AIR (BAND)

'Air' is a French music duo, consisting of Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel. The name Air is a backronym for ''Amour, Imagination, Rêve''^[1] which translates to Love, Imagination, Dream. Some have speculated that the name is a reference to Jean Michel Jarre's influential debut album, ''Oxygene''.

Air's debut EP, ''Premiers Symptômes'', was followed by the critically acclaimed album ''Moon Safari'', the re-release of ''Premiers Symptômes'', ''The Virgin Suicides'' (soundtrack), ''10 000 Hz Legend'', ''Everybody Hertz'', ''Talkie Walkie'' and ''Pocket Symphony''.
Their most recent album, ''Pocket Symphony'', was released on March 5, 2007. The album features former Pulp vocalist Jarvis Cocker and Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy, and is produced by Nigel Godrich. Air went on a European tour in March, followed by a North America tour that included an appearance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. They will play at major festivals both in Europe and Japan during the summer and then continue touring for the rest of 2007.

Contents

Career

Genesis of band

Musical style

Licensing of tracks

Other works

Discography

Studio albums

Other albums

References

External links

Career

Genesis of band

Nicolas Godin studied architecture at the École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Versailles whereas Jean-Benoît Dunckel studied mathematics before forming a band in 1995. Before founding Air, Dunckel and Godin played together in the band Orange, with others such as Alex Gopher, Xavier Jamaux and Etienne de Crécy. These musicians have subsequently contributed to remixes of tracks recorded by Air.

Musical style

Air's music is often referred to as electronica; their form of electronic music was influenced by the synthesizer sounds of the 1970s such as Jean Michel Jarre, Vangelis, and Francis Lai. Other influences are psychedelic rock pioneers Pink Floyd; Krautrockers Tangerine Dream; Jean-Jacques Perrey (although there are some echoes of dance music styles in the production); and French crooner Serge Gainsbourg.
Air uses many of their studio instruments (like Moog synthesizers, the Korg MS-20, Wurlitzer and Vocoder) live on stage, where their ability to improvise is more clearly highlighted. The band performs the well-known tracks from the albums live as extended or altered versions. Air often works together, both in the studio and live on stage, with artists like Beth Hirsch (''Moon Safari''), Françoise Hardy ("Jeanne"), Jean-Jacques Perrey ("Cosmic Bird"), Gordon Tracks ("Playground Love" and "Easy Going Woman" - Gordon Tracks is a pseudonym of the french singer Thomas Mars from Phoenix), Beck (''10 000 Hz Legend''), on the 2004 tour with Dave Palmer and drummer Earl Harvin and on the 2007 tour with Earl Harvin, Vincent Taurelle and Steve Jones.

Licensing of tracks

Air's atmospheric music has become popular among television producers and ad agencies, who have licensed their work for commercials and television. Among the shows or commercials featuring tracks by AIR:

★ "Surfing on a Rocket" is the background music for the Nissan Armada commercial (2004).

★ "Surfing on a Rocket" was also featured in EA Sports's video game FIFA Soccer 2005.

★ "Playground Love" was used in a Levi's jeans commercial (2002) as well as in multiple broadcasts of "This American Life."

★ "La Femme d'Argent" is played in the background on Dublin's FM104 Adrian Kennedy phone show, and was also played in the pilot episode of ''Veronica Mars'', on Southern California Public Broadcaster KCET's between-program video montages, and on one of the episodes of Season 1 of ''The O.C.'' Was also used on Australia's 'Things To Try Before You Die'

★ The song "Run" was also used in ''Veronica Mars'', in the final scene of episode 7 of season 2 entitled "Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner".

★ "Alpha Beta Gaga" was used in the "Orange" network advert (the try commercial) 2004, as well as an ad for Heineken beer.

★ "Alpha Beta Gaga" was also used in the '' season 1 episode entitled .

★ L’Oréal used "La Femme D'Argent" for one of its L'Oreal Paris ads.

★ "Sexy Boy" was used as a backing track in the TV series ''Queer as Folk'' and the movie ''10 Things I Hate About You''.

★ "All I Need" was used as a backing track in the TV series ''Felicity''.

Other works

On September 18, 2006, ''Darkel'', a solo album by Jean-Benoît Dunckel, was released.
Air have also recorded a DJ mix album, '', for Azuli Records' ''Late Night Tales'' series. The release was initially scheduled for October 2005, but was delayed several times. It finally was released, complete with a new sleeve design, on 11 September 2006.
Air have often collaborated with American film director Sofia Coppola. They composed the music to her debut film ''The Virgin Suicides''. Air drummer and former Redd Kross member Brian Reitzell put together the soundtrack to ''Lost in Translation'' including contributions from Air. The soundtrack for Sofia Coppola's latest film ''Marie Antoinette'' also features contributions from Air, and they also make cameo appearances in the film.
Air wrote and played the music of the album '' by French actress and singer Charlotte Gainsbourg, which was released in August 2006. This is of interest as Air listed Charlotte Gainsbourg's father, Serge Gainsbourg, as a major influence.

Discography

Studio albums

Title	Release date	Chart positions
''Moon Safari''	January 16, 1998	#6 UK, #21 France
''The Virgin Suicides''	February 28, 2000	#14 UK, #17 France, #161 US
''10 000 Hz Legend''	May 28, 2001	#7 UK, #7 France, #88 US, #23 Italy, #1 Ireland
''Talkie Walkie''	January 26, 2004	#2 UK, #3 France, #61 US, #3 Italy, #1 Ireland
''Pocket Symphony''	March 5, 2007	#22 UK, #8 France, #40 US, #16 Italy, #8 Ireland

Other albums

Title	Release date
''Premiers Symptômes''	July, 1997 (Re-released August, 1999)
''Everybody Hertz''	February 18, 2002
''City Reading (Tre Storie Western)''	March 25, 2003
''	September 11, 2006

References

1. Lesieur, Jennifer: "Air de A à Z". Étudiant, L', 2002

External links

★ Official website of the band

★ Official website of the ''10 000 Hz Legend'' album

★ Official website of Record Makers, the band's former record label

★ Air at Astralwerks, the band's current record label

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★ A fansite

★ A forum

★ A discussion board

★ A discography

★ Air at Rolling Stone