No respite for Parov Stelar, king of electro-swing

Pioneering musician juggles fame with fatherhood as London beckons

He releases on average about three records a year, tours constantly, runs his own music label and now has a baby boy demanding attention at every turn. Marcus Füreder, more commonly known as Parov Stelar, could be forgiven for wanting to slow down.

“Don’t ask me how I fit everything in,” the Austrian laughs. “Sometimes I have to ask myself. Besides my son though, this is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. It’s not just a job, it’s a lifestyle. It’s like my religion.”

Dubbed the king of electro-swing, Füreder and the Parov Stelar Band are now bringing this lifestyle to the London Forum. Despite many calling him the genre’s pioneer, Füreder insists it’s a label that wore thin long ago.

“Honestly I’m not so deep in electro-swing anymore,” he says. “It’s boring if you go in one direction, I’ll take anything – soul and electronica, pop and jazz. I’m not so keen on heavy metal come to think of it, but that’s about all.”

Any keen disciple of Parov Stelar would agree. A combination of driving, electro beats and classic, often brassy tones, it is strangely hard to pin down his undeniably distinctive sound. Evident in some of the bigger swing numbers is a highly kinetic, almost cinematic edge – the sort of frenzy one might find sountracking an action-packed Tarantino movie.

“Ah, I love it,” Füreder cries. “Pictures and songs are the perfect combination – I started off as an artist before this you know. Perhaps when I get older, when I can minimise touring I could write a set of songs for a film. That’d be fantastic.”

Touring

For now though, Füreder is still firmly on the touring circuit. Having travelled for years as a solo DJ, the Parov Stelar Band has given him a new lease of life.

“For three years I was touring alone – a really lonesome business. I wanted to share these experiences with someone else, so when the band came in, it was like coming home.”

What can London audiences expect? Although Füreder has released new album Invisible Girl with the Parov Stelar Trio – yet another project – the Parov Stelar Band are continuing their ever evolving set from last year’s tour. With new songs popping up every month, Füreder is finding inspiration round every corner.

“Sometimes it starts with a beat, sometimes I have a wonderful sample,” he says, trying to sketch out his work process.

“It’s like playing with Lego, you start with one little brick and don’t know whether it’s going to become a space station or a fire truck or whatever. It’s like going fishing, in that you don’t know if you come home with a fish.”

One thing is for sure – when the Parov Stelar Band returns to London, they’re sure to reel in more than a few new fans.

The Parov Stelar Band plays the London Forum on May 31 and June 1. For tickets, visit aeglive.co.uk/artists/parov-stelar.