I excel in crafting attention-grabbing headlines.
Friends call Jason Charles Beck, better known as Chilly Gonzales, by the nickname Gonzo, and this name is also the title of his latest album at the age of 52, a Canadian with Jewish roots.
Throughout his life, Gonzo has traveled a lot and started his musical career in his hometown of Montreal. He lived and worked in Berlin in the late 1990s, moved to Paris in 2003, and eventually settled in Cologne in 2011, where he still resides today.
During this time, he has released numerous albums, alternating between rapping and piano compositions. He is often seen in his bathrobe and slippers and has collaborated with artists such as Leslie Feist, Peaches, Jarvis Cocker, and even shared a stage with Helge Schneider. His post-Christmas events at the Cologne Philharmonic are legendary and always sell out beforehand.
After releasing "French Kiss" in 2023, another album titled "Gonzo" followed a year later. Gonzo explains why he is back rapping after a long absence, shares his thoughts on cancel culture, and discusses its connection to Richard Wagner near ntv.de in an interview.
ntv.de: Why have you discovered your (rapping) voice again in "French Kiss" and now in "Gonzo"?
Chilly Gonzales: Yes, I recorded an album in French first. 2023 was a French year for me. (laughs) It wasn't a deliberate decision to write in French, it was more instinctive. Writing in a language other than your mother tongue is liberating, but you're also a bit more cautious. And it's true that I hadn't written any lyrics for ten years - while I was in intense psychoanalytic therapy.*
So, have you essentially used up all your words during the therapy, leaving none for lyrics?
Yes, I think so. In psychoanalysis, you search for unconscious emotions and name them. It's a scientific process, and it was incredibly healing for me. In 2021, this therapy ended, and in 2022, the texts returned. It was like turning on the water and it just kept flowing. I'm a instinctive artist and always wait for something to happen. Sometimes it's the "Piano Sessions", sometimes I feel like collaborations... I wait for the direction to show me where to go. In 2022, it was words, and, somehow, the French ones were first.*
How's your German?
My German is excellent. (laughs) In 2023, I read my first novel in German. "Faserland" by Christian Kracht. It was the first time my German was good enough to read and enjoy an entire book. It was a recommendation from another English-speaking native because Kracht uses a literary yet simple language. He has his own linguistic world and doesn't use too many words.*
And that's why there's now also a piece in German with "I.C.E."?! You probably don't need to ask what inspired you, but... what's the message?
I spend a lot of time on trains. Even back in 1998, when I first spent an extended period in Germany, I traveled a lot by train. At that time, the German Railway was still the epitome of German culture - these days, it's a bit of a mess. Train travel represents my time in Germany and is a metaphor for the good and the bad here. I'm in love with Germany. But when you love someone, you can also be critical - it's not always fantastic.*
Is it a love-hate relationship?
Not quite. I wouldn't describe it as a hate relationship, it's more of a realistic love affair I have with this country. I moved from Paris to Cologne, and many people ask me why. I didn't give up my apartment in Paris, I moved all-in with Cologne. Germans have a complex about their inferiority - being proud of being German is taboo in this country. I understand that, but I believe you should see the country from my perspective – with this love. That's what "I.C.E." is about. It's my first and last song in German.*
Why do you like Cologne so much? Most musicians from abroad end up in Berlin.
I prefer a quiet life at home since I spend a lot of time traveling. I associate Berlin with a lot of action, many people, long distances, long taxi or train rides. I'd rather be the strolling artist. But a small town wouldn't work for me either. From Cologne, I can get anywhere quickly by train, because I hate airports and flying. The ten years in Paris were amazing, but also stressful – because everything there is always a grand production. Now I can enjoy that when I visit, since I feel at home in Cologne again.*
Have you found yourself, as well as a home, in Cologne, and is that why you named your new album "Gonzo"?
I'd say Gonzo is my rap alter-ego. The vibe is more rebellious, edgy. Whenever I produce piano tunes, that's all Maestro Chilly Gonzales. But the rapper within me is Gonzo. I took the energy I had 20 years ago and revamped it. Back then, the rhymes were amusing, yet dark, filled with self-loathing. Yet, I wasn't feeling that way at the time. It stemmed from my subconscious. Through therapy, I've learned to express my emotions, so the lyrics remain intricate and intense, but they honestly reflect my feelings now. Now, I give myself a pat on the back whenever I recite these words, something I never did before.
