Here we go… I must admit answering some of my own questions felt odd, but it looks like I could hardly get out of it 
…With apologies to robert - I am aware of the problems with ego-relativism in this process, but hopefully some other people will find the information useful. Without further ado:
- What is your Renoise-name? What is your real name? Any past names?
Foo? is the old net-name I use, especially around the tracking scene over the years. However, I’ve been phasing it out in preference of my own name, mr_mark_dollin. I’ve had a few other crazy names for secret projects (like The Reverend James Michael James, or The Autoprophet), but nothing anyone here would need to know. Toying with abbreviations too, like mmd. I have some friends who change their artist name every week! I think it’s better to stick with something that plainly states who you are and allows for flexibility. Be yourself.
- How long have you been using Renoise?
Since 1.2 (I think, or 1.1) back in mid 2002. However, I was loitering around the website that was before renoise.com where the devs were discussing how they should move on from Noisetrekker. I remember they had a poll where the public could decide the name of the project. Amongst others, I suggested ‘Footracker’ and amazingly it almost got selected! Ha, I would have told them not to take it seriously! But, I really didn’t get deeply into Renoise until the start of 2003, after my Mum bought me a full-version-license as a gift - how nice of her! It’s been non-stop since.
- How long have you been making music?
This is a tricky one to answer. I usually state the I’ve been composing since 1996, when I first stated making songs with a tracker. But my musical noodling goes way back before that (probably like everyone else). Since I was a kid I was always experimenting with organs, tape-decks, mics, electronic devices, junk, my mouth, or whatever I could find to make cool sounds. Things really took off when I was thirteen and got my electric guitar. As I discovered scales and chords I’d make up all sorts of simple patterns. I got some great lessons during my teen years, and by the time I became fascinated by mod-scene music it all started to come out gushing.
- Have you used any other music software/platforms? If so, which ones? Which one have you been most inspired to work with?
I started with Fast Tracker II in 1996, a copy a friend and I got with a magazine demo CD. Before that I’d been listening to mod files for years - so you can guess I was totally excited by the prospect of being able to edit and make my own tracker-songs! Incidentally the the demo came with some great XMs, with some names that you still see around today like Hunz, Xerxes, Keith303 and Mick Rippon.
Years went on and the collapse of the second generation scene meant that projects like Impulse Tracker and FT2 were coming to a halt. I was getting really confident with FT2, reluctant to move on - but I was starting to realize the sound quality wasn’t good enough and I really needed live VST effects. So I tried Fruity Loops for a while, maybe about a year’s worth during 2002. It was great for making basic techno tracks, but the whole world of effects was rather daunting and hard to control (I naturally went overboard). Fruity was very frustrating because it wasn’t suited to my ‘tracker’ way of thinking, and it had so many restrictions in the editing and sample process. When Renoise looked like it was holding its own making the switch back to tracking was easy.
Now, I find Renoise 100% intuitive and unrestricted. Even if I’m uninspired I can create very satisfying things. The only other time I’ve felt ‘as one with the program’ was with 2001 with FT2 - I just absolutely knew what I was doing. Now it’s only up to my ideas and energy.
I’ve also used lots of other programs for audio stuff over the years. These include early versions of Soundforge, Goldwave, Rebirth and Cool Edit. The main production tool I reach for outside of Renoise these days would be Audition, but since Renoise 1.8’s release Audition is only being used for DX-plug mastering. …Oh, and I know how to use Cubase, not by choice though.
- What sort of music do you end up making? Has this music changed over time?
This is a hard question: the effort involved here is comparable to giving a small summary of every single book’s theme you’ve read since you were 7 - not easy! Maybe I can do this basically by firstly talking of superficial genres.
When I started on FT2 the music that came out was a really rough progressive house/trance with little bits of industrial. Trackers really lent themselves to mechanical techno rhythms, and I didn’t know much about programming interesting drums at that point. Gradually I expanded out into other areas, like industrial-ambient and even a little bit of rock/metal. Eventually I’ve had ‘little goes’ at each popular electronic style over the years (e.g. dub, glitch, arc, noise, breaks, triphop) and adopting the respective techniques into my tool-kit of sound options. When I write naturally the results tend to come out as a hybrid between rock’s intensity, ambient tension, and electronica’s futurism. I guess I’m getting old enough now to know I’m developing my own style, but I’m not sure what that is just yet.
