Jul 08 Interview With Terry Da Libra

It’s been a while since last time but now we are back with another interview to all of you. This time we went to have a chat with our good friend hailing from Greece. Leuteris Pimenidis, more known as the melodic progressive producer under the name of Terry Da Libra. With big releases on some of the best labels around such as Silk labels and Arrival (today) we all know what he is capable of when it comes to producing melodies and rhythms. Let us hear what this very talented producer has to say!

First of all, a very big thank you for taking some time to make this interview possible, it’s our pleasure to have you with us. Could you tell us your story, how it all began with your interest for producing music and how you turned in on the electronic dance music scene? Also, tell us the story about you, who is hidden behind the name of Terry Da Libra?

First of all I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to this interview & you guys are doing a great job by supporting the EDM artists. I feel honoured being a part of Progressive House Worldwide. So, I’m going to give you my background story fast.

I was at the age of 8 (Mid80’s) when my real interest for music started. My uncle bought my a little Casio keyboard and how I remember it, had some great sounds in it such as atmospheric pads – keys – analog basses & a list full of beautiful sounds.

At my free time was trying to tap piano chords & themes by artists like Yanni & the legendary respectful Vangelis Papathanassiou. Then I meet electronic music for the first time by the great Jean Michel Jarre’s and the Rendez-Vous vinyl compilation thanks to my uncle again. I was blown away so much with all those fx’s & soundscapes that surrounding my head – ears – thoughts & feelings & felt like the whole of me been moved to space or paradise in that moment of blissful hearing joy! So many good memories…

Some years later a friend bought an Roland Groovebox 303 at the start of 90’s & there was my real first time experimental producing moment & live act with my friend Djing & me playing some patterns which I’d created for that special live day. It was awesome, I kept buying dance music vinyls for my inspiration – pleasure & hobby & immediately became a part of me. (1999, 24th of May) was the army time that I had to go for 19th months & that was really a bad impact for me. It took almost everything from me.

I had to think how I spend my time for this big space instead of thinking how people enjoying their lifes outside these freakin’ walls. The only basic training was for 2 months. I really didn’t know why we had to stay for 19 months. :D When I’d been fired from the army later someone found me at the start of 2000’s & asked me if I could join him at the club he was working on so we could experiment on some live act just like the old days which I did & that experience was for a year since the club was turning a bit downwards from owners faulty moves. But I met a good friend that day (Marko Djukic). Working on night bars, after that on a night club as a resident DJ for 4 years. It was like school for me, to get to know people, how they were working themselves by enjoying partying – dancing & all that stuff & also saw the funny & bad side from it. I had to do 2- 3 jobs to get what I needed back then. So 2009 was the year of putting myself to focus on producing & spreading my name on the web by making tunes & share them with people on myspace & after that on Facebook.

I had my opportunities some years back, but I couldn’t afford the proper fee for that kind of technology at that time. That’s why I’m very happy & amazed about the quality most of the young faces on the scene, trying hard like I did and that is really wonderful to see. Keep doing what you’re doing!. So here we are, I’m making this 2nd interview for you guys & I’m ready to spread & share my little story to the world, just let me tell you, it’s never too late!

When it comes to your productions we all know that you have the gift to create some great melody lines, could you try describing how you think when starting a new project in your computer?

That’s very nice from you to say and I appreciate it. Everyone’s looking for inspiration, many times by their favourite artist(s) or a song & tune that made them go crazy in love with it & that’s not fully wrong. But you got to use your own flare & spark to in this case & not try to be an copy paste producer of 100% in your structures. It doesn’t have a meaning to do that & you loose all the interest & adventure & enthusiasm at the same time you’re using sample wav sounds & not Vst’s or hardware to create your own unique style & that’s what people & fans will love from you later on. Now this is the one part from where I get inspired. Also from something I’ve been through, good or bad, that will leave me going , as soon as possible to my computer before I forget how the melody was flowing in my head & start taping my chords etc. Sometimes inspiration comes by itself, I call this part and moment MAGIC!

What do you see as your main strengths as a producer?

Passion – Love – Sweat – Hard work – Support = Strength

The most of us that listen to you music are definitely interested in how you do it, What programs do you work with, any specific vsti’s that is significant when it comes progressive melodies and Terry Da Libra? Also, do you work with both software and hardware?

