Let's Talk About Sex - Sebastien Tellier

Gigwise: Explain your relationship with the mighty Guy-Manuel from Daft Punk.
Sebastien: “I wrote all ze album and ze lyrics, and after G-Man did all the rest. I think, I compose, I write, but all ze rest of ze album was made by G-Man and it was always ze same in the studio. G Man is a wonderful producer, because if I want for example a four minute song, he can just take a few seconds and create a kind of new song.”

Gigwise: I don’t think I’ve every seen him without his mask off, what the hell does he look like?
Sebastien: “G Man is a very cute guy and you want to do that to him (pinches his cheeks) He’s a very nice guy, a very cute guy - like a cartoon character! Ha ha!”
 
Gigwise: Did you try on his helmet?
Sebastien: “No, it’s too small for me, I have a big head!”
 
Gigwise: Were you worried that Sexuality may end up sounding too much like Daft Punk?
Sebastien: “I am a big fan of Daft Punk, and I think I needed ze sexual vibe of Daft Punk to get my message inside ze head of ze audience. For me ze Daft Punk vibe is an instrument I wanted to use.” 

Gigwise: What kind of direction do you see the next album taking? Sebastien: “I don’t find anything more important than sex. So I just want to talk about ze most important thing, so maybe my career is finished because what is more important than sex? Maybe psychiatry is more powerful than sex. Maybe you can drive your sex character with your psychological power. You know, Tom Cruise, ze actor, he’s a scientologist and zis kind of religion think that psychological things are more important than ze body. Maybe I can read a scientology book and see a new direction for my album!”

Gigwise: Did you get a bit bored just writing about one subject, sex, on Sexuality?
Sebastien: “Ze last song on ze album is a French song ’love and violence’, it is not about sex it’s just about me. I say in this song ‘Tell me what you think about my life’ (sings the line in French). In fact, we should take every kind of art object a painting, a record and behind that you have a creator and the message is love me, please, please. I think ze final part of the album is just saying tell me what you think about me.”

Gigwise: La Ritournelle is without a doubt your crowning career moment - are you concerned that you may never write another song as big?
Sebastien: “With Sexuality, now I have some more powerful songs for TV and Radio. It’s impossible to reach ze level of La Ritournelle because it’s kind of a magical song. In fact when I composed zis song, I was lucky, I did it just with my hands (gestures playing the piano). So I don’t know how I can do that again, it’s impossible to do ze same thing but I’m sure I can do something different.

Gigwise: Were you shocked by just how massive La Ritournelle became?
Sebastien: “Yes, I was! In France a lot of couples play La Ritournelle at their weddings. They’re even on YouTube.”

Gigwise: The French music scene is thriving at the moment, what is the vibe like in Paris? 
Sebastien: “It’s a very good scene, we have Kavinsky, SebastiAn, Mr Oizo and of course Daft Punk and we create a kind of family. I think it’s perfect. I think my favourite music at ze moment is French music, usually I hate French music but now, Kavinsky and everyone, I love it!

'Sexuality’ is out now through Lucky Number Records.