How to forget you're a star

Since September 21 Barcelona has been enlivened by Red Bull Music Academy 2008. In an interview co-founder Many Ameri takes stock – and gets excited about parties that shouldn’t be missed, discarded masks, and music icons who rediscover their own roots at the academy.

The first Red Bull Music Academy ’08 term is over. What’s the atmosphere like this year, Many?

Great! It seems to me that the experience gets better, more intense every year.

Are you saying that because you have to? Or do the vibes really change from academy to academy, from group to group?

The vibes are really always very different. The constant thing is that each time we try to incorporate a few innovations. That’s part of the natural growth of the academy. For example, this year, for our main headquarters, we especially reanimated an old textile factory to make it a place where participants can develop in the most optimal way. After the academy it will become a culture centre for the city. The public authorities were very helpful and supportive in all this; even the mayor visited on opening day. And as well as many small shows, we also put on a huge public event every week. For example at the La Merce street festival, or directly on the medieval Plaça del Rei.

What’s been your Red Bull Music Academy ’08 personal highlight to date?

The ‘Arc de Bass’, one of the public events at the Arc de Triomf. At this event we created a musical arc from drum ’n’ bass to dubstep, from the founding fathers of the genre like Zinc and Goldie to the main producers of the present, Benga and Skream ...

... who were all at the academy. How do eccentric artists, those not unknown for being complicated, cope with the unfamiliar role of lecturer? Like Goldie, for example.

Goldie was delightful. He totally enjoyed the work. Since he left a few days ago he’s called five times because he wants to come back at all costs [laughs]. It usually happens like this: many lecturers don’t know exactly what to expect at the academy. And then, suddenly, they find themselves amongst young musicians from various countries and genres; people who still have an honest enthusiasm for music-making – very different from the hardened cynics that celebs are often surrounded by. And that helps to remind them why they started making music in the first place. So often at the academy I’ve experienced how ‘stars’ become very normal participants; how they glow when they work on beats or songs in the groups – and afterwards really go home enriched.

Do these group dynamics happen of their own accord? Or are you and your colleagues expected to guide it along from the very beginning?

We really had to learn the equanimity of influencing the group as little as possible. But each group is simply different. I don’t know, for instance, how the second term will be at all. Will they all just sit in the studio or be going to the clubs every night? Will they want to record all the time, or will they fiddle about in the recording studio for days until everything is perfect? Will there be conflicts between the participants? After all, they spend two whole weeks, 24/7 with music and really deal with fundamental questions: do others like what I do? Does anyone actually understand me? In situations like this, people discard their masks.

How is it possible for outsiders to get a taste of Red Bull Music Academy?

At the public events, for example; at the workshops and parties that are held every night in Barcelona. In total there are about 45. Or via the many videos, blogs and podcasts we have on our website www.redbullmusicacademy.com. And of course via our online radio www.redbullmusicacademyradio.com, which is not only broadcast live from Barcelona between 7 pm and 10 pm but also offers exclusive shows with all lecturers, participants and team-members on-demand.

What are you looking forward to most in the second part of the academy?

The new participants, of course. And the public event, which Sly & Robbie and Moritz von Oswald will be appearing at. The living reggae legends from Jamaica will be meeting up with the man who brought dub sound into the new century. That’s going to be a real academy moment!