To look at my music outside of mere genre categorisation I have to look at the progression more thematically. I think I’ve always expressed my music from a dark context. I like to explore our fears, uncertainties, our hate, our stupidity, our paradoxes and other aspects of humanity you won’t find in a McHappy Meal. This has come out in several ways, but always from that place where most heavily conformist people don’t want to try to understand. Sometimes I can explore very uplifting themes, but it’s always in reference to the dark. Sometimes I need to look at the big picture, like politics, culture, society or even metaphysics. But sometimes I need to frame my view introspectively, hoping that the results will find empathy with other people in similar personal struggles. I don’t see this changing much.
Another thing I’ve been ‘chipping away’ at is the possibility of a perfect marriage between ‘unrestrained art’ and ‘popular culture’. To make this happen isn’t easy. So I’ve been learning this craft: sometimes failing at it, and sometimes making progress. Restraint is required in structure and sonics. Vocals and good lyrics are an absolute must have. But supreme imagination and inspiration is required to make anything that will truly transcend popular culture and have an earth-shattering positive, motivational, effect. I’ve been deliberately crawling up this hill for a while now, and a lot more climbing remains…
- What is your favorite part of Renoise? Is there any feature that is integral to ‘your sound’?
Nothing in particular if not the preservation of the tracking editing method itself. I can continue building on a powerful craft I’ve been doing for a long time. Other than that, I think the live-record feature coupled with the pattern editor will become increasingly important in my work for years to come.
- What is your favorite pattern effect code?
Bxx (backwards/forwards). The rest of the old-school codes are amazing too.
- On a scale from 1 to 10 what would be your Renoise geek-factor? Provide an example.
I confess I’m about a 7. I spend too much time looking at the Renoise forums when I should be making tunes. And if I get in the room with a Cubase devotee I usually end up arguing with them. It’s hard not to be passionate about Renoise: it feels like something community based and worth defending. …Oh and like many tracker users I think half of 10 is 8.
- If development of Renoise continues well into the future, what would be your ‘dream’ requested feature? Be imaginative.
The ability to cause a warning to pop up when you’re either writing boring music or wasting time.
- Any other Renoise artists that really impress you?
This indeed is a loaded question. I always try to hunt around the community and see what other people are up to. I try to give credit where credit is due, or constructive suggestions where applicable. And in some cases I’ll PM or email the artist to let them know I like their work. Some artists already know I’ve been following their work closely for a while too. And sometimes I show respect by trying to initiate a collaboration, which sometimes is fruitful.
I love the spirit of the community. In one way or another people are trying hard to innovate and be crafty with music. The more we share, in terms of content and feedback, the more we will grow. Keep the surprises coming!
- Who or what are your musical inspirations? Who or what do you ‘keep coming back to’?
I was into music in a big way ever since I was young, especially in that my mother would encourage me to listen through all her records and tapes. So I’ve had all sorts of good stuff poured into me, like Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, Mike Oldfield, Black Sabbath, Paul Simon, Phil Collins, etc. In my teen years I got all heavy with bands like Tool, Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Fear Factory, Pantera, Sepultura, Soundgarden, Korn, Metallica, etc… But also I really got into underground and live electronica of the 90’s: trance, house, drum+bass, glitch, breaks, dub - especially acts like Underworld, Itchy & Scratchy, Pendulum (the '97 crew from Melbourne). As I was getting more seriously into composition I’ve been influence by wider sources: Nine Inch Nails, Peter Gabriel, Aphex Twin, My Dying Bride, Vast, Björk, A Perfect Circle, Midnight Oil, David Bowie, Kate Bush, Silo, David Bridie, Radiohead, Distance, Ministry, Damaged, Alchemist, Devin Townsend, Type O Negative, Robert Fripp, Laurie Anderson, Steve Vai, Arvo Pärt, plus many more. I’m now painfully eclectic (read: I spend way too much on CDs).
The artists I keep coming back to, time and time again, probably are: Trent Reznor.
Recently I’ve been exploring the entire world and history of dub, with the new live music movement that’s been reproducing electronica using real instruments in real performance (bands like The Bird, or the Australian and NZ dub scenes). I’ve also recently gone very deeply into the world of Arvo Pärt: his work makes me feel very humble and novice indeed. I have years of learning ahead of me!
