Mike Paradinas interview

  ilt17 said:

  countchocula said:

2. Those people are complete fucking idiots. They passed up the chance to ask Mike P. anything they wanted about his music and only a single guy had anything? Mike P. is a fucking legend and I would rather interview him than aphex because at least with Mike P. you would get straight answers. I also hate how the guy focused on aphex for a while. I am sure Mike P. must get tired of people asking him about aphex because he knew him personally. Fuck if I ever had the chance to interview him I would take as long as I could asking him about synth design and beat making. This next statement is metaphorically throwing myself to the lions, but I like mikes work as a whole much more than Autechre or BOC.

You're the man

I also agree with this comment.

Not really seeing where this nappy-changing is coming from...

I mean the interviewer is correct-- the only reason anyone cares about µ-ziq is 'cos he did a record with Aphex'. Mike even admitted that his shit came out "in due course" cos it was in the queue just like everyone else. If anything, I think Mike comes across as the dick cos he is all non-chalant about him sending in a demo... but when looking back, no one else gave a shit till Richard did (and by proxy, Bjork). Best part is when Mike said he learned *nothing* from Aphex in the studio... except that Aphex actually writes good music and Mike doesn't.

Maybe Mike should have paid more attention.

hey - don't take my word for it...

just look how bored-out-of-their-skulls the crowd is anytime they cut to a 'crowd' shot.

again... truth speaks louder than fiction.

.ugh

dammit, i feel for that guy. seems so distracted here. i remember seeing once he changed his myspace profile image to a pic of the original game from the Mike&Rich cover, so it just said "Downfall". you could tell he was going through some shit.

i still can't stand Duntisbourne Abbots, depresses the fuck out of me.

wow, he's from worcester?! i probably bumped into him. i saw a promo version of Bilious Paths that had printed on it "for promotional use only. like you care. and if i find this for sale in a store or on p2p before the release date, there will be no more mu-ziq albums". it was in a shop in Hereford - just down the road from him lol

i bought it lol

Even though my post wasn't worded as eloquently as intended... the core message still rings true.

Which is - the reason the interviewer spends so much time on asking Mike about RDJ (and he hardly has been the only interviewer to do so) was because the most interesting thing Mike has to offer is his connection with RDJ. There are plenty of other artists who have had RDJ connections, but their interviews are able to float on their own steam. For instance - Squarepusher has had lots of RDJ experience... yet you never see any RDJ questions posed to Squarepusher. Why? Because Squarepusher is an interesting and substantial musician in his own right.

The secondary comment I made about Mike's smugness also holds true. Beyond any musical consideration, Mike's production/engineering has always been inferior to Rich's. So to say he learned nothing from working in a studio with Rich is pure ego. Even equals learn from each other... so how is it that he learned NOTHING?

Not that any of it matters.. you don't need to take my word for it. After all, I am not the one who Ebay'ed an AFX t-shirt with the supplied info stating "Given to *legiondary* musician Mike Paradinas from RICHARD D JAMES!"...

Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

Yep... my own opinion...

...solidly supported by fact.

hahahaha you're a fucking idiot

  On 8/14/2009 at 4:28 AM, firefunker4 said:

hey - don't take my word for it...

 

 

just look how bored-out-of-their-skulls the crowd is anytime they cut to a 'crowd' shot.

 

 

again... truth speaks louder than fiction.

 

 

 

 

.ugh

Yeah, I'd say that 80% of the redbull music academy interviews are like that regarding the crowd. That said, this was definately hampered by both Mike's apathy and the lack of knowledge by the interviewer. There is a German interviewer who is a bit annoying and dry but much more knowledgable, I bet he would of been able to milk a lot more information of Mike concerning stuff beyond RDJ and Planet Mu's dubstep involvement.

I always base my judgement of an artist's music on his interviews.

Daaaamn firefucker4, you're so wrong. You don't like his music is a thing, you say it's bad music is completely lame from you. You simply can't say it's bad music because Mike does his music for him, it has to please him before anything, you can hear it and feel it, that's why you can't say it's bad. Admit it, simply...

