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an interview by E.IV
photos by n.VI
staying productive with a steady stream of new projects and ideas. Like most people of interest, he is not what you would
expect. He demonstrates a true allegiance that is rare to find in the underground community. I look forward to continuing to
work with him in various capacities. The discreet charmer knows that “time destroys all things.” He took some of it to answer
all of my questions with: clear, concise and straight forward results. No artist bullshit. This is the result of our words colliding in
conversation. This will no doubt be updated as we will have much more to talk about in the future.
Tell me more about the compilation “Trunculence” you are planning. This is a 7” of samples that are 1.33 or 1.8 seconds and
intended for perpetual repetition.
It is a locked groove compilation. A locked groove is an indent in a record that doesn’t progress at all. It just repeats in constant
circular motion. It’s like a scratched part of a record, only it’s specifically designed to be such. Naturally, each track would be
allowed as many rotations as the user permits.
“Le Temps Detruit Tout” is a future multimedia exhibition based on the portrayal of clocks as reminders of death. What is the
status of this project? Can you describe some of the entries so far?
It is in the patiently discerning and collecting stage. Some notable ideas that have been accepted are: a floor-to-ceiling size
hour glass, an amplified/modified alarm clock, and a clock that says negative things at the hour mark. I’ve written an elaborate
performance and already composed a piece for which I am currently seeking a female choir in order to finish it. Then comes the
video part… I am looking for 3D animators.
You’re covering R. Kelly on Ain’t Nothin’ Wrong with A Little Bump N’Grindcore.
First off… why? Which song?
I have covered “Feelin’ on Yo Booty” in a way that I think portrays some of the absurd aspects of contemporary times. I also
think I portray the lyrics as creepy or ludicrous as I perceived them, only differently. On top of that, a woman with a shapely
behind is truly a thing to behold. It is worthy of awe. People should be electrocuted for trying to touch it so easily and without the
appropriate familiarity, especially in public.
Tell me about some of your first experiments with art and music.
I had a drum kit when I was 15 or 16. I played it sparsely whenever my mom wasn’t home. Then we moved to an apartment
building and never came back to a civilized situation. It stayed in storage most of that time. I never could keep a rhythm
anyway. I always wanted to stop and loop myself even before knowing what that was. After that my focus was primarily in art. I
was attending visual arts classes at Columbia College My figure drawing teacher told me that what I’ve been doing (drawing)
since I was 5 was wrong. I basically told him that if I wanted an opinion I would get it from someone who didn’t fail as an artist
and settle for a teaching job. Around that time I found electronics. I’ve been more focused on music since then. It can be very
calculated without being described as “realism”. It’s not something people hang on a wall to match their drapes. It completely
changes the atmosphere of any room the moment you walk into it.
being satisfied with a finished project as a result of this?
“* Version 3” is a series of bad recordings. However, I’m completely
satisfied with every second of every piece. It took me deleting “* Version
1” among other things, to get to that point. “* Version 3.33” has been just
as taxing, if not more.
How do you feel about electronic music being described as “cold” or
parallels to robots and machines? Some act as if this could not possibly be
true of human beings or take it to be a disadvantage.
There is an aspect of it that is cold, lifeless, inorganic, and fertilized. There
can be a lot of details with programming and troubleshooting that take
away from what I would call channeling. I work with stuff that I am so
familiar with that I can get past all of these technicalities and get my idea
out, more or less, without losing momentum. I use a lot of time signatures
and different eccentricities that might be considered complicated, but only
if it is evocative of my idea and the atmosphere I intend to provide for
myself. The “cold / robotic” association is the same one that I can make
for some math rock, progressive types of bands, and also with some jazz
to an extent. I think that if it’s just a series of calculations, it’s predictable,
unexciting and sterile. Some of those approaches to music can be pretty
triumphant. Most music, especially current pop, is just drab, anti-climactic
formula that lacks dynamics. People have said that my sequencer stuff is
thinned out and cheesy because I’m not running on top-notch samples or
a higher polyphonic maximum. However, my sequencer is more prone to
some of the characteristics I described about recording. There is a lot of
potential for artifacts in it. By the time I’m done with a piece I’ve spaced
out and dwelled so much. I can’t even remember what I did to make the
sounds that come out. It just works for my goal. The instrument doesn’t
matter. It’s the operator that matters in terms of “human” or “robot”
distinctions.
The fortunate thing about the electronic artist is that the studio is often his primary instrument. I listen to a great deal of old
music from as early as the 20’s. While people might argue that it wasn’t very creative or structurally challenging, I still think it’s
lively and preferable to some of the modern recording and compression etc… The artifacts that exist in old recordings that serve
to accentuate the emotive elements are often compelling to me. On a more literal level, I would never feel satisfied with such a
list. I’ll just throw out: J.D. Robb, Merzbow, Tod Dockstader, F.M. Einheit, Joe Meek, and as of late, Mort Garson.
I appreciate your work for “evoking what exists inwardly.” At a show in Milwaukee last year, you performed in a dress with an
electric tape mohawk and a black handprint on your face. What inspired this look? I am especially curious about the handprint.
It was quite striking. I wondered if it was a symbol of affection or abuse. This was a great union of style and substance, a
necessary pair.
Thank you! That was the garb for many of my performances early on, including my first one. I don’t want to explain this one,
but you were right about the juxtaposition. I kept in mind to be a doppelganger. It is both a parody and an ersatz shield of
confidence. It also fits with the name. There’s more to it though. I like to leave it to the interpreter, or otherwise let the
googleys gaggle.
