terça-feira, 8 de fevereiro de 2011

Catch The Breeze with Simon Scott - An Interview

Notem bem, modestia a parte o TBTCI esta em estado de graça total, o orgulho mal cabe dentro deste que vos escreve, entrevistar seus idolos é algo surreal, mágico e o sentimento de estar "proximo" desses caras é um negocio que sei lá simplesmente engrandece ainda mais minha admiração pelas bandas, pelo conceito e tudo que envolve a musica em si.

Simon Scott, não requer muita apresentação, The Charlottes, Slowdive e sua carreira solo já resumem exatamente o quão grandioso o texto que vira abaixo representa para o TBTCI, sim eu sou fanatico por Slowdive, todos sabem disso, eu amo Charlottes e o Navigare é esplendido, ou seja, o que se precisa mais?!?!?!

Meus amigos, apreciem o que Mr. Simon Scott nos proporcionou....


***** Interview with Simon Scott (Charlottes / Slowdive) *****


Q. Q. When you star to play music? tell us the beginning...
A. The first moment of realization that I had a natural talent and affinity with music was jamming on the acoustic guitar with my father. He would play the accordion or piano when friends were over and I’d join in. It became a moment in time when I knew I loved the interaction and ability to connect via music with someone and at the age of ten it is life changing. We always got on great but when playing music as a child it opens up a whole world of possibilities that allow you to be creative and learn an instrument. I actually was encouraged to learn drumming at junior school so that is how I became a drummer alongside the guitar.

Q. What’s your best remembrance about The Charlottes?
A. The early days when the NME gave us “Album of the week” and when John Peel played our records on the radio were amazing times. That excitement you have as your songs start to become recognized outside of your local area and when you realize that you have a chance of getting signed is a brilliant moment when you are a teenager.

Q: Who are your influences/heroes?
A. Everything is an influence to be honest. Too many artists to name here and I am a music addict so I never stop my search for inspiration but early on it was Can, early Pink Floyd, MBV, Cocteau Twins, Johnny Cash, 60’s garage bands such as The Seeds, two tone, electro, some punk and plenty of film and literary influences too such as Lynch, Kubrick and Kafka.

Q. When you joined to Slowdive?
A. 1990 after doing a Charlottes gig in Reading when Slowdive came along to watch us. They actually supported us a month before and I discovered that they only had a temporary drummer at the time so I told them I loved them so I joined.

Q How was the process to recording the classic Souvlaki with Brian Eno?
It was amazing to have a legend that we admired then, and still do today, to work on the record so it’s a real highlight of my four years in Slowdive. Eno is still an inspiration to me today so I was lucky to have played on an album that included him.


Q. How was your remembrance of Slowdive´s gigs?
A. I remember some well, as if it was a few years back, and others not so well. We are going back two decades so I remember the tours but not every moment. I loved playing the songs live as I think we were a strong band who had the ability to fill a room with mood and not sound like anybody else.

Q. In your opinion, what’s the best Slowdive record, song?
A. I enjoyed the process of recording Just For A Day as we were exploring many musical possibilities then but Souvlaki is a much better record with stronger songs. It took us a while to hit that sweet spot despite releasing some very good early singles. Catch The breeze is my favorite song and was a great EP but the second album was better.


Q. I’m too curious about the process to recording Navigare....there are so many elements there, explain the concept of Navigare?
A. My uncle died after years at sea as a sailor and submarine officer so his life was an inspiration as he was submerged for a long time. In doing a solo record I just wanted to create a soundscape that represented life as a submerged concept either at sea or otherwise. Read into that what you will but I took my time to create music that I felt was worthy of sending to a label with the reputation that Miasmah has. I spent a long time experimenting with sound, composition and digital signal processing and in 2008/9 the time was right to get it all heard as Simon Scott. I love the Miasmah label and am flattered to be with them. Everything before 2009 I wrote was an experiment and not worth talking about and I am very much a person that looks forward to creating new material.

Q. Do you consider shoegazer a style or just a fashionist word?What´s your opinion about the bands of the classic era of shoegazer?
A. I have no opinion on the other bands of that era but shoegaze is now a good term but it was once derogatory and that I find strange as it is now not a respected genre. When grunge broke through “Shoegaze” was used to dismiss bands that didn’t have a connection to Seattle or a Marshall stack. When someone would call me a “shoegazer” it was a put down whereas now the term is positive again. I think that genre of music has become a respected genre from a period in the late 1980’s/early 1990’s of British music and luckily Slowdive have songs that haven’t aged. In that respect to have been part of a band that made timeless music is special as people can listen to Souvlaki today and it still sounds fresh!


Q. Which new band do you recommend?
A. Jana Winderen, I am pretty excited to hear the new Kaboom Karavan album on Miasmah, Marcus Fisher has just released an amazing album on 12k and I love Sawako, Fourcolor, Nils Frahm, Alva noto and Peter Broderick.

Q. About the future, what are your plans?
A. A new album I just recorded for Miasmah is out in 2011 and an underwater ecology project for an installation is also currently being finished using my field recordings taken from below sea level.

Q. Any parting word?
Website: http://www.simonscott.org/

Discography:
Navigare (Miasmah) October 2009
Nivalis 3"cd (Secret Furry Hole) January 2010
Silenne cd (Slaapwel) August 2010
Conformists vinyl LP movie soundtrack with Dag Rosenqvist (Low Point) October 2010
Depart, Repeat 7" (Sonic Pieces) February 2011
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Thanks Simon.....it´s really special....cheers Renato

Slowdive - Holding Our Breath