By Joshua Glazer
Thomas Bangalter is taller than you’d expect. That’s the first impression one has when the bearded (no helmet) member of Daft Punk unassumingly dips into the basement dressing room of Hollywood megaclub Avalon, where the even taller Pedro Winter is moving comfortably around the scrum of well-wishers, freeloaders, scenesters and photographers. Only local LA jock Them Jeans is taller still…he’s six-footeight. As by design, few recognize the unmasked silver robot. But everyone knows who Pedro is, and he’s quick to offer an introduction and a drink. A pro mingler from years of backstage activity-first as a promoter, then as manager of Daft Punk and, most recently, head of the impossibly hip Ed Banger Records-Pedro knows his way around a room.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been three years since Ed Banger became the “lifestyle brand” to make techno cool again-peddling electronic sounds to the first generation in 20 years whose jeans got tighter, not wider. Justice might be the company’s biggest single act, but the label functions as a whole aesthetic. From MySpace pages to t-shirt sales, festival sets and private afterparties. Medhi, Kavinsky, Uffie…a visit from the Ed Banger crew is like the circus come to town. But tonight, Winters, the ringmaster, is also the headliner. As Busy P, he will DJ for a packed club of partiers who discovered dance music while raising their hands in the shape of pyramids and crosses. It’s a new role for Winter, but one he’s slipped into with ease.
URB: Is it different traveling alone, just being Busy P…the DJ?
Pedro Winters: It’s completely different and, to be honest, I prefer to travel with my crew. Its the project we want to present. Present [Ed Banger], more like an indie showcase. When we are five behind the decks, you know it’s different than just one DJ alone.
What made you decide to go out on your own?
It’s true that I transform myself into Busy P. I realized we needed it in the label, to promo the label, to promote the vibe. I like it.
What do you consider to be the Ed Banger sound?
My friends at Institubes came up with the name “hooligan disco.” I love this name, and I think it perfectly fits the French sound, trying to bring an indie or rock’n'roll energy to this electronic music that was a bit boring for me…all the minimal [techno]. Some of it was, of course, quality, like Matthew Dear. He’s doing some great stuff. But what we are trying to bring with the Ed Banger sound is a bit of a mess. Taking the fun part of hip-hop, the noisy part of heavy metal, the funky part of french house…this is the Ed Banger sound.
Ed Banger has been described as a “lifestyle brand.” Does that have any meaning to you?
Of course, since day one I’ve been saying Ed Banger is not just a music label. Merchandising became a real thing for me, It’s why I prefer to talk about the branding side rather than another merchandising thing. We do t-shirts as Stussy does, we want to create a brand that can live without the music of Ed Banger. We are also launching a publishing company with So Me. We will publish art books and fanzine soon…Kids all around the world seems attached to our Ed Banger codes. We mixed the crowd, break the rules and try to spread good music.
How did you meet Daft Punk?
I met them at some parties in Paris, and then I bumped into them in some record stores, and one day I asked them to come DJ my party. We became friends and one year later they asked me to become their right-handman. I was 20 years old and they were 20 years old.
Loading ...
Leave A Comment!