Wikipedia

Air (French band)

For other uses, seeAir (disambiguation).

Airis a French music duo fromVersailles,consisting ofNicolas GodinandJean-Benoît Dunckel.[1]Their critically acclaimed debut album,Moon Safari,including the track "Sexy Boy",was an international success in 1998. Its follow-up,The Virgin Suicides,was the score toSofia Coppola's first filmThe Virgin Suicides.The band has since released the albums10 000 Hz Legend,Talkie Walkie,Pocket Symphony,Love 2,Le voyage dans la luneandMusic for Museum.The band is influenced by a wide variety of musical styles and artists.

Air
Air performing in London in 2010
Air performing in London in 2010
Background information
OriginVersailles,Île-de-France,France
Genres
Years active1995–present
Labels
Members
Websiteairfrenchband

History

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Formation

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Nicolas Godinstudied architecture at theÉcole nationale supérieure d'architecture de Versailles,andJean-Benoît Dunckelstudied mathematics, before forming a band in 1995.[2]Before founding Air, Dunckel and Godin played together in the band Orange[1]with others such asAlex Gopher,Xavier Jamaux and Jean de Reydellet. The former two subsequently contributed to remixes of tracks recorded by Air.

Initially Godin worked alone, recording a demo with members of Funkadelic as his backing band before releasing his first entirely solo effort, "Modular Mix", which featured production byÉtienne de Crécy.[3][4][5]

Recording career

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After making several remixes for other acts in the early 1990s, Air recorded its first EP,Premiers Symptômes,in 1995. The band's first full-length album,Moon Safari,was released in 1998.[6]The first single off the album, "Sexy Boy", received heavy airplay on alternative radio stations, andMoon Safaribecame an international success. In 1999, Air composed theoriginal scoreforSofia Coppola's debut filmThe Virgin Suicides.In 2012, Air completed itssecond score,to accompanyGeorges Méliès' early silent filmLe Voyage Dans La Lune.Dunckel and Godin also released four other studio albums in the 2000s, including10 000 Hz Legend(2001),Talkie Walkie(2004),Pocket Symphony(2007), andLove 2(2009).

Other work

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Air has often collaborated with film directorSofia Coppola.Air drummer and formerRedd KrossmemberBrian Reitzellput together thesoundtrackto 2003'sLost in Translation,including one original contribution by Air titled "Alone in Kyoto". Thesoundtrackfor Coppola's October 2006 filmMarie Antoinettefeatured a track by Air ( "Il Secondo Giorno" ). Air wrote and played the music of the album5:55byAnglo-French actress and singerCharlotte Gainsbourg,which was released in August 2006. Air has recorded a DJ mix album,Late Night Tales: Air,forAzuli Records'Late Night Talesseries. The release was initially scheduled for October 2005, but was delayed several times. It finally was released, complete with a new sleeve design, in September 2006.Darkel,a solo album by Dunckel, was released that same year.

City Reading (Tre Storie Western)(2003) started as an idea for a collaboration with contemporary Italian writerAlessandro Baricco,known for his unusual characterizations and lyrical, poetic style. Baricco contacted Air in summer 2002 with the idea to marry narration of texts from his bookCitywith live original musical accompaniment. The performance premiered live in November 2002 at Rome'sTeatro Valleand was deemed such a success that both parties resolved to make a full studio recording.

Influences and musical style

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Air is associated with a variety of musical styles:electronica,[7][8]space pop,[9][10]dream pop,[11][12]progressive rock,[13][9]downtempo,[14]chillout,[9]trip hop,[15]ambient,[16]electronic pop[9]andspace rock.[17]Dunckel grew up listening to both classical andelectronic music,especiallyKraftwerk,[18]and also the 1960s and 1970s music ofSerge Gainsbourg.[19]He later took an interest in what he called the "English dark rock" ofSiouxsie and the BansheesandJoy Division,while being a fan ofDavid Bowie,Iggy PopandLou Reed.[18]Brian EnoandClusterwere two of the electronic acts who inspired him the most.[20]He cites among his favorite artists:Maurice Ravelfor classical music,François de Roubaixfor music soundtracks and Siouxsie and the Banshees for pop music.[21]Dunckel shared with Godin a special liking for the music ofMichel Legrand,Philip GlassandGrace Jones.During his childhood, Godin was fascinated bythe Beatlesbefore later discovering the soul ofSly and the Family Stone,[22]and film soundtracks likeThe Good, the Bad and the UglybyEnnio Morricone.[19]The duo were influenced byprogressive rockpioneersPink Floyd.[22][23]

Air uses many of its studio instruments (includingMoog synthesizers,theKorg MS-20,Wurlitzersandvocoders) on stage. The band performs tracks from their albums live as extended or altered versions. Air often collaborates (both in the studio and live) with artists likeBeth Hirsch(Moon Safari),Françoise Hardy( "Jeanne" ),Jean-Jacques Perrey( "Cosmic Bird" ), Gordon Tracks ( "Playground Love" and "Easy Going Woman" – Gordon Tracks is a pseudonym of the French singerThomas MarsfromPhoenix),Beck(10 000 Hz Legend)[24]andJean-Michel Jarre( "Close Your Eyes" from Jarre'sElectronica 1: The Time Machine). They also invitedDave Palmeron their 2004 tour and drummerEarl Harvin,Vincent Taurelle and Steve Jones on their 2007 tour.

AIR as an acronym

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The band has given conflicting information about whether Air is anacronym.In a clip aired in 2022, Godin told the BBC, "AIR is an acronym. I don't know if you have the same word in English, but it's, uh,'amour,imagination,andrêve'."Dunckel apparently said the same thing, as the interview cuts to a separately filmed portion where Dunckel says"...which means 'love, imagination, and dreaming'. "[25]

However, in a 1998 interview for Australian magazineRave,Godin reportedly denied the claim, saying "No. Someone made that up, but it was a really nice thing to do. I wish I could have that idea."[7]

Discography

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Main article:Air discography

Awards

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Air won the award for Best Music Video at the 2011Byron Bay International Film Festivalfor the video to "So Light Is Her Footfall".

Documentaries about Air

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Air: Eating, Sleeping, Waiting and Playing (1999)

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In 1999, American film and music video director, writer, and graphic designerMike Millsreleased a 75-minute black-and-white documentary titledAir: Eating, Sleeping, Waiting and Playing.The film, shot during Air's 1998 tour, captures band members Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel during stops in New York, London, and Paris. As suggested by the title, the documentary's tone and form focus on the drudgery and banality of real-life touring for music artists.[26]

Mills had previously collaborated with Air on their music videos.

The documentary was distributed bySource - une division deVirgindisquesas a Stereo DVD.[27]

See also

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References

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  1. ^abStrong, Martin C. (2000).The Great Rock Discography(5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. p. 12.ISBN1-84195-017-3.
  2. ^"Air: Twenty Years review – Fantastique? Absolument. Rêveur? Oui"Archived16 June 2022 at theWayback Machine.Irish Times,Tony Clayton-Lea eJun 8, 2016
  3. ^Lesieur, Jennifer: "AIR de A à Z". Étudiant, L', 2002
  4. ^Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 12.ISBN1-84195-017-3
  5. ^James, Martin (2003).French Connections: from discotheque to discovery.London: Sanctuary Press.ISBN1-86074-449-4.
  6. ^Chris Nickson (March 1998)."Space is the Place | CMJ New Music Monthly".CMJ New Music.CMJ Network, Inc.: 16–.ISSN1074-6978.
  7. ^abParkhill, Chad (18 March 2008)."Air".Rave Magazine.Brisbane Street Press. Archived fromthe originalon 11 February 2012.Retrieved10 April2017.
  8. ^Bush, John."Air".AllMusic.Archivedfrom the original on 16 March 2014.Retrieved8 March2014.
  9. ^abcd"The Virgin Suicides-Pitchfork".Pitchfork.Archivedfrom the original on 16 June 2022.Retrieved24 October2017.
  10. ^Aaron, Charles."Air,Moon Safari– 100 Best Albums of the Nineties ".Rollingstone.Archivedfrom the original on 29 June 2013.Retrieved4 July2015.
  11. ^"Air to Release Album Inspired by Silent French Film From 1902 – Pitchfork".pitchfork.21 November 2011.Archivedfrom the original on 7 January 2019.Retrieved22 October2017.
  12. ^Murray, Robin (16 April 2010)."Dream Pop".Clash.Archivedfrom the original on 16 June 2022.Retrieved8 August2019.
  13. ^Jones, Chris."BBC – Music – Review of Air – Talkie Walkie".Archivedfrom the original on 16 June 2022.Retrieved22 March2018.
  14. ^"Bent: The Everlasting Blink".PopMatters.19 October 2003.Archivedfrom the original on 30 June 2015.Retrieved4 July2015.
  15. ^DeRogatis, Jim (2003).Turn On Your Mind: Four Decades of Great Psychedelic Rock.Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 427.ISBN0634055488.
  16. ^"Air With Alessandro Baricco — City Reading: The Western Story – Chart Attack".25 March 2003. Archived fromthe originalon 16 June 2022.Retrieved23 October2017.
  17. ^Bevan, Wendy (31 January 2012)."Air".Pitchfork.Archivedfrom the original on 3 May 2013.Retrieved8 August2019.
  18. ^abBrinn, David (23 September 2008)."A breath of Fresh Air".Jerusalem Post.Archivedfrom the original on 16 June 2022.Retrieved23 December2008.I grew up listening to all kinds of music, classical but also a lot of electronic music like Kraftwerk, then all the English dark rock like Joy Division, Siouxsie And The Banshees, and of course I was a big fan of David Bowie Iggy Pop and Lou Reed
  19. ^abperry, kevin (9 January 2012)."Air interview".GQ.Retrieved25 January2024.
  20. ^Richard, Benoit (11 April 2016)."5+5 = Jean-Benoît Dunckel [interview]".Ben.Archivedfrom the original on 16 June 2022.Retrieved23 December2016.
  21. ^Dufresne, Charles (27 May 2010)."Vous avez interviewé Air".20minutes.fr.Retrieved23 December2010.
  22. ^abMatthew Perpetua (12 October 2009)."Air Interview".Pitchfork Media.Archivedfrom the original on 4 November 2011.Retrieved2 December2011.
  23. ^Sam Pryor (1 November 2009)."AIR: Studio Symmetry".Electronic Musician.Archived fromthe originalon 24 February 2010.Retrieved24 August2015.
  24. ^"Air: 10,000 Hz Legend | Album Reviews | Pitchfork".M.pitchfork. 28 May 2001.Archivedfrom the original on 19 November 2014.Retrieved4 July2015.
  25. ^"The Story of 1998".Top of the Pops.21 May 2022.(VideoonYouTube).
  26. ^"Air: Eating, Sleeping, Waiting and Playing".IMDb.Retrieved3 September2024.
  27. ^DVD back cover
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