Troublemakers

Fred Berthet, Arnaud Taillefer, and DJ Oil met in 1998 at the "Friche Belle" in Marseille, France. An immediate bond was formed based on their shared appreciation for '60's and '70's jazz, funk, and movie soundtracks. This musical vision has grown to include hip hop, house, jungle, and nu-dub.

After two years in the studio, the TROUBLEMAKERS emerged with their first album: electronic music which is at once mental and rhythmic highlighted by roots sounds. The bass and the beats are the foundation. Jazz horns, soul guitars, and splashes of percussion fill in the space.

The result: Songs which need visual representation.

Fred Berthet:
A DJ/producer from Paris, 3 years ago Fred set up shop in Marseille. He draws his influences as much from Afro-American sounds as from New Wave or Electro. One of the select French artists to release a single on the Guidance label, he will follow up the "Venus Attack" EP with a new project on Obsession under the pseudonym "South Fork". Very active, he works as an instructor at a sampling studio and will start his residency this year at Radio Grenouille.

Arnaud Taillefer:
The most discreet of the trio, Arnaud splits his time between the photography studio and the recording studio. He brings to the TROUBLEMAKERS his passion for movie soundtracks, his experiments with acoustic electro, and is knowledge of hip hop.

DJ Oil:
DJ Oil has been a respected figure in the club scene in Marseille for over 10 years. A longtime funk conniseur,, DJ Oil was the first to bring downtempo electronica to the region in 1990. He has also held a residency on Radio Grenouille since 1996, where he plays abstract grooves, jungle, dub, or roots. In 1997, he starting working with many jazz and afro musicians, honing his skills before he decided to form the TROUBLEMAKERS with Fred and Arnaud.