Laurent Garnier talks about the demise of radio, writing his book, and the Sonar festival in the new Hot Press

Starring in the new issue of Hot Press is Laurent Garnier whose diverse career has shaped him into a bonafide music legend. In this interview, Laurent explains how he first fell in love with music at the tender age of 8. "I was fascinated by dancing, clubbing, nightclubs.The music was so exciting back then and I knew I wanted to belong to that world. Music became more and more of an obsession. I realised what I wanted to do with my life: make people dance."

We get to hear about his experience of working in radio througout the '80s, experiencing a plethora of influences from specialist punk stations to disco and reggae. He also discusses his boldness in setting up his own record label, his experience of DJing at the famous Hacienda club in Manchester, and what it is was like to be a French man living in England.

He shares his love for the famous Sonar Electronic Music Festival and how it has enabled him to explore and discover new artists. "I've been here since the first Sonar, and have been here 18 years out of 23. The whole festival is forward thinking - they push you as an artist, they ask you what you can do differently each year. Always pushing boundaries."

Laurent is full of great advice for young artists setting up labels now. "Anyone setting up a label needs to do it for love, not money, because money isn't there. Be honest, do it for the right reasons, and try to have a good time."

You can Buy Hot Press 40-13 starring Lisa Hannigan direct from hotpress.com
Or download the iOS app for iPad/iPhone
Or download the Android App