11.12.13

Yparxei Provlima Amalia interview for 06:00am




06: Was today a good day?

Yes

06: How would you describe your work to someone who has not yet experienced it?

Like Kostis (Thesorg) wrote, gonzo is a fair way to put it. It’s an attempt to scratch the surface of what is being said, implied and overstated. Field recordings to found objects, phone tapping to television-CB broadcasts constitute a primitive working scheme. Like Nicolas (Absurd) said, I would not say there is a hidden message in these projects, rather an outsider’s depiction of what is actually happening around us at a subjective, auditory level. Having said that, it would not surprize me why many people feel the vast futileness of Yparxei Provlima Amalia.

06: Do you think that your sound works are sexy?

Not intentionally, no.

06: What dreams do you usually dream during sleeping?

A few nights ago I dreamt I was given a present for my birthday, where a tiny fish was roaming in a man’s eau de cologne bottle. But I rarely remember dreams after sleep unfortunately.

06: Tell us a few words about your new record Kona Kai.

Kona kai is a set of sketches from a trip across the United States, fall 2012. With Katou we visited a number of states, primarily as part of her tour but also checking out friends and such. In this tape you get to follow this trip from beginning till end, East to West coast. Last time I visited the United States it was exactly 20 years ago. The imagery in my head was very strong from 1993, so this time I decided to touch base sonically.

06: What do you see as your biggest success?

Not giving up an idea, a practice you feel strongly about. Working hard on it. Orila records and paraphernalia is one of those projects for me (though I wouldn’t describe it as successful per se). I hope you know what I mean…

06: One thing you wish you could change about yourself?

Travel more.

06: Tell us the story of your first kiss.

I suppose there may not have been a kiss in the actual scene but this is certainly registered as “the first kiss”. At children’s camp, tenish, I can recall the tunes playing around my head at the time. Madonna, Phil Collins (big fan of his as a kid), JMJ + Drew Barrymore on E.T. Jean jackets, badges of unknown origin, freedom. She must have been worth it.

06: What languages do you speak?

Spanish, English, Greek.

06: Where do you live now? With who? For how long?

Athens, Mets, 1st cemetery with Amalia, since 2008.

06: Tell us about other members of your family.

Only child, typical urban family growing up in the 90’s at New Smirni, Athens with mom and dad. My grandmother is 99yo and kicking.

06: Tell us about a close friend.

Panos alexiadis is a close friend. Integrity, spiritual and creative pathways.

06: Tell us about someone who inspires you.

Bill Hicks and the third eye concept.

06: What is the most exciting thing you ever saw/did?

I really don’t know.

06: Suddenly all the radio players in the world broadcast the same song simultaneously. Which song must that be?

Archie Shepp’s Blasé is certainly on the list.

06: Send us a picture of you and a picture of something or some place that best illustrates your current state of mind.








Yparxei Provlima Amalia

9.12.13



8.12.13

VIRILIO

7.12.13

Taylor Deupree interview for 06:00am



Can you describe your work for the people that haven't experienced it?

in my career, this is one of the hardest things for me. i often meet people who aren't at all in my line of work. people in town, friends of family members, etc, and it's very hard to explain what i do. i usually try to avoid the question because most people have a pretty limited idea of what being a "musician" is. i typically try to break it down into simplified terms such as "avant grade music"… even "experimental music" leaves people with blank stares, often 
however, if i don't worry too much about what others will be thinking i can comfortably say that i make quiet, minimalist music with electronic and acoustic instruments. i'll often use the term "ambient." although this word has a bit of history and baggage attached to it, it still accurately sums up the slow and gentle nature of my music.
my music is quite inspired by nature and technology as well as imperfection, repetition and stillness.

How did you start working together with Sakamoto? Which element of Ryuichi Sakamoto’s music attracted you to collaborate with him?

a few years ago i was getting orders in the 12k online shop from a "ryuichi sakamoto" in new york city. of course, this raised my curiosity… but i figured it wasn't HIM.. that it was likely someone else with the same name. of course, when i found out it was actually him i was quite flattered. not long after that he approached me to do some remix work for him. i guess he had been listening to my music for a bit and took a liking to it. because we both live in new york opportunities arose for us to do other things together and back in april of 2012 we played a concert together in new york city. this really started our personal, one-on-one collaboration which lead to the album.
while working with sakamoto it became very clear very quickly how talented he is. i think what attracted me most to working with him was how well he listened. he's extremely patient and attentive musically. he listens and can show a tremendous amount of restraint. this is all key to successful collaborations i think. of course, inside i felt like i was in the presence of greatness and perhaps a bit intimidated, however, when the music flows we're absolutely on the same level and make wonderful mental and musical connections.

How do you approach collaboration ?

i guess that really depends on who i'm collaborating with but we usually try to come up with a concept, a system, a set of rules. something to help guide the creative process. it's also important for me to collaborate with people in person whenever possible. i think the music that gets made is so much more natural and special and really about a time and place. you just don't get that when working via file transfer over the internet. all of my recent collaborations have been in person and there are photographs and stories and all sorts of memories surrounding the recordings and visits, not just the music. all of this gets infused into the music for a deeper experience.

Why do you make music?

i'm not sure many artists could answer this.. or perhaps they'd have the same answer as i do.. which is… because i have to. because it's what i do. since i was 15 i knew i wanted to be a musician. i suppose i realized early that music is the best way for me to express myself and explore and appreciate the world around me. but it's so much more than that; it's a lifestyle. my music career guides my entire life, from the places i visit to the friends i have.


What is your guilty pleasure in music?

that would definitely be buying equipment for the studio. it's definitely an obsession. whether it's synthesizers, or recording equipment, exploring new (or old) ways of doing things is really a passion of mine. i'm not a collector and i don't believe my tools are sacred and i buy things to use them, not look at them. i'm quite good at researching the right tools and putting them to use. it's an endless obsession, though. there's always something new to try.

