interview highlights

Which tracks on the album stand out for you, and why?

Unlike on other albums, the principal factor in selecting pieces for "Hello Everything" was to maintain variation without going so far as to confuse the less intrepid listener. The other intention consistent with other albums was to maintain sufficient variation so that comparison between tracks is difficult. I like to present differing routes to my central musical concerns. In that way a maze of complex resonances is set up between the content of individual pieces. For example, one might note the usage of additive synthesis, or sounds made up from sine waves having a primary presence on "Vacuum Garden", but a more subsidiary role on "Circlewave 2" and "Orient Orange."

On other tracks it is mostly absent. Another example might be the use of a 4 string bass guitar, which is up front in "Hello Meow" and "Bubble Life", but recedes to an accompanying role on "Theme from Sprite" and "Koneke King" and is at vanishing point on "Circle wave 2". The same principle applies to the harmonic ideas and approaches to production and so on. I like the differing ideas and instruments coming in and out of focus. It brings to mind another general intention to make pieces of music that mark themselves out as little experiments into a musical area exclusive to itself. I don't mean that it is itself entirely original, I would never claim that. Simply that it is an unprecedented combination of elements. To borrow the idea of dialectics, one might hope a new idea or "synthesis" springs up out of some combination or reconciliation of two seemingly contradictory units. Tracks will stand out for me for reasons to do with what occurredduring their construction as much as their musical content. In addition to that, as I intend to make comparison difficult through introducing a lot of variation between the pieces, it is hard for me to say which I prefer.

Here are the first things that spring to mind:-"Hello Meow" - uses the same xylophone as "Iambic 5 Poetry".

"Theme from Sprite" - first track on which I used my new home made spring reverb.

"Bubble Life" - last track I made using my customized space echo before it blew up.

"Planetarium" - might be my favourite.

"Vacuum Garden" - first track I made when I moved back to the countryside.

"Circlewave 2" - no sequencers at all.

"Kronecker King" - all edits done on a 1/4" 8 track tape machine.

"Rotate Electrolyte" - reminds me of David Voorhaus.

"Welcome to Europe" - made on speakers with no tweeters.

"Plotinus" - chronologically the most recent piece to be made on the album.

"The Modern Bass Guitar" - doesn't have a bass guitar on it (or does it?)

"Orient Orange" - melodies made using eventide DSP4000 home made self -configuring synth patch

add your own

  Quote

Indeed, it seems to me that a proper understanding may not even be desirable for most listeners. This relates to the uncanny aspect of music to transform the listener's state of mind. To establish some sort of deeper understanding as to what happens when our moods are transformed by music may in some way be seen as a threat to the elemental enjoyment of music. It may be said that it debases musical experience to try to reduce it to theories. Yet all folk interpretation of music apes proper theory, however inaccurately.

'cept, I'd say if the deeper understanding reflects something unique, clever, and/or important, I wouldn't be too disappointed.