A day in the life of Lazare Hoche

A day in the life of Lazare Hoche

Interviews

Photos Yves Mourtada

Words Matthieu Morge-Zucconi

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The DJ talks aloe vera, first aid kit and boxing.

Cliquez ici pour la lire en français.

When you picture the life of a DJ, the first thoughts that come to mind are endless parties, excessive drinking, and all manner of recreational drugs. Comfortably seated in his tastefully furnished Parisian lounge, Lazare Hoche proved to us that it can be quite the opposite, excluding - for obvious reasons - the partying. Water bottles in hand, we talked aloe vera, first aid kits, and creativity.

Can you introduce yourself to our readers?

In short, my name is Charlie, I’m 29, and I live in Paris. My main activities are producing music and DJing under the moniker Lazare Hoche.

Why choose Lazare Hoche as a name?

It’s pretty straightforward to be honest. It’s the name of the street I grew up on in Boulogne-Billancourt, close to Paris! When I released my first record, I needed a name. I spent a lot of time saying ‘Lazare Hoche’, as you do when it’s your address, and the name came to me like a tireless gimmick. So, that was the banner I chose to represent this first project, and it never really left me. The street got its name from a general of the French Revolutionary army, Louis Lazare Hoche, with whom I have no blood relation, much to most people’s surprise.

What lead you to becoming a recording artist?

In 2012, I was fortunate enough to release my first record, sort of by luck. I was passionate about electronic music, and producing my own record was a dream. All of a sudden, the EP sold very well. Back then, I was studying urban and land use planning at Paris’ Arts et Métiers engineering school. While I was very much into music, it was nothing more than a hobby and I was extremely surprised when my music took off like it did. I quickly took it upon myself to strike while the iron was hot, and I’m glad I finally decided to go for it, after two years of doing both music and studying at the same time. Since then, it’s just been consistently building up. My life is a bubble of travels, ambient or fast music, art, and passion. I’m blessed.

Did you question your decision, in the beginning?

Of course I did. I questioned everything, in particular the touchy subject of a DJ’s biological clock... At some point I had to choose between going on tour in Japan, and going to school to sit some exams. I obviously chose Japan. I’m very lucky because my music was super well received from the get go, which isn’t the case for all artists. My approach was pretty radical, I didn’t have that much to lose. I’m obsessed with vinyl records. There’s something about them that I’ll always love. For years, I only ever released my music on vinyl. In 2012, it was uncommon, and definitely not recommended. All the record shops in Paris were closing, and all digital everything was taking over DJing. My first record being so successful enabled me to have immediate access to all the fun practical stuff, i.e., travelling and performing. I take performing very seriously, it’s a permanent exercise in precision.

Walk us through one of your typical days.

I spend more than a third of the week travelling. I’m lucky enough to rarely have two similar days. My days are built around the sophisticated logistics required when you travel so much: laundry and packing! I often work at night. I’m so much of a night owl that I even do my paperwork at night. You could say my days are never really typical, and definitely never repetitive, which I love! I’m always on a field trip of sorts. I have different activities depending on where I am. In some places I’ll focus on the architecture, in others on meeting people. I’m profoundly inspired by Japan and Italy. I spend a lot of time crate digging, obviously, and Japan is a gold mine when it comes to finding records. In terms of rhythm, my job provides me with a very specific, and easy schedule: staying up until late, and getting up not too early.

How late?

I’ve very often seen the clock turn 3am, and it started early, when I was 13. I really enjoy night-time during the week, there’s a calmness to it you can’t replicate. Especially in a city as loud as Paris gets during the day. Not a single noise, you can focus on yourself, concentrate, it’s my favourite time to be awake. I get up around 11:30am. I’m not immune to tiredness.

How do you handle your repeated trips left and right?

It’s exactly the same as a football championship, minus the ten other players and the trainer. It requires a military-level of commitment from the body. Like all athletes you have to follow a certain discipline. You can’t afford to miss a plane or a connecting flight. People are waiting for you, counting on you, presale tickets have been sold, you can’t mess it up, you have to be there. Travelling for a set is often 48 hours spent travelling for barely 2 hours’ worth of performance. You’re going from the airport to your hotel, to the restaurant, to the club, back to the hotel, and finally the airport again. You spend most of your time alone, except obviously when you’re surrounded by people in the club. That being said, these days friends are all within reach in your smartphone, I guess. I have to admit that I no longer hate all the transfer and waiting areas you find in airports and big city hotels; impersonal executive lounges have become quite inspiring. Like a blank canvas you can choose to make them as interesting as you’d like. Once you’ve managed to overcome the tiredness, a floating, misty sensation sets in. It reminds me of Edward Norton’s character at the beginning of Fight Club.

But you have to overcome the tiredness first. How do you do it?

I keep my body as healthy as possible. I drink very little alcohol. When I’m performing, I’ll have one beer, tops. No drugs. Some DJs partake, but it’s up to them, it’s not really something I’m into. I manage to feel free without. I try to nap when I can, but that’s also something you learn to work into your schedule. I always have earplugs on me, an essential habit to get into, and I unplug all landlines as soon as I make it to my hotel room, also something I figured out pretty quickly. I take a shower about one hour before my sets, hair and all, it helps wake the body up. Before performing I often eat fish and plain rice. Playing it nice and safe.

Do you travel with your grooming products?

Unfortunately, I travel without my perfume. I never check in any luggage to save time, and as a consequence I rarely carry any liquid products, except for my deodorant and some tiger balm. I can fit in enough for a 15-day trip in a carry-on suitcase! I never underpack when it comes to first aid supplies, though. I have the biggest travel first aid kit you’ll ever see. People are often surprised to see me with such a big kit, but they’re often the same people who pop up, a few hours later, in search of a cough drop or a Nurofen tablet!

