Welcome to Record Makers, Here we Cook up Records
Enter the records label of Kavinsky and Sébastien Tellier
Caesar W., Marc T. & Laurence M. (2020) by KopetoLe Mila
Record Makers was founded in 1999 by the band Air and their two managers. In the beginning, we had beautiful offices in the Marais neighborhood, with parquet floors and molding. The artists on the label loved to hang out at the office, it was opulent and comforting. However, we got caught up in various crises (business partners, Napster, etc.) and had to move out in 2004.
1929 Rue André Messager by Mention : La recherche des auteurs n'ayant pas abouti, le MILA s'engage à leur faire droit, ainsi qu’à leur héritiers, dès qu’ils se feront connaître.Le Mila
Mila was starting up at the time, and we had no better options, so we didn't really hesitate to move into an old bakery with a beautiful entrance (which everyone else who joined Mila before us had turned down, as it was so dilapidated).
Record Makers at work by KopetoLe Mila
At the time, only Eric Morand and his label F Com, had dared to actually move into the ghetto that was the 18th district back then. He opted for a butcher shop, which is now the HQ of Phunk, Comet, and DJ Chloe.
As we settled in, locals told us our bakery had closed down about 40 years earlier, and that one of the former customers was Joe Dassin, who often used to record at Studio CBE on Rue Championnet. Joe Dassin used to come here for croissants?! Perfect.
Record Makers at work (2020) by KopetoLe Mila
When we got here, the premises were literally abandoned. The walls were peeling and uneven, the decoration was outdated, and comfort-wise it was basic to say the least. By adding little touches here and there, we gradually transformed and modernized the space, without touching the entrance, which deserved to be listed as a Historic Bakery Monument.
Caesar W. (2020) by KopetoLe Mila
Often, passersby would stop to tell us how beautiful our office was (or rather, the entrance, which they could see through the window). One evening, a woman thanked us warmly for reopening the bakery—as she described it. However, we had already decided to diversify when we got there
Kavinsky - Nightcall (Drive Original Movie Soundtrack) (Official Audio)Le Mila
...So it was goodbye to the bread oven and the old goods elevator that went down to the cellar, and hello to music.
Sebastien Tellier rue du PoteauLe Mila
Over the last 15 years, we've had lots of opportunities to take advantage of this office and the neighborhood. Numerous photos of Sébastien Tellier have been taken here, once even in the toilets.
Cola Boyy - Beige 70 (Official Video) (2020) by Directed by Pablo PadovaniLe Mila
We've made music videos here, done photo shoots for record sleeves, created archives of musical instruments, stored unsold stock, and had parties. Having so many friends and colleagues in the neighborhood has sometimes made certain restaurants feel like a mini version of the Midem music festival.
Acid Washed Record MakersLe Mila
But 15 years on, and it's really the arrival of Dizonord (who are just opposite us) which has changed everything for Mila. It's a record store that's full of life—a magnet for music lovers, energized by the owners Xavier and Vincent—and it's just what the neighborhood needed.
Street life (2020) by KopetoLe Mila
These days, weather permitting, you can see some surprising things taking place on the square (which is actually a triangle) just outside our door. An impromptu soccer match gets under way, people sit on their folding chairs talking about this and that, while kids throw firecrackers, and old folk play chess, all under the watchful eye of the bohemian types drinking white wine after bargain hunting for rare vinyl.
Laurence M. (2020) by KopetoLe Mila
Things have really taken off, and yet we've never had the chance to congratulate the person who was behind the Mila project—they deserve a medal, or at least a hug.
Marc Teissier du Cros
