Note: This was a difficult transcription job - the quality of the audio wasn't great, and so things were occasionally tougher to follow. If you are following along with the recording and find a mistake, please drop me a line (ddg@20objects.com) with a suggested fix. Thanks!
Darwin: Okay. Today I get a chance to talk to somebody I'm really quite anxious to talk to. His name is Philippe Petit and I first started really catching wind of him from people, in different musical communities, saying "Hey, check out these collaborations" or "Check out this work" or "Check out this radio show called Modulisme." And I just kept on hearing his name, [then] I got on a mailing list and I started getting the information about what he was doing and I was blown away. So I reached out to him and he was kind enough to offer to have a discussion. So, with no further ado, let's say hello to Philippe. Hey, Philippe, how are you?
Philippe Petit: I'm very fine. Thank you. Thanks for asking anything to me. You know, we say welcome. I'm always pleased to share and discuss. And thanks for the nice words.
Darwin: Yeah. Well, I'll tell you, I was looking over your body of work and it's pretty phenomenal. You have so many releases, you've done amazing performances. You're doing this work with the radio show. Why don't I have you describe a little bit about how you think about yourself - are you a composer, or performer, or a just a recording artist? What do you consider yourself and what is some of the work that that you're really active in right now?
Philippe: Okay. Well for quite a long time I've been calling myself a Musical Travel Agent because my desire is to take people into my universe, to make them, you know, escape whatever is their daily life, take them into my musical universe and hopefully it brings a smile to them or whatever, you know. So Musical Travel Agent and I'm trying to tell a story. So originally, in the 80s - in 1983 - I started doing DJing, so I was a DJ, you know, playing music from others, mainly rock and stuff like that. And the idea was already to tell a story even when I was DJing I already had in mind, the beginning and an end. Little by little, years by years this evolved into that. I have a beginning, like a starting point, and then a closing point. And what happens in between? I leave it to do other people - it's like I would provide enough architecture and it's up to the listener to bring in the furniture.
Hopefully that's clear, meaning that I don't have the pretension to know what's going to be the fun show you want to sit on. That's the meaning, you know, it's up to you to make yourself comfortable and hopefully the music may help. So little by little I started being a DJ and stuff and then I was animating labels. For 25 years I was running labels, so I did a lot of releases, did lots of stuff, worked with many bands. Then at that point I'd decided maybe I would be ready to start doing music myself, which is what I did. It was about 13 years ago, more or less. And that's how I developed the Musical Travel Agent thing, because you know, I was always meeting people telling me, "Oh, you know, I am a composer and blah blah blah..." Well, to me, "I'm a composer" would be someone like Ennio Morricone, for instance; he's a composer, a really good composer and he's able to write a score and write for an orchestra and things like that.
What you are doing is like you are a musician but you are not what I would call a composer - to be a composer is something else. It has to go further, much further than just doing music. Not because you managed to assemble some sounds and make a good result out of it that you are a composer. No, behind that there must be a way of thinking, you know, lots of things that you may learn from time - or from school. Of course there are music schools that can teach you everything. But myself, I don't really like those. I mean I was never into those schools and I don't really like it because it teaches you a lot, but at the same times it makes a barrier because people teach you a way of thinking, and a way of being, and the way your music should be. And then you never try something else because you've been taught all those rules - so you follow them. And many people do that.
And I think it's a shame. That's why I was really interested in modular synthesis and especially in Buchla and Don Buchla because his idea was really different. It's a different way of thinking like for instance he did not add a keyboards...
When Moog was having a keyboard, Buchla was was not, because he would say that if you have a keyboard, you are going to follow the traditional way of doing music versus not using the keyboard and he didn't want that. So I got very interested in that way of thinking. So the idea for me is really to sound different, to try to follow a different path, a different way of doing. And I don't know if I manage - I mean I'm not saying something like I am unique because nobody, I mean everybody is unique, in fact, but very few people can invent something new and I not among those people. I know that. I just try to do my best, you know, that's it. I know I'm not inventing something new. I am not even trying to invent something new. You know, that's, some very special people manage to do that and everything.
