SO. ###RARE.
He shouts out 4chan.
Must... breathe.
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Showing posts with label interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label interview. Show all posts
Wednesday
Thursday
Interview w/ Bangs
SHA'BOY BANGS!
If you've ever stumbled across this thing called YouTube,
Bangs is a Sudanese rapper who currently resides in Australia.
His forte is harmless music about how "life is hard" and taking "u to da movies" is fun.
But Bangs has said in interviews time and time again,
"Fuck the haters, I'mma do me".
Which is gross to picture,
but good that the man can stand up for his art.
By the way,
from what I can find,
this is like his fourth interview I think.
So... *EXCLUSIVEEEEEEE*
RH: First of all, what's your real name? Why did you choose to go by Bangs?
B: My reall name is Ajak Chol I choice Bangs coz everthin' I do it
jus come outta my mind Bangs thats how I got the name.
RH: I think your history is worth explaining to people,
could you go into some detail on growing up in Sudan?
What was your childhood like?
B: when I was in Sudan I was young abit hard coz no walfaire in Sudan
u have to work hard to get money and u have to go skool
so I used to sell plastic bag to have money to go wit it skool.
RH: How long have you spoken English?
B: I came to AUS [Australia] 2003 so is about 7 years now.
RH: I read that you immigrated to Australia when you were around 11 years old, why did this happen?
B: I dont no anyhtin about that coz wen I was 11 my mum told us we goin to AUS
befor that I gat [cousins] in AUS so they send us a VISA then we came to AUS.
RH: How has your life changed since you moved away from Sudan?
B: My life is changed coz I miss all my friends [cousins] and da place
changed if I was in Sudan I'll be haven fan wit my relative and friend.
RH: Your album Hard To Be Up was released last year,
what was it like putting together your first album?
B: I been workin so hard jus to put the songs together & I go to da studio
only once a week I didn't know if I was gonna make
an album so I worked hard to put da songs together.
RH: What is your songwriting process?
How long does it usually take for you to make a song?
B: Well I write song when I listen to da beat coz the beat tells me
wat song to write about I make my own beat
& it took me a bout a 3 Hour to write a song not 1 week.
RH: “Take U To Da Movies” has become pretty big on the internet,
but a lot of the fame has come from people making fun or hating on you.
How do you respond to the haters? Do you ignore them,
or do you confront what people say about you?
B: Well I was born to be a Hip-Hop artist I do music for my fanz
& I dont care wat haters say as long as I found my dreams I'll keep do wat I'm doin.
RH: How do your female fans react to "Take U To Da Movies"?
Has it helped your love life?
B: wow Take U To Da Movies it changed my life
and makes more female come to me and take them to da movies.
RH: You have a lot of American influence in your music.
From your point of view, do you think America is a good or bad place?
B: yea America is a good place for music and good place to leave.
RH: Who are some of your favorite artists from around the world?
B: My favorite artists are Fabolous, Sean Kingston, New Boyz, and Akon.
RH: What can we expect next from Bangs? Any new songs or album coming soon?
B: ur gays will expect more music from Bangs just be pation and keep
A big thanks to Bangs for taking the time to
write back and accidently call us "gays".
Wednesday
Interview w/ Mount McKinley
New Jersey shoeless wonders Mount McKinley have quietly been making a ruckus in their hometown
for a while now and slowly they’re making their way into every bloggers’ hearts.
This is ideal winter music, sobering and intoxicating at the same time.
Every song is bundled up, warm in sheets of fuzz.
I could nestle up with their myspace and sleep the day away right now.
AHWF: Why "Mount McKinley"?
Some blogs have been getting their TMZ on and making up theories (some which I won't bother to mention).
Dylan: Haha…we just like the sound of it. No significance.
AHWF: What's your guys' writing and recording process, and where do you lay your tracks down?
I picture somewhere poorly lit and well heated.
