Q&A with Anthony Gonzalez, M83

M83 is perhaps one of Moogfest’s biggest acts, touring in support of its most recent release, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. Frenchman Anthony Gonzalez is the mastermind behind it all, and has earned significant praise for most of his releases.

Gonzalez talked to Assistant Diversions Editor Allison Hussey about his newest release and his recent relocation from France to the United States.

DIVERSIONS: What were some of your influences on Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming?

ANTHONY GONZALEZ: There really aren’t new influences in terms of music and movies. I always watch the same kind of movies and I always listen to the same kind of music.

The new thing, I guess, was moving to California. You know, when you move to a different country with a different culture, it’s funny how everything feels different. You’re influenced and inspired, you feel like you’re discovering yourself again. It was like I was reborn.

In California, I like driving to the desert, to the mountains and to the ocean. The making of this album, I was doing road trips and traveling just with myself. Having a car, I’d spend three days away from the city. It was just a great experience. I was feeling alive again. It was cool.

DIVE: Why did you want to move to California?

AG: I don’t know. I spent 29 years of my life in France, almost in the same city and I just needed a change, I just needed to do something for myself for once.

In France, I was surrounded by my family and my friends, which was awesome, but I really needed to escape it. It was too easy, almost. It was too friendly. It was like a bubble that I wanted to break.
DIVE: What is something you hope that people take away from the record?

AG: I just hope that it’s going to help people to remember. This is what I like about this album, this album helps me so much to remember some of my memories of my childhood and my past.

There’s this sort of melancholy and nostalgia on this album to remember, and this is exactly what I like about music. It’s the best way I’ve found to remember and reconnect with my past.

DIVE: What about your live shows makes them so special to you?

AG: I don’t know, because it’s stronger than everything. It’s better than drugs, it’s better than sex. It’s so cliché to say that, but that’s the real thing.

I feel useful onstage, whereas when I’m in the studio just working on an album, I feel like s—- because I feel useless.

On tour I feel like I’m important, and I feel like people care about what I’m doing. It might be the best thing for a musician. I don’t know, I just like this feeling of doing an important thing for others.