I’m working with Ableton live 8 & Vst’s like (Sylenth1 – Predator – Fm8 – Albino – Zebra – Korg legacy – Rapture – Omnisphere (Since a month back) Minimoog – zeta+ & some more Plus Izotope ozone 4 (For mastering & bit of warming but not a pro). My labels doing the mastering process which is great. As for hardware I sometimes use a Roland workstation synth but that’s rare because of the many & incedible vsti’s you’ll find at the digital market today.

When it comes to listening to music, what can we find in your Ipod? A lot of different styles, strictly progressive music or what is there in it?

Hard Rock , Alternative Rock , Electro Pop , Classic Music , Ambient , Funky music , Dance-Electronic , & whatever beautiful sound that go through my ears :-)

What inspires you to create the beats and tunes that you come up with?

You people out in the world!

A lot of the music today is not sold, it’s spread through internet and musicians hardly make any money at all on their productions. What are your thoughts about the sharing through blogspots, forums and all other ways for illegal sharing of music and what do you think there is to do about it?

Piracy’s “good side” = big exposure around the internet & yes they’re doing even if it’s awful more great job from some lame labels that they’re working lately by abusing their excited – enthusiastic artists that want to get their names out to the world by any means even if they’re way then amateurs & the story for some “smart minds” that they trying to help Undiscovered artists, it’s just a lie because in the end, even if they don’t get paid either one dollar or one euro by these labels or they don’t have any contract, they are still low profile artists due to these circumstances & from non promotional schedules etc., these labels will get what they want. Opening a label today it’s like you’re opening the “Door of your House”.

For the bad side of piracy now. I’ve heard others saying share music for free or music meant to be free. Really? Hehe.. There are people that has music as their real work cause that’s what they always known & still doing it for years & more than others so they can live with it. Except from that, it only costs 1,50 dollars or euros! We’re complaining about not having money at all though we still got our fancy TV, PC, internet service and all that stuff. Still we can’t afford a single penny to buy someone’s music that we so admire & respect. Well, let’s all work for free then, then everyone stop complaining? Some people must start to act with honesty, stop using excuses and start act like matures! At least if people are on piracy, stop saying that the one penny is to much to pay for music From the first moment the artist has spend so many hours – days – months to get the best & perfect result for his fans & all of us. The point is that, “good” or “bad”, it’s not proper to “support” someone like that, in the end it is not support, it is just pure destruction.

You live in the beautiful Greece, how would you describe the club scene/progressive scene in your country?

I know Athens is a big city and a jungle but there are so many choices for you to make, spend your time with your company and good friends at the many bars & clubs. They all play different music all around. But things so far are separated on half percent, that means that most of the people like mainstream – commercial & Greek pop music. I really hate Greek pop music (that’s my taste). But I really love our original ethnic culture so much. With classic – acoustic guitars & strings & flutes & beautiful “God send voices”, through that my pride about my country goes to the maximum! As for my city Volos – Thessalia – Greece, things are really low profile with electronic music but sometimes, sometimes, you get an exception at the summer days when you get to spin some melodic stuff. But either way there’s no support. Commercials & Greek pop again doing great! For some of us it isn’t good because it doesn’t give you the opportunity to express yourself through the music you’re playing or create. But so far there are some minor bars for the winter that you can spin some good tunes if you’ll do it wisely of course. Besides all that, I feel blessed about my place.

If we look in to the future, what can we expect in the coming months from you and your productions?

As long my supporters – fans – listeners want me still to belong among them as one of their favourite artist(s), I surely will stand my ground with more new tunes – exciting collaborations & melodic journeys, like always, I’ll try my best. : )

If we move a bit further, were do you see yourself and the name Terry Da Libra in a couple of years?

Really can’t tell the future right now. For the musical side I hope everything will go well & get to travel around the world see new faces, people, get some gigs, play live and all that, it would be a dream come true! For my personal life & reality, I want to have a family someday but you got to be sure 100% for this matter. Because it’s a big responsibility and that’s really going to happen when all things will be fixed sometime in my country cause so far it’s only hell for most of us since everyone knows the story about IMF etc. Let’s hope for the best & for everyone else in the same place we & others been right now.

Any final words to our PHWW viewers?

I know many of us living in some difficult times but you got to keep following your dreams & don’t let no one bring you down for anything. Fight your troubles with the ones that stands besides you and once you realize your inner power there’s no obstacle waiting for you. Keep the word “try a bit harder” in your mind.

Peace & Love

Yours truly

Terry (Lefteris)