How long have you been making music and what first inspired you? What keeps you going?
I picked up guitar when I was fifteen and had a really sweet fuzz pedal from the sixties that was buzzy as hell. It made the guitar sound so metallic. I used to play along to old Nine Inch Nails records. I was always really into the weird sounds the guitar could make but i never really got too technical with it. Then my upstairs neighbor gave me an old (seriously had cobwebs inside it) realistic MG-1 and that was my introduction to synthesizers. I just loved the sounds I could get from it.
I think I'm just really into the progression of artforms. So I don't stop because I keep learning new ways to make the sounds and tones that I like. It never gets stagnant for me. When it does is when I will stop.
What type of reaction do you get normally when playing live? I saw your blog post
where you ranted about the lack of dancing involved at shows lately. Your music often has a 4/4 beat, but it's not your typical "dance music." Do audiences have a hard time digesting your tracks or was it just more an observation about what goes on in the local scene?
Ha, that was from forever ago, but it wasn't in response to my music. I was just frustrated with the general uptight air at shows. I had just been around so many basement shows where kids just don't give a fuck and everybody dances their ass off (Maybe cuz we were a little younger then).
I had previously been playing a lot more improvisational sets, but I got kind of tired of writing and recording, but not actually playing that stuff live. I wasn't ever really satisfied because the sets always seemed so underdeveloped, I always felt like I needed more hands. I guess I kinda just wanted to kick out the jams and make more music for people to move to. Though being that most of my beats range from 100-114 [bpm], it isn't really the most uptempo ass shaking music, but you can bob your head like a motherfucker.
Can you take us through your typical production setup? I noticed during your live set you didn't have a computer and instead had lots of keyboards/sequencers/drum machines. Your tracks have an almost dusty/old sounding vibe to them (Especially "When I Disappear") and I was wondering if that is something you strive for.
In terms of production I bounce everything back and forth between my sampler, Ableton/Logic, but it all starts out running through my green looper then into the KP3 for quick sampling and manipulation. I like the DL4 because you can do fun rhythmic trigger stuff, instant sampling.
I spend most of my day thinking of new ways to route sound through various boxes. I tend to manipulate synth lines and beats by running them through a few different loopers, pedals, and samplers in hopes that the sounds that come out make up for the lack of my own technical skill. I'm definitely into the dusty synth vibe though, and in terms of "When I Disappear" I really liked the sound of the phasing kick that happened from running it into the looper and KP3. For the ppalmm stuff I shy away from the intensive drum sequencing in an effort to keep some grit and simplicity in the music.
What was your biggest influence for starting to make music and who do you find yourself listening to a lot these days?
Initially I was really into the sound of '68 over-produced head trip psych as well as the sunny southern cal soft psych. All those beautiful vocal harmonies drive me wild. Also anything produced by Rogerio Duprat. As for now... I still find myself listening to a lot of Gui Boratto. I cant ever get enough of his perfect rhythm and compressed bliss.
I've been falling for a lot of the deep house sound. I just got my hands on the DJ Sprinkles record Midtown 120 Blues (thanks to matt) and the sound just kills me. It reminds me of Thomas Fehlman's Honigpumpe album. And Pantha du Prince's behind the stars single is tiding me over til the new record drops.
I have also been listening to Christopher Cross' "Sailing" on non stop repeat. I can't really explain that one. So smooth?
Any favorite shows (either yours or anyone else that you saw) from 2009?
I got to see Fuck Buttons [and] Growing in Northampton and that was pretty righteous. Both were great but I was psyched to see Growing do something new. It was just so rhythmic and intense.
Animal Hospital show at Big Fung with Double Awake, Brendan Murray. Keith Fullerton Whitman played a killer set. One of my favorites. Gary War at WhiteHaus with Prehistoric Blackout (so good), Blissed out, Great Hopes and Many mansions.
Toro Y Moi, Ear Pwr, Truman Peyote @ Big Fung, {{{SUNSET}}} needy visions!
Jeez come to think of it we've had a lot of really good shows in chinatown. Small Black, Coralcola, and the ripping dance party that proceeded thanks to John Barera.
Marcus Schmickler and Pita at Spectacle. This show was mindblowing. I've never heard sounds like that before. like nightmares being torn in half. The quality of the sound was gorgeous.
Big Digits...with anyone. Multiple shows and all of them were great. They make me dance like a crazy person. Marcel Dettman @ Middlesex with Volvox. Solid.
Where do you see electronic music in Boston going in the next year?
I think the different factions of electronic music in Boston will continue to do their thing. More people seem to be warming to all aspects of electronic music, be it dance-oriented or more experimetal.
Hopefully the Together Festival is well received but regardless there will still be the loft shows and the house shows and the great djs at clubs. I feel like you could find every different deviation of electronic music here, but at the same time it would be nice to see Boston mold its own sound in that regard. There are a lot of talented people here. We don't need more individuals, we need a movement and that will happen when we all start working towards the same end. Culturally that's always how it's worked it seems. I guess that is essentially the thing that Together is attempting to do. So that's a plus.
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