My sister and I rarely get the opportunity to work together and were therefore looking forward to collaborating, especially on a an article destined for the magazine’s Women’s issue. But when we started talking about doing the interview, I have to admit we got really excited. In fact, I’ll go ahead and say we were straight up giggly, primarily because we have been into Tellier’s music for a while but also because he exudes such a particular and peculiar energy.

America has seen it’s fair share of mysterious French electro musicians over the years (Daft Punk, Cassius, Air...) but Tellier seems to be of a slightly different breed. The public persona he has crafted himself is definitely odd but there’s nothing robotic or de-humanized about it. Between the long hair and beard, permanent sunglasses, and the metallic shoulder-padded jacket he dons for his shows, his look oscillates between 70’s guru and 80’s kitsch, with a touch of Jesus Christ. (Interestingly enough he mentions “head of a sect” as one of his teen career aspirations in the interview). He also has a Wes Anderson character quality, with a definite inclination for vintage sportswear. In describing his clothes during the interview, he actually refers to his style as that of  “a golfing retiree”.


photo by ALEXANDER RICHTER


Overall, a pretty cool dude. A cool dude who seems to have an insatiable and slightly intimidating sexual appetite. Described in the press as “the pied piper of boners”, ”the Moses of coitus” (arguably one of the best titles of all time), “sex-obsessed” and “meticulously sleazy”, Tellier has developed quite a reputation thanks to his latest album “Sexuality”. Produced by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo of Daft Punk, the album is a serious homage to lovemaking. Each song on the album is an interpretation of sex. Or rather is the musical embodiment of the different types of sex people have – and one assumes HE has, or at least fantasizes about: romantic summer beach sex, clean robot sex, bi-sexual sex, sex with your personal trainer, and so on.

Long story short, Emilie and I were psyched to interview him. And since this guy was seemingly a pro, we figured we would ask him all about sex. We had imagined him to be a dark, sexed-out maniac but we found out “the pied piper of boners” has a true likeness to his music and seems to be the perfect mix of simple and enigmatic, erotic and silly, sweet and slightly odd. A little bit of a degenerate perhaps, but basically a big romantic.


Where was your favorite place to perform in concert?

Los Angeles or maybe New York at Hiro. The sound is different in the States because of the different voltage (110V versus the 220V in France). It gives it a pastier sound, which I like. I also saw people waiting on line outside Hiro, which was really cool. It was my first show in New York and it was really exciting to see all these people coming out to see me.

What about in bed?

In bed, it would be Biarritz (a beach town on the southern Atlantic coast of France). That’s where I discovered love, where I saw my first naked girls on the beach. I was half naked too. I was fifteen - it was in 1990.


Are you more into blondes, brunettes, or redheads?

I’m more into brunettes, with fair skin, slightly glowing, voluptuous, ultra-feminine, who show their figure. That’s important to me... It’s just more pleasing to the eye.
I would say I’m more of an ass man but after consideration, I think I might be more into breasts because it works even faster for me at least, although you obviously need a “whole”.


Would you rather have your parents walk in on you having sex or walk in on your parents?

[Laughs] They both really gross me out. But I think I’d rather be caught by my parents, because if I saw my parents I’d be traumatized.

Lace or leather?

Lace. I’m more into the delicate, feminine sensuality.

What was the best part of the first time you had sex - the worst?

The best part was just before because you know it’s going to happen. So all the anticipation was fantastic. Even the next day was great. The worst was during, because you try to manage, doing what you can, but it wasn’t that brilliant on my part. I kind of had the impression of being in a daze or a trance, like I was watching myself from the ceiling. I still enjoyed it very much.

photo by ALEXANDER RICHTER


You talk about bi-sexuality on this album. Is this something you experiment with personally?

Not really. For the most part the album expresses fantasies more than realities. The men I identify with are generally the androgynous type, with a bit of an effeminate side like Jagger, Bowie, or Prince. Bisexuality to me would be the ultimate sexual experience because one would get all the possibilities, the best of both... you can multiply pleasures. So although I’m not bisexual, it is something that attracts me.

Would you rather be able to read people’s minds or influence their mind?

Definitely influence their thoughts. It’s always been one of my fantasies. I have always been attracted to the idea of sects, the well-intentioned ones. Actually when I was a teenager my dream was to one day become either a musician or the head of a sect. I kind of see myself ending up in one of those communities, where people all have the same mind state...

I hear that the songs on this album are all illustrations of different types of sex (beach sex, gym sex, bi sex, etc) if you had to pick one, which one would you favor?

My sex fantasies have always been rather basic. I’m the classic Levi’s-501-and-Porsche-911-Carrera type. What gets me the most is picturing a beautiful villa by the sea, with a very beautiful woman, in teeny work out clothes. Her personal trainer shows up, they start doing sit ups...

photo by ALEXANDER RICHTER


We’re a little unclear at this point if Tellier IS the instructor or just watching but in either situation, I can’t say I would describe that as your average, classic, basic sexual fantasy. But he agrees that it all goes with the little universe he has created through the album, the videos, and his persona. “It’s all very second-degree kitsch.”

Does each song evoke a person in particular or are they more just conceptual or fantasies?

Fantasies. But I did fall in love when I first started writing the album, at the very beginning. So there’s a mix of love and sex that can be felt on all the tracks. The album is in large part inspired by her. I prefer love stories to sex. I’m much more of a romantic than a player. Love gives me a much greater sexual pleasure than sex for the sake of sex. I’m a very faithful and romantic. This girl really became my muse and let me explore all the different facets of love.


The last song of the album talks about love and violence. Are those elements essential to sex and relationships to you?

Yes of course. I’m not a little kid when it comes to sex. You have to be able to play with the animality of sex. This song is actually more about me. It’s about the moment after sex when your mind is clear and you can assess things. It’s a sort of “after-sex meditation”, where you can re-evaluate yourself. In the song I ask, “Tell me what you think of my life, of my youth...” That’s why it’s the last song of the album. It comes after making love. It’s a very personal song.



 http://www.myspace.com/sebastientellier