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What are you wearing right now?GH> Green Cuizinier sweater (shout-out), Ralp Lauren belt, 505 Levi's jeans(blue) with an Oxy sticker on them (shout-out), Burlington socks. Not wearing shoes cause I'm on my bed in my Hotel in Miami, but my grey Chucks are not too far.
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(Theme music) What should someone be listening to when they read this?GH> Total Eclipse Of The Heart by Bonnie Tyler. That's what I'm listening to right now.
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Who are you and what do you do?GH> I'm Stephan Armleder aka The Genevan Heathen aka John B Rambo aka Johnny Van Houten. I throw events/parties/concerts, I run a record label called Villa Magica, I host the Murda Funk Radio Show with DJ Raze, I host Cuizinier's mixtapes,I put out my own Notgoinganywhere mixtapes, I work for an internet-based music promotion company, I record music with Matt Foley, Kid Rolex, my friends in Paris and others, I'm addicted to milk, tv series dvd box sets, the internet, Chucks, ties, Ray Bans, Ralph Lauren and that special someone. All that and I'm down for any interesting project I'm invited to participate in.
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What's up with the name "Genevan Heathen"? GH> This name was given to me by my good friend Microft (shout-out) back in Boston in 1998 or so.
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When did you start making music?GH> About 4 years ago, just having fun with Matt Foley and DJ Raze.
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What's up with Christmas Music? GH> That was the original concept behind Villa Magica, all xmas music. Sylvie Fleury, John Armleder and I started the label in 2002. John and Sylvie came with the idea since they are huge fans of Christmas music. We put out our first joint, Christmas In Roxbury, with Matt Foley, L Contra, and Michael Hutcherson and ran with it. We still put out xmas music, along with non-xmas music.
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What inspires you to get out of bed every day? GH> Friends, music, family, food, the grind, special someones, the basics, you know.
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What is the best party you have ever produced?GH> Definitely the Villa Magica 2006 Xmas Party, last December at Le Kab-Usine, Geneva with Justice, Tacteel, DJ Orgasmic, Teki Latex, Kid Rolex, DJ Raze, Matt Foley, and Cuizinier. We worked so hard on it and it was such an intense feeling to see it being a true success. It was just crazy, I've rarely seen Geneva like that. Much love to Lucero for helping me out so much on this one. Doing the Ipod Battle with the help of Romain Rock & Teki Latex(who started the Ipod Battles in Paris) and Lucero was also one of the highlights, simply for the fact that it seems the crowd loved it so much. At the end of the day, most parties we throw end up being a great memory and something I cherish because my friends are always involved one way or the
other.
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How did you connect with TTC?GH> Teki Latex and I met at a rap show in 1998 in Geneva, then bumped into each other on the internet (Benoit Galaxy I see you), then accidentally stayed on the same floor of the same hotel in New York back when I lived in Boston and it was a wrap from then on. Teki introduced me to the whole crew, not only TTC but the whole Institubes gang and basically everybody in Paris. We all connected on some friendship type shit real easy. It's much deeper than just doing shows, music or business together, they're family.
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You've hosted a few Cuizinier mixtapes, right? How did that come about?GH> Cuizinier and Orgasmic were down with the Murda Funk mixtapes, the Notgoinganywhere mixtapes and all that. They liked it and just asked me do what I do on their CDs. Good times.
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Where did you go to school and what did you study there?GH> High School in Geneva, College de Saussure to be exact (shout-out), College in Boston, BU to be exact and I studied International Relations there. Also studied Japanese in Tokyo for a year.
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What is your favorite travel spot in the US? Internationally?GH> In the US, Miami got the crown right now for sure. Especially since Matt Foley is hooking me up with the VIP treatment. I just love it here. I feel like listening to Total Eclipse Of The Heart and flying over the city all day every day, no super shy. I just wish the JENevan Heathen would come visit me here. Rolling with Microft or my dad in New York is always a blast too. Internationally, Paris and Tokyo are like second homes for me, and chillin' with my cousin in London is definitely no joke. There's some love and excitement to be found in most places around the world anyway.
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Favorite restaurant?GH> It's hard to pick one. I'll never stop giving props to Shibata in Geneva, incredible Northern Japanese food joint. Other than that, La Trattoria on rue de la Servette, and Quartier on rue Voltaire for brunch and snacks.Geneva's finest.
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Favorite artist?GH> One artist? I don't know man, there's too many interesting people around. I love Devin The Dude, Stomy Bugsy, Charlie Sheen, Corey Feldman, Madonna, John Armleder, Akroe, Tacteel, Sylvester Stallone (shout-out to Rocky 6, and Over The Top pt.2 produced by Microft Holmes and starring The Genevan Heathen and a guest appearance by Oxy Cottontail), Matt Foley, Tangerine Dream, Dean Martin, Al Pacino, Sylvie Fleury, Daft Punk, Dr.Dre, and the list goes on. Yogi and President Holger are probably my all time favorites, I see them as artists no doubt.
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Favorite album?GH> Again, impossible to pick one. Snoop's Doggystyle, all Devin albums, the second Daft Punk album, the old Madonna albums, The Chronic, 3615 TTC, A Jeep Jack Affair, Michael Jackson's Thriller, Above The Law's Black Mafia Life and about a thousand others.
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Favorite song to listen to when making out with that special someone?GH> I don't know, some Mary Wells, some oldies, whatever makes us feel safe and happy. Could be a love song by Stomy Bugsy too. Could be anything really.
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Favorite song to listen to when being shy and missing your ex-girl?GH> Probably 'Anything' by Devin The Dude on my balcony.
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Favorite 3 rappers?GH> Devin The Dude, Snoop Dogg, Eazy-E.
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Favorite place to go shopping?GH> Bon Genie in Geneva and any Ralph Lauren store worldwide.
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Favorite 3 clothing brands?GH> Ralph Lauren times 3.
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What do the next 5 years look like for you and your biz?GH> Hopefully something exciting and risque, risque pleasures that is. I'm just happy to do what I love and look forward to push it to the limit.
PS- If you're in Geneva, check out The Genevan Heathen and friends at the"Last Minute Plane Ticket To Paradise" party @ Kab-Usine Friday The 12th of January.
**For more on Rambo, check out his website or request to be his virtual friend via myspace.**
