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Interview on www.esession.com (Dec 2005)
Posted by:
Elena on
Monday, February 05 @ 11:15:48 CST
Click below to read the interview in full.
Give us a brief intro to how you got started in music and ended up where you are now.
I've been doing electronic music for about 15 years now (though I would say professionally for about 10). I put my first dance record out in 1995 on a small independent dance label in Los Angeles with Deepsky (www.deepsky.net). Since then we've been a part of roughly 100 twelve inch singles and CD compilations, have had tracks in video games and movies, and have played all over the world both live and DJing alike.
What are the most memorable or pinnacle projects you've worked on. Why did they affect you so much?
Recently, I'd have to say my two favorite projects are the Deepsky remixes of America's "Ventura Highway" and Frank Sinatra's "I Concentrate On You." It was absolutely nutty to work on songs that were written before I was born. I remember sitting there when I got the Sinatra parts, looking at the 4 track dump in Pro Tools thinking to myself "Holy crap, I've got Sinatra a cappellas." I stared at the screen for almost an hour. It was a very humbling experience indeed. I enjoyed those projects mostly because we stuck to the musical structure the original artists would have intended, instead of going over the top with wacky production.
What are you currently working on and who with? Please provide details regarding your new project and what is involved. Like the remix of Sinatra you just completed.
Currently, I'm working on a solo project called Summer Channel (www.summerchannel.com) that involves some of the most proficient vocalists & musicians in Los Angeles. It's still electronic music but it's not written for the dance floor. I spent the greater portion of my career trying to make records for people to dance to, and it's fantastic to finally be able to break away from that. I'm looking forward to showing it off in Miami for the Winter Music Conference this coming March.
Have you learned something unexpectedly through your current project? Maybe some music tips and tricks.
I wasted a lot of time during my career trying to learn all the latest and greatest tricks so that I could impress other producers. You could almost say that I got a little too mathematical in nature, because making music became more about studio wizardry and less about feeling. I threw away everything I knew about making tunes and began working on the Summer Channel record with a completely fresh approach. My advice to anyone making music is to make technology secondary to good songwriting.
What location (part of the world) has your current project taken you?
Well, Summer Channel hasn't taken me any farther than Las Vegas to record, but Deepsky has taken me to places like Peru, Panama, Canada, Europe, Mexico and for New Years Eve 2006, we'll be playing in Anchorage, Alaska (which sounds extremely cold and dark but will probably be a lot of fun.)
What is your current technology/gear setup? What products are you excited to obtain?
My studio has become very simple over time. I'd been using Logic 5.5 on a PC for almost 10 years, until recently switching to Pro Tools HD3 Accel. What a dichotomy! I'm still contemplating whether or not I'm going to use Pro Tools to compose music from the ground up or stick with Logic. It seems like Digidesign has integrated many of the MIDI features it was lacking in previous versions. I'd much rather use just one program instead of going back and forth, but that still remains to be seen. The rest of the studio is comprised of an Avalon 737 and a pair of U5s, Lexicon PCM91, Apogee PSX-100, a Giga-Studio machine (for strings), Dyn Audio Air 6 monitors, a couple of M-Audio MIDI controllers, a TON of software and about a terabyte and a half of samples. Whenever I need a good microphone I rent one. I'm pretty excited to see what will be at NAMM this year. I'm a plug-in slut.
What are some upcoming projects you will be involved with in 2006?
I'm working on a project with Lucas Films for Indiana Jones 4 at the moment, and will continue to work on Deepsky and Summer Channel tracks in preparation for the Winter Music Conference. Deepsky just had a new single come out (well it's not quite new to us) called "Ghost" which is doing quite well at the moment. We've got tons of bookings coming in because of it. It's nice to get back on the road again! I'll also be shooting my first video for Summer Channel's "A Thousand Miles" in February.
How have you influenced your peers or upcoming talent? How have they influenced you?
It's funny you should ask that. Lately, in my travels, I've met a gaggle of kids who used to come to our shows back in the day, and are now doing production themselves (and some quite proficiently). They've told me it was because we inspired them to start. Admittedly, it makes me feel kind of old (haha and I'm only 31), but at the same time it's nice to know that you can have a profound impact on others through music. Some of these guys are wizards in the studio too, so it's really cool to let them do remixes of our new stuff.
Describe a few key elements as to why you have become involved in eSession and what you hope it will bring to you and the people you work with.
It seems like E-Session is a good way to network with people. Because of the current landscape of the music industry, it becomes increasingly difficult to appropriate work. Hopefully E-Session will become an invaluable tool for all of us to get back on track once again!
What do you hope to achieve through eSession? How do you feel about the concept of stay-at-home, online collaboration?
Being an electronic musician has afforded me the luxury of working this way for a long while now, so I'm pretty well acquainted at this point. However, being able to keep track of dates as well as finances with an all-in-one website makes it a much more attractive prospect.
What do you foresee the future of online music collaboration being and how do you think your involvement will best fit in that process?
The future of online music is already here. Now that anyone can afford a high speed connection, there aren't really any good reasons to NOT work in this fashion, outside of wanting to vibe with someone in person (which I am a big advocate of by the way). But if you simply don't have the resources to make that happen, it seems like E-Session is the next best thing!
Interview on www.esession.com (Dec 2005)
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