As the man behind some of the greatest electronic sounds in the world releases his 10th studio album, Destroyed, he's also embarking on a world tour that brings him to Dubai on July 4.
In an exclusive chat with e+, the 45-year-old vegan spilled all about his new album and his plans in the Emirates...
Is this your first visit to Dubai?
I've never been to Dubai before, so I'm super-excited. I love intense heat and I'm looking forward to my trip.
What are your plans?
I would have loved to do a lot of things, but unfortunately I don't have a lot of time. I'm interested in exploring the architecture and culture of the Emirates.
Will you be taking lots of pics?
I'd love to, but it's such a well-documented city and I'm not sure if I'll find something new to shoot.
What can we expect from your World Trade Centre gig?
The concert will involve eight people on stage. We're doing a full live show and most of the tracks will be the top hits.
You've said Destroyed was born out of the loneliness of touring...
I can only get to sleep when I'm in my bed in my house and with my touring schedule that's not possible. On tour I suffer from bad insomnia, which makes me very miserable, so I use that time to work on music. I hate insomnia, but I love the music I make.
Tell us about Destroyed...
The trajectory of a lot of the songs is sort of like the trajectory of hotel insomnia. It starts out disconcerting and then you sort of make peace with it. The more time goes, the more you realise that it's not disconcerting, it's actually quite interesting. Likewise the songs begin minimal and fractured and then build.
What about the album title?
I was wandering around the back alleys of New York's La Guardia airport, walking down this sort of abandoned hallway, and I saw a sign which said, ‘Unattended luggage will be destroyed' But it only showed one word at a time. ‘Destroyed' just looked so cool on its own, with the background of the hallway.
You've also got a rep as an avid photographer...
The photography I do is quite unconventional. I'm interested in representing photography that people don't know.
You famously live a pretty healthy lifestyle - is this something you promote to fans?
I want to do something with whatever fame I have, but I'm not going to be presumptuous and say people should do the same thing.