Everything has been done already or almost. When you know a lot about music, and I believe I do because of listening to music for more than 40 years, I've got about 40,000 records. So I think I know, a little bit of music. And the more I know, the more I realized that I know nothing because you start to look at the 'one thing' and then see another 'one thing'. So you're like, "Oh wow, then there are so many behind, and then so many, and then so many records." So it never ending. And I love that because I'm really passionate. So that'd be another way to define myself: I'm very passionate. And maybe that's why I do so much because you know, and I'm just always thinking, "Okay, I have to do this and this. I want to do that and that and that and that...."
Darwin: Well, it's interesting that you say that - that you're not, a inventor. I'm not sure if I agree with that, but what I did notice in going through a lot of your work is that you're very much fearless, right? I saw videos of you just decimating turntables, right? Or I saw you with a bow on some kind of crazy string instrument working with a collaborator who was using a laptop. I've heard a work of you with a Buchla and with other analog systems doing really pure and focused analog stuff, kind of at a time when that wasn't even necessarily considered cool at the time. It seems like you have been fearless about trying things that are exciting to you.
Philippe: Yes. So today it's because I wasn't trained to do anything, so I'm just daring to do whatever I want. I mean, you know, why wouldn't I try that? What's the problem then? You know, I have my ideas and I've been used to listening to so much music that if it doesn't sound good, I hear it. I can hear it. You know? Of course, this is not objective, but I mean that's mine, yes. So the way I wanted to sound,
Darwin: It's as objective as you want it to be. Right.
Philippe: Exactly. I mean, it's my world. You know, as I said originally, I am trying to take you into my musical world and hopefully you may like it, if not okay, no problem. I'm not trying to force anyone, you know, I just do it because I have it inside and it has to come out. It needs to come out and I would try a lot of things because I liked the idea of being like a child using different toys and trying to stay continuous using them.
Darwin: Yeah, that makes sense. I mean, it's one of those things where some people really gravitate toward wanting to be like a virtuoso on one instrument and there are other people who find their artistry in the joy of a fresh perspective on whatever they're doing.
Philippe: Yes. You, you become their tools, so why...
Darwin: Of your own voice, right?
Philippe: Yeah, yeah, totally. I mean, obviously when I'm spending, I don't know how many hours a day, but probably 14/15 hours a day on my Buchla system for instance. So obviously I'm learning and I'm getting virtuoso with it, that's for sure. But I still leave everything open to surprise and that's why I love it. And it's the same thing with turntables, when I was still doing some turntablism, first of all, what you saw was me manipulating my sons, because I am having made some unique vinyls with my songs on them. Then I go to many places with vinyls with my songs on them. But of course when I put the needle on, I don't know where the needle will land, right? I must just must be ready to play with whatever is happening and I must be good enough to be able to do that.
So to me it's very similar to modular synthesis because when I'm turning the knob, well I have an idea of what is going to happen. But I'm never sure 100% sure. I like to be surprised. And that that's also why when you are talking about the amount of work I've been doing and all those collaborations and things, it's because I... First of all, I want every album of mine to be different from the previous one. Very important to me as a composer. I may call myself a composer and say this is part of my compositional process.
Darwin: Very interesting. Well this is really amazing, but it also makes me wonder what your background is. How did you grow up to be a person that is as mentally and emotionally free to do this kind of exploring as you are. I think a lot of people here - [because of] the way that you describe yourself might be kind of be curious about: if you weren't a trained musician, how did you get to be functionalism musician, but also how did you put yourself in a position to be able to be a valuable collaborator with other, possibly very well-trained, musicians?
