Legendary music festival Les Transmusicales de Rennes is celebrating its 30th birthday with a great bunch of artists: The Residents, Corrkers, Diplo, The Black Angels, The Proxy, Brodinski, Count & Sinden, Cage The Elephant, John & Jehn , Minitel Rose, Bon Iver, Le Corps Mince De Françoise, The Penelopes & Morpheus, Birdy Nam Nam, Sebastian, Anthony Joseph…Discover the playlist and read the interview with head honcho Jean Louis Brossard.

Hi Jean Louis, how are you doing?

I am all right. Pressure’s growing but everything’s fine.

What’s goin’on with Les Trans Musicales de Rennes right now?

Right now, it’s the communication time, but also the every day work (mailing, phoning, etc.), Trans On Tour and the Ubu gigs.

You are now celebrating the 30th birthday of the festival: what were the ups and downs during those past years?

We can’t sum 30 years up so easily…So many shows, amazing memories and a very educated and electric crowd. In fact, I prefer looking forward, past is behind us, but it’s wonderful to be here 30 years after the beginning.

What are you currently listening to?

Jazz : Jimmy McGriff and Junior Parker.

What’s your top 5 for 2008?

1. Blamma! Blamma ! : Carry Me Home
2. Mujava : Township Funk
3. Minitel Rose : Magic Powder
4. The Popopopops : Dance Tonight
5. White Rabbits : Kids On My Shoulders

You are based in Brittany, how is the scene in Rennes at the moment? Good bands around?

The Popopopops, Wanking Noodles, Ka Jazz, Dominic Sonic, Bruno Green, Bikini Machine, Netik, Aiwa, Nag Nag Nag…It’s a fizzy scene, with a number of kids who bring the guitars back in the place.

You are working on your new festival in a difficult moment for the music industry, how do you see the future? How does the current situation affect your festival?

The most important change for us is the way we communicate. Even if the cd sales dropped, more and more people are listening to more different music and go to more gigs.
But bands’ prices are higher than ever (oil and record companies) and tickets can’t be more expensive, or else, people wouldn’t pay for it.

How important is the internet for you as a promoter?

It helps me discover bands faster. It’s very important for communication (mails/ social networks). It’s a good way to be closer to our public. I guess that maybe in a few years, we won’t need posters aynmore…Maybe it’s not the same thing everywhere, but in Rennes, that’s the way.

We are in a world with a lot of different models on the net : what kinds of services should be brought to the table?

An anti-spam service? (laughs). There’s too much information, and nothing to sort it…I use it, but I don’t live in here…Internet has to be something for fun and pleasure. SENSE! I’m still working a lot on my old school turntables.

Where do you see this whole internet thing going?

Best quality in sound, pictures with a full screen possibility…But the end of the free internet world is coming.

Anything to add?

I like the former Mypace player more. I’d like quality on Youtube vids (if it’s not an old days file). Internet’s cool, lives are better.