Where did you grow up?

i was born in ohio and lived there until i was 6-7, after which i moved to, and grew up in new england and from there i've been in new york ever since. i grew up on a farm and have spent a lot of time in the country as well as new york city. both of these types of places are really influential on what i do.


Do you still play hockey ?

i haven't played in a couple of years because of some injuries that kept me away, but i want to get back into it. it's very fun and great exercise, if a bit rough. and i'm not an aggressive person at all.

What about your relationship with nature, how does it influence your music ?

when i moved to the rural areas of new york state after brooklyn the surrounding nature had a profound effect on me. i really began to appreciate nature's resonances and the imperfect beauty of my surroundings. i spent a lot of time as a child in nature, canoeing in canada or backpacking in wyoming. growing up in a wooded area and always playing outside. it's always been a part of me.

my music began to take the shape of this nature, echoing the stillness and the organic beauty. there are such simple things that happen in nature, or seemingly so simple, like a dry plant blowing in the wind or the sound of the nighttime insects. these things are so easy to pass by or not pay attention to, but if you do stop and watch or listen and pay attention you realize how complex it can be. the world of variation in this seemingly small event. i find that i try to do the same thing with my music. repetitive on the surface, on a quick listen, but quite complex if you listen closely.


What do you consider to be your greatest success?

oh, this is too hard to answer. i've had many moments in my career that i'm proud of. though, I'm particularly proud of what i've built up with 12k as a label and as a family of artists. it's been going for almost 17 years now and has remained true to my goals and beliefs all the time. it's not a very big label and doesn't make much money or make anybody a superstar but it's gained respect around the world in our small, niche culture.

What does it feel like to perform solo?

i get quite nervous before i perform, leading up to the point that i begin to make sound. once everything starts going and i'm making music the nerves fade away and i try very hard to immerse myself in what i'm creating. because all of my shows are improvisations some are more successful than others. in each concert i do i attempt to build up from scratch a looping microcosm of sound that i get to a point where i can just let it go, step away from the equipment, and just let the music play in this infinitely changing sleepy, beautiful loop. it's difficult to get to this point, but when i do it makes me so happy.

What is your idea of happiness?

of course there are many things that make me happy. being with people i love, making music, being inspired artistically, eating great food, traveling to amazing places, being with my friends in my favorite places in japan, my family. all of these things make me happy. but to me happiness is when i feel no worries and even better if i feel no worries and as well feel excited and inspired. it's not often i'm not worrying about something, but when i'm not it's quite liberating.


Tell us something you dream of?

i dream of many things, too many things. i'm sort of the type of person who is always striving for the next level, for the next goal. i'm a dreamer at heart. i dream of my music reaching more people or of building a glass writing studio in the woods.
 if you want to talk literally, something i dream of at night…. i often have recurring dreams of finding new rooms in my house. usually giant rooms that i never knew were there, discovering all of this new space. they're quite interesting dreams. i once dreamt i discovered an entirely new floor in my house that was on the roof with beautiful glassed in rooms and a deck that spanned two rooftops in a city. it's strange how, in these dreams, i live in these houses and didn't know these rooms existed.

How would you describe your politics?

i really don't pay attention to politics very much. the political situation in america is a complete, embarrassing joke. washington dc, for years, has been controlled by people who want nothing but to discredit the other political party. there are no decisions based on what is good for the people of america, only what is good for the political agenda. as a result i stay as far away from politics as i can. it has no bearing on what i do artistically. i've long given up on america having a government interested in the arts.

Do you vote?

i do vote in both local elections and national/presidential ones although, i should probably avoid the national ones. 

What do you perceive to be the major political/social/economic issues of today, nationally and internationally?­

there are so many. too many. but i feel that the true thing that prevents peace and separates humanity is religion. or, more specifically, religious intolerance. the fact that most people are so closed minded to think that their beliefs are the only true beliefs is what causes war, conflict, and the inability to work together as a species. humans have to become more open and creative, to embrace the diversity of our planet or else we'll become a tiny footnote in the history book of  the next race to come across our charred planet. humans can't stand when something is different. such a simple problem that causes so much harm.

Why did you start this label ?

i started it in 1997 after a record deal i had a contract for went bad. i was quite frustrated with other labels at the time and decided to start one of my own. i felt there was a lack of small, artist-run labels in america and wanted to start one with my tastes and specific vision. this was just at the dawn of the internet being a viable promotional tool, it was all quite new. i had worked at an independent label in new york city for many years prior so i knew the basics of how and how not to run a label. but i basically jumped in and let it flow naturally.

Which releases are your favorites, which ones do you recommend?

of course i have too so many favorite releases but i can say two that i keep going back to are the first Seaworthy album "Map In Hand" and the MOSS cd. both so natural and real. and, while i don't ever really listen to my own music i'm really proud of the Between cd because it marks such a great memory and really sums up so much of what 12k is about now.
there are so many releases that mark important points in 12k's history and many that i listen to on a regular basis. it's difficult to play favorites!


3.12.13










1.12.13

ΛΑΪΚΑ - Σάββας Μεταξάς

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Ο λόγος δεν είναι άλλος από την υπερταινία 'Ας περιμένουν οι γυναίκες' του Σταύρου Τσιώλη . Την απόλυτη μακεδονική εποποιία , βαθιά Παοκτσίδικη και ντυμένη μουσικά από τον απόλυτο Μακεδόνα λαικό βάρδο (Ιασωνίδη ελπίζω να με πιάνεις) . Με πρωταγωνιστές το τρίο φωτιά, Ζουγανέλης, Μπουλάς , Μπακιρτζής...
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