nkondi采访

1. Short description of your project.
Harsh pedal abusing noise. In the vein of the Japanese style of noise, more than the American.

2. What led you to producing Harshnoise? Influences?
I read a review for a Masonna cd in some zine (I really can’t remember the name of it right now), and well it piqued my curiosity. Sought it out and really got into harsh Japanese noise for a while. My interests waned a little due to the serious lack of output and the fact the internet really wasn’t in every home at the time.
Once I got back into it though, I found that people were too slow to put new things out, so I ended up trying to do some recording and liked what I heard, and thought others might like it too. So I started a label with three cdrs, and I am now on my 30th release.

3. Secrets aside, how do you create your sounds?
There is actually quite a bit of meditation per say before I get down to recording. No new age b.s., but more like reflection. I kind of wean off of what’s going on around me. I pay attention a lot to pop culture and music. Movement in everyday objects and sounds and their interaction with one another.

4. What's your favorite piece of equipment at the
moment?
It’s hard to say at the moment. I’ve been working more with my voice lately, so I’ve had a lot of interest and experimentation with that. But I guess my prize piece of gear would have to be my DOD Envelope Filter. It may seem pretty basic and humble, but it does a lot.

5. Do you make any equipment? Do any modifications?
I’ve attempted to do mods a couple of times, but I really don’t have a lot of training in electronics. Mostly just basics, like contact mics. I’ve made a few junk metal devices, but they don’t get as much play as they probably should.

6. Do you use field recordings at all?
Occasionally I’ll use field recordings. My last cdr for Obscurica definitely utilized field recordings, on a couple of tracks. Some of my earliest work, that has yet to see the light of day, was mostly field recordings.

7. Does your recorded material differ from your live
sound?
Not much. But I tend to be a bit more brave in the studio. Though lately I’ve been trying different techniques live. Stuff that I thought I’d only ever do in the studio.

8. Who do you see as some of the heavy-hitters past
and present?
In no particular order…Hanatarash, Killer Bug/Endo, Masonna, Merzbow, Emil Beaulieau, Stimbox, Xome, Sickness, Oscillating Innards, Tourette, Tralphaz, IDX1274…I’m sure I am forgetting someone right now. Sorry…

9. What sounds are gettin solid rotation on your
headset at this time?
Pop music. Pretty much anything but noise. Not that I don’t like noise. It’s just when I’m doing a lot of recording (as I have been for the past couple of months) I don’t like to be too influenced by anyone. So I tend to go for stuff that’s a bit in the opposite direction. Right now I’ve been listening to a lot of Fad Gadget, Joy Division, The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Android Lust, a lot of electro pop stuff, and Sigur Ros.

10. What does noise do for you?
Emotionally/mentally/physically.....artistically?.....
An outlet of expression, though lately the ideas have felt lost. Noise sometimes feels expressionless, faceless. I’m always trying to find a way to change this. Give it more substance, but in the end I feel I come short of reaching this goal.
From a physical aspect it kills my back. Recording can go on for a good hour, and in that entire time I’m pretty hunched over the table, pushing it into the wall.

11. From where do you draw inspiration?
Pop culture, music…watching things move and sounds interact in the outside world. It could be as simple as a bus trip, or watching someone else sleep, the way light plays on the skin on a beautiful girl, or maybe something I’ve read.

12. Plans for the future.
Well if I become super famous, I’ll kill myself so I die a legend. But as the immediate future, my label will be getting a slight overhaul. I will be looking into a slightly more professional out put and look. Also better promotion, as well as putting some face and emotion to the sound.

13. For a closer, what's the sickest, most insane live
performance you've seen or been apart of?
Emil Beaulieau in nothing but boxers and the shoes on his feet…