I like some radio and listening to a lot of radio when I was young. And, working in a community radio station for years has exposed me to a great range of music, especially world music. These days I tend to only listen to Australia’s Classic FM, or sometimes Shirley & Spinoza for maximum weirdness injection.
I find literature extremely inspiring, sometimes almost more than music. I’m a big fan of and have been inspired by: Stephen Donaldson, Joan Grant, Shakespeare (in particular Othello, Macbeth and the Sonnets), Andre Breton, Henry Laurency, and the journalism you often see on Common Dreams.
- Are there any cover-songs you want to do?
Some in the studio, some live: Follow The Locust - Wire; High Places - Mike Oldfield; O Superman - Laurie Anderson; - These songs are already perfect so there’s little point…
- How serious are you about making music? Does Renoise consume your every thought, or do you do this occasionally just to have some fun?
I’m serious enough. I plan my whole life around being able to compose and to fulfill the projects I have planned. It just happens to be fun at the same time.
- Do you have a website, or a place where we can hear your work? If yes, please boast about it.
the revolution begins here - I’m really happy with how this site is evolving - it serves as my home base. There are a heap of tunes there, album information, a blog, a developing e-commerce shop. I’ve done a heck of lot of different websites since 1999, but this current one is the one I’m settled with. Everything else out there is just lies or a distraction.
- Do you have any fans? If so, do you know why they are fans?
Not in the traditional sense, no. I have some fantastic friends over the years who have been interested. And I’m very happy I’ve entertained people in the tracking scene with the odd song or two. Ideally I’d like to evolve to the next step, where I can have an anonymous dedicated audience and push them some rich and challenging material. I have to be careful what I wish for!
- Do you play any musical instruments? If so, which is your favorite?
Lead electric guitar is my first, favorite and strongest instrument. I am one with the universe when I’m really deeply into lead guitar. I need to work it into my music more. Other than that I can play, with varying amounts of skill: piano (which is great for harmonic composition), bass, frettless string instruments, qwerty-keys, or anything else at a level where I can get notes out of it (does the didjeridoo count?). I’ve been spending the last two years really getting into drum-kit, which is beautifully physical and subtle.
Vocals have been the big challenge for me for a while now. I got serious about vocals to the point of getting lessons, practicing regularly, and thinking heavily about technique and philosophy. The voice is the greatest instrument, but I also find it to be the hardest. There are so many emotional walls to break through in the process. And I never been a very good singer, so it’s another mountain to climb. Nevertheless, I have realised the importance of vocals in my music and have been working to include them more centrally.
- How much musical theory knowledge do you have? Do you feel that it’s applicable to your composition?
I’ve had some encouraging teachers during my teen years that helped me establish most of the ground work for my study in theory. I don’t do manuscript fast, but outside of that I feel pretty strong with formal understanding of scales, chords, harmony, rhythm, arrangement and dynamics. It’s a utility knowledge, and I usually build on it if I come up with a compositional problem or want to explore a different area.
I think theory has a massive application to my composition. My exploration of it all manifests in what I compose, and if my style comes from anywhere it comes from how I use music through theory to achieve what I want. For example, I’m absolutely fascinated with interval relationships and their emotional impact in context. In one case I get very ‘switched on’ if I hear a sharpened 6th in a minor scale used in a certain way. I could go on and on with more examples… Don’t get me started on how tone-clusters make my knees weak! Aside from that, theory knowledge with ‘feeling the music’ can ensure great musical conversation with other musicians for different projects.
- What are your views on song arrangement or composition? Do you just compose for yourself? Do you care what other people think?
“I don’t know what art is but I know what I like…”
I have two main approaches. The first is total unrestrictive exploration in sonic potential. Anything is possible and no regard is given at all the the listener. Using this method I have produced some odd, outer-limits style pieces that violate rules and conventions. The work is done largely for my own satisfaction, especially when I feel like I’m putting over-effort in other work to conform to the restrictions of mass culture. Most people find this work insufferable or too challenging. However, my occasional arising compulsion for weirdness cannot be ignored.
