One Time @ Bandcamp With... Patchworks

 

When I'm not getting lost in my record crates I find myself digging through bandcamp just following rabbit holes and seeing what sounds stand out. Sometimes I find myself grooving to some new jazz, an as yet unnoticed rapper or perhaps something soulful and dance inducing. Such was the case when I stumbled upon Patchworks.

In specific it was the recent Mr. President project One Night. Filled with amazing modern disco vibes, it's music decidedly not for social distancing but certainly uplifting art for these tough times. I was hooked in one listen and had to know more about the man behind it. 

Turns out it's one of many projects a man by the name of Bruno "Patchworks" Hovart has his hands in and he alone has a discography one could spend days devouring. Running a gamut of styles within a broad spectrum of dance tunes you are bound to find something you can groove to and smile along with.

The music is created out of love and passion, with no motives beyond experimentation and good times and you can hear it. In our email exchanges he came across as a care free, living in the now kind of guy who collects instruments and gear like I do records (the gear addiction is coming, I can feel it - shout out Mizo). So if you've never heard of the man, press play and take a step into his mind with me.

How old are you?

45.

What's your first memory of music?

My grandma playing Chopin in her house, in French Britanny, while I was getting to sleep.

When did you know you were gonna make music professionally?

Once the money started coming in, hahahah! I decided to turn professional in 2001 but it took me 2 years before I could.

What's your studio set up look like?

It is a 25m2 room in my flat, on the 5th floor, no elevator. The room is full of instruments. Very few digital machines, many guitars, basses, percussions and keyboards. It is a very organized mess, but it looks like a messy mess.

Can you walk us through your creative process?

Well, I would say "as it comes." I never follow any trend, do not care about being late or early. And I choose the people I work [with] on the friendship, easiness, smiling abilities and talent criterias. I prefer beautiful mistakes to boring perfectness.

Has COVID and quarantine been a deterrent to your creativity or an opportunity to dig into your craft?

Well both. I miss the contact with the crowd and live music. I really miss the thrill of improvisation on stage. On the other hand, quarantine was a time when I learned to calm down the working rythm a little bit and that's a good thing. Less but better is a point I would like to reach now... I feel like I learned from myself.

What's a typical day in your life look like?

Early working on boring administrative stuff. Then studio, meal, rest, studio, booz with friends, dinner, book and that's it......super classic.

How do you decide who you want to collaborate with? Is it organic or do you seek out musicians that impress your ears?

Well sometimes people I do not know ask for it and sometimes I go. Most of the time they are friends, or friends of friends from my neighborhood. Lyon City is full of under-recognized musicians!

Do you perform live or do you prefer to remain in the studio?

I'm now getting back to bass guitar on stage, with the jOAO SELVA BAND (super brazilian soul music), after a few years playing keys, percussions of (sic) guitar on other projects. I really enjoy it and I long to play again (COVID means patience). Otherwise I really enjoy the improvisator role I play on VOILAAA SOUNDSYSTEM (keys and percs). Improvisation is freedom, it can never come boring!

Are you a record collector?

Yes, but not that much. It requires a lot of time and money to collect the right instruments and gear for the studio, which is my priority. My record collection is already decent, and I'm not bored with it, so I've turned the digging syndrome a bit down.

Does spirituality play a part in your creative process?

This is a tough question. I actually think it does, even if I do not realize it. Really hard to estimate! I think that spirituality helps you feel like you can be yourself and have nothing to prove, and I think it is good for the creative process.

Do you have other creative endeavors?

Not really. I always work on various parallel projects. So in case of white page on project one, I turn to project two, and that's it. And  I always have plenty of remixes and other missions to assume.......

What's on your soundtrack to 2020?

The streets with no cars in Lyon during quarantine days. Birds in a silent city center will be my best sonic memory!

Favorite book you've read this year? 

French book about the last years relationships between Algeria and France. Alice Zeniter, L'art de Perdre.