Gunjack DJ Set 2004 + Live Set 2003
http://db313.ath.cx/~sida/gunjack.html
Where are you based now?
I travel often between Tokyo and Madrid. These are the cities in which I feel most comfortable.
In what ways might you personally find quality in a piece of music, and how do you strive to achieve quality in your own work?
I think that the shape and structure of the groove is important. The arrangement and amount of effort put into a piece are also important, but some of the best tracks for me are often the simplest. It's a question of taste really. I like music that is less contrived and is passionate, but not overtly...
How do you feel about questions of authorship within the context of contemporary production processes?
Look, I feel that folks need to try and be as original as they can. If you jack loops, give credit to the author. If you use an engineer, give him credit. I hate hearing about authorship conflicts, but it is a fact of life in our shrinking industry.
How would you describe your latest release, Daily Apocalypse, and what can be expected from you in the future?
Daily Apocalypse is a record that reflects a crazy time in my life. The Gunjack Collector's Series is a label for expressing myself in a very personal way, and this record is only a taste of things to come.
Alternative musicians often pair their art with ways of being (Cage/alternate musical contexts as alternate social contexts, Bahaus artists/all-encompasing aesthetic, Robert Hood declaring his lifestyle as minimal as his releases)...In what significant ways might your music mirror your own ways of living/thinking?
I feel that my music is a reflection of the nomadic life I lead. "Raw" is a word I would use to describe my life and my sound. The grit of Tokyo, the wild spirit of Madrid, the gangsterism of Los Angeles - these things all play a role in my interpretation of the modern sound.
Your online bios cite hip-hop and free jazz as some of your earlier musical interests. How has this affected the way you think about/approach music?
Profoundly. I feel hip hop, jazz, and pure techno are invariably linked by a spirit of conceptualism and improvisation.
What do you find most difficult or unsatisfactory while producing music?
Distractions.
Why do you think techno remains relatively unpopular in the US, particularly in comparison to countries like Japan and Germany?
It's the same thing that happened with jazz - invented by Americans but subsequently ignored by the American population and embraced in Europe and Asia. American follks just aren't ready for the change brought on by music that raises issues.
Describe the workings of your relationship with your label/distributors/etc...
I run the labels myself and work very closely with my distributor.
Is there anything outside of music (visual art, fiction, cinema, etc) that you find particularly interesting/inspirational?
Of course. I love the cinema. I read a lot as well, but in the end, travel is the most inspirational...
Can you tell us about some of your newest projects?
Well the next record out is DM05 "Mayhem in Madrid" EP featuring me and two Spanish producers (Wavesound and Reeko), and after that is DM06, a Gunjack single featuring Takaaki Itoh. Also the third installment of the Gunjack Collector's Series is in the works! I am also working on a pure hip hop album, writing lyrics and recording everyday.....lots of work and not enough time!
interview by bijan for droid (email) april 23, 2004