The second method is the aforementioned perfect marriage between ‘unrestrained art’ and ‘popular culture’. Being strict and decisive in arrangement and structure is essential to safely present your ‘artistic’ inspirations. Vocal melody is central and needs to have appropriate build, dynamics and variation to captivate enough to delivery the necessary message (as well as to energise). Structure is built backwards from the finalisation of the vocal phrasing into short cyclic movements that interlock leading to a series of necessary peaks of melody/message. Extensive attention should be paid to the elements of soul, dynamics, groove, rhythmic intensity balance/variety, and build. The result should be utterly digestible and unavoidable but as well as paradoxically transcendent and humanly resonant. Goosebumps are the benchmark. Needless to say this is very hard to achieve and I have never personally come close. In fact, I fail often: but to try is probably my only publically excusable motive.
- How much is enough repetition? How much is enough repetition?
I find certain repetitions irresistible: ostinatoes (repeated melodic counter phrases); bass and drum groove (particularly if it’s not in 4/4, complex, or phrases over an odd amount of bars); or certain lyrical phrases repeated in climax to dramatise a point. All other repetition is laziness or intended for drugs I have no knowledge of.
- What sort of gear can we find in “your studio”? Any bits of gear you’d like to rave about?
I’ve a lot of custom stuff, some of which I designed and built with my Dad (who is rather crafty with electronics). The custom stuff includes my monitors/speakers, amps and a few odd effects units. I also built my own studio computer last year, which I’ve set up to be nice and fast but is also near-enough-to-silent. The M-Audio Delta 10/10 has been a big step forward for me, but I’ll probably get more fancy audio cards as I go along. Other more professional gear I’ve got is: Rode K2, sE Reflexion Filter; and the SPL Goldmike 9844 preamp.
I’ve got an inordinate amount of odd little instruments that make sounds (the singing bowl is my new favorite), but my precious ones would have to be the guitars: a modified Strat copy; Cort 12 string acoustic; a nice classical guitar; and two rare Hawaiian lap-steel guitars. Central to all of this is my old Zoom 4040 effects unit, which I’ve got so much mileage out of, and still do!
- Have you got any plug-ins you’d like to rave about? Are there certain plugs you keep coming back to?
Synths: mda epiano; Mr. Tramp; Superwave P8; Triangle; HG Fortune synths; Taurus; Chimera; ImpOSCar; QuadraSID; Melosound; a few others I can’t remember… I tend to like samples and recordings better than most synths.
Effects: DSP-FX bundle; dBlue’s Glitch and Stretch; crazy-ivan; buffer override; A0 Parametric EQ; Moneo; mda-plugs; classic effects; mosta-chorus; psp vintage-warmer; echo live; cyanide2; ambience; Elottronix XL (I find this indispensable); Renoise native effects; plus many other odd little tools that get dragged out for tasks…
- Is your studio adequate? What gear are you needing to buy?
My custom monitors have carried me for a long time, but now I’m finding that the tweeters are too harsh. I’ll keep them for A-B testing, but I need new nearfields. A friend has recommended Yamaha, so I might do some research. I’ve spent too much on other stuff recently. Getting a more accurate sub would be ideal too: I’m currently using two 4x12" through the Delta’s crossover and a 350W amp - it’s grunty but probably not accurate.
Other than that, my studio is adequate for the small projects I’m undertaking. If I need to record other things like drum-kits or a live-band I may be in trouble and need to find a different acoustic space.
…Oh that’s right, I want better keyboards, analogue synths and new guitars! Don’t we all?
- Outside of your musical skill, how good is your engineering? Do your ears or gear deceive you? Do you value getting outside ‘sonic’ help?
It’s impossible to tell just how much you lack or how much you’ve got to learn. I’ve been improving all my life, especially when I make an effort to solve engineering problems like soundcards, monitors, acoustics, noise, etc. Because I make the songs myself they will testify just how sensitive I was at the time. It’s a combination of having good tools and a clear head for learning. Engineering is a very scientific craft, and all the facts are there to understand.
I certainly do get outside help. I have a friend who is also an experienced mentor. He has no problem in telling me bluntly that I’m lacking in any given area. I respect his input, and even try to preempt it. Through him I get to test my mixes on lots of different systems and get to consider my work from different application perspectives (e.g. live PA versus headphones). I really recommend getting a mentor, though it is hard to find someone who can ignore their own manipulative motives for your benefit.
- Additionally, do you master your songs yourself or do you get someone else to do them?
Out of expediency I do master my own material and will continue to do so for a while. I’ve learned a lot about mastering in the last 4 odd years - it’s almost a whole separate system outside of mixing, but also is more related to mixing than most people realise. A good mix will not need much done to it in the mastering process, for example: but, what is a good mix? I feel closer to the answers all the time.
