logo

Part 2

Could you describe your creative process on the basis of a piece or album that's particularly dear to you, please? Where did the ideas come from, how were they transformed in your mind, what did you start with and how do you refine these beginnings into the finished work of art?

A lot of my ideas are inspired by random conversations. You ever been talking to someone and they say something really random, and in that moment the idea comes? That’s me. It’s funny because I’ll be totally immersed in a conversation, and something they say triggers me,and  then I usually laugh or yell ‘That’s it” followed by “I gotta call you back.” Immediately it’s a mad scramble to fire everything up and lay it down. There are times when you just go in and toy around and inspiration hits you, but for ne that’s rare. Life inspires me. Words inspire me. Encounters with people or something I’m watching.

Over time, I’ve learned not to be a tweaker … you know the producer that constantly revisits records a million times and then hope they don’t destroy the original vibe? Can’t do it. When it feels right, it’s done. The morning after, I listen to it again. If it still feels the same then it’s done and I never pull it up again.

There are many descriptions of the ideal state of mind for being creative. What is it like for you? What supports this ideal state of mind and what are distractions? Are there strategies to enter into this state more easily?

The ideal state of mind for me is being in the moment, whatever that is. My music reflects my state of mind. If that’s how you feel at that moment, then go with wherever that takes you. Once you treat it like a ritual or obligation, you’re screwed. If there’s nothing, don’t force it … if you’re in a zone; stay awake until it’s all out of your system. I’m sure it’s not healthy, but I’ve had 72-hour binges of just being in a creative zone and not sleeping until I felt there was not more in me to do.

I highly suggest producers find a creative outlet outside of music to prevent getting burnt out. For me that was photography. You have to have that other thing to keep your mind fresh and the gears turning, otherwise the thing you love could become the thing you end up hating. Music can’t be forced … let it come to you and enjoy the journey.

How is playing live and writing music in the studio connected? What do you achieve and draw from each experience personally? How do you see the relationship between improvisation and composition in this regard?

Playing live helps you in the studio because you see how certain things make people react. Watching people react to music inspires you. You remember those faces, those feelings, and the connection. Those connections with the crowd live with you, forever. Playing that one record, or and artist that hits that one crazy riff/note that that made the people lose it is a rush, and taking those feelings to the studio inspire you to relive those moments again.

You often talk to musicians or DJ’s that sometimes just blank out, for me it’s that way… sometimes you just get in a zone and you don’t even remember what you did because you and the people are connected in the whole other mental space. Its unreal. When you go into the studio, those moments come out in more music … they’re connected too.

How do you see the relationship between the 'sound' aspects of music and the 'composition' aspects? How do you work with sound and timbre to meet certain production ideas and in which way can certain sounds already take on compositional qualities?

I look at sound like puzzle pieces … you can’t force them to fit. Everything in its right place just fits, and sometimes that lies in simplicity.

You can tell a seasoned producer from a beginner. A beginner is so immersed in all that can be done they try to cram it all into one composition. Versus a more seasoned producer understands when there may be things that need to go.

To me, the music and the vocal should become one thing; a listener shouldn’t have to pick what to listen to. The sounds should merge in ways where everything has it’s own space, and being in that space enhances the entire work.

Our sense of hearing shares intriguing connections to other senses. From your experience, what are some of the most inspiring overlaps between different senses - and what do they tell us about the way our senses work? What happens to sound at its outermost borders?

Hearing and feeling to me is what comes to mind. Not so much the visual, even though I know people who visually see music in colours or things like that. To me when you hear something great, you feel it physically. Great vocals to me make the hair on your arms and neck stand up. Bass lines and great drums just make you want to nod your head. Great melodies just do something to you, you feel them, and they invoke certain movements and strike your heart. When you add visual, it takes on another form of an experience.

Sound is amazing, and sometimes you almost cringe that you work so hard to make these great sounds for people to listen at distorted levels on their phones and miss most of what exists within your work … but as long as they enjoy it, that’s all that matters.

Art can be a purpose in its own right, but it can also directly feed back into everyday life, take on a social and political role and lead to more engagement. Can you describe your approach to art and being an artist?

Music is the soundtrack of unexpressed emotions sometimes. Not everyone knows how to voice what he or she feels, or thinks, or cares deeply about, and music is that bridge. It can be the drums of war, the tears you can’t cry, or they joy you’ve tried to contain. They can also express outrage, inspire change, and more.

It’s important to know what it is you’re doing, and always remember who you’re doing it for. Making music begins as a personal experience, but the more you mature in it, you realize you’re just a vessel responsible for outpouring these creations for others. It’s not solely about you anymore. When you realize that 40,00 releases come out a day and someone chooses to listen to you, that keeps things in perspective, it’s humbling. It keeps you grounded, or at least it should.

It is remarkable, in a way, that we have arrived in the 21st century with the basic concept of music still intact. Do you have a vision of music, an idea of what music could be beyond its current form?

I don’t. If anything, I hope it goes back to a point of it not just being something cool to do to gain followers and more back to the essence of engaging and making musical connections with people. Without the people, there is no you … and I think many forget that sometimes because they get caught up in their own delusions and entitlement ... as if these people have to listen to you. They don’t.

I would like to see music become more important in schools if anything. Taking music out of the school system I think did more harm than good, and the fact that it’s highly underfunded in many cases and undervalued is sad, because music changed my life ... you never know how it could ignite a mind to new levels.


Previous page:
Part 1  
2 / 2
previous