Philippe: Okay. The first part of the question: How did I become like that? In the 70s I was a punk. And I mean I think I am still very much a punk in my head in a way that to me being a a punk is to be free. Like those people who are going on stage, creating an instrument and playing. So that's the punk in me. Then in the 80's I got more interested in the hardcore cause the "Do It Yourself" was appealing to me. It was like instead of the new future for fun, it was like, "No, do it yourself. There is a future, do it yourself." So that's when they started doing fanzines, doing labels, doing radio programs, doing DJing, et cetera, et cetera - which will bring us to the second part of your question. I managed to work with some people like Lydia Lunch, for instance, she would be one of the most famous. Or Cosey Fanni Tutti of Throbbing Gristle - how do I manage to convince those people? First of all, from running labels. I knew them doing radio shows. I had occasional opportunities to interview them as I was also a writer in magazine for a long time. So I could interview, I could help them, I could help spread their music. And I was there like very early, like in the end of the seventies I was already a punk, then in the 80's I was active so I could make myself known by some people like this.
So then after awhile I could at least, you know, send them some music and say, "Well now I'm doing this. Maybe you would - for Lydia Lunch - maybe you would put some vocals on it? Same thing with a Cosey from Throbbing Gristle herself... And - "Oh yeah, we like it. Okay, we could do it." Which for me was the most gratifying because obviously they didn't need me at all. They were like, so famous in comparison with me, it's really - they like the music. So they gave me some confidence. So that's how I could approach many people. It's like if I wanted some trumpet, I would ask Andy Diagram that, because I had done five albums with the Spaceheads, which was a name band - before I played with Barry and all those people. You know, he was in the Spaceheads that I was releasing on Pandemonium, my first label, then on Bip-Hop, my 2nd label.
So you know, that's people I know and that's how I can approach them because for me we are just like a community or family I used to call it. It's very important to me. And it's the same thing with Modulisme that I'm really running a lot these days to help some people, because I think it's really unfortunate that talented people don't get the attention they should deserve. But that's the way it is. And I know I'm not going to change it that much, but that piece I can do something. At least I can try. And that I think, you know, in general way of living in existence, I think that if each of us bring the little pebble into a huge wall of positiveness, the world may change. If we don't, it won't. So I'm trying to bring my world to people.
Darwin: Well it's, it's really amazing because it makes a lot of sense to me. Then, when I look at... like if I go to your Musical Travel Agent Bandcamp page (I'll have a link for that in the show notes) - the variety of people. And in fact, even when you do "solo albums", oftentimes it's Philippe Petit and friends, right? It's really clear that music for you is a very social thing and you draw your friends in.
Philippe: Yes, absolutely. It has to be. Music is sharing. It's really important to me - like you have to share and the best way, and then life sharing because to me, music is life. It's my life. And I spent most of my days doing music and sometimes my nights as well, so it's life... And life - you should be sharing with people and you sold also be exchanging with people because that's the best way to improve. And I try, I'm just saying to do this, you know, that's all, that's all I'm doing. You know, everybody should be doing that - and well, it's not happening. I know, but you know...
Darwin: Well it's kind of interesting because supposedly the Internet makes sharing very easy, but it still seems hard to put yourself out there and do the sharing. I mean the machine is there to do it, but you still have to actually, emotionally, be willing to share as well.
Philippe: Right. And also you have to insist in a way... it has a lot of advantages, that's for sure. But on another end, it is killing desire because the problem is that click - you get free music, you click - you get a free movie, or whatever. I mean I grew up with passions, learning to desire because I have to order up front. They wanted some special vinyl, I had to order them from New York. Let's say I wanted some Garage music back in the 80's. I had to buy from Midnight Records off in New York. If I wanted some Post Punk, I have to buy from Rough Trade in London. It's so I had to order and sometimes I get to wait six weeks, eight weeks, you know, for my vinyl to arrive. So when it was arriving and you can get it and then you listen to it several times. So it's just amazing these days this is not happening. So there is no more desire, you get everything too easily. And that's too often only the same what you get.
