Antonio Bras (DE)

Over the years new musical arrangements have been set to this film of which nearly all were with a classical instrumentation, despite the fact that the soundtrack and its relevance for film has radically developed since 1927.

With the progression of time and the increasing influence of electronic music, our hearing habits have also been completely altered. Antonio Bras uses music styles which take the original concept into consideration. His many facetted soundscapes and rhythms contain numerous elements from several electronic popular music styles which are to be found in the “alternative club culture” (Down-Tempo, Trance, Ambient, Industrial).

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With the 9th edition of the Transylvanian International Film Festival in Cluj-Napoca and the second showing of METROPOLIS out of Germany, RiCo from ClickZoomBytes exchanged a few ideas with the artist before the show.

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CZB: You are from Stuttgart. What do you prefer most?

a. Driving Mercedes Benz

b. going to VfB Stuttgart matches

c. going to Fantastischen Vier's 20th anniversary concert?

d. going to the Weindorf wine festival? - and why?

Antonio Bras: “C”

I´ve been a witness by the development of the FANTA 4 since their first performance in disco clubs or youth center approx. 20 years ago.

Myself had sometimes contact with the band in the past. Much more with their manager - he is in the same neighborhood with my studio / office.

The music is touching, eventful and works with the times.

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CZB: When did you discover your passion for music?

Antonio Bras: Ever since I can remember, music is something fascinating for me.

Once I spent my complete monthly earnings into my first two Synthesizers – this was before the end of 1985.

By this time a used Roland Jupiter 8 cost about 8.700 DM – in comparison a Yamaha DX21 cost 1.800 DM. My parents couldn´t believe it... that I spent so much money for two instruments and not for a car!

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CZB: Did you listen to classical music first or did you start out with American Forces Radio?

Antonio Bras: First I listened to classical music.

The Requiem by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart / conducted by Marriner is my favorite,

The first record I bought was ABBA´s first LP.

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CZB: How large is your LP collection and which one would you say is your most treasured album and why?

Antonio Bras: My LP collection contains nearly 2.700 LP´s / over 300 Singles and more than 550 Maxi-Singles or large EP´s. My most treasured album is a bootleg from Sisters of Mercy live in Stuttgart on December 11th 1984. I was at this concert that I had my first contact with the band and talked about their drum machine and how its programming works.

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CZB: How long were you active as DJ Binar and why did you choose this stage name?

Antonio Bras: I´m working for more than 10 years under this pseudonym as a DJ.

The name deflect by Binary - I see this word not only in a mathematical sense but rather as a condition of duality. Everything has two faces and we all live in this world of duality because we need it to understand ourselves.

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CZB: Have you worked with other movie soundtracks / which ones were most important for your career?

Antonio Bras: Yes, I worked in the 90´s for two more movie soundtracks.

It was a documentation production one called Whales and the other Serial Killers but none of them was important for my career - it was more or less a job for a good friend.

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CZB: How were YOU contacted to compose a modern adaptation to the METROPOLIS soundtrack?

Did you know about the movie's history before accepting the challenge?

How did you get into the feel of the movie?

Antonio Bras: In the ‘90s I got the idea when I visited two electronic/techno parties.

At these parties there was a film projected on a wall, added to the dancing audience.

There was no context between the music and the film but it created something completely new.

But the most fascinating fact by this time for me was the reaction of the guests – as they showed a particulary keen interest in the film itself.

This was when I decided that I want to transport the film or it´s meaning and content into the present day and address it to a younger audience by using music as a medium.

Since I make music, I´ve always worked with electronic sound equipment.

Earlier I produced experimental sound collages – which I used for documentary productions, exhibition shows, performances etc.

A good example for a performance is: “1 Site – 2 Places” on the Rathausplatz in Sindelfingen (the Exhibition was organized 8 years ago).

Most of the scores produced for METROPOLIS are very classically orientated in terms of instrumentation. I hoped for a combination of both – classical and electronical music items to appeal to a younger audience.

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CZB: What should we expect from this special concert in Cluj at the TIFFestival?

Antonio Bras: The relevance of this subject still makes METROPOLIS seem modern even today.

It will be probably only start to fade when we’ve learned to draw conclusions about the way we treat each other in the world we live in.

I would definitely hope it doesn´t remain an Utopia. In this aspect, METROPOLIS doesn´t just stay as an artistic document through time – even if from a modern-day-perspective the content seems rather naïve and ordinary. But it touches everyone which is interested in the content.

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CZB: Will you be conducting ... how many musicians and what instruments will be used for the concert?

Antonio Bras: YES of course I will…

I´m the only musician using programmed samples and remixes, hardware-sampler, drum machines, synthesizers etc.

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CZB: Have you ever been to Transilvania (Romania) before? How long have you worked to prepare for this special event?

Antonio Bras: Yes, I´ve been here before – just last year in November (2009).

I began with the first music components after I knew about the newly found scenes in Buenos Aires in November 2008. And for this special event now I have been working since January (2010).

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Interview conceived by RiCo for CZB

29.MAY.2010

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METROPOLIS LIVE

was presented by Antonio Bras...

Saturday, May 29th

@ the Republica Cinema in Cluj-Napoca

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www.metropolis-live.de

www.myspace.com/metropolislivesound

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www.youtube.com/metropolislive

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