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~ Interview (Issue 1) ~ |
Notes 2007  2006 Centerfold
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Interview with Bassnectar ~ Lorin Ashton
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M: I'm a Deadhead with hundreds of shows since the ‘70s under my belt. Lorin, you are one of an extremely rare breed of nu-school artists (Only Sphongle & the Orb also rank in my book) who can massage the psychic place that The Dead used to massage. A lot of Dead Heads agree with me. Almost one in six of a poll of your base answered "Dead Tour" as their place of origin. How do you explain this? B: Dude, I laced your orange juice years back...it's a simple trick. Ha ha ha!!!!!!! No...I don't really know the answer. What I do know is that I have a very eclectic love of music from Simon & Garfunkel to Metallica to Mozart to Prefuse 73 to huge, wobbling bassline freakouts...I love dub and hip hop, and I'm very conscious of incorporating something for everyone... never letting the frequencies get too electronic, too overwhelming (except the bass of course) ...I don't want to alienate anyone. A lot of what I do musically is compulsively energetic...I don't know music theory at all....I just try to channel. M: Michael Kang plays violin and mandolin on "Dubuasca" from your second CD release, Diverse Systems of Throb. Love the track (and the whole bloody disc) , can you tell us the story behind the jam? B: Yeah, Kang is the man...we hooked up at Burningman a few years back.... started a side project called Elastic Mystic...played some SCI afterparties and such, and then went out to Kauai to work onna set...we spent a lot of time runnin’ around and having fun so instead of work on sets we just decided to make some original tunes....We took some samples from one of his Ayuahsca journeys in Peru...the guide's name is Christine...we placed her vocals over his mandolin, guitar, and some effects, and then I went to town on the synth action, bass and beats...I love that tune. Him and I have lots planned for the future....including Horning's Hideout in August and JamCruise next January... I’m HYPED!!!! M: Word is you're in the process of doing a remix for Sound Tribe Sector 9. Pardon my drooling. This my idea of heaven. How did this come to be? B: O, bro....such an honor to work with them...when they sent me the promo for Artifact, I almost wet my pants....its just sooooooooooooooo good, and of course they emphasize the melodics a bit more than the grind (which is GOOD) but to be able to do the tango with SOMESING.... Such a pleasure and an honor... They will be releasing it with their own remix project, and I will be releasing it on my upcoming CD. M: How about the deeply emotional and gently psychedelic "Skin on the Drum" for Spearhead? B: I first heard him do that spoken word in Santa Cruz...I don't know...1998? Then they sent me the ADATS with all the tracks separated...I think I spent 3 months remixing that... I had like 12 versions... couldn't decide. I also did "Listener Supported," and am now working on "What I Be". He is definitely one of the main inspirations for me in terms of musical and political dedication. M: You've got a new double CD coming out. Tell us the dirt and where a freek nail themselves a copy? B: Well, unlike every other release I have put out (all underground, pretty much only available on my website or at shows) this is my first over-ground record. It is a double CD, featuring one disc of brand new cuts (remixes/collaborations with HDC & KRS ONE, BUCKETHEAD, STS9, KANG, FREQ NASTY, MUMIA ABU JAMAL, NOAM CHOMSKY, MICHAEL RUPPERT, and a host of underground MCs and producers) and tons of remixes, plus a few tracks off of my last promo CD...I'm really hyped because the label, Organic, is letting me keep my imprint label: AMORPHOUS MUSIC....but we get to enjoy distribution from Fontana...the largest independant distro in North America. M: Would you enjoy playing out for [more of] the jamband headz, say Bonnaroo or New Orleans Jazz Festival? UM.......................HHHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL YES!!!!!!! As much as possible...as much crosspollination, as much collaboration, as much mash up basslines faerie freakouts as possible!!!! |
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