Titonton Duvanté drops science and gets salacious with ‘Reverse Cowboy Pt. 1’

Titonton Duvanté drops science and gets salacious with ‘Reverse Cowboy Pt. 1’

13 September, 2008 | 4.51PM

• Written by: Dylan Joseph
• Filed under: Music News: titonton, titonton duvante

Some things seem to come far too early and often - Mondays, for example.  Others, like the new release by Titonton Duvanté, seem to come too few and far between. 

Although he’s been enchanting listeners and delighting audiences for almost 20 years, Mssr Duvanté has never had difficulty finding inspiration as he brings love, lust and sexual healing with the release of ‘Reverse Cowboy Pt. 1’. 

Titonton is clearly at the top of his game and proves he still knows how to bring an audience to climax and satisfy those primal urges on the dancefloor.

Open Concept Records:  So let’s start way back:  What kind of sounds did you grow up with at home.  Were your parents musical?

Titonton:  Well, my parents were into music but not crazy obsessed. 

There was funk and disco around but I also like rock and classical. 

Anything that had electronic/futuristic sounds I liked as a youth for sure.

Your reputation precedes you as a live performer.  Was there any one person or album that made you stand up and say “I wanna do THAT!  I’m gonna be a musician”?

Not really. There are influences are events but not really one; as the story goes I saw a story on Bog Moog and synths on public broadcasting. 

Followed by a special on the studio techniques used by the Beatles.  I was blown away and knew I wanted to do something like that.  I think I was 7 or 8-years old.

I heard old Chicago jack tracks and the early Detroit ‘Big Fun’ was a hit.  But when I heard ‘Pacific’ by 808 State that was IT! 

I knew I was going to electronic music; watching Prince perform was also a large influence.

You touch a lot on life’s more sensual pleasures in the themes you write about.  Got any “guilty pleasures” in terms of music you listen to or *used* to listen to way back in the day?

No - music is music.  I am not ashamed to say that Christina Aguliera can sing or that I like Justun Timberlake.

I listen to mainly indie rock and downtempo anyway.  The Sea and Cake, She Wants Revenge, All the Sa-ra - you know whatever. 

I am excited to see an opera at the Met soon called Satyagraha.  Gonna be hot.

So what was that “first professional piece of professional musical equipment” you bought back in 1990?  Do you still use it?

I purchased an Ensoniq VFX SD and I stopped using it in 2002.

The first work I heard of yours was “Voyeurism” which featured a lot of VERY raw, analog sounds.  What were the primary instruments used on that album?

Ahhh.  Man you want the secrets… No, it is okay. 

VFX SD, Ensoniq EPS-16 sampler, Roland SH-101 and Juno-106.

Your newer works ‘Reverse Cowboy Pt. 1’ has a very smooth production aesthetic.  It still has a very “live” sort of feel, but it’s a bit more refined overall.  Has your methodology changed in the studio?

A bit.  I am computer based now but I spend time trying to keep the same raw and dirty sound before it was dictated by the limitations of equipment; now it is a choice.

Colombus may not have the same kind of name recognition that a city like Detroit would, but obviously you guys (Ele-mental, Residual, 21/22, Metamorphic, et al) really made your mark and I’m sure there’s a lot of hometown pride.

Take us back and let the people who may not have had a chance to visit yet know if and how the city helped to shape your sound.  If someone didn’t grow up in Ohio, what did they miss, musically speaking?

Ohio was just a place to catch the influences of everywhere.  You just had to search for them a bit harder.

I was never fortunate enough to see you guys, but has there ever been any talk of a Body Release reunion?  When was the last time you guys played?

We had a 14 year reunion in Dec of 2007. 

Back to the boudoir for a second… I’m sure your reputation precedes you with the ladies as well… What’s the freakiest thing that’s ever happened to you at a gig? It’s OK - this is the internet and anything goes.  The dirtier the better!

All I will say is Japanese sisters.  I am not really one to kiss and tell…

Some have said that the mind is the biggest erogenous zone in the body.  Is that true?  ‘Cause I’m sure we’ve both seen some booty that would cause a man to think twice...

I actually agree.  Intelligence is so sexy to me.  The smart ones usually have the imagination to be the freakiest.

I know “it’s not a contest” but who’s got more mojo?  Prince in his heyday or Titonton Duvanté in his?

I have done well, but Prince is the man!

What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Too many really.  I guess I would say getting to travel because of music

Do you have any goals or unfulfilled artistic ambitions?

No. I often feel as though I am living a dream.

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