Joe: We practice in Dylan’s basement and it’s actually really the opposite; well lit and poorly heated. We’ve been playing together now for three or four years, so we’re pretty used to each other’s style. Our songs are usually the results of jams that we structure and organize and add layers to. Since it’s only the two of us, the recording process flows a lot easier because there aren’t so many competing ideas and we both know what kind of sound we want.
AHWF: What's the secret to getting yourself out there and heard these days?
Lately, for every "chillwave" band there's like 10 "glo-fi" bands (I honestly don't know how the two differentiate).
Dylan: The blogs that have featured our songs lately (Pixelhorse, Get Off The Coast, Friendship Bracelet) have exposed us to a lot of people who we weren’t reaching. They have definitely been the biggest help to us in that regard. As for standing out, we don’t think about that. We just write songs, record them and hope that people listen. I actually have no idea what chillwave is…
AHWF: How's the Jersey scene treating you?
Do you guys see yourselves branching out, say, into the big apple like a lot of bands drool over, or do you think you'll stay put?
Joe: We definitely want to branch out and play more shows in New York. We’ve played a lot of Jersey shows but don’t always get such a strong reaction. Most bands here that we’ve played with are punk or play garage rock, similar to The Gaslight Anthem, so we’re usually on the other side of the music spectrum when we gig.
AHWF: Do you guys have any trouble translating your recordings into performances as a duo?
Some bands can't seem to make up for the instruments they're missing live.
Dylan: We’ve never had a problem with that. When we’re recording, it can be tempting to add and experiment, but we make a conscious effort to keep that to a minimum so that our live set sounds as close to the recordings as possible. We also use drones via samplers and loop stations to make up for our lack of bassist.
AHWF: What are some things that inspire you guys outside of music?
Dylan: Ponies, sunshine, cupcakes, etc.
AHWF: What do you think of the internet and blogs taking over where a lot of the music industry is dying?
Joe: Though it doesn’t make for the perfect business model for the music industry, I think the shift to the internet and blogs is something that most people have already embraced. I think the internet makes it harder for newer bands to get heard, but at the same time, certain blogs do a lot to promote and release new music.
AHWF: Something I wonder about a lot of bands with sound quality similar to yours in your recordings is how you feel about distortion? Nowadays some bands seem to actually add a lot of distortion to the whole songs in post-production, whereas other ones simply don't have the equipment to NOT have distortion and clipping occur on their tracks. In a track like "In the Dark" you use this wave of distortion pretty masterfully though, in a way I probably wouldn't enjoy the recording as much without it.
Dylan: I think that overdrive, fuzz, distortion etc. can be great when it’s balanced by cleaner elements. I'll cite “Sometimes” by My Bloody Valentine, which has a layer of muddy, fuzzed-out guitar coupled with an acoustic guitar strumming the same progression. I love the way that sounds. We had “finished” recording In The Dark a few times, only to scrap everything and start over. In the end, we just applied that same concept and were finally satisfied with the outcome.
What's with the barefootedness?
Dylan: When we play in my basement I never wear shoes. So when we play live, I like to be barefoot.
AHWF: What can we look forward to from you guys in the near future?
Joe: We’re in the process of writing new material so we should have more recordings up soon. We’re also booking more shows, so expect more live performances.
Thanks a lot guys!
Saturday
Interview w/ Nosaj Thing
Someone who makes the music of echolocation;
with each beat you're sent a wave of white light revealing what's in front of you.
Music to swim and fly, float and drift, be and be nothing to.
If any of this sounds interesting, I've found your man.
The music of Nosaj Thing (Jason Chung) defies classification.
An attempt at labeling would have stupid results
("instrumental ambient hip-hop electronica").
It's just safe to say he's unique.
MF Doom - More Tongue Less Teeth (Nosaj Thing RMX) (MP3)
AHWF: I'd love to know more about your background, what was growing up and going to school like for you?
NT: I was into skateboarding with my friends in grade school and got into DJing when I was 13. I was involved in the music programs at my schools and starting writing songs after a friend of mine gave me a bootleg copy of Reason.