Currently I use a variation on this 32-bit 44.1k chain: A0 Parametric EQ (largely for bass reduction but no saturation) —> DSP-FX Aural Activator (for gingerly boosting tuned harmonic content) —> PSP Vintage Warmer (for loudness boosting, and rarely for a knee) —> Free-G (for RMS monitoring: I usually aim for somewhere between -9dB to -7dB rms). Then I convert/dither down a copy to whatever format I may need. I’ve yet to plan an implementation of this for a album length project.
But in the future I may get my aforementioned mentor to do the task if I have material that is worthy (he has better monitors and a better acoustic situation than I have). Or, if I had the money, I’d find a mastering house that I could count on not to over-blow the mix and destroy all the transients. I want my digital music to ‘speak clearly’ and not sound like grainy sludge.
- Have you ever performed live? If yes, how did you do it? What would you think would be ideal to reproduce your music live?
Oh I’ve performed live alright… Sometimes with great success and elation, sometimes with great pain and struggle. Without elaborating I’ll say that I’ve kinda had a go at all different areas: instrumental, computer based, hybrid approaches, arc-soundscapes, solo, band, and djing. My blog goes into these in more detail…
…And no doubt I’ll do more in the future (not right now though). I think a dream live performance would be to work with first rate musicians doing totally human based extended performances of my songs - no computers. I’d love to sing and play lots of lead guitar.
- Do you ever seek to make money with your music? Do you make money now?
I don’t make money from my music now, but occasionally I’ve received a cut from a successful live gig. I think I’ll be lucky to get much more than that… at all.
I do seek to make money from media-production. I’ve got plans. I hope to do it ethically, in a different way to the way the industry does it. And more environmentally sound. I’ll probably fail like most people do, but I certainly don’t have a choice in the matter. Besides, I think more about ‘what art I need to do’, and whether or not I will achieve that before I expire.
- Are you involved with any labels? Netlabels?
No and no. I’ve always admired free stuff that’s come out on net-labels. I tried once to start my own with a collective of artists. But it didn’t work, and managing artists is like herding cats. I’m not doing that again!
- What is better for your future: being on a contract or being independent?
Being strongly and successfully independent. I’m working up the stamina and knowledge to do this. Generally being on a label is a short term solution, and it doesn’t encourage you to think enough.
- Have you ever worked collaboratively? Do you like working collaboratively? Will you do it in the future?
I’ve done lots of different collaborations, both with other solo composers/performers or bands. I like it only about 50% of the time, but I seem to being going back for more… It’s great for pushing your work in unexpected directions and being clear about problem solving.
Collaborations only work if there is an open honest relationship between the people in the first place, otherwise you’ll be tip-toeing around each other’s vulnerabilities. I’ve had real bad ones and real good ones. I’ve had ones that I’ve dragged on too long, and ones where it’s felt like anything is possible. Working with alexstrain at the moment has been great! He’s been really open minded and patient… I’ve got another cool project on the boil with another artist: we’re using a set of strict process rules to create some music. The more communication the better.
- Do you have an ‘albatross song’? (A song that people really like that you don’t and they won’t leave you alone about it)
I’ve not had a really severe case of this, like for example how Pink Floyd did with “Money”. But I’ve had songs that I thought were pretty flawed and needed a lot of work that people have fallen in love it… “Student X” comes to mind, as with “I Love You And I Love Your Needles”.
- Do you like your music? Any songs your are proud of? (come on, do tell!)
It takes me about one to two years before I can sit down and listen to my music as if I’ve heard it for the first time. Before that point I can only ever hope to be remotely proud of the effort I made to present the idea in the best manner (i.e. production). Sometimes I listen back to old stuff and think “wow, what a heavy emotion I was under there…”, whereas at the time everything seemed normal.
I’m generally happy with the creativity of my work, though judgmental about the production quality of most of it. However, I am proud of the following: First Day of School; Rain Is Good For My Mental Health; Mount Bogong; Way Out; Sleep Is God; Suicide; Embryonic Infinity; Moor Der Eht; West; Cup of Tea?; Can’t Wait; Growing Old; ABEF; New England; Phoebe; Vulcanella Self Destruct; I Breathe Water; Find; and several others that are unfinished and exciting me.
