Kingston Love Generation, par Bob Sinclar

Bob Sinclar has always been hopelessly nostalgic. Even now, as a DJ of worldwide renown, the star of clubs all over the planet, he has never ceased to be that curious adolescent transported by music, building his universe from rhythms that take him to another place.

Over two decades he has shared with the public his devouring passion for both rare grooves and dancefloor tempos. The hits kept coming, the public image was forged through a string of hit club tracks and brilliant remixes. But Chris isn't just Bob Sinclar, star of the discotheque. Above all, he is mad about sound, thirsty for discovery. So, to start 2010 on an original note, Chris decided on a change of scene.

“I remix my tracks every year, and I thought it would be a good idea this time to go back at look at them differently. Nowadays, music is so electronic, formatted, and I always like to surprise people,” he explains. So, next stop Kingston, where a crack team - including those responsible for Serge Gainsbourg's classic dub album Aux Armes etc. (and several others) - were waiting for him.

“I was a big fan of Serge Gainsbourg. He made his production style evolve over the years and came to work in Kingston with two of reggae's living legends, Sly & Robbie,” explains Chris. “So I went to Kingston in search of positive vibes that I could share with people.

The Sly Dunbar/Robbie Shakespeare rhythm section, Robbie Lyn on keyboards, Sticky Thompson on percussion and Mikey 'Mao' Chung on guitar: the crème de la crème of old school reggae present for an authentic one drop renovation of modern tunes such as “The Beat Goes On”, “What A Wonderful World”, “World Hold On” and “Love Generation” with a reduced tempo and added celestial backing singers. The majority of the original vocals remain, notably those of Steve Edwards, Gary Pine (on “Give A Little Love”) and Tony Rebel (on “Jamaica Avenue”). Others have been added, such as those by Queen Ifrica, discovered on Bob's last album, Born In 69. Plus - an amazing surprise - Grace Jones, on her way through Kingston, expressed her admiration for the reggae version of “Kiss My Eyes”, a homage to Nightclubbing, the 1981 album she also recorded with Sly & Robbie.

“What I'm doing is anti-club,” says Chris bluntly. “I'm a DJ and I'm passionate about dance music, but I wanted to try and open it up to a different style.” True to his wishes, not dictated by fashions or formats, Chris has rebuilt his world through the prism of old school reggae. The result? A heartfelt, exciting album of rare originality. The album of a man passionate about his art, choosing to surround himself with the best in the business in order to reinvent himself. The album of a man who loves music. The album of someone hopelessly nostalgic, in tune with his passion. Kingston style.

Olivier Cachin

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In 2007, after the success of the albums “WESTERN DREAM” and “SOUNDZ OF FREEDOM” - the latter a compilation/DJ mix stuffed full of unreleased tracks - BOB SINCLAR decided to say goodbye to the Paris rat race and spend a year in Los Angeles to find the right inspiration for a new record. Once there, he came upon some folk-rock that he hadn't heard before (America, Boz Scaggs, John Fogerty, Michael McDonald, Dan Fogelberg). The events leading up to Born In 69 (his new album, out 11th May) had been set in motion.

After having prepared a dozen instrumental tracks between September 2007 and March 2008, Bob then left for Jamaica, where - despite a really nasty fever that hit him just when he arrived in Kingston - he recorded a number of singers such as Christopher Martin, Tony Rebel and Queen Ifrica. Back in LA, a few demos were already finished: good vibes, great vocals, some of them really great actually, but still nothing to put shivers down you back like “Love Generation” or “World Hold On”, still not quite the unremitting beat of “Rock this Party” or “Sound of Freedom”. Only once he had returned to Paris to record some music with his trusty team - especially sound engineer and co-producer Cutee B - was Bob Sinclar finally able to sort out the pieces of the puzzle.
“At that point, I went back to the tracks I'd recorded in LA and polished them up. Then I called Steve Edwards who came to Paris in October, took a sample from Richie Havens “We Are Everything“ (a sort of psychedelic song with a Beatles-style sitar) and another from a track by Illusion released in 1969. Using a title with a tinge of flower power, “Peace Song”, the concept of the album started coming together.”
Another crazy idea: making a daring blend of “Je ne t’aime plus” by Manu Chao and the voice of Shabba Ranks on a track called “Love You No More”. Manu Chao accepted being sampled and Shabba Ranks came (on time for once!) to the studio that Bob had rented at the end of 2008. Suffice to say, two miracles had come together.

Also in New York, the song that was soon to be chosen as the first single from Born In 69 was recorded: the legendary Sugarhill Gang - who released the legendary old school hit “Rappers Delight” in 1979 - accepted the offer of a collaboration with Bob Sinclar.
With a baseline concocted by Cutee B, MCs Wonder Mike and Master Gee rapped out in their unique trademark styles, accompanied by a killer hook inspired by a kid's choir from a Kid Creole song!
And thus “LaLa Song” was in the can: a hybrid rap/dancefloor killer where new style meets old school. “Personally, I say 'Bob Sinclar and Sugarhill Gang, they're amazing!' (laughs) I don't know why, but right from the beginning I knew it would be great, and the day we recorded, Wonder Mike and Master Gee told me that they' just come from CNN where they'd been invited for the 30 year anniversary of “Rappers’ Delight“! After a year of trying to make it come together, something magical had happened.”

And you can definitely feel it on this first single. A real party track, both vintage and modern, funky and pop. “I got the concept of Born In 69 by brainstorming around the theme of peace and love and flower power. My birthday is 10th May, and the album comes out on 11th May. It's a great birthday present,” concludes DJ/producer Bob Sinclar.
With this decidedly fun and eclectic album just begging to be danced to, Bob Sinclar isn't just celebrating his birthday, he's sending his groove around the world to brighten up some dismal times.

“LaLa Song” - digital release 23rd March
“Born in 69” - out 11th May 2009

Last update: 28/01/2010