AHWF: How did you make the step from being a kid who makes music on his computer in the privacy of his own home to playing for crowds anywhere and everywhere?
NT: One of my good friends was into the DIY scene in LA. We used to go to this venue called The Smell to see new bands. I got inspired by them and started figuring out how I could perform my music so I got a demo copy of Ableton Live and started opening for friends.
AHWF: Your music has so many different aspects - seems to escape the grasp of any single genre. Where would you call your comfortable, musical home? On the corner with a ghetto blaster, at a rave with glowsticks galore, a dark basement with ten people crowded around you and your macbook?
NT: At home, in my studio. Writing songs is very therapeutic for me.
AHWF: Kid Cudi uses your song "Aquarium" for his track "Man On the Moon". What sort of interaction was there for his use of the track? And what do you think of his transformation of the song?
NT: I got contact from Cudi through MySpace early last year. This was before I've heard his music. He told me that he really felt the song and had lyrics that would go perfect for it so I said yes, let's do it. I like what he did with it.
AHWF: You're essentially an instrumental artist, but after seeing what artists like Cudi can do, is the idea of dipping into producing for other artists appealing?
NT: I'm always open to work with other artists. I just did a few beats for a couple emcees from LA but I think I'm going to keep my own projects instrumental for now.
AHWF: How does a song of yours progress from nothing to a complete track? Is there a formula? Like you find a sample, or maybe begin with a beat going through your head?
NT: I usually start with sound design then try a few chord progressions/melody. I rarely finish a song in one sitting. I like to revisit my projects after a few days to see if it still sounds right.
AHWF: Who are some musical influences that have always meant something special to you since day one?
NT: Beatles, Daft Punk, a Tribe Called Quest, Radiohead
AHWF: What does The Smell mean to you?
NT: I've seen a lot of really amazing artists there, it really inspired me to do something different and keep the music honest.
AHWF: I get a cinematic vibe when I listen to some of your songs, are there movies you get a musical influence from? Or just any influence for that matter?
NT: Edward Scissorhands/Zelda video games
AHWF: I love it when an artist like yourself has a knack for having every noise they use in a song pleasing to the ears (Air, J Dilla, Aphex Twin, etc). What are some of your favorite sounds in the world, whether from music or just in everyday life?
NT: Piano, juno-106, female vocals.
AHWF: What are some guilty pleasures of yours? Blast any Wham albums when no one is home?
NT: hmmm...can't think of one off the top of my head but I really like 90's rock and RnB.
AHWF: If you were born 40 years ago, do you think you'd still have been making music at the same age? Could Nosaj Thing's music exist without our current technology?
NT: I hope so, I'd like to be better at the piano. I love piano music from Satie, Chopin, and Debussy.
AHWF: Your music feels quite thought-provoking at times, to me at least. I find myself in a sort of mathematical mindset, for some reason. What kind of thoughts go through your head when you listen to your own creations (other than the critical ones: "I should've turned that snare down," etc)?
NT: I try not to get to critical when I listen back. I don't spend much time doing post-production. I think about what went through my life emotionally when I made the songs.
(a huge thanks to Jason and Danyell for the interview)
Thursday
Interview w/ Suzuki Junzo
I write this blog for the sake of discovering fascinating people.
One of the payoffs of sending away eight interviews and
waiting for two months to get a response...
is when you finally get that response.
Thus, meet Suzuki Junzo!
I generally can't get into blues,
but this Japanese musician brings a wonderfully dark, droning, minimal,
(dare I say) post-modern blues sound that was made
to be heard through a pair of headphones in a dark room.
Undeservedly, but inevitably, he's a fairly unknown, underground artist but nonetheless
plays shows all over Tokyo, and hopefully keeps it up for many years to come!
His music lies in the feedback and white noise of Sonic Youth,
an extension of the moments prior to where songs like theirs kick in.
