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Interview with guitarist Paco
de Lucia:
"I am very self critical, after recording
an
album I rarely listen to it again"
Nemesia. Mexico, September 2001
Having finished last season's international
tour and after a well-deserved rest, Paco de Lucia met us at his home on the Caribbean
coast of Mexico. In this remote refuge the guitarist is hatching plans for his
future projects: a new album, a tour with Chick Corea next year, setting up a
record label with Vicente Amigo... Dressed in a Japanese kimono, which provides
some respite from the suffocating Caribbean heat, Paco de Lucía goes over
each of his plans for the benefit of his fans.
How are you Paco?
Very well. The truth is that now, after
having had some rest, I feel fantastic. Tours in general, and especially this
year's one, are very wearing what with the constant transfers from airplanes,
roads, airports, hotels.... it is really tiring. But now we are here, I feel pretty
calm and relaxed.
Paco de Lucía
We know that you have lived here off and
on for several years, but now it seems you are spending much more time here. Why
is that?
Well in the first place, as you have
said, I have been coming here for many years because of the climate, the sea and
the fishing which all make it a really pleasant place to live, not to mention
the peace and quiet that I can find here. You can imagine the value there is in
being able to come here and go almost unnoticed. I say "almost" because
I am recognized sometimes, but it is nothing like Spain.
You know that a lot of people were sorry
to miss you perform in Spain during 2001?
Yes, I know, but the 2000-2001 tour
was very intense and involved the United States, Japan and after that northern
Europe. We even got to the Lebanon. The truth is that when I got to Spain I was
really keen to finish and I came here to rest. Even so we did manage five concerts
in Spain. I know that it isn't much, but that is the way things happened this
year. Next year will be different, that's for sure.
Sorry to keep on, but they have also been
asking for you to appear in South America...
Yes, yes. And I will say the same. If
you had to do a tour and visit every country then you wouldn't have a life, you
would be away for the whole year and the truth is that I am increasingly keen
to relax here at home. I am very aware that there are many people that want to
see me, but I have to share myself out or else, as I said, I would be away for
the whole year.
What projects are you working on at the
moment?
Now I am fully immersed in writing the next
album, listening to music, and experimenting with other types of music....I have
tried to replenish myself musically so that I can use it to help me compose which
isn't an easy job because, as you know, I always try to make each record better
than the last one. And I am not referring to sales because the flamenco guitar
has grown massively in recent years and nowadays people have a huge appetite for
it.
Are you aware that a large number of guitarists
and musicians are waiting for your work to know in what direction they should
be channeling their ideas?
Yes, yes, of course. And that is what makes
me a little uneasy because, although it is a great compliment, it is also a great
responsibility. Whenever you are writing you are constantly thinking - is this
any good or not? Often I record something that seems to be really good and then
I listen to it the next day and I think it is terrible. The truth is that it is
difficult, very difficult. You need to rack your brains a lot. But I have been
like that since I started and it is part of my character. The truth is that I
am very self critical, and once I record an album I rarely listen to it again.
If I do, I start to see mistakes everywhere and I want to change it completely.
Paco de Lucía
At last we have seen that your official
website has been set up on the Internet and you are also using it to distribute
the 'Paco de Lucia' guitar...
The truth is that apart from eating and a
few other matters everything can be done by Internet. And for a person like me
it is vital, especially when I am living here because it allows you to keep in
touch with everyone. The web page is, more than anything else, for the people
who want to visit it in order to get all sorts of up-to-date information about
me. The idea for the 'Paco de Lucia' guitars came from two of my friends Juan
Estrada y Miguel Ángel Senovilla, who are now partners in the project.
The truth is that I am really excited about it because they have been involved
in both the making and distribution of guitars for many years now and it seemed
like a good idea. I am not doing it for money, far from it, but because I think
it could bring something worthwhile to the guitar world
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"I am not involved in the 'Paco de Lucia' guitar project for
money but because I think it could bring something worthwhile to the guitar world"
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What problems does the sale of a guitar
bearing your signature by Hermanos Conde cause for you?
It is something that I want to sort
out, because I think that they are using my name to make a profit illegally. Many
years ago I told Faustino Conde that he could sell guitars bearing my name, but
only guitars made by him personally. When he died it appears that his widow continued
to sell guitars bearing my name and the truth is I don't like it. I have some
people working on the case and I hope that it will be sorted out soon and I don't
find it funny that owing to the fact that I play their guitar they have given
the impression that I am doing business with them. Nothing could be further from
the truth. That is something I would like to make very clear, because everyone
was very surprised when I presented my own model and I don't want confuse people
or see anyone cheated.
Paco invited us to continue the interview
as we walked along the beach. And it is easy to understand why he likes living
here so much. The views are fantastic, the beaches are something really special,
and playing with his dog Macondo he has a marvelous time..."Every day I come
here to the beach, have a swim and play with the dog for a while, so that I can
clear my mind and relax".
| "If there is something I get real pleasure from in life from
it is making records and, above all, helping to discover new artists" |
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What can you tell us about the new record
label that you are planning to form together with Vicente Amigo and Javier Limón?
It is something that I am really keen
on because if there is something that I get real pleasure from in life it is making
records and, above all, discovering new artists. It is not a question of just
promoting artists that have already made it, but also of discovering people who,
because of lack of resources or planning have been discarded along the road. To
tell the truth I am really excited about it. The problem is to see when Vicente
and I can meet up to get the project moving. But I am sure we'll sort something
out.
When will we see you perform again live?
I am definitely not going to do any
live performances until 2003, when I have planned to go on tour with Chick Corea.
I just want to concentrate on writing the next album.
It could be a pretty spectacular event,
going on tour with Chick Corea?
Yes, in my view Chick Corea is one of
the best there is as a musician and as a person. Every time I have played with
him on stage I have really enjoyed myself. This year we hooked up together at
the Vitoria Jazz festival and it went pretty well. And although it was all improvised
the crowd loved it. So we thought of the idea of a possible tour together, but
for it to come off we still need to find more time.
Paco we don't want to take up any more
of your time because we could be here all day asking you questions and chatting
away to you. So we will leave something for next time we meet up which I hope
will be in Spain.
Yes, of course, we'll see each other
then.... very soon. My best wishes to everyone.
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