21 October 2007
In the last days you've lived between NYC, London and Berlin. What was the reason? What contrast do you find in the underground scene?
When I was growing up in Seattle, and working very hard to invent wild sounds on my Arp Synthesizer, recording my own songs and being as creative as possible; I dreamed that some day i would travel and meet people with music as our common language. There are two big mountain ranges (Olympics and Cascades) near Seattle that seemed to keep me locked in and stuck there. I now realize that my own ideas were also keeping stuck, but am quite overjoyed to be moving around and visiting many places to make music now. This year I have been in Paris, Sweden, New York, Berlin, Seattle, Mallorca, Buenoa Aries, Reykjavik/Iceland and London, all for the music and people there, I love it!
As far as "Underground" scenes, well... I feel that so many people are aware of and active in musical, artistic and visual things nowadays that "underground" seems more like a romantic word, describing a time long ago when playing electric music, or making political art was dangerous and almost unheard of! Sometimes I think there is alot of very boring and pointless music being made, talked about, and publicized- and I miss the days when art had a spiritual and social meaning/significance, not just for money and perfume ads, and to get free drinks!! Maybe I am romanticizing as well, and those fantastic days of creativity never really happened! (Only in my mind?!). In my most recent trip to London I became excited and aware of a new movement in music towards an expansion in both musical ability, daring-ness to try more expansive and inventive sounds among some new bands.
Notably; Three Trapped Tigers, Jeremy Warmsley and Ox Eagle Lion Man.
Years ago you started Shoplifter Records. How is it going?
I have always wanted to present the music that I discover to the world.
It started in Seattle when I met Green River, Soundgarden, Skinyard, Feast, Bundle of Hiss; and had my very own bands Colour Twigs, Mental Mannequin and The Goblins. I thought if I could only show the world the recordings and films I was making, then I might not starve to death, and the world would have some amazing art and music to love and enjoy. Since I always recorded music, and made videos, i just collected many bands and songs and ideas that I was hungry for the world to hear. And I still am! For one year I had SONY supporting my label Shoplifter in London. We released Regina Spektor's fabulous record Soviet Kitsch, and then lost our way. I didn't have the skills or connections to make "good business"!! Today I have well over 400 songs by 35 different bands in my laptop, and I am trying to learn how to make Shoplifter Records a much stronger, more vibrating REALITY. Everywhere I go I am recording new songs with cool bands, and want to help them get the music heard and loved in the world.
Listening *Is this it?* It's still an amazing experience to me. Why do you think it was such a smash hit back there in 2001?
The Strokes "Is This It" was a magical time when some live sounding rock music with singing and guitars came out and sounded like a new, fun and infectuous thing! Many people had been growing up only wearing the clothes and hearing the sounds of a technological culture, where money and machines and corperations were acting together to make pretty lifeless, artificial, music, in my opinion. DJ's were worshipped and were THE heroes, guitars were laughed at as "old fashioned" and live music clubs were closing down all over the world, seriously! We created a record that showed what talented energetic musicians playing together in a basement room could feel like. There were basically 11 tracks used on each song, which is not very many, I can tell you. In 2001 many people were asking me to make 60 and 128 track recordings, with 10 different kick-drums, 20 tracks of singing and "samples" to make every sound appear to be "bigger"! It was a very lucky, blessed time for The Strokes and for me, absolutely.
Many people saw in that album and scene (Interpol, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, others) the influence of some particular guitar sound from the city's previous great bands (Velvet, New York Dolls, Television). Is it correct? Where could we find those elements?
There is alot of truth that in the CBGB early days of rock; with The Ramones, Patti Smith, Televison, Talking Heads and Blondie New York was exploding with original, exciting music that really changing the world. Changing the way people thought about art and music, and having alot of fun.
Andy Warhol and The Velvet Underground had created some creative new ideas a little before that too in New York. My view of the truth is that when The Strokes and Yeah Yeah yeah's and Interpol came out, there was no real scene in New York, at all! London was the first place to get excited about this music, and they thought that there must be a great vibrant new wave of rock happening in Manhattan.
The photos and magazines made it look very tasty and good, but really- it was business as usual over in the USA! This "new" music was not considered very big or important by record companies here, and it took a long time, (maybe when The White Stripes released Elephant?) for USA to catch on.
How much of the goal of the first Stroke's record had to do with the basement studio you had on the Lower East Side?
