Email Interview with Daniel Denis, March 2024.

By Renato Moraes & Michael Bohn.
Many thanx to Pierre Tassone for the english/french translation and vice versa.
French version here.

The legendary belgium band from the fame of Rock in Opposition Univers Zéro is back, after a hiatus of almost a decade with a new album named Lueur. It is, as always, conducted by their drummer and main composer Daniel Denis.

Q: Hello Daniel,
You and Univers Zéro are back after nine years of silence, and since the release of Phosphorescent Dreams, at least silence for most of the World, maybe your neighbors in Belgium think different.

DD: The fact is that the group stopped existing after the concert in Germany for the Zappanales festival in 2015. I hadn’t any longer the energy or fortitude to keep prospecting for the concerts and then nothing more came into sight. It was a situation that I already had experienced previously. The group stopped progressively and naturally. I went therefore back to composing and the studio.

Q: You are back with the release of Lueur, and this new album would be, originally, just a reworking / remixing of material from your second solo album, but it turned to be whole new album. How this turn happened?

DD: The initial idea was to remix some compositions of “Eaux Troubles” while adding to them a few new pieces. The new took over and gave birth to a new album. The studio work took much time because we worked on an average of a few hours a week. This situation – which lasted more than two years – had in the long run become a routine. It was time to end it.

Q: Although a lot of new music is presented in Lueur, there are some small motifs of old compositions used inside some compositions. How does it happen to have an old idea transformed completely in a new composition?

DD: I don’t feel like working on the same basics fetched from old compositions. It is however normal that some leitmotives systematically turn back on new pieces. This is an existing phenomena that is recurring among all composers. In theory I try to break out of the mold of previous compositions but some recalls are unavoidable, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’d say this is a kind of “trade brand” allowing UZ’s music to be recognizable among other. What I often regret is that some UZ followers remain stuck to the first period of the band and seem to be relunctant towards other contributions or different structures. UZ’s music has always been in perpetual evolution, this seems essential to me.

Q: You played almost everything in Lueur, with the help of your son, Nicolas, and Kurt and Nicolas in a few tracks. Why don't have a full band in the whole album? How did you choose the musicians to play the specific compositions? How is working with your own son? He plays several instruments, but here he plays mostly bass and sings. Could his skills not be explored a little more?

DD: On this album I worked in the same way as on “Implosion” or “Rhythmix”. I did work out all the basics on keyboards and invited my son Nico, Kurt and Nicolas Dechêne, who by their contribution made the pieces more alive. As to my son he is indeed very talented. It was a pleasure for him as well as for me to take part in this album. If we come to a next record, we’ll see to have an even closer collaboration.

Q: In 2015, Univers Zero had a very electric and tight line up that did some very well reviewed concerts in Europe and America. What happened that band stopped suddenly?

DD: Yes indeed, it is always surprising to realize that so many people at opposite sides of this globe are convinced by UZ’s music but the lack (this, always) of management, booking, etc… has often slowed down progress for the group until its stop. Too sporadic concerts required every time a new start. The lack of financial means has always been a major concern, even if we from time to time received grants from the Wallonie Bruxelles federation. Those few reasons raised seem to me already well enough sufficient.

Q: After the band stop, it was announced that it would probably be a permanent break. Almost ten years later, we have Lueur. Why this long hiatus? The return is being welcome to the fans and press!

DD: Stopping concerts, yes, for the reasons named above but not necessarily stopping records …

Q: Did you not think in inviting other past members of Univers Zéro to take part in the recording sessions?

DD: I do not really have any contact with former members, except maybe sometimes with musicians from the last line up, involved in “Phosphorescent Dreams”. Everyone followed his own direction and it is normal that contacts became somehow distant.
Some had their first group experience with UZ; it is always saddening that once gone, most of them no longer give any news. It sometimes borders on ingratitude..
Also – and I will not give the name – a former band member who without my consent uploads and sells on Bandcamp “live” UZ tracks, sculled from audio tapes with a baaad sound, pretexting that having taken part in those concerts give him the right to disclose this material, which to me harms the band.

Q: Can we expect a band to do some live dates to play this material in near future?

DD: This would require a miracle. It is excessively complicated to reform a band. Without the financial means implied, this idea of doing concerts again seems impossible to me. This would require a solid structure in order to get the musician’s availability and restart the machine. On the other way, tinnitus problems bothering me since a few decades are not diminishing. Starting concerts again would have this hearing problem get worse and I want to preserve my hearing as best as I can.