Darwin: Yeah. I hadn't really thought of those things being connected, but you're right. When you would need to do something special, you would have to order it and then you would wait and during that waiting period you would obsess about it and you would be anxiously waiting for it. And it would build up that level of passion inside of you. So then when it would come, if it was an album, you would listen to it many times because you had built up such a passion for it just because you had to wait. Now, and I mean, even with instruments - other than buying hardware or modules, I mean, if you're using software you can say, "Hey, I want to add a synth!" and I can go online and I can get a plugin and it's mine in 20 milliseconds. Right?
Philippe: Yeah. But then how many times when you use it, you know? That's also the other point. Lile you see those people buying modules and reselling them. I can't believe... like, "Yeah, I tried it on and it doesn't work..." Oh well I beg your pardon, but it's some time you should live with it a little bit. You know, you should try everything it can do before you sell it. But no, it's just a society of consumption, of capitalism. You know, you'd get an urge to buy, so there is so much temptation. Terrible. You know, people, Oh, could they resist? I don't blame people. Right. That's again, there's too much to watch, but you need to focus because if not, you don't manage to anything. And that brings us back to being a composer or not.
I mean, when you are composing, when you do some music, there is not like a proper accident; accidents may happen in the process of playing, right? But when you start, you have a precise idea. Like if I stopped really doing compositions... I am not talking about when I do live on modular because this is improvisation and this is the pleasure of playing it and doing it. And the same thing with turntablism. But when I really compose what you could hear on the Bandcamp, I have a very precise idea. And from that idea I would decide do I want to use my cimbalom, do I want to use a guitar? Do I want to use my Buchla? What I want to express this idea I have in mind? And sometimes would be, "Okay, I stopped it. Now I need a cello - okay, we'd ask someone. Then I need a trumpet, maybe..."
If I need a voice, I would ask someone out there and I get the voice. I would ask someone who can do it better than I would. And the idea is that if you are a real composer, first you have the idea, then instrument will be the tool to express the idea. It's not because there was a new module that you are going to make music. And this is happening too much, I'm afraid, and I'm not trying to judge anyone, you know, because what I respect the most is the pleasure of being alive cause you are plaguing - because psychologically that's the way it is. You play, you are alive and this is the most important thing. So great. You know, keep on playing, keep on having fun but don't pretend you are a composer if you are just having fun with a module.
No, there must be something behind it. That's it. You know and, and there is really a difference. If, for instance, you see a lot of people, you know, showing pictures of big, big module system, and then showing a demo - but they wouldn't post any music. Real music. They show us the demo, they work the system and perfect. We need these people. It's great! And at least you know, maybe they understood they're not going to make music. They are just playing and having fun and that stuff. You know this, this I encourage: anyone should get a modular and play. So fun!
Darwin: Well but that idea of saying that, you know, grabbing an instrument and having fun, that kinda does cast back to your early days as a punk. And one of the things I've noticed is that there are a lot of people from a kind of a punk background that find themselves gravitating towards modular synths. Why do you think that that might be?
Philippe: Well, evolution probably, because from punk they probably went on to some more complicated, more complex music. Maybe something imporivsed, and then some experimental and if you stay in music, you keep discovering different things. And if you are interested in experimental music, because even when I was a punk, one of my favorite bands was The Residents and Tuxedomoon, you know, as well as The Cramps, for instance. There is a lot in between those, you know, I mean the difference - but if you're interested in experimenting, to me it makes sense that being with a punk mind in the beginning, you would want to experiment then with something very complex because you want to be do something different - so maybe that's one of the reasons, but I don't know. I mean, I don't know what people think. To me that's what happened. Little by little, you know, I was totally like attracted by it and it took time. It really took time, you know? But then when I really discovered - like, "Wow! that's how I could do it." Well then there was no end?
Darwin: Right. So now in addition to the work that you have out on Bandcamp, you also do releases on Opa-Loka records. And those have a very particular focus. The, they seem to be very modular, very analog, and also like very detailed at the analog level.
