Name: Gerald Mitchell
Nationality: American
Occupation: Keyboard player, moog basist, composer
Current release: Gerald Mitchell teams up with Kenji "Jino" Hino (bass), Jeff Mills (electronics), and Yumiko Ohno (moog) for a new Spiral Deluxe album. The Love Pretender is out now via Axis.
Recommendation for Detroit: When in Detroit people usually visit the Motown museum, or the Submerge museum which is on the same street west and east Grand Blvd. But there are many other attractions in Detroit: good clubs and restaurants and if you can visit a church you will hear some good soul music. No matter how big or small the church is, you will find the soul of the city there because Detroit is also well known for our gospel music scene - which is where I get my passion for music from.
Topic I am passionate about but rarely get to talk about: Living a good quality of life with family and good friends. It's all about the love you give and get

[Read our Kenji "Jino" Hino interview]
[Read our Jeff Mills interview]
[Read our Yumiko Ohno interview]

If you enjoyed this Gerald Mitchell interview and would like to know more about Spiral Deluxe, visit the band on bandcamp.



What were some of the musical experiences which planted a seed for your interest in electronic music?

My older brother bought a Fender Rhodes keyboard and I played in neighborhood bands while also learning how to play a Hammond B3 organ in my father's church then later I met a friend who had a mini moog synthesizer and taught me how to program it.

[Read our feature on the Fender Rhodes]
[Read our feature on the Hammond B3 organ]

So then I traded him my Fender bass for the mini moog because I was always interested in keeping up with the latest sounds that I would hear on the radio from some of my favorite groups of the 70s such as Parliament Funkadelic, Frank Zappa, Return to Forever, Herbie Hancock, George Duke, Prince and many more artist.

Then, when in the 80s the polyphonic synthesizer became affordable, I purchase a Roland Juno 106 and would stay up late nights learning how to program sounds and patches.

[Read our feature on the Roland Juno 106]

Most genres of music make use of electronic production means. What does the term “electronic music” mean today, would you say?

Using instruments that are connected with electricity instead of acoustic instruments.

It has become a part of most genres today because instruments have evolved with the addition of samplers and computers.

I grew up mainly listening to electronic music but have of lately, along with others I've spoken to, been somewhat disappointed by most new releases. I'd be curious about your own view on this, the “creative health” of the scene and potential reasons for the disappointment.

I'm not disappointed because I love music in general and I started off playing the acoustic piano. Electronic instruments makes me think differently because of the various sounds that can be produced to create unique compositions.

However, the use of the computers today makes it easier to create and sometimes some music begins to sound the same because most producers are using the same sounds and that can begin to become boring.

But overall, once again, it's evolution.

What were some of the recent releases, or performances of electronic music that left a deep impact on you?

When I was introduced to techno music I didn't care much for it because it was very repetitive and at the time I was deep into making rap, hip hop, and rhythm and blues music. But I continued to try to understand techno because I had joined Underground Resistance.

But it wasn't until I heard Purpose Maker by Jeff Mills is when I began to really dig deep into techno trying to understand how are these sounds being made. So I began listening to different techno and house artist from there.



I formulated my own sound and now today I hear techno and house elements in today's music from hip hop, rap, rhythm and blues, pop and even country and gospel music.

What kind of musical/sonic materials, and ideas are particularly stimulating for your work right now?

Intellectual ideas combined with the new software and hardware synth sounds creating interesting sound designs that are unique.

Especially with today's sampling technology I am able to create something innovative.

Where do most of your inspirations to create come from – rather from internal  impulses or external ones?

Both internal and external.

Which current social / political / ecological or other developments make you feel like you need to respond as an artist?

I try to make my music more of a spiritual in nature, not political unless I need it to be at the current time.

It's more ecological as far as just going for a walk or working out or maybe something I see through my travels at home or abroad.

I am inspired by life.

Music has become a lot more global, and incorporating elements from other parts of the world or the musical spectrum is commonplace. Do you still think there are city scenes with a distinct, unique sound?

Of course as I travel and create music abroad or at home I am inspired by different rhythms, tones and culture.

How does your local scene influence your work?

For me Detroit can be a love hate relationship from time to time.

The music and musicians have always been very competitive from the very start of the Motown sound that I grew up with, especially the gospel vibes here in Detroit that really keep me inspired.

Sometimes, even the darkness of the city can make me write in certain tones and feelings.

Today, electronic music has an interesting relationship between honouring its roots and exploring the unknown. What does the balance between these two poles look like in your music?

I honor the old as well as the new and most times I will combine the two. However I am always searching for that new and unheard of sound.

Oftentimes I can hear the influence and impact that my music has made on some artist just like other artist have had an influence and impact on the music that I create. It's reciprocal at times.

How much potential for something “new” is there still in electronic music? What could this “new” look like?

It's like Star Trek: exploring different sounds and elements to boldly go where no one else will go. I love experimental and ambient sounds and for me there is music in silence.

But I await the day when you can make music with your brain waves. I'm pretty sure you can on some level - just like sampling your heartbeat and using it in a song like I've heard done before.

What were some of the recent tools you bought, used, or saw/read about which changed your perspective about production, performing, and making music?

It's been pretty much the same: computers, drum machines and samplers and sequencers.

But I am always looking for that new powerful synthesizer.

Do you think that there is a limit to what can be done in sound design – and what defines these limits?

There are no limits - the future is bright.

In as far as it is applicable to your work, how would you describe the interaction between your music and DJing/DJ culture and clubs?

For me, combining a band with a DJ is an exciting connection.

When I travel with my band Los Hermanos, I oftentimes deejay and play keyboards with a band with various members or sometimes I will hire a DJ and concentrate on being more of a musical director. And then there are times I will just deejay.



One day I am hoping to do an unplugged music set with the band because I still love the sound of pure acoustic instruments.

How, would you say are your live performances and your recording projects connected at the moment?

I play the music that I have recorded and released in my live set so they are very connected. But they will sound much bigger with the addition of other musicians involved.

How do they mutually influence and feed off each other?

There is a spiritual and soul connection. We share human life experiences on stage with the audience, energies exchanged through the musical process.

Even if AI will not entirely replace human composition, it looks set to have a significant impact on it. What does the terms composing/producing mean in the era of AI, do you feel?

Of course AI is the future. But I prefer to use my intellect to create instead of letting AI create for me.

Maybe I'll just use it as a template but not depend on it which will make me more lazy and not authentic. Others may use it to help create their thoughts as it relates to music - but I prefer to be genuine.

Are there approaches, artists, festivals, labels, spaces or anyone/-thing else out there who you feel deserve a shout out for taking electronic music into the future?

I have been influenced by many artists, festivals, labels and spaces so they all need a shout out for contributing to the music world.

I am very honored and proud to have become a part of this thing of ours, adding my verse of music to the world that will live on after me and become and inspiration to all the new and upcoming producers, fans, and family to continue making good music for the world.