- What do you think is lacking in your music? Do you feel you need to be working on any one particular area?
Singing, and sharpening my composition to suit my aforementioned aims.
- Along the same lines, what do you think holds you back from achieving what you want?
This is a very good question (if I do say so myself!). If I knew, I’d just bust through the barrier and get on with it. Most of it is too personal to state here, but I will summarise: it is a combination equipment, skill, receptivity, location, day-job, confidence, hang-ups, health, narratives with other people in your life, and culture. It’s mostly my responsibility, but also larger forces are at work which no doubt cause patterns of productivity and stasis.
- What sort of ‘zone’ do you like to be in before you can make music on Renoise? Has this got something to do with environment, people, drugs, food, temperature, cosmic energy, etc?
I can “work” under all sorts of circumstances, but I prefer certain times and certain states of mind. A lot of it has to do with health and mental clarity, which is the responsibility of the person involved. For me patterns have emerged: no drugs (at all), well slept, cool temperature, low-glare, warmed-up for music (by listening or playing), and be approaching the task with intent to work upon an inspired idea. There are other much higher and subtle aspects that contribute to productivity, but not being an expert on them precludes me from nailing the detail.
I have in recent years, though, been experimenting with composing in, and just out of, REM sleep. The sensation of composing while your are dreaming is beyond elation, it’s absolute engagement with powerful force. But rarely I can get up quick and smooth enough to translate the music into the computer. I’ve caught a few of them though!
- Have you thought about why you make music? Do you have answer?
I have no choice.
To answer this question fully you need to posit a coherent system of metaphysics and how you as ‘an entity’ fit into that system. Implicit in this is the explanation of our purpose, both generally (consciousness development) and specifically. Perhaps it’s well beyond the scope of this interview to discuss this in full here, but… I can say this: I was alway going to do what I have done, and always have worked toward artistry with everything I am. I was not nurtured to do this, the intension is in my nature. Therefore the consciousness aspect (the characteristic) is part of a narrative longer than my biological life. The details of that history are not clear to me, but the current purpose is.
Besides, at times in my life where I have sought to suppress my creative nature and conform have always lead to acute insanity. For example, in my last two undergraduate years I realised I was on the wrong career path (High School Teaching). I went out into that career for a year and the results were not pretty. I had to accept who I am, and who I am is no conformist who needs to help force reluctant children through a sick “education” system. I got out. Now I have a day job that is closer to my skills, interests, and creative work, and consequently have more time and head space for good music writing. No more existential crises!
- Do you think you would still be making music if Renoise didn’t exist? What about if computers didn’t exist?
Renoise has really ‘come to the rescue’ in so many ways. If it didn’t exist I’d probably would be struggling with other programs and wasting a lot of money. If digital technology did not develop the way it has well I guess I’d either be a writer or a visual artist. Probably a writer, because narrative allows for both grandness and meticulousness, which is one thing I like about music. I don’t think my literacy skill are up to scratch though… But then again all this time I’ve spent being an audio engineer and web-designer would have went into writing!
- Has accessible MIDI and digital technology changed music for the better or worse?
Both and neither. The problem is the people not the tools. A decaying culture makes crap music.
- What do you think about the current direction of the music industry? What contributions are the mp3, the blog, piracy, and myspace making on the direction of popular music culture? Could you care less?
Music corporations are stupid. Really stupid. And I mean that on a totally economically rationalist level. Artistic commercialism is at its healthiest and sustainable when the artist has a “brand” developed. This can only be achieved when the corporation gives creative control to the artist within ‘reasonable’ flexible budgets, over a long non-binding term. This implies empathy for the cultural (note: not artistic) process. In turn the corporations should responsibly ensure that the media networks connected to them act to support invested “brands”. Consumers and the diversity of the market will take care of the rest. The reason why the corporations have not adopted this model is because they are stupid. Stupid enough not to see how this model could make everyone the most money over a long time, and in turn produce richer music (=collective consciousness enhancement). They undervalue their customers, consumers, thinking they’ll buy any trendy rubbish. The reason why the rubbish gets bought is because there’s little surface alternative. Therefore the system is cancerous, sick and in decline. Piracy is rampant partly because mass-culture undervalues music, and why wouldn’t they?