How do you take care of yourself when you’re in Paris?

I drink a lot of water. I have a ton of bottles at home. I’m also a big aloe vera user. I’m always trying out something new with aloe vera that I picked up on one of my trips: aloe vera gel, aloe vera cream, etc. I use body lotion on the days I don’t put on any aloe vera. I’ve really overexposed my skin to the sun, and I have a few benign scars, which the aloe vera helps with. I also like musk rose essential oil a lot. It also works very well on scars. I have a bunch of stuff at home. Buly products, some natural stuff, some less, such as this serum I have for age spots. I’m very fond of the Horace peppermint and tea tree shower gel’s scent. I love tea tree, surprisingly. It feels familiar in a way. While we’re on the topic, I use Aesop’s exfoliating soap for my hands, which you’ll also find at my favourite restaurant, Kunitorya, on rue Villedo in Paris.

Any specific grooming routines when it comes to your hair?

Nothing extraordinary. I’m careful to not put any old product in my hair, as I have to make sure its pH stays balanced to avoid dandruff. By some kind of miracle, I’ve managed to find the right shampoo for me: Revlon’s Sensor. A Laotian hairdresser in Paris’ sentier neighbourhood put me on to it. He’s a super nice guy, he even let me try it before he sold it to me. I was sceptical but had nothing to lose, and the shampoo was immediately effective. Unfortunately, since then this shampoo has become something of a rarity, and my local hairdressers don’t sell it anymore. I’m stuck with having to buy it in bulk on the internet. I have a love-hate relationship with hairdressers. I don’t go very often. I get my hair cut too short, and let it grow out too long, it’s a never-ending cycle. I really struggle to keep a proper hairdo. I’m like the kids that immediately get noticed by the entire class when they’ve been to the hairdresser’s. I have nothing against shortening my hair, removing the unnecessary to feel refreshed. I pretty much only ever go to the hairdresser’s in Paris. I haven’t attempted to get my hair cut by a barber in Bucharest yet, but I do have a few reliable addresses in Beirut and Tokyo.

Do you find time to exercise between your trips?

When I’m in Paris I go boxing 3 or 4 times a week at the Temple Noble Art gym, where I also have a yoga class on Mondays. Stretching to start the week is always a good thing, in particular when you’ve put your body through a busy weekend! I have my daily push-up routine too, even when I’m travelling, like Gwen Stefani. It’s important, it’s not that much of an effort, and it makes a huge difference. I also do a bit of sophrology, from time to time, why not after all.

We talked about ambitions. What are yours?

I want to put myself face to face with different, more precise ideas, I want to step out of my comfort zone, because I’m certain that’s the best way to create good luck for yourself. I want to tirelessly keep learning and being passionate. I’m not going to change who I am in the name of success. Evolving and changing are two very different things. You can evolve without really changing, and vice versa. I still want to keep working with other artists of course, I love collabs, but I have to have that vibe, that feeling with the other artist beforehand for it to work. Sometimes you meet people and it clicks, sometimes not so much, it’s like love, you can’t always be everyone’s cup of tea. You have to go all in to really be alive, posturing and trying to please everyone often leads to the opposite effect. I like to take a topic and work on it relentlessly until it’s completely mine. It’s a labour of love in an age where simply having lunch with someone is considered a work meeting.

Do you see yourself DJing forever?

DJs with a long lifespan are few and far between. Ricardo Villalobos, Laurent Garnier, DJ Harvey, Sven Vath or Carl Cox for example: they remained true to themselves, their attitude hasn’t changed over the years, it’s who they are. They explore a wide range of sounds, but the result is always the same, you’re left starry-eyed. They’re true to themselves, or they would have given up a while ago. When you book them or attend one of their sets, you know you’re in for something special. That’s what I’m after. I can’t approach my music cynically. I can’t pretend to like something. I only ever want to do things I’m interested in. Which doesn’t mean I’m not versatile. I have a very keen interest in drawing, calligraphy, design, and fashion. Speaking of which, this month I’ll be launching my first ever men’s collection, in collaboration with Capsul, a Parisian brand. 6 different items, for the love of it.

You said you love design, and I couldn’t help but notice several nice pieces of furniture in your flat. Is this environment important to you, as you mostly work from home?

Yes. I’m looking for a specific atmosphere. When your livelihood is profoundly creative, your living environment has to be in tune with your creative inclinations. Anything can have an influence on your day, and a man’s home is central to all aspects of his life. It’s the foundation of everything. Show me a man’s home and I’ll have plenty of information to determine where he stands in life, and especially where he doesn’t. My generation of DJs often look for the information they need in the same places. Their styles, their homes, the records they play all become the same after a while. People lurk on Instagram, falsely convinced they’re drawing inspiration from original things, but we’re all being fed the same algorithms, and we all end up following the same path. Access to information is easier than it’s ever been, yet all the youth I see in capital cities around the world spend their time on one single application, it’s frightening. With that in mind, I’m naturally drawn to finding my inspiration elsewhere, in real, tangible things. In conversations, real life. It’s as easy as simply opening your eyes to your surroundings. Make sure the conversations you’re in are really interactive by asking questions and taking interest in the answers. Show empathy to the world around you. In the end, what we’re looking for are flashes, moments we capture, and learn to share with others.

Lazare's EP "Time Guard" will be out soon. Pre-order here!

Lazare Hoche's products