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 1998 was the year that French dance music made an indelible mark on the U.S market with albums by Air, Daft Punk and Dimitri From Paris drawing critical acclaim from all quarters. Also, this summer's biggest dancefloor hit was the delicious "Music Sounds Better With You" by Stardust (a.k.a. Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk), which became an instant classic. These and other French house music headz all started out two years ago at the legendary "Respect" club in Paris, which continues every Wednesday to be the epicenter of Parisian nightlife and the inspiration for this series of compilations. In 1996 three young Parisians, rave promoter Fred Agostini and underground media-heads David Blot and Jerome Viger-Kohler, decided to liven up the suffocatingly dull landscape of Paris nightlife. They approached the famous Queen club on the Champs-Elysees, a landmark of the gay scene in Paris, and proposed a Wednesday night club residency that would be open to a mixed crowd and entry would be free. Word spread very quickly and the rest is history. Over 2000 seasoned clubbers congregate every Wednesday to party to the most current international house music sounds and to check out special DJ sets from French innovators such as Dimitri From Paris, Daft Punk, Etienne de Crecy and Cassius. "Respect" has also featured guest appearances from UK and American mainstays such as Paul Johnson (Chicago) and DIY Crew (Nottingham). |
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