Suzuki Junzo - Hats Off to A.M. (a snippet)
(This interview is fairly edited because English isn’t his first language,
but I enjoy all the little quirks that make up peoples’ voices on the Internet)
I watched a movie called "Eli, Eli, Lema Sabachtani?" which follows Tadanobu Asano and another actor living in a rural area, in peace, recording pure noise music. I always picture you in Tadanobu Asano's position, without any worries. Is your everyday life like this at all, or is it a bit more chaotic?
SJ: I've only heard about this movie, I haven’t seen this yet so I could answer this only by my imagination.
It is so difficult to describe the way the people live in words.. For my situation, I love listening to music, playing the guitar, watching movies, seeing my friends sometimes and getting drunk..
Living is not easy, always struggling with chaos.
I can't find much background on you, what was growing up like for you? What were you like as a kid?
SJ: I’ve been so interested in music since I was a little boy. My mom says, in my childhood, I was singing all day long hahaha.. I’m especially into all kinds of blues music, like Muddy Waters, John Lee Hokker, Robert Johnson since my school days. Then gradually into pre-war bluesmen, for example Harlie Patton, Skip James,
Doc Boggs .... They put very strong energy in me.. and they are still working strongly. They are very similar to some kinds of drone/minimal music for me.
Why did you start playing guitar? And what made you want to play it in such a noisy, unique way?
SJ: I started my music career only as a vocalist!!!
Why I started playing the guitar... First, I wanted to play only by myself like many blues musician do, and I'm so tired of standing alone while the guitar player plays a long FXXkin' solo.. hahaha
You mentioned 'such a noisy/unique way', mmm difficult question for me.. One thing, I feel the sound is deeper into my body, very special thing for me. I would like to know what will I be..
I think everything disappears in the presence of sound.
All forms of music are inspiring in their own ways, from the abysmally bad to the universally wonderful. How does it feel to know your music inspires people around the world (including even myself as a musician)?
SJ: I appreciate it very much.
What is your average fan like? Are the people who attend your shows always the types you would expect?
SJ: Many types are. I think that the so-called 'heavy music listener' is compared a lot...
Your music has a very distinct Japanese sound, but there's something else there. What are some of your non-Japanese influences? And some Japanese ones for that matter?
SJ: Very difficult question. If I have to say one thing, I think it's blues/folk music's influence.
Has there ever been a song you've heard and thought "Damn, I wish I'd made that!"?
SJ: Secret.
You've done quite a number of collaborations, yet your music has a very solitary sound. Do you enjoy playing with people or do you like having the stage to yourself, and why?
SJ: Of Course, I enjoy playing with TABATA as 20 GUILDERS, Koji Shimura,
Takuya Nishimura as MIMINOKOTO! They are very important for me.
Playing with Makoto Kawabata, ASTRO/TOMO too. I enjoy lots and lots. I would like to play more and play with other musician more.
At the same time, I love playing solo, too. If you listen my music has a very solitary feeling, I'm very interested in the reason why..
There's never been much money in underground music, do you have any sort of job on the side?
SJ: I don't want side job for earning money no more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What is a live Suzuki Junzo show like?
SJ: It depends on the situation. My feelings, weather, vibration, temper... they change every minute..
Your music seems worlds away from any mainstream pop music, but do you have any guilty pleasures on the radio, or perhaps a pop star you wouldn't normally tell someone you liked?
SJ: Sorry, I couldn't see what this question would like to say..
Anyway, I talk about the radio. I like to listen to the radio very much, it brings surprising finds sometimes. They taught me many many beautiful songs. But these days the situation is very terrible. They play ONLY major/mainstream music from the major label who sponsored their program. They were trying to kill music. But I think this tradition(laugh) has a long long long history…But on Internet, there are many interesting radio stations all over here and there. Most of them work in a totally independent way; they are very beautiful! I'm so glad to hear DJs of independent radio stations like my music!!
Where would you be without music?
SJ: I cannot imagine…
Is there anything you can't wait to achieve in the near future?
SJ: I would like to play all around the world, of course in Japan too. And sleep.
A huge thanks to Suzuki for the interesting interview!
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