Meditation and provocation: A conversation with The Bug

I got to speak to Kevin Martin recently in advance of his gig in Dublin on Friday. Thought it may be of interest to some WATMMers. Unfortunately I stopped recording before his Aphex story. 

https://nialler9.com/meditation-and-provocation-a-conversation-with-the-bug/

Another great, long read. Thanks!

Another great interview, thanks Droid

I was planning on going to The Bug gig on Fri, haven't seen him since that Shellac gig, I'm starting to get a poxy cough, I hope I don't have the cocopox arriving in my inbox

Spill the beans what was the gist of his afx story?

Dont give him covid! 

There's nothing confidential there really. He was on stage playing a Rephlex (?) gig somewhere, and no one had seen Richard in a while, and when Kevin looked under the table all the gear was on, guess who was underneath waving a stage light into the crowd? He stayed there for ages apparently, cackling to himself

he's a nice dude. when i worked in a synth shop here he came in when he was in town. had a chat. he put me on the guest list for the show that night. was a good time and packed. 

nice interview.

edit: nice long interview. thanks. it's a good read. you fit a lot in there. he's covered so much ground. 

Ah yeah, he's an absolute gentleman. A lovely guy.

personal musical hero.

we had a minor argument on facebook one time many years ago when he posted a retroactive musing on that second Curse of the Golden Vampire he did with Justin Broadrick, the digital hardcore style one. I mistakenly used the word "regurgitated" when trying to (positively) describe how the album had taken a bunch of influences/styles and made a wild, fun mashup of them. he didn't like the use of that word, I guess he figured I was knocking it for lack of originality. we smoothed it out subsequently but yeah, while he is affable in person, he gets very intense/inside his head/combative at times (I believe Mick Harris is the same). product of his life experiences, I'm sure. he's on record talking about how he was in total despair when London Zoo was finished and ready to be released, and it ended up being one of the best records from that time. definitely my favourite from that era of "bass music", nothing else comes close.

oh yeah, and great interview, droid.

We all have our foibles! My impression is that he has mellowed significantly with age.