Philippe: Totally. Yes. Well I attach a lot of importance to that. That's for sure. And Opa-Loka is a label which is totally devoted to releasing electronic music and they have a very consistent catalog. So I was quite happy when they say they said yes to me. The coincidence was that the demo I had sent was my first record, my first recording using my Buchla. It was the Easel and I was seeing it and, you know, they loved it! They said, "Wow, yeah, we like it and we have never released anything like that, so let's do it!" So that's what happened. So that was last year, cause you know, it's only one year that I've been doing, it's exactly this month. It's one year that I got my first Buchla.
Darwin: Oh really? Oh wow. That's interesting. Now you have a second record coming out with Opa-Loka though, right?
Philippe: Yes. So the first one was Descent Into The Maelstrom, and it was a Buchla Easel only. Then there is this new album just came out, which is called Do Humans Dream of Electronic Ships - so it's an homage to Blade Runner, to Science Fiction. And on it I'm using Buchla of course, but lots of things like, I'm also using some of the Moog and using some piano, some vinyl, of course - turntablism and I'm using some psalterion, which is a stringed instrument that you're saw in that video that you mentioned earlier, and using some cymbalon and some stuff. I mean some organ, some what else? What else? Yeah, the Buchla I said, yeah, you know, some normal traditional synthesizer, lots of lots of instruments in fact on it. And I tried to have everything sound different, but at the same time with a very big unity, of course, because it is an album. And there is a second disk on which there is live - Laika In Space, which is an homage to that dog that was sent to space with no return. So I tried to describe the sufferings, 50-minute live recording. It's a bonus CD and there is a second song on it: Why Do Birds, which is a also like a modular live recording. So it's a big thing. It's double CD and it has lots of variety and the, again from Opa-Loka.
Darwin: Yeah. Well the excerpts I heard there were beautiful. I'm going to be ordering it because I actually am really drawn to the kind of work that you did this. And again, it's that level of detail that really reaches out to me. But also it's interesting because despite the fact that you brought in a lot of different instruments, it's still really brings forward the Buchla sound. I would say the Buchla sound is at the center of the work, right?
Philippe: Mm. Yes. It's the center of my life.
Darwin: So you've only had the Buchla for a year though, right? That's what you just said. So first of all, how did you decide to try it? Because it's not easy to get one and it's not inexpensive to get one. So you have to make a big decision in order to get it. But also it's very much an instrument that you have to learn. And so you would have had to decide that, "Okay, I'm going to dedicate a significant part of my life to learning this thing, right?"
Philippe: Absolutely. So I'm following the courses of electro-acoustic composition and electro-acoustic music at the conservatory here. So the second year they did, the teacher started with modular synthesis. And although I had been doing lots of electronic manipulation for many years, I had never tried modular synthesis and so I was like, "Oh wow." So he started it. He had a Kobol system. So we started experimenting with it. I was like, "Whoa - I like it a lot!" So then I got the Arturia software and I was having fun at home with Arturia and trying things. And then I tried [unknkown] on Arturia, and I had the controller and I was into it and I was like, "Wow, this sounds really good." So I started watching videos, you know.
I was watching these videos, I was like, "Wow, that sounds good." But you know, then I was startingto buy record by people using the Buchla and I knew only Morton - Morton Subotnick I knew, cause I, luckily I saw him play live in (I think) 2004 and he was playing with my great friend that we had a duo together, Lillevan, which was in the early 2000 in the Rechenzentrum a great band on Milles Plateaux, an electronic band, and Lillevan is one of the best DJ at the time, at least in Europe. So once we had the collaboration together, so then when he came with Morton Subotnick I was invited to dinner with them. So I had dinner with Martin and Lillevan and we were discussing things and stuff. It was great, you know, I loved the performance but I had no idea... So, too bad it was too early, but at least, you know, we stayed in contact and stayed friends with Morton, and then of course I bought his records and I really liked them, but that's all I knew. And then little by little I got lots of others, but anyways, I was into the Arturia, using it, and and then I decided I needed the real one - I just need the Easel. So I went online and started to search for it. I was like, yeah, not so easy to find, and it's expensive.
