Les Paris Sessions, July 2000...
On Thursday 20th July, Leroy arrived in Paris for a week, to record with French producers Zdar and Boom Bass (Phillipe Zdar & Hubert Blanc-Francart) - the guys behind La Funk Mob, La Homme Qui Valait 3 Milliard , Motorbass, Cassius and many other productions. I had unwittingly been into their stuff since 1992 when I picked up MC Solaar's 12 " 'Caroline' which Boombass produced. And from then on in I've dipped in and out of the French scene, picking up the odd Funk Mob and Cassius release along the way.
Leroy had been due to arrive in Paris on Thursday. We had booked travel for the Saturday, hoping to hear from Leroy before we left, as to where he was staying and where the studio was. Unfortunately we didn't ! Out of desperation, we called Virgin France's offices in Paris on Friday and asked if they would pass our mobile number onto Phillipe & Hubert (not really expecting they would do so, since they didn't know us from Adam).
We arrived in Paris via the Eurostar early on Saturday afternoon, still hoping that Leroy had remembered to take our number with him. By the time we went to bed on Sunday we still hadn't heard from Leroy and we were beginning to fear the trip would be in vain.
Late Monday morning, my mobile rang. It was Roy Parham, Leroy's assistant and collaborator, calling to confirm that the boys were in Paris and hoping to arrange a meet. We told R.P. that we too were In Paris, and an hour or so later we arrived at Leroy's hotel, which as it turned out was a mere 5 minutes walk from ours, in the Montmartre district. It's a small world!
It turned out that Leroy and R.P. had spent the last day in New York haring around trying to sort out visas and passports, and that in the rush (they'd made the airport with minutes to spare) they had left our contacts numbers behind. Thank God that Virgin France had managed to get our message to Phillipe & Hubert.
After a chat and a sneak preview on tape of some of the Drew Crew, Glenn Undeground and this new French project, Phillipe Zdar arrived to take us all off to the studio. Since the boys had all been working pretty hard - sometimes till way into the early hours - they hadn't had a lot of time for sight-seeing. So, Phillipe took the a 'long cut' to the studio, via Notre Dame, The Louvre, Opera, and a few other famous Parisian sights. And you know what? Everything they say about French drivers is true!
Almost two hours later we arrived at the studio, Labomatic, a stones-throw from the Champs Elysses. We only spent about four hours in the studio, but it was enough to tell that what were seeing created was pretty damn hot! Personally, I'm licking my lips with anticpation of Leroy's first appearance on wax since 92's B.M.E. feat. Leroy Burgess 'Pray' 12". Has it really been that long?!
A selection of pictures from the trip appear on this page. Fingers crossed that this project and all of Leroy's other new projects come off trouble free, and that the man, his music, and voice are back out there soon.
Next stop: Stockholm, Sweden?
Links:
La
Funk Mob Discography
Cassius - The Official Site
Thank you to:
Virgin, Paris,
for helping us to avoid a wasted trip.
Phillipe & Hubert for putting up with us loitering at Labomatic.
Leroy & Roy for inviting us along.
