dbmixtape Louie Austen

May 30, 2010

Louie Austen has been on stage longer than you would imagine. Born in 1946, this Austrian crooner guarantees retiring does not fit his plans: “I will probably die on stage, I don’t care”. Enthralled by electronic music from the very moment he launched an experimental project (which unfortunately didn’t last more than two years), Austen released his first album, “Consequences”, in 1999. Since then, he has taken over dancefloors worldwide. Two years after the foresaid project, he decided to further this new pathway and since then has worked alongside artists such as Phonique, Señor Coconut, Matthew Herbert, Peaches, among others.

Louis Austen has performed in Brazil, Spain, Germany, the United States, and is currently host for the Cascade Bar in the Marriott Hotel, in Viena. In between some of his performances in Moscow, Austen good-willingly answered the questions deepbeep asked him, sharing a little about his life, his future plans and his career as an actor.

As a sample of his musical production, the mixtape presented here pays homage to Amy Winehouse by featuring tracks such as “My Amy”, “Hoping”, “Easy Love” and “Glamour Girl”. It comes to the grand finale with the beautiful “Dreams are my reality”, a result of his partnership with Señor Coconut.

Tell us about your inspirations.

I’m quite open-headed, so my inspirations come from no matter where. From failed classical composers to Matthew Herbert. Anyway, it would take me ages to sort out a list with everything I’m into.

You’re also an actor. Tell us a little about this particular experience.

Acting hasn’t really been playing a significant role in my life at the moment, even though I’ve recently gotten an invitation to participate in a feature film in the U.S, an independent production in which I was supposed to play the role of a crazy TV preacher. It was indeed a rather tempting invitation, but I didn’t have the time to dedicate to it, and they couldn’t afford my expenses, so… ha.

My acting experience basically took place in the 70’s. I’ve worked with director Stefan Ruzowitzky, who has been awarded an Oscar in 2008, and also a Golden Bear, for his film “The Counterfeiters”. It’s been a pleasing turnover to my musical routine.

It seems to me that people consider the acting activity to be more glamorous than it really is; in any case, it implies that you have to wait and wait until your turn finally comes. For instance, it happens that sometimes you have to prepare all morning long, but you only get to shoot at the end of the day. It can be sometimes quite frustrating; anyway, it takes a great deal of patience …

And what are your future plans?

Well, I’m a modest man… I intend to take over the world, hahaha! And I would also like to become a professional tennis player – that would be awesome!

When was the crooner introduced
to electronic music?

It’s been more than a decade that I’ve been into it. It all started in 1999, accidentally.

Time flies! And you know what, I didn’t even get to celebrate my tenth anniversary asman electronic music artist. Anyway, it’s been quite a long time since I’m into it…

During the boxing lessons I used to have, I met producer Mario Neugebauer, who introduced me to his friend Patrick Pulsinger. They had been working on some tracks they would like me to put my vocals on. Hahahaha! I had no idea what they expected from me, and so it began… The outcome ended up being my first album – “Consequences” – launched in 1999.

People were astonished when they came across an old Sinatra-like guy singing over music tunes… It was just a complete novelty! We then recorded “Hoping”, to be included in my second release. People were really freaked out by this track! At first, I had the feeling they were making fun of me, but then I realized my work had been indeed very well accepted.

What about the LA Music (Louie Austen Music) label? What are the upcoming releases?

The label started out in 2007, as a launching base for my projects. Since then, I’ve released 3 records by it: the Summer Love EP; the Dream (Are my Reality) EP, which brings along Señor Coconut and his Orchestra (both released in 1997); and the Too Good to Last EP, in 1998. Finally, in 2010, I released a double album called Last Man Crooning/Electrotaining You!