Then, there was that Easel K. I was like, "Whoa, that's really interesting!" because this is not the keyboard and it's this really strange 'eagle' thing, you know? So I bought it and managed to get a good price for it from KMR in England and the it was in stock. So, you know, lucky me, I got it. And I started just to reversing it and just playing it and I think, and having a fantastic time, you know, it really changed everything. So that's how it happened. It was a move that I made after trying a lot - when I said trying it a lot, it was like three months, but three months was enough for me to know. I knew I wanted it.
Darwin: That's really interesting. So, you said it's the Easel K is that that's the one that has that Thunderbird-style touch pad instead of the normal thing that looks like your keyboard. Right?
Philippe: It has the 223e keyboard controls - they call it a Kinesthetic controller. It's crazy and I mean the controller is probably two powerful just for the Easel; it's a controller for a 200 system. That's, you know, it's good. And I just realized that the way I play it was not touching the controller that much. In fact, I'm more hands on with the rest. Not, not that much [on] the controller, to be honest. I'm really into, I mean movement - gesture, as you might realize from my turntablism thing - is very important to me. So I have to touch, I have to move the note that you moved the sliders and all this for me, that that's part of the thing. I'm really moving all the time. Maybe too much. Maybe I should let the system play a bit, alone. But no - I need to touch!
Darwin: You're not going to do it, right?
Philippe: I'm, you know, like a craftsmen. I have to sculpt my sounds so I keep touching, keep changing all the time. To me exploring, it doesn't change. I mean, when I listened to some basic techno with like a four to the floor, and then every four there's going to be a little change... No, not to me. To me that's boring - it's got to breathe. You know, things have to happen. Yeah, definitely. Maybe too much. But...
Darwin: Yeah, it's interesting to me that the Easel really does make that kind of physical interaction important.
Philippe: It's perfect, the sliders - you know I put my hands on them and I play. I may... I mean, after a while, like six or seven weeks, I was able to move the slide off so fast - like I'm doing with the turntable. I'm very fast with my finger - I'm used to that. So with the sliders, I'm moving them all the time really fast and it changes all the time and it's really good.
Darwin: And you can be subtle, but you can also make really huge variations. And to me it's different. I see a lot of people with modular systems, and a lot of their work is making sequences that are LFOs doing all of the knob turning for them. And I'm just like, "Turn it with your hands that, that sounds great!"
Philippe: Yeah. Yeah. That's the sequence - it's my hand. Yeah. I often see that the question, "Oh, how can I move the sequence and how can I vary it but come on - put you hands on it. You know, you have to change all the time. That's it. That's the only way. And I mean, please don't, don't tell me you need some 'uncertainty'. Do you need all of these things. now come on, do it yourself! That's the best way. You know, don't sit down and look at the machine doing the job. And again, it's like I said earlier. When you are a composer, you don't let an instrument or machine do the job.
Darwin: Define the composition, right...
Philippe: You want to do the job yourself. You know what you want and normally you should know to achieve what you want - and that's the way you do it.
Darwin: so let's, let's talk a little bit about the Modul...
Philippe: Modulisme.
Darwin: Right. This is a thing that is really unique because it's sort of like a podcast and it's an interview, but you kind of flipped the opposite of what I do, which is your interview is written and then you provide like an hours worth of music. Now is that because - I know that this is put out there as a radio program. Do you do it an hour long so it fits in a radio slot?
Philippe: That's the point. But at the same time for me, Modulisme is like a label - but I am fed up with the business side of labels. I am fed up with being forced to harass distribution companies, wait for payment, etc. We went to the post office to send the records. Okay, I am set up for this. I done that for like 25 years.
Darwin: You've had enough.
Philippe: Yeah, exactly. So I wanted to offer the music for free. So it's free. But you have to come and listen to it. We have a player for it. Listen to it and nobody is by pirating our player because designer, which is the Cedric Languin, he did it. It could be [done], but nobody's going to spend the time to get the program to pirate our thing? They know they're not big enough so... Besides, we love it! You have to come and listen to it. And for now we are like, we have exceeded 80,000 listens, which is incredible.
