from the album cover to the sound. Who inspired you? Do you use your music background to create your music?

WT: Well, it’s not an easy question. I’m a fan before being a musician. My music is probably a huge melting pot of my influences. Many musicians use to say their music is totally new. I think these kind of sentences are quite naïve and hypocritical. We don’t live in an abstract world and we all have our own background and stories. These stories are in our music. I come from hip-hop culture so I can tell you that Public Enemy, Eric B. & Rakim, EPMD and 3rd Bass were great influences then I discovered jazz, funk, soul, and original soundtrack thanks to sampling. I think I’m a part of each style and I’m evolving.

GS: What is the next step in your carrier?

WT: My first aim is being able to produce my own music without any pressure and with total independence. It’s not an easy thing to do! Then I have more challenge than aim to reach. For example, one challenge will be to work with someone I admire, another challenge will be to have a good “live” show, etc.

GS: What is your opinion about the music industry today?

WT: There’s no music industry but many different worlds. You have the major companies, the big independent labels and the small independent labels. These three different worlds do not have the same realities and their visions of music are really different. The major companies are responsible for what happens today. Music is industry: They have developed the Internet, CD recorder and now they try to stop peer to peer!?! I know people who print about 200 CDs each year but who also buy about 50 CDs a year. In France, people only buy between 3 and 5 CDs a year. When I’m on tour, I often meet people who come to see me but who have printed my CD, so…The bigger you are the more you have to lose and that’s the problem of major companies.

GS: Is playing live important for you? How do you fit your studio work to the stage?

WT: Yes, concerts are very important for me. As I told you, Marina Quaisse (cello) and Charlotte Savary (singer) are with me. Sometimes, ‘The Others’ are on stage too. It’s a different point of view. The arrangements are different and I’ve worked on the image with Laurent King to have a new dimension.

GS: Do you have other projects than your solo projects?

WT: I have a lot of contacts from other artists but I’m focused on my new album right now. That’s the priority. I was asked to write music for movies but you need time to do this kind of job and time now is for my next album. I will work it in , in 2008.

GS: Is your music well distributed in the world?

WT: I signed a contract with the Deutsch label “Mole” for Europe and Asia. I’ve also signed with “Decon” for North America and with “Blend Corp.” for Australia. Since my first E.P., I’ve always thought about the importance of an international distribution. The album was sent to many radio stations around the world and the feedback was really good. An international distribution is also great for promo and for concerts in foreign countries.