Bastien Duverdier ist den meisten bekannt als französischer Skater mit kreativen Adern. Sein Künstlername KEPA lebt aber ein anderes Leben – nämlich das eines Blues-Musikers. Element Brand stellte dem jungen Liedermacher ein paar Fragen zur neuen Platte und zu persönlichen Inspirations-Quellen. Sein Album wurde ausserdem für den Kurzfilm “Road To Wolfeboro” benutzt.
Das Interview:
So Kepa, tell us a bit about your inspiration and your take on the blues.
My music is inspired by solo blues musicians, i fell in love with the tone, the hypnotic effect they could make with just an simple instrument. I guess I loved the blues for a long time but it was hidden within more modern types of music (like rock). I then discovered Bukka White, Fred McDowell and understood why I heard their songs 1000 times before: Everything comes from the blues!
Well, I soon realised that I was not from Mississippi, there was no social or racial segregation at home, my life was not a piece of shit, so it wouldn’t sound right if i tried to imitate those guys! So I just tried to do it myself, as they did I guess, I don’t feel any more a musician than you, I don’t know any notes, have had no teacher… But couldn’t be happier!
And the space theme for the album?
This album is my 3rd one, I have been influenced by the recordings of Blind Willie Johnson sent in space by NASA. I really loved that idea and I wanted to make all the artwork of the album around cosmos. I dedicated this disc to Robert Crumb and used some of his characters on the album booklet. Everything is DIY, no effect on the guitars, recorded one shot, all instrument played at the same time, all visuals are done by myself without any computer… Whatever i’m so bad with computers!
Via Element Brand.
Sein neues Album könnt ihr euch direkt hier anhören: