We finally know little about Frank Rabeyrolles. A discreet and unclassifiable character from the "new" French music scene, he stood out in 2004 with Life behind the window, the first album of his Double u project. His dreamy and hybrid music, oscillating between pop, electronics and songwriting surprises and seduces. It hits the headlines, not to mention Les Inrockuptibles and Liberation, and is album of the month in Trax. A prolific and insatiable artist, Frank Rabeyrolles persists and signs by releasing a solid succession of albums under Double u first then Franklin, a new alias which also reflects his need for perpetual change.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Hey Frank Rabeyrolles, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. How has the time gone for you since our last interview?
Hey Kamil, my album "Boat songs" is released and available, with my musicians we’ve been doing few shows and we’re preparing a new single to be released in March.
How do you balance your time in the studio with other commitments such as a part-time job, family, admin?
I‘m working in a venue in Montpellier called "Black Out" booking some shows for bands, I don’t really share my time between a classic job and music , I’m very happy to stay in Music all the week and most t of the time, the other part of my life is family time that’s a nice job too.
Your latest album is 'Boat Songs'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
The album has been recorded in only 2 days Live, 11 songs in such short time is quite unusual, but it was really cool. I think we kept a lot of sincerity and energy because we didn’t have a lot of time to waste. "Boat songs" keeps something Lofi without artificial extra production additive.
How do you know when a work is finished?
It’s never finished, it can sound better and you can always improve something, but there is a moment where energy and creativity die a little bit and you have to stop the process and release the record.
How do you find yourself in the music business? When you started out in music, did you know it would be like this?
Music business is always moving fast and it can be a bit depressing. I try to keep focused on the artistic side of things to keep joyful and keep doing my own thing. When I started music I couldn’t imagine it was such an industry with so many codes.
Who is your favourite musician?
I’m not a fan person, I love Coltrane, Eliott Smith, 13th floors Elevators, Lou Reed and so many…
Describe your favorite and least favorite part about being a musician.
My favorite is to record music and share it with my band and people playing live. Least: Music is too much an industry and you spend too much time promoting your name, your sound, trying to reach some people This is the dark side of being musician, it 's sometime absurd and a bit boring.
What’s your scariest experience?
It stills taking the plane even if I feel a little bit better now in the past it was the scariest thing to do for me during a long time.
If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
Too many people listen exactly the same artists it’s too much a mass culture, too much linked with capitalism, few artists earn too much money and thousands never see any cash!!!!!
What can we expect from Frank Rabeyrolles in the near future?
I will release a Single in March then an EP in June, we try to perform live with the band , I’m also writing new material for a new album.