In exposing your work to people you risk it being: misunderstood, ignored or reviled among other things. How do you balance
any negative perceptions internally?
I’ve criticized myself more than anyone else possibly could. I wear a lot of hats with regard to musical approach and risk coming
off as a charlatan. I don’t quite fit with the electronics crowd all of the time because I only use an outdated sequencer. I really
don’t know a whole lot that can be verbalized about electronics or music in general. I’ve basically found my reassurance in
knowing that I have worked on my stuff until I was content with it. The important thing is that there is a brief fleeting moment of
satisfaction that happens when I’m finished. All I can do is try to make a dignified recording / presentation for it. The days of
pioneers are gone. Any Creative realm has been cheapened. The possibility of music or art as a career is a window that is
getting smaller and smaller due to over saturation. This is more reason than any to not give a shit about anything except for
content. People can misunderstand, ignore, or revile all they want. In the words of Andy Ortmann, “It’s as important to me as
cars are to birds”. I don’t plan on going anywhere as long as the desire to create is there. It beats rotting from day to day,
watching TV or something. I’ll keep creating things and find outlets through conceptual means or what-have-you.
WZRD 88.3 FM
I sneak in as a guest DJ at a varying rate and sometimes spin for as
much as 12 hours at a time.
WLUW 88.7 FM
Two Slaps Radio: Co-Conspirator with Eric Lab Rat. We spin Funk/Soul and
its roots or derivatives on Tuesdays between 2AM and 4AM.
No Part of It – is that the name of your label?
In this day and age, many, many people are musicians, DJs, artists, and
label heads. There is no longer some elite stigma to it. Anyone can do it.
I’m not averse to having other people release my stuff (and they have).
It’s simply something I don’t want to define. I don’t want it to be a DIY
label, or an “Indie” label or whatever. There are probably 5 of those on
each block. I may put that on a release above the bar code one time, not
do it the next time, and put it back again in ten years. It’s more of a
slogan for a blank trademark concept that is losing pertinence.
Will there be another issue of Achtongue Fingers?
Achtongue Fingers is appearing in different places and in different ways. At
a theater near you.
moved abruptly. Has there been any resolution between you and the previous owner? If not what would you say?
I’ve never met the owner, although I had my suspicions about a few people. There is no resolution. I have no regrets. The place
was unprofessional from the beginning. This is part of why it was great. I got unlimited drinks, whatever I wanted. I was also
employed as a doorman at $8 an hour in return for booking shows there. I maybe should’ve gotten paid on top of my duties as
a doorman. My booking in a lot of cases made the bar a good amount of money. I probably drank at least half of a bottle of
vodka each night. I was a dedicated “employee” all the while! I booked the music I wanted to hear and it was always fun. The
night that we found out that the place was closed it was cold as hell. We met outside and went to a pizza place. We called a
bunch of venues in hopes of an opening. Eventually we went to QUENNECT 4. They had an open mic. The artists that stuck it out
to relocate enjoyed a considerable audience. I had been warned about the closing and resale of the place. They told me to keep
booking until further notice. When the time came, they didn’t feel like I deserved that further notice. I was fortunate enough to
be in a scenario that allowed me to make lemonade out of lemons. In enough time I won’t even remember the names of the
people that showed me disloyalty. In the meantime, they’ll go back to their day jobs and talk about how weird I was. The
entertainment never ceases.
What do you look for or expect when booking bands?
Liveliness. Versatility. Thoroughness.
I wondered if the photo shoot where you are covered in FUCK was influenced by the Jodorowsky film Fando & Lis.
I am fond of Jodorowsky, I know this for sure. I have never seen any of his films. The photo shoot where I have black writing all
over me, wearing a diaper, and puking up black stuff originated from a poem I wrote. It needed to be shown without any kind of
sequence or chronology. It was about a child growing up immediately rather than progressively and reacting intensely. It was a
similar analogy to a certain frog that you can put in a pot of water, boil it and it will live. If you put the same frog in a pot of
already boiling water it will die immediately. Not to sound pretentious, but the idea for the photo shoot pretty much materialized
in a dream after I'd written the poem. So, that writing all over me is not "FUCK," it is a poem that completely loses its luster in
application.
future?
I’ve been to Toronto and to New Orleans twice. Once to act in a haunted
house called “House of Shock.” I love New Orleans dearly and am
anxious to clear off my desk, so to speak, so I can go there again.
Many places in Europe are also enticing.
Who would you wish to collaborate with in the future?
I’m kind of stubborn about this. If I have an idea that I can’t do by
myself, I seek out other people to help that idea materialize. If I think I
can compliment another person’s work, I make it known to them. Loto
Ball and I have talked about something. Seth Sher (ex-Coughs) and I
talked about doing something and dabbled a bit a few years ago. It
never materialized and I consider that to be quite a shame. I’d like to do
a recording with Patrick McCarthy and Daniel Park. It’s always a pleasure
to work with Right-Eye Rita and Minotaur. I’ve been very excited about
ongoing work with Nikola Vasilic. Mister Fuckhead and Pommel have a
split on the boil. We’ve started talking about having a one-off
collaboration between Mike Krause (Death Factory), Billy Sides and I to
be included on the release. I have to work on my platform. When I do,
there are a number of people of different ilk that I would like to
collaborate with. It would give me incredible joy to receive recordings of
vocals from a soulful female singer accompanied by the invite to artistic
license. There’s nothing more inspiring than the raw vocals of a deep,
tortured woman.