My studio Transporterraum NYC (the original Transporterraum studio is in Berlin!) was a very relaxed and funky place that made musicians feel creative and ready to rock. It had purple and red glitter walls, purple velvet curtains (designed and made by Anna Mercedes and Manny Hadlock) and a cool silver door. My friend Joe Hadlock helped me build it, and designed it with a very good sound, kind of rough, and not too safe! I also had a very kind studio partner named Jimmy Goodman. The sound of The first CD and EP (The Modern Age) by The Strokes was a combination of ideas from the band, ideas from me, and the sound of the room in the basement! Since being alive, and being friends and playing music together was a strong value for the band- we tried to make that be felt in the music by combining as much of the experience as possible to doing it "for real"! Several songs were made to sound very processed and mechanical (Hard To Explain, Soma) and we tried to imitate technological machines. This was created however by still using the human musicians, and finding ways to make their performances sound like robots were playing instead. Tricky, no?
Which do you think were the keys of that recording session?
The excitement of knowing that the world might hear those songs. The fantastic songwriting of Julian, the energy of the band, and how well they played those songs. Some open-mindedness on my part to let The Strokes ideas come through, and not be too bossy! And maybe an attitude to be a bit agressive with the sounds and creativity that I think I brought into the project.
You recorded the album down by the preassure of The Modern Age EP's good reviews and hype. Nevertheless you recorded a master piece. Was at that time, between you and the boys, the felling of beeing working in something important? Or was it just like any other recording session?
For me, working on The Modern Age was alot like "another recording session". I had fun, and liked the guys, and was really suprised that people that young would know the music of Iggy Pop and Lou Reed! But I had been recording a band every day for 3 years, and no rock bands were getting signed, and none of my recordings ever got released. So I really thought I would not hear from the Strokes again! Thank God I did, and that Rough Trade in London enjoyed what we recorded enough to release and promote it! Is This It was started when the band did not yet have and American record deal. We all felt that something really cool, and amazing was gonna happen though. And i imagined that for the first time ever, something I recorded and produced was going to find its way into people's ears all over the world. It was a very energetic and fantastic time during those sessions, and sometimes record labels and magazines were in the room watching us and listening to the songs, which I had never experienced before. I loved it!
Talking about that Modern Age EP, and considering the adorable "down-and-dirty" spirit you once said it has, do you agree that sometimes a bombastic superproduction can ruin some good record? (there are so many examples) That sometimes it's better some "lowfi care" (and proffesional, of course) of the music in order to get to a higher quality point?
Sometimes a lovely feeling can be lost in a record where the producer is more interested in making his own stamp, or too in love with the process of recording and loses the focus. The story of a song and the feeling of a singer is very very important. The process of using machines to capture and create music can be sometimes fun, sometimes overbearing and sometimes a big ego trip.
Production and recording should work with the feelings and story of a song. if the story and feeling are epic and supernatural, the production can go that way too. If the feeling is quiet and personal, and close; there is a way to present that too!
You were an unknown producer back in 2001 when you recorded *Is This It?*Now your work is recognized, but you still remain on the border of the industry (you run a small record label and you continue searching for new artists, as i see in your myspace). Is this an ethical decision or natural movement because of your artistic taste?
Believe me, even when I was recording Is This It, there were people in the music business in New York who thought what I was doing sounded like shit! My tastes and loves in music are many many times questioned and most often ignored so far! I can never tell if i am alone in my views, or if someday people will say "I'm so glad Gordon Raphael released those 400 songs from his collection, they really sound awesome and open up our imaginations!!" I have a big war against, and strong dislike for most of the music i hear in the world. I also don't like many social customs, laws, religions, science, governments and traditions I see on this planet. There seems to be a way that alot of fake and harmful stuff gets passede along to the people and children as "OK and normal". Pressures to be the same as everyone else, pressures to take away freedom to think and act as you wish. Pollution, domination, control and destructive wars. this is in the world, and in the music world too! Of course there is alot of love, creativity and flowers in the world, and some people i meet and hear are doing music that is completely wild and amazing. This is who I find, and record and get very excited to be part of their creative process. Bands like Miss Machine, The Satellies (Mallorca), Van Der Meer and Super700 from Berlin, Eva Loft, Emily Breeze, and some of my own songs express ideas which I truly value and trust. My favorite music tend to have something very original, daring and powerful inside of it.
How is your relation with the mainstream industry. Does anybody sometime underrated your work?