Q: Since Uzed, you start to play with looping and electronic constructions and this has growing into the Univers Zéro music. How much the experience with Art Zoyd influenced this aspect in your way as composer and musician?

DD: While in Art Zoyd, I realized that samplers could bring something interesting in the music, especially if carefully mixed with other conventional instruments. In the 90’s someone sold me an Akaï 3200 sampler. From then I started to intensively explore this machine, first to understand how to handle it, then to find the sounds fitting what I was searching for. Via this sampler I found countless ressources to enrich my music.

Q: During 1970's and 1980's it was very common to have several jazz / improvisations projects parallel to Univers Zero. Bands like Morton Fork Gang and Liquidation Totale. In the past 10 years, did you contribute with any kind of these jam projects? What have you been doing during this time?

DD: Nothing really special or of great musical interest.

Q: I have read that Lovecraft, Huybrechts, Soft Machine, Hendrix and early Pink Floyd were major influences in your formative years. What are your influences / inspiration sources now?

DD: During the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s I have been influenced by a lot of musics but not alone music. I think that all those influences have been gathered on a well defined period. From there I have been able to establish some kind of synthesis, which allowed me to find the ground of my own identity.

Q: "One could think that the current world situation may be an additional source of inspiration for such a dark and complex music as UZ. How do you personally feel about it? And paradoxically, compared to the new album's title, where is there glow?"

DD: The title of the album hasn’t an exact meaning but remains malleable enough to have us remember that hope still is an essential and necessary form to our existence. My granddaughter Julia to whom I dedicated the album is the symbol of this.

Q: In recent years, two partners of the main bands you play has passed, Roger Trigaux and Gerard Hourbette. Would you like to share any comments or memories about them?

DD: Thierry Zaboitzeff and Gérard have always been long-time friends and this since 1978. We always have been on very good terms and working with them always has been a great pleasure. With Roger it is slightly different. He is someone who always has been wholehearted in his music but at times tended to demand a lot of energy from other. He was a talented musician with a somewhat special temper and at times a tendency to self destruction. When Roger was part of UZ, he brought in a lot of energy with ideas that totally fusioned with mine. Also, in Present, Roger gave me a total freedom to create all drum parts.

Q: The cover of the new album is impressive and was designed by the Thierry Moreau. Your collaboration has been frequent during the last Univers Zéro albums. How did this collaboration start and how does it work? Do you either propose an idea for him to work it out or it is up to him to start it?

DD: I don’t really remember the first contacts with Thierry, neither how we started to work together. Globally, he suggests several ideas. I choose and tell him where to make changes. As regards to “Lueur”, Fred Walker (from Sub Rosa) also contributed to the realisation.

Q: He was supposed to work with you in a live DVD of Univers Zéro concert(s) a few years back, right? What happened with that project?

DD: I work on the two UZ concerts made in June 2009 at The Triton (Paris) with Gabriel Sevenin, a sound engineer I met through Sub Rosa. The mixing is ready and we’re now at task with video editing. The CD/DVD will be released on Sub Rosa during this year (I hope) for the 50 years birthday of the band.

Q: You always played the same drum set? What is the set you have?

DD: First I had a Ludwig in my early years (from 1968 to 1972), then a Gretsch since 1975. I have a Sonor (signature) snare drum since the 80’s. The cymbals I use are from K. Zildjan (some are original Turkish K. Zildjan).

Q: What are the drummers that influenced you, in rock and jazz? Who do you think are doing some interesting work, recently?

DD: As far as I’m concerned, I’m a total fan of Tony Williams, he has this creativity, energy and a power that impresses me. His playing is recognizable already from the first stroke of his sticks. I like very much as well King Crimson’s first drummer, Michael Giles. He has an extraordinary musicality. Mitch Mitchell with his bursting playing that brought Hendrix’s music to top. The crazy playing of John French (Drumbo), regular drummer of Captain Beefheart. Christian Vander with his anarchic playing, Wyatt of course and many more. Today, I don’t know … I’m not attentive to all that happens in music. There are certainly excellent drummers. My Swedish friend Morgan Ågren is one of them …

Q: What about the future?

DD: The release of the live UZ CD/DVD at the Triton (2009). A CD + vinyl will also be released on Sub Rosa, from an experience done in the 90’s with other musicians under the name of “Narthex”. This includes motley improvisations recorded in various churches. Sub Rosa will also continue its momentum by chronologically releasing the other UZ albums.
For the rest, we’ll see. I don’t know in which direction I will move, neither when or how.
Desire, concentration and a huge motivation are the driving forces necessary to get me involved in other projects.

THE END