Biography

Though its a sure bet hell linger in the minds of most only for his omnipresent Levis advert and 1999 European chart-topper Flat Beat music-video director Quentin Dupieux turned in some excellent electronic productions as Mr Oizo Far from the madding crowds of ad-oriented hipster trance or jungle Flat Beat was a midtempo techno production with heavily distorted effects and a playful nature that fit perfectly with the visual focus a sock puppet While still a teenager Dupieux began directing short films for French television and turned in no less than eight works between 1994 and 1998 His associations with the music world began in 1997 when leading French dance citizen Laurent Garnier serendipitously bought a car from Dupieuxs father Dupieux directed the video for Garniers Flashback single as well as the long-form video Nightmare Sandwiches starring and featuring music by Garnier That year he also moved into music production with his debut single 1 appearing on Garniers F Communications label After the video he naturally directed for second single M-Seq landed on an ad-agency desk he was tapped to direct the commercial that launched Levis vaunted non-denim line of trousers The eccentric advert -- featuring a puppet named Flat Eric maniacally bobbing his head to the music in the passenger seat of a Chevelle while a nonplussed human driver concentrated on the road -- soon became famous across Europe and the single also on F Communications hit number one all across the continent It eventually sold over two million copies The obligatory full-length Analog Worms Attack followed in October and earned American distribution early the following year Dupieux also directed the video for Party People by Alex Gopher John Bush All Music Guide