Antoine Buffard is the CEO of Trax Magazine, the leading French Dance Music publication for almost 20 years.
- Life: when was the moment you figured out that Dance Music was meant to you?
Probably when I started DJing, ten years ago, and saw the effect it could have on people. It corresponded to a lot of things I already loved: selecting tracks into coherent playlists (which I was doing for my blog at the time), feeling the crowd to bring people together, taking risks (you can fuck up everybody's night if you mess up and I was way out of my comfort zone at that time), getting people to love things they would have never imagine they could love. Ten years later I never had so much fun doing it!
- Laugh: when was the last time you had real fun?
I went to the AfrikaBurn with my two best friends... Not sure how to explain how good it was. Every time I tried, it's like trying to describe the first time I had sex. It was amazing... Nothing like the image I have of the American Burning Man. Or maybe what it was 30 years ago. It's unlike any event I've been to in my life. And I have been to quite a few...
- Love: name the one thing you love more than anything – and why is that?
I love anything I find weird. Our industry got very professional, which is good in a lot of ways, especially business wise. But I got into this industry because I want to be challenged all the time. Every single day I keep finding new music from every single place in the world and I still get amazed by how creative and futuristic people are.
- Past: name a significant moment in your career in Dance Music – and why is that?
I would say the day I became the head of Trax Magazine. I grew up reading it, it's been the leading French publication for almost 20 years and running it is a huge challenge! The pressure is high, we had to go through an impressive amount of shit, but I feel very proud to see the quality of the team in place today. I never thought I could be leading anything, and I'm learning new things every day. But, after putting the rest of my life aside for years, I now realize how much has been done and I feel proud.
- Present: what do you think that is trending today in music, clubs and festivals?
There is a great trend of new kinds of ghetto houses in France right now. The traditionally elitist world of electronic music here is now facing the rise of new incredibly talented artists, everywhere, who don't need to go through the whole industry bullshit to find an audience. When they finally do, after having millions of views of YouTube, they can deal with a major company without being crushed. A lot of people are slowly getting bored of four by four vintage Techno/House (and its subdivisions). I don't know if we can call that a "trend", but I think more and more people are trying to find out what's beyond that music that has been around for 30 years, what's beyond the party that gives you what you expected. Times are tough and music is comfort for many. But I think we are ready to look forward again. If the industry in place doesn't make place to those artistic anomalies, and keeps selling the same shit over and over, it will be replaced by more forward-thinking players.
- Future: where is industry heading in the years to come?
I don't know... China? ;)
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