Busy P

A full decade after the release of 'Homework', and 8 years after Oizo broke through, Busy P (Pedro Winter) is the head of one of the most exciting record labels in the business. But for 11 years (and counting) Busy P has been working as Daft Punk's manager while handling Ed Banger Records and Headbanger, his management/media company. Oddly though, Busy explained that the method behind starting Ed Banger Records was fairly straightforward. "I had no plan when I created Ed Banger records," he told us, "I just wanted to share what I've learnt with Daft Punk. I wanted to [work with] new kids and their contemporary music." As an understudy of Daft Punk, Winter was certainly taught well.

The originality of Ed Banger's image is one of the major factors behind its success; this originality is contingent upon its balance of artistically driven music and musically driven art. Winter enlisted So Me as Ed Banger's artistic director, and like Justice's grinding synth lines and striking hi-hat stabs, So Me's work has become one of the label's instantly recognizable hallmarks. His vision for the cover Busy P's 'Rainbow Man' E.P. is inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci's 'Vitruvian Man'; a tip of the hat to Busy P, renaissance man in his own right.

Unsurprisingly, Busy P's own work fits comfortably on Ed Banger. His latest E.P. 'Rainbow Man' was released at the end of February, and it is yet another example of the frenzied, distorted dance-thrash that Ed Banger has really perfected in the past few years. The title track hammers through its slow-motion jerks and thrusts with interminable persistence; sounding something like the Chemical Brothers "Block Rockin' Beats". Only drunk. And abusive. His remix of Fancy's "What's Your Name Again" is disjointed, noisy and crazy hard--an archetypal Ed Banger track. Lastly "Chop Suey", the E.P.'s second song, is a bona-fide Ed Banger rump-shaker. Busy, hacks away at some classic booty samples and drags them through a caustic tangle of synthesizers. And yet, we all find ourselves dancing.

Apparently "Chop Suey" is dedicated to DJ Funk, who last year turned Justice's "Let there Be Light" into 5 minutes of completely insane ghetto-house. Winter credits the American mid-west as a major inspiration for both his and Daft Punk's work. "Me and Daft Punk," he explained, "share the same roots and love for U.S. house music producers."

"Of course Chicago is the hometown of our love for electronic music," Winter continued, elaborating on some other influences of his, "Kenny Dope from NYC is [a favorite]. Also I have lots of respect for genius hip-hop heads like DJ Premier, Timbaland and the Neptunes." Winter even credits Mike D, MCA and Ad Rock as early influences. Perhaps that's where Busy P gets some of his light-hearted energy.

"As a DJ I want to party as much as the kids on the dancefloor," he told us, "I want to be close to the audience. DJs are not fucking rock stars!" Refreshingly inconspicuous words from a DJ/producer who has earned his place among the ranks of Daft Punk and Kenny Dope, and whose roots go well back into the 90s.

Yet, Winter was apprehensive to answer questions regarding the direction of dance music in the future, or about the widespread resurgence of dance music right now. "Music is getting better, life too," he said, "I don't really think about the future, let's enjoy the moment now."

That said, the near future looks pretty good for Busy P. Ed Banger is on tour in North America right now, and Busy P told us he will back on this side of the Atlantic this summer to tour with Daft Punk. Mr. Oizo's next release "Transexual" will be out
on Ed Banger records this May (its around on Youtube and it sounds completely bananas) and the world is eagerly awaiting the release of Justice's forthcoming full-length.