Anything from oldies such as my old pal Sinatra and Dean Martin through to the gambling slots of Las Vegas to the Scissor Sisters, Prince, Edith Piaf, Barry White, Gonzales, Peaches, Senor Coconut and Black Strobe!
Sounds Like
Dean Martin kidnapped Giorgio Moroder and got very drunk with him in the studio before running away with his wife.
Whats new pussycats? Eat this, Louie just released the “My Amy EP” in spring 2009, an homage to Amy Winehouse getting released on Etage Noir, the label of electronic artist Parov Stelar who is to be named also for productions credits here. Of course master Austen has many more aces of spades up his sleeves; he is also working on several coops and on another studio album by the name of "62" for release winter 2009 / spring 2010.
Louie Austen has been around for longer than you may realise. In his early 60ies by now, Louie has leaped from thriving as an enigmatic night club crooner to one of the most exhilarating performers dance music currently has to offer. Four albums and one Best Of down the line, one thing the Viennese Electro-crooner still doesnt go for is doing things by half: „Art must be a matter of life and death – otherwise its not art“ is Louies sincere conviction. And so is "I will never retire, I will probably die on stage but I dont give a fuck!" Whatever he does is done with his fullest commitment – and often regardless of the consequences. Admittedly, this reckless attitude has given him some serious trouble time and again. And yet it also made him what he is today: a man who finds himself an upcoming and sought-after artist whose career hasn’t yet reached its climax.
His music allows Louie a transformation from a pure entertainer, who assumes the roles of those he pays tribute to, into an artist in his own right, no less. Part of his appeal lies in the fact that he has not entirely discarded the entertainer in this metamorphosis. He brought many things along for the ride, and his know-how of how to entertain with verve and how to put on a great show, his charm and charisma, and the style of the urbane entertainer he had cultivated so long serve him equally well in the electronic underground. He is a mediator who mixes various genres, some of which were previously regarded as incompatible. For several years now he has managed to resolve alleged contradictions and break down prejudices jazz and dance beats, advanced age and youth culture, smart style and underground. In a way I stand for a kind of reconciliation, he describes his unique position, a bridge between old and new or between young and old.
These days next to staying physically fit with playing tennis, Louie is occupied with oh so many things. Early 2007 he even founded his own label LA Music – Louie Austen Music – which has given birth to three EP releases thus far; the "Summer Love” record, the "(Dreams Are My) Reality" Richard Sanderson cover feat. Senor Coconut & His Orchestra and in the summer of 2008 a coop with Commercial Breakup from Berlin, former keys-man of Blumfeld as on the “Too Good To Last EP”. With the cool cats of Senor Coconut Louie had been joining them on their “Around The World” tour and was featured on their album by the same name.
At the Viennese "Burgtheater" he had a part in an adaption of Johann Nestroys play "Höllenangst" which is to be taken back into programme in summer 2009 as it has been so popular with people. Louie also has his fingers in the movie bizness - "The Counterfeiters / Die Fälscher" of Stefan Ruzowitzky won an OSCAR for best foreign movie in 2008 and includes a cameo of Louie as a casino gambler. Louie also appeared as Karl in the Austrian short movie „Lounge“, an hommage to the film noir movies of the 1940s directed by Armin Bointner of Progressive Pictures.
On top of this all Mr. Austen is of course regularly swooning and crooning in clubs worldwide & has a weekly residence at the Cascade Bar of the Marriott hotel in Vienna by the name of “Louies Saturday” with various programmes, including Best of Ratpack songs.
DISCOGRAPHY:
"CONSEQUENCES" (Cheap 1999) "ONLY TONIGHT"(Cheap/Kitty-Yo 2001) "AMORE" (Single; Cheap/Kitty-Yo 2001) "HOPING" (Single; Cheap/Kitty-Yo 2002) "EASY LOVE" (Cheap/Kitty-Yo 2003) KORSAKOW FEATURING LOUIE AUSTEN "OPEN UP YOUR HEART"(Single; Komfort 2005) "MORE" (Single; Universal 2005) "HEAVEN'S FLOOR" (8 Track EP; Universal 2005) "HEAR MY SONG: THE BEST OF LOUIE AUSTEN" (Tirk Records/UK, 2006) "IGUANA" (klein records, 2006) "DISCO DANCER" Remixes (12inch klein records, 2006) "SUMMER LOVE EP" (EP LA Music, 2007) "REALITY EP" feat. Senor Coconut & His Orchestra (EP LA Music, 2007) "TOO GOOD TO LAST EP" produced by Commercial Breakup (EP LA Music, 2008) "MY AMY EP“ produced by Parov Stelar (EP Etage Noir Recordings, 2009)
PRESS QUOTES:
Lounge wizard Louie Austen resembles nothing less than your devilishly dashing bachelor uncle. His English is straight out of a Sinatra comedy and his conversation is littered with 50s showbiz expressions. DAZED & CONFUSED
Louie Austen could brag about having the most contrasting musical career of all - he has a voice and lounge panache that could give even Sinatra a run for his limo. CLASH
Think Dave Graney on speed with the flair of Tenacious Ds Jack Black. Yeah baby! SCENE
Only Tonight is The All-Seeing Is fanciful fiction made flesh. NME
Only Tonight is one of those twisted unions kitsch and cool that inevitably conjures horrifying images-like Falko having a four- way with Jack Jonses and Basement Jaxx. TIME OUT NYC
Hail the birth of Croonwave! Enjoyed best with a great deal of alcohol, a mirror ball, many (drunk) friends, and ladies. You'll want to pack an extra pair of panties to throw on stage. Yeah, Louie's that hot. Just ask Peaches. PROPERLYCHILLED
CURRENT RELEASE - OUT NOW SPRING 2009 ON ETAGE NOIR RECORDINGS:
LOUIE AUSTEN "MY AMY EP" yes, a tribute to a certain Miss Winehouse, produced by Parov Stelar!
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