Leo Frappier is a remixer/producer who has kept us dancing for decades. He started in the high NRG style and has adapted and embraced other sub-genres of dance music to move us to the floors, and he has done that admirably. He's worked with some of our favorite divas (Ulta Nate, Kristine W, Jeanie Tracy) and has always added quality and respected the integrity of the original song in his mixes. Therefore, it was a definite thrill for me to be able to blab with the one and only Leo Frappier.
Dj Buddy Beaverhausen: Hi, Leo, thank you for joining me in this Q&A where readers at Queens Our City radio and my interview blog, Blab It to Beaverhausen, can come to know you better along with me. From NYC, we welcome you from the Bay Area. How long have you lived there now?
LF: Hi,
glad to meet you! I was born and raised in San Francisco. I have
lived here all my life, with a short stint in Los Angeles. I’ve seen it through all the decades here!
DBB: The earliest
production of yours I can track down is "Jump Up for Love" featuring
Jo-Carol. What had you done previously, because this doesn't sound like
the work of a novice? And how did you get started in the business?
LF: Wow,
you’ve done some homework! Just a few tracks before that, like “Fire”
with Linda Imperial, and my very first record which got written up in a
Billboard review, “Dangerous” by Magda Dioni. Both were dance tracks
of the “Hi-NRG” genre that came out of the Megatone and Patrick Cowley
school of early early EARLY EDM.
I
got my start working with John Hedges, Audrey Joseph, and Marty
Bleckman with Moby Dick and Megatone Records in the mid-Eighties. I met
and hung out with diva legend Sylvester many o’ times, but never had
the opportunity to work with him. He was fabulous, but a genuine person
at the same time - very encouraging to me starting out. A couple of
years after he died of AIDS, Megatone released a remix album entitled
“Immortal” in the early 90’s and I remixed “Menergy” and “Man Enuf” for
the album. That truly was the beginning of my career as a “Remixer.”
DBB: What were your musical influences growing up? What are they today?
LF: My
musical influences were all over the place, but I’d have to say many of
the Soul bands of the 70’s. I grew up studying classical piano and
was at one point going to be a professional tuba player, being groomed
to work with the San Francisco Symphony. But as synthesizers and
studio technology came about, I knew my early dream of writing and
producing “pop” music was what I wanted to pursue. Any influences
today? Well, I listen to the radio and hear all sorts of music I like,
as most of it is dance! Also, on a quiet note I do enjoy “chill” and
“spa new-agey” type of music, too. Can’t be dancing all the time!
DBB: This Wednesday, 11/6 @ 6pm, House of Pride radio will be presenting a
tribute to you and your career, and playing your music. How do you feel
about being honored this way, and how can my readers and I go to hear
this? Sounds like fun!
LF: Yes,
this should be very fun, and I’m excited about it. It’s at 6 pm West
Coast time, and it’s at a venue I’ve never been to. It’s playfully
called the “Mutiny Radio & Cafe," and it’s live. You can listen
and stream on the web with this link:
Remember you lovely East-Coasters, it’ll be 9pm your time! (wink)
DBB: I see you're connected with Sobel Promotions and are currently quite
prolific. What was it like working with newer artists like Icona Pop,
Sheena Rose (who I recently interviewed), et al.?
LF: Sobel
Promotions? I love Barbara Sobel. She’s the best in the business. And
regarding artists, anybody who comes to me with spirit and ambition and
talent, I love to work with. Sheena Rose is great, I really have
helped her get rolling. Doing remixes for the pop diva’s like Carly Rae
Jepson and Icona Pop, you don’t actually get much contact with them.
But I know for a fact that these artists listen and do approve of the
mixes that the label hired us to do. I’ve gotten some lovely emails,
which is quite touching considering how on-the-go these pop artists are!
DBB: Tell us a little about your collaborations, throughout your career,
with some other producers, remixers and divas. I mean, you've worked
with some of the best! Who would you work with again in a heartbeat? Who
might you not want to work with again for whatever reason?
LF: I’m
glad you brought that up. It’s very easy for me to work in the studio
and “do everything,” which I can. But I LOVE collaborating, especially
on the production and remix side of things. I’ve been working a massive
amount in the last year with Superstar DJ/Producer Wayne G, and he and I
together have worked with lots of chart-topping pop divas (and some
guys too, haha). With him, the Icona Pop, Nelly Furtado, and Carly Rae
Jepson remixes came about. I work with Paul Brewer, and he and I are
the Sweet Team having done a #1 Billboard remix for Kristine W., and I
am part of the House of Swishcraft and regularly work with DJ/Producer
Matt Consola. I’m part of a group called Outer Sunset, and we’ve had
some interesting success in the “Trance” market working with Paul
Oakenfold and Perfecto Records. There are very few that I don’t or
won’t work with anymore. Very little goes bad, it’s just an upward
trajectory of good stuff, you know?
DBB: What's the juiciest backstage story you can tell us? You don’t have to name names but, on the other hand, feel free.
LF: Well
when live shows happen at the clubs, sometimes various levels of the
vocals are on the track. That’s usually because a club is not a concert
venue, and it’s very hard for the artist to hear themselves properly.
It’s not lip syncing, it’s just a guide to keep them on track. Well,
honey, I won’t name names, but a couple of times I’ve heard a diva or
two who’s had too many sips of cocktails start singing the third verse
over the second verse's vocals and vice verse. A hot mess ~ plain and
simple!
DBB: [laughs.] Well, what do you think about the state of club music today?
LF: I
love that club and pop music are so intertwined these days. I go with
the times. I love classic sounds and like to throw some retro in the
mix, as well as some “funky soul” up in there too, but I like today’s
dance music sound. It’s finally got a name: EDM. Electronic Dance
Music and I’m all for it. Also, I really like some of the Nuevo-Disco
sounds coming out of New York usually for summer months or Tea Dances.
DBB: You recently had a very special 9th Anniversary in your life. Would you like to tell us a little about that?
LF: Okay,
let’s get personal. Yes, I just had the 9th anniversary of my first
date with my husband. Yup we’re married. Happily! We got married first
in Vancouver, Canada in 2006 when it just became legal there. And then
in 2008, we were one of those handful of couples who got married in San
Francisco, California and still stayed married even though Prop 8 in
California stopped marriage equality for a while. Well, as we all know,
that issue went to the Supreme Court of the United States and now our
marriage is recognized on a national level. Marriage equality, the way
it should be.
DBB: I usually end my interviews by asking if there
are any last shout-outs that my guests want to give to their fans, so
I’m going to now offer that option to you.
LF: I
never turn down a soap-box or podium... haha. I just want to thank all
my fans and supporters. Your feedback and enjoyment of my music has been
a daily inspiration. Thanks for listening. I promise I’ll keep you
dancin’! [Mwah!]
DBB: Leo, thank you so much. I'm sure our readers will enjoy this chat. Best wishes from Queens Our City Radio and Blab It to Beaverhausen!
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