But I think you said it's unique in a way, before I put together this Modularisme thing, what you could find online was okay - Muff Wiggler, it's fantastic. Then it was lots of demoing and lots of people fooling with the system and some people are posting the albums, but nothing like you think like a community thing and really, really being there to share the music and to focus on; featuring some composers because the people who gave you some music as you know, because you probably know most of them, they are composers, they are well-known composer because they've been into it so long. When you think Scanner, when you think of Todd Barton, Doug Lynner, Alexei Borisov - these people has been around since the 80's for like a Borisov, and Todd Barton or even Scanner would be even earlier. Yeah, I know it's in the 70s right?
Okay. Well these people have been around for so long, or Easy Teeth, he was in the 70s it was one of the first working for Serge. So those people have been around, are very talented. At the same time, I am finding some people who are less known because for me it's important whether you know, a lot of people were talented, that's it. And to share their music. So first it's four radio shows, four radio [stations] are playing them. Then it's like a magazine - that mode of business. You said there is an interview; each interview is relayed by FreQ Magazine, which is a UK-based magazine that's been around for like 24 years already. It's a really good one for experimental music. Some French magazines are also featuring, we're in there, but not everything, but some. And there are resources because I want people to understand what modular synthesizers are. And then very soon that was going to be some special articles about those people who invent their instruments because I think it has to be done, you know, and so I would do it. It's going to be called ITATIOM, and it's going to be about Inventors Talking About Their Instruments Or Modules.
Darwin: Oh, that sounds amazing. Yeah.
Philippe: Yeah. And, and we thought we'd be [unknown]. I got an interview with Joel Devel from Buchla USA and of course to accompany that big interview and all those explanation, I wanted to assemble a compilation. And so that was going to be seven hours of music, done with music from Morton Subotnick, Sarah Belle Reid, Miguel Frasconi, Todd Barton. I mean, so many - I'm amazed! Wow! It's a mammoth of a compilation.
Darwin: Yeah. But I think that you're tapping something important there because people really seem to want to align themselves with Buchla. There's not that many people that want to say, you know, "Hey, think of me as a Waldorf person." Right? Or think of me as a, you know... But a lot of people are very happy to say to say, "I identify myself as a Buchla player."
Philippe: It's true because Buchla is something so special. So of course. But don't get me wrong, I don't want to be considered like I am a big Buchla thing. No, I just want as many resources as possible, you know, to use different instruments. Depending on what I want, I will change the vehicle. But for modular synthesis, for sure, my favorite is the Buchla. This is true. I mean I love Synthi as well. It's really good. But yeah, for now Buchla gets the best that, yeah, this is my favorite.
Darwin: Well, Felipe, unfortunately our time is up, but before we go, what I'd like to do is just have you just drop some info on where people can find out more information about yourself and the wide variety of work that you're doing.
Philippe: Well, best. But if you want to follow there is the philippepetit.info. Okay. Then there is https://modulisme.info/. Okay. I mean, does operate in a shared resource.
Darwin: Well and, and from philippepetit.info, you can actually get to your Bandcamp and your videos and stuff like that. Right?
Philippe: Yeah. There are links to everything and but of course, I mean the Bandcamp... but don't get lost because there is someone called Philippe Petit that does techno - really four to the floor techno - and he's really good at it. But he does techno and people friend him on Facebook thinking it's me. No - I'm the other one. And it happens to him as well. So yeah, if you hear some techno basic techno, that's not me.
Darwin: Well we'll make sure that we put good links on the show notes for the podcast and we'll get people going there. So with that, I want to thank you so much for having this time and I really appreciate you taking the time out of your schedule to have this call.
Philippe: My pleasure. I really thank you so much. You know, as I said, I'm totally happy to share with someone else who is doing the radio program. I've been doing radio programs since 1983. We are the same, you know, we are animated by the same passion to transmit. So yeah. And to your listeners, of course. And thanks to them for listening to me.
Darwin: Well, with that we'll, we'll head out. Thank you so much. Bye now.
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