The problem NEVER has been that CEOs do not think like artists. If CEOs thought like artists the industry would be even more of a shambles than it is. CEOs need to do away with their old thought patterns and ideology so that they can adopt a new fresh perspective that is based upon humanism, history, cultural development, environmentalism, and sound ethical business management. A change of guard, with broadminded education could possibly do this. But it looks unlikely.
The sad or possibly liberating fact is that a counter-pattern will occur: decent music will go back to a grass roots level, high quality and locally inventive – but the flip side is that it will not have an effect on global mass culture, save for in the case of the music mimicking grass roots (internet) styling or adding “yet another” voice to a powerless diffused yelp against corporatism and evil. People say the prospect that this may be a good thing (i.e. no more ego-maniac rock starts publicly getting lost in starring at their navel for too long), but I would argue differently. Grass roots culture is not enough. To consider why will depend how you value the different collective expressions of culture (e.g. ‘Metal’ is a healthy necessary thing, but should be seen as a means, not an end – “Dance” music is a function, but should not be just restricted to mere physical activity – “Ego-rock” liberates followers from the mundane, but should be excused because the mundane is a lethal weapon of cultural stagnation). Some artists with access to money, networking, and pop-culture can do wonderful things on all levels (cultural, social + political) – Peter Gabriel comes to mind. I very much doubt if a Peter Gabriel were to try and start what he started 20 years ago NOW then the current trend of things would be 99.99% against him. The central question is how much do we really understand the last 100 years of revolutionary culture, let alone collectively value it. Possibly, current potential CEOs haven’t a f****ing chance.
I guess we’ll just have to wait. In the meantime expect a mess of billions of little things making odd cool but globally irrelevant noises.
- Is there such thing as “bad music”? If so, please provide examples.
Two forms of bad music spring to mind: 1. Corporate Music - made by organisations to exploit people’s weaknesses and insecurities in order to bolster decadent economic profits. Examples: Lizzie McGuire or Crazy Frog. 2. Lazy Music - made by composers in a compromised state resting on hackneyed methods without inspiration. Examples: Bon Jovi or Maria Carey… or any number of bands that you hear on ‘alternative raido’ or myspace that mindlessly copy an old established genre with zero sincerity or any positive intension.
- Can music really change the world? Has your music ever ‘made a change’ in someone?
Music most certainly does change the world every single second of existence. Need evidence? Every little local band or every geek bedroom tweaker puts a slightly new spin on mass-culture ideas. Over time these ideas shape and change. Within them lies the possibility for new perspectives and new invigorations. Therefore culture has a direct bearing upon our collective decision making process. The better the decisions the better our future. Or, music’s impact can be more direct: how many thousands of people decided to do something about their suppressed child abuse after hearing Korn’s “Daddy”? How many activists were made after Rage Against The Machine really got under their skin? How many people after hearing Arvo Pärt’s “Cantatas for Benjamin Brittan” in Fahrenheit 911 were put into a state of emotional vulnerability that allowed them to accept questioning of of the ‘established truth’ of their government, of their vengeful culture? These are only weak examples, but together they add up.
I don’t think my stuff has made any substantial change for anyone. Occasionally it has inspired friends or co-writers ‘sort their life out’ or ‘get more artistic/crafty’. That’s a good feeling to be able to do that, albeit accidentally. But, it would be good to really touch on a subject that really provoked people in a ultimately positive way (i.e. to think). To be an active agent in people’s collective consciousness development is all you can really ever ask for.
- What is music going to sound like in 2014? What’s music going to sound like in 2500?
2014 - There are two possibilities. The first involves wholesale contact with aliens from another planetary system. Depending on the outcome of that contact music will change immediately accordingly. The second possibility is if aliens don’t make contact then we’ll just have to make do with It-Alien’s music for a little while longer.
2500 - It is a disturbing pattern that both esotericians and environmental scientists separately state that if we, humans, not not collectively get our act together by 2500 then you can call the whole thing off. If indeed, we have survived this task then we can collectively shift gears into a higher state of consciousness. There is little need to emphasize that music on this level is so amazing that if humans accidentally heard it in our currently un-evolved state it would rip our heads off and strew the bits across the galaxy.
- Is Trance Gay?
If it is, it can dance better than you can.
- Core or K0r3?
What kind of stupid question is that?
- Kaneel?
Because we need a little more fun in the world right now.
- Why?
Sure beats being a CEO or a Public Relations Consultant.
… about a year now.
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Hell no I don’t right now.
