Last week I contributed as a guest blogger at the great blog www.analogsuicide.com run by Tara Busch. I wrote a post about my views on expensive vintage gear and VA synths, and some other jibberish, but back to Tara. For those of you who don't know Tara, she is a musician who is very much into synths, vintage gear and all kinds of electronics. She sums it up pretty good herself. "I make music... ...music with technology from the past 4.5 billion years.". If you haven't heard Tara's music, make sure you hear it as soon as possible.
Well, I don't blog on other peoples blogs without something in return, so I got myself an interview. Here it is!
Hi Tara! How did it all begin? How and when did you become interested in synths and making music?
My earliest memories involve music; I don't recall life without it! I began singing at 31/2 in musicals and began writing my own music when I was about 14. Throughout my teens and '20's I collaborated in bands, studied classical voice and worked as a session singer. I became interested in synths, gear and production when I worked with a band in the UK called Dynamo Dresden. It was an electronica band I had with my husband & creative partner, Maf Lewis and another writer/ co producer named Rohan Tarry.
What’s your plans for the future of your music? New releases etc.?
At the moment, we're working on a re-scoring of the 1954 children's film "The Red Balloon" and I'm almost finished writing my second album. We're also doing a few fun projects like contributing sounds to the new Mellotron M4000 & making a new Tara Busch musical instrument iPhone application with Omnie Software. I just finished contributing vocals to a new Optigan disc and I'm working on another instrumental disc. As far as remixes, I've just finished a Tori Amos remix for 'Flavour' and my Polly Scattergood remix of 'Nitrogen Pink' is coming out on Mute Records November 16th....I also have my official remix of Polly Scattergood's 'Bunny Club' coming out as well as a free download.
I read that you are moving to Cardiff, whats making you move there apart from the weather..?
Mainly, my husband's family is there, but there are many, many more contributing factors as well. I think the music scene is amazing and very motivating as there's so many great artists there. I've always, ever since I can remember, had a deep appreciation for British culture...plus the strawberries, curries and beer are to die for.
Tell us about your blog. Why the name Analog Suicide?
Analog Suicide was born out of mine & Maf's desire to interact with to the gear, synth and music communities online. As a producer and artist, I am obsessed with finding out how to achieve certain sounds and how other artists achieved their sounds. It's a great sharing and learning experience...also it was conductive to my own music, as I used alot of vintage synths on my album. It's become more than that now, as I also like to use it as a way of not only getting my own work out there, but to spread the word about other artists as well.The name is something that Maf came up with. It's a name that could have a few different interpretations, but i see it as being both an referrence to the old-school analogue - only attitude and also to "digital love". In short, we want to include both schools of thought, analogue and digital, as I believe it is crucial to embrace both.
Where do you get inspiration for your music? What are your favourite bands?
My inspirations mainly come from dreams, memories...mainly things that are nonmusical....usually bizarre noises I hear - like people yelling or the brakes on a train slowing down. For example, the blender in my kitchen made me think of a new melody yesterday!
My favorites are The Beach Boys, David Bowie, Judy Garland, Delia Derbyshire, United States of America, The Carpenters and Dusty Springfield...I also really love The Flaming Lips, ELO, Beak, Scott Walker, Vowels, Bertrand Burgalat, Stereolab & Pj Harvey.
We have seen some great examples on really creative music making lately. With THIS being by far the strangest. What is the strangest way you have created music?
I'm experimenting with learning & recording a bunch of my new songs backwards and flipping it forwards like in the 'Over the Rainbow' video that Maf & I did last year. I want to take that principle and use it to ridiculous degrees on big vocal stacks & whole songs. It seems to be agreeing with me at the moment.
About the hardware! Tell us something about your gear, any favourites?
I still love my Farfisa Compact Deluxe the most. I'm a huge fan of Piper at the Gates of Dawn, so I had to have the same organ the Rick Wright played. It has the fuzziest, most glorious low register you can imagine & sounds great with the Moogerfooger Lo Pass Filter. Also, the Moogerfooger Ring Mod is great - it's tactile , inspiring and lovely...after I learned that the Ring Mod was used for the Dalek's voice on Dr. Who, I had to have one. Tara has listed her gear on her ihavesynth page
You get to bring ONE synth to a desert island, which one, and why?
Probably a Buchla 200e...it would take me while to learn it properly, and surely all those gorgeous blinking lights ( assuming the island would have a power supply) would attract rescue planes...surely it could eventually be sequenced to have conversations & sing-alongs with me...I'd never be lonely! ...I'm beginning to see a "Tom Hanks/ Castaway" scenario forming.....
Say one good thing about using synths, and one bad.
I love the time I've spent tweaking...but I'll never get it back. I don't care. Is that a bad thing?
Thank you Tara and good luck. Your synths shall never be forgotten!
Make sure you check out Tara's music on www.tarabusch.com and read her excellent blog on www.analogsuicide.com!