  On 8/24/2009 at 5:55 PM, ilt17 said:

You simply can't say it's bad music because Mike does his music for him, it has to please him before anything, you can hear it and feel it, that's why you can't say it's bad. Admit it, simply...

If you like his music, fine - but that has to be one of the worst arguments I have ever seen. Just because his own music pleases him doesn't mean it is good. There are plenty of bad musicians whose music pleases them, but it doesn't make their music any better.

  On 8/24/2009 at 10:27 PM, firefunker4 said:

  On 8/24/2009 at 5:55 PM, ilt17 said:

You simply can't say it's bad music because Mike does his music for him, it has to please him before anything, you can hear it and feel it, that's why you can't say it's bad. Admit it, simply...

 

 

If you like his music, fine - but that has to be one of the worst arguments I have ever seen. Just because his own music pleases him doesn't mean it is good. There are plenty of bad musicians whose music pleases them, but it doesn't make their music any better.

No no no, those who say they please themselves and whose music is bad are just prolls making music in a style they already like, "whoa I can do this style too so I like my music", for exemple all the wobble faggotry at the moment.

Richard James "I always wanted my music to sound different", make his own music before all, same with Mike but I don't remeber him to say it, you feel it with his tracks. That's more complicated and nuanced but the idea is there, if you still don't get it, well the "oh-so-scary-really" Come to Daddy and "oh-that's-wicked-music-it-sounds-strange-so-I-will-like-it" Vordhosbn videos are waiting you on Youtube... I leave you the last word with pleasure, I don't have anything more you to tell.

  On 8/25/2009 at 3:19 PM, ilt17 said:

if you still don't get it, well the "oh-so-scary-really" Come to Daddy and "oh-that's-wicked-music-it-sounds-strange-so-I-will-like-it" Vordhosbn videos are waiting you on Youtube...

No, really. I get it. It just isn't that good.

And for the record, not really a huge fan of Come to Daddy or Vordhosbn either. For someone who claims to 'get it', you really don't know shit.

I think mu-ziq's tunes are triumphantly great. He just got overshadowed by Aphex because of his cleverly calculated media persona.

In Pine Effect, Lunatic Harness, Brace Yourself, Bilious Paths... all some of the greatest braindance when they came out wothout a doubt. If anything, I bet when people heard about Mike P's music through Aphex, they were surprised to hear that Aphex is far from being the only genius in electronic music. Aphex is great, but people were making very similar music at around the same time, like 1992 without his direct influence. This is a fact.

Also, firefunker4, you are a fucking chode.

  On 8/27/2009 at 5:16 PM, Candiru said:

I think mu-ziq's tunes are triumphantly great. He just got overshadowed by Aphex because of his cleverly calculated media persona.

This

  On 8/27/2009 at 9:36 PM, Ascdi said:

  On 8/27/2009 at 5:16 PM, Candiru said:

I think mu-ziq's tunes are triumphantly great. He just got overshadowed by Aphex because of his cleverly calculated media persona.

This

Well, between two dorky genius electronic artists, it makes sense the quirky ginger putting on interviewers would indeed achieve the infamy.

I can see the whole Chris Cunningham/Warp promotion as a major factor as well. Paradinas was a major forefather in braindance/IDM and I hope his role isn't further neglected because of some bad luck with Astralwerks and a diminished profile since plugging along at Planet Mu. The respect is out there, he just isn't as convienient to namedrop.

that was kind of bizarre and fairly awkward at times

  On 8/27/2009 at 5:16 PM, Candiru said:

I think mu-ziq's tunes are triumphantly great. He just got overshadowed by Aphex because of his cleverly calculated media persona.

 

In Pine Effect, Lunatic Harness, Brace Yourself, Bilious Paths... all some of the greatest braindance when they came out wothout a doubt. If anything, I bet when people heard about Mike P's music through Aphex, they were surprised to hear that Aphex is far from being the only genius in electronic music. Aphex is great, but people were making very similar music at around the same time, like 1992 without his direct influence. This is a fact.

 

Also, firefunker4, you are a fucking chode.