I have never gotten a phone call or email or a hello from anyone in the mainstream music industry, or any other mainstream for that matter! I have called and had tea with many big labels in London, when i first moved there. They smile and chat about The Strokes, and offer me tea, and have me sign a picture for their kids. I play them all my favorite music, and they never ask me to come back for another meeting. This is true. I want to say, however- that every day I am asked by creative musicians to go somewhere and produce music! This makes me feel so very very happy. The businessmen don't want to know me or talk to me or listen to my songs, but people who make music want me to be part of their songs! Wow, I am truly blessed! The music is taking care of me, and showing me a very good time.
You worked at the beggining of *The First Impressions of Earth*, why didn't you continue? What do you think of the album?
I spent almost a year working on First Impressions, mostly the demos as the band were writing the songs. They met another producer during that time, and wanted to try a different way to record. I do things wildly, and based on my own "first impressions" about sound and energy and FUN! This record for them, was very very very very carefully and thoughtfull produced, over a very long period of time.
To me it sounds very "normal" and careful. I love the song Electricityscape, and think it has a cool feeling in the melodies.
In your column of Rockfeedback you told us the band is now planning the fourth album. Do you know if you are going to participate?
I have not heard from Julian in 7 months. I hope he is writing and doing super-well!
I saw Albert and his band play in Berlin, they did a really fine show, and i liked his band alot.
You've worked with Regina Spektor, Fobia, Kill Kenada, among others. Can we can recognize a production style (something like your trademark) in those records?
One thing we experience (in my opinion) in those records is a very compelling urge to listen to unusual and highly interesting atmospheres. I get a very good satisfaction and inspiration from these songs. My trademark is, hopfully to be a very nice window that lets artist's secret wishes to come through into the world. If this is true, then I am a happy man.
Do you agree that the actual rock scene should have another "shake" like the one of 2001?
The world can use a good shake. Hopefully not an earthquake, either! Sometimes music and art can shake the world out of a sleep, and be part of energy that can make things alive, stimulating and fresh again. I would like to think that this will happen again. Maybe its going to be more from the way people treat themselves, and take care of themselves and believe things that will be the new 'rock-and'roll'!!
Less about ego-trips, less about beer and cigarettes and self-destruction. More about opening up to one's own soul and finding out what's really in there to express and share with ourselves and other people. How does that sound?
In which new artists you see the potential for achieving that "shake"?
The most interesting things I am listening to are:
Allen Ginsburg reading his gut-wrenching, mind opening poem HOWL, Melodie Beatty's audio-book of Codependent No More and some recordings of Pia Mellody taliking about Boundaries.
As I said; this may be the newest from of rock-and roll!
How do you see the NYC underground scene today?
The New York underground is basically a shopping mall that has a CBGB store to sell older people some T-shirts and memories of a city that once had a soul. (Ha ha ha), is that mean of me to say? We also have a great Disney Store, 3000 Starbucks delicious expensive restaurants and many tourists. My friend Kenyon from Unisex Salon is as close as it gets for an "underground" revolutionary thinker here.
Is it true that at the begining of your work at the Chateau Relaxo Studio (where you worked almost all time with unsigned bands) you recieved the visit of Ian Brown? Incredible! How was it?
Ian Brown called my studio for no reason except it was close to his house. he didnt even tell me it was ian brown, he just came over and sang a song which i recorded. It was only halfway through the song when I thought "Damn, I know this voice from somewhere!!" I then recognized his voice and asked him, "excuse me, aren't you Ian Brown from The Stone Roses??" He was very very nice, and sang the song in one try, perfectly! A funny story.
Do you know anything about Argentina or Argentine rock? What are your expectations about the trip?
I know nothing at all about Argentina or it's ROCK. Someone told me there is or was a huge 1970's Rolling Stones culture? I hope so. I expect to have alot of fun, and meet people and open to new ideas. Bring on the exploration.
Who are your favourite producers of all times? And the producers from nowadays that you admire or respect?
Nowadays I admire Moses Schneider, my friend from Berlin. he thinks about music in a new and almost magical way- looking for the 'secret of the song" before even starting to record it.
From the past I love George Martin and Eddie Kramer for showing us many new ways to make sounds on Beatles and Jimi Hendrix records. I eat for breakfast Tony Visconti's work with Bowie and T-Rex and Sparks, and my spiritual friend is Jimmy Page and his work with Led Zeppelin. Toss in a little Lou Reed with John Cale (Velvet Underground) and lets never forget Iggy Pop and The Stooges.
Thank you very much.