DORIAN GEIGER
Arts Writer

After confining himself to a secluded studio lifestyle for nearly five years, Quebec electronic musician Maxime Morin, a.k.a. DJ Champion, unleashed the fresh electro-rock sounds of his new album Resistance Nov. 13 at Louis’ Pub.

It seems as if anyone can pick up a laptop these days, download a program, mix a few tracks together and call themselves a DJ. This blurs the lines between talented DJs and the wannabes in the music industry and causes animosity between DJs. The traditional vinyl turntablists are always critical of the rapidly evolving digital DJ scene and will scoff upon seeing a computer doing the work on stage rather than two hands. This isn’t the case of DJ Champion’s legendary shows.

Though Champion uses Ableton Pro on his Mac during performances, it doesn’t diminish his musical credibility because he truly is a champion among DJs. In fact, the title DJ is almost misleading; Morin could easily be referred to as Maestro Champion.

Aside from constructing chilling, electronic beats, Champion composes all the music for his four guitarists and bass player, dubbed the G-Strings, who accompany his mixes on stage with screeching guitar solos and psychedelic riffs.

While on stage, Champion effortlessly transitioned in and out of songs while energetically motioning and directing the G-Strings as if he was a conductor of an electro orchestra.

“My work on stage — I’m working as a conductor,” said Morin from his tour bus somewhere in Alberta prior to the show.

“Some people like to see me play guitar on stage and I’m like ”˜No!’ Why should I do it? There’s already four guitarists on stage and they’re pretty good guitarists. I don’t need to do that show-off thing, like, ”˜Look I can play guitar.’ I was a good guitarist way back then. I can compose songs but I don’t like to perform guitar; I like to compose.”

As an electro DJ from Montreal, you might expect that Champion’s musical influences would have stemmed primarily from the electronic world of music. Not so much. The rock and guitar-oriented Champion is influenced by the likes of Metallica, Plastic Man, Skinny Puppy, Herbert and some forms of house music.

“My dad came home one day with two vinyls. One of them was Jimi Hendrix: Greatest Hits and the other was Black Sabbath and — tada! I can tell you, that changed my life,” said Morin.

Since the age of five, Champion pursued guitar. For 15 years he has immersed himself in Montreal’s party scene, tagging along with his DJ cousin from a young age. Watching his cousin inspiring people to party is where Champion’s turntable roots began to take shape and soon he found himself DJ-ing in Montreal at various clubs for 10 years or so. Then Morin was introduced to electronica.

“I was a guitarist for a very long time. When I discovered electronic music I thought that electronic music was dance music, like superficial and for rich people — crappy shit that’s on top 40 radio,” said Morin jokingly.

“It was not though. I discovered that lots of artists were listening to electronic music — lots of very interesting people who were talking about life and art. That’s electronic.”

Fast forward to fall 2009. After a four year hiatus since his first studio LP Chill ”˜Em All in 2005, Champion is back with Resistance: a totally new approach to his interpretation of mashing electro and rock. Resistance echoes more of guitar and rock feeling than the electro noises of his previous efforts, which is unsurprising because Champion’s musical ambitions are undergoing constant evolution.

“You have to be connected with the world when you’re composing a track because I like to reflect my present time as a musician. The music is reflecting what’s going on out there. But at the same time it has to reflect me — who I am. I like the idea that in 10 years I’ll listen to this album Resistance and I will see myself in there. I will still recognize myself and that’s very important.”

Not wanting to echo the overly electronic sounds of past works, Champion further incorporated elements of rock into Resistance to keep his music cutting edge. Vocals present on nearly every track of Resistance aid in achieving this end and the rock show atmosphere at Louis’ was a definite testament to Morin’s success in his quest to rock out on his new studio release.

Experimentation employed for Resistance were essential in attaining a fresh musical sound and also helped the artist branch into other genres of music along the way too.

“Experimental music is not new. I’ve done it,” said Morin. “But composing songs like ”˜Alive Again,’ for me it was experimentation because I’ve never done it before. Even if some people say it’s a pop song — yes it is. ”˜Alive Again’ is a pop song. And I’ve never done a pop song before.

“So I’m experimenting, I’m evolving and there you go. And if you don’t like it because you’re too serious and you’re too intellectual, well — fuck off! I’m an artist so what the heck. If I don’t do that, I waste my time.”

After the Louis’ show, Champion and his G-Strings continue to rock out on their Canadian tour until things wrap up on Nov. 28 in Toronto.

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Andrew Stewart