Yeah and what if Mike's albums had been released like only one year earlier. I always had the impression that Mike's music took a bit more time to get released, isn't it ? It's a pity for him I think. Imagine T&V before SAW 85-92, Lunatic Harness around RDJ Album. I think Aphex overshadowed Mike also because of this. (But don't worry Mike, we know your merit ;)

  On 8/29/2009 at 11:49 AM, ilt17 said:

Yeah and what if Mike's albums had been released like only one year earlier. I always had the impression that Mike's music took a bit more time to get released, isn't it ? It's a pity for him I think. Imagine T&V before SAW 85-92, Lunatic Harness around RDJ Album. I think Aphex overshadowed Mike also because of this. (But don't worry Mike, we know your merit ;)

No... AFX's records overshadowed Mike's because Rich is the far superior musician. As is Squarepusher, which is why, even though he came later, he shits all over Mike (and Mike even publicly admitted to looking up to Squarepusher). As is Autechre, Edmx, etc etc etc...

Instead of looking at Mike as a victim of circumstance... the positive (and more correct) view is that he was lucky enough to benefit tremendously from being at the right place at the right time. In any other circumstance, he would have been as forgettable as the other legions of IDM wankers who tried to cash in during the late 90's. Mike's greatest success was that he beat the other barnacles by a few years.

However- as I said before, fair is fair - he is actually one of the best label heads around these days. So just because he is a crap musician doesn't mean he can't run a great label. On the other hand, just because he can run a great label doesn't mean he is a good musician either.

The best way to pay tribute is to actually highlight his strengths.... which is running a great label. Saying he is a good musician is like saying he is good at knitting sweaters... ie- not true and doesn't help anything.

Only he clearly isn't a crap musician, because he's made several albums that were near the peak of the genre when they came out. Explain why you think he sucks so much.

Hah man you coming back to the charge ! We're opposite each other, I won't change my mind, you won't change yours. That's it.

  On 8/30/2009 at 2:14 PM, ilt17 said:

Hah man you coming back to the charge ! We're opposite each other, I won't change my mind, you won't change yours. That's it.

I think the relevant factor here is that firefunker4 is married to jess (mike's ex) and has a sort of vested interest in hating mike. i'm sure he wouldn't put so much effort into promoting his opinions otherwise.

WTF???

Some people on WATMM love Venetian Snares, some think his music is terrible. Some people love Vibert's music, some think it is terrible. Some people love Flashbulb's music, some think it is terrible. If there is one thing WATMM has no shortage of - it is people who speak loudly about things they dislike.

For the record - I also hate Oasis' music... now, I am not saying I am Patsy Kensit's husband, but I am not denying it either.

  On 8/29/2009 at 2:14 PM, firefunker4 said:

  On 8/29/2009 at 11:49 AM, ilt17 said:

Yeah and what if Mike's albums had been released like only one year earlier. I always had the impression that Mike's music took a bit more time to get released, isn't it ? It's a pity for him I think. Imagine T&V before SAW 85-92, Lunatic Harness around RDJ Album. I think Aphex overshadowed Mike also because of this. (But don't worry Mike, we know your merit ;)

 

No... AFX's records overshadowed Mike's because Rich is the far superior musician. As is Squarepusher, which is why, even though he came later, he shits all over Mike (and Mike even publicly admitted to looking up to Squarepusher). As is Autechre, Edmx, etc etc etc...

 

Instead of looking at Mike as a victim of circumstance... the positive (and more correct) view is that he was lucky enough to benefit tremendously from being at the right place at the right time. In any other circumstance, he would have been as forgettable as the other legions of IDM wankers who tried to cash in during the late 90's. Mike's greatest success was that he beat the other barnacles by a few years.

 

 

However- as I said before, fair is fair - he is actually one of the best label heads around these days. So just because he is a crap musician doesn't mean he can't run a great label. On the other hand, just because he can run a great label doesn't mean he is a good musician either.

 

 

 

The best way to pay tribute is to actually highlight his strengths.... which is running a great label. Saying he is a good musician is like saying he is good at knitting sweaters... ie- not true and doesn't help anything.

i'd put mike at the top of the "second tier" of IDM musicians. aphex, ae and squarepusher are way at the top far above the rest, with mu-ziq 4th and then boc/bola/vsnares etc. just behind.

lol