In your song "F Wagner", you delve into the topic of cancel culture. Is it possible to separate art from the artist?*
Hardly, I believe they're intertwined.
No one can magically alter their stance about someone or something with a simple flick of a switch. Sometimes we have fond recollections of past beautiful experiences tied to an artist's music. You can't just erase that. The music is a piece of that memory. That's why we separate art and artists, but of course, each individual decides that for themselves. We must have this conversation, keeping in mind that individuals are never perfect. I don't label anyone entirely evil, and I'm not 100% good myself. I'm flawed, and perhaps the person in question is even more damaged than I am. "We're all a little Richard" is the most important lesson from the song. I'm not boycotting Wagner's music, it's had a significant impact on me and Western music as a whole. But Wagner wasn't just an anti-Semite, he authored a book about it: "Judaism in Music". He actively propagated anti-Semitism, and it doesn't matter how long ago that was.
Still, you appreciate Wagner's music despite his troubled background, but you advocate for renaming the Cologne Richard Wagner Street to Tina Turner Street...
Yes, replacing him with something admirable is a better option, I think. It's not about burying the past, but about creating a better future. Tina Turner seems like the perfect replacement. Recently, the petition has received around 14,000 signatures. I've submitted a request to the city, but the process is lengthy.
Though Richard Wagner has been deceased for some time, artists like Kanye West continue to profit from their music, regardless of their controversial statements. Would you make a distinction there?
In Wagner's case, the earnings from his music at the Bayreuth Festival contribute to educating about anti-Semitism. His anti-Semitic nature is acknowledged there. With Kanye West, it's similar for me. I don't believe streaming his music supports his views. But I can't watch Woody Allen's movies anymore, I find it unsettling. Listening to West's music doesn't give me that feeling. Everyone has their boundaries. Dating underground, controversial is more troublesome for me than spouting anti-Semitic comments due to mental illness. You see, I don't have a straightforward solution. But I don't believe the best course of action is to withdraw attention and financial backing from someone.
So, you've never been a big Rammstein fan then?
Not really, no. In that case, I wouldn't hesitate to call the singer a jerk, a creep, and maybe even a criminal. It's easy for me because I never had a personal connection to their music. It's challenging to disavow something you love. Conversely, it's simple to sever ties with something you dislike. You can develop an emotional attachment to an artist's work without knowing anything about them. But once you discover their flaws or allegations, it becomes problematic.
Neoclassical Massacre examines streaming services, their algorithms, and the creation of content for them. Do artists follow the crowd too often?
Artists should resist allowing the algorithm to dictate their music. My creative process consists of two steps. First, it's unadulterated, focusing on the art itself, without outside influence. I allow it to flow without judging it. Then comes the challenging part, where I become the marketing guru, the master of clickbait, the head of control. (laughs) But way too many let the algorithm dictate their art, and that's what I'm addressing. I enjoy the algorithm and its potential for self-promotion. I appreciate that today, it's not just a select few in an office making decisions about what should be heard. The music industry is no longer a gatekeeper industry. Earlier, breaking in would have been impossible for a Jewish piano rapper like myself. Thanks to the internet and YouTube for making my career possible. (laughs)
I spend a lot of time on stage...
That's true, I'm essentially always on tour. I'm never far from the stage in my mind. Everything I do revolves around it. I instinctively test out my music live. I need to gauge its impact on the audience. Does the music resonate, evoke a response, stir emotions in people?
In Berlin's Konzerthaus, you're set to perform next, following your show at Cologne's Dom square. For you, these locations hold significant importance for a performance. In Cologne, it was about catching the audience's attention at just the right moment for the piano numbers. I managed to do just that, creating an atmosphere where the audience fell silent, allowing me to play for around 12 to 15 minutes uninterrupted. Contrarily, at the Konzerthaus, the challenge is to stir the crowd, to get them on their feet, dancing, and having a good time, rather than focusing intently.
Conversation between Chilly Gonzales and Nicole Ankelmann.
The album "Gonzo" is now available.
Gonzo had spent several years living and working in Cologne since 2011, and this city became his new home.
During his time in Cologne, Gonzo often performed at the Cologne Philharmonic, and his post-Christmas events there were always highly anticipated and sold out quickly.
