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| Matt's Interview with Claude S. Part 2 |
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Interviewed by: Matt Willis Date: 2/12/05 Opening Statement (Matt): here is an interview with Claude S., the lead singer and master mind of the innovative group ?Anything Box? and ?The Diary?It has almost been a year since the last time I sat down with you so I am looking forward to catching up with you. Opening response (Claude): Thank you for having me on!! Q - I understand you are currently working on a new album for ?the Diary?. If you would, give us an update and explain the direction from the album and how it differs from ?page 1? . When is the release scheduled? A: The new album is titled, "seperate" and it is like The Diary borrowing a little bit of Abox. Just a little. It is so far described as The Diary's "happy" record. I don't agree, but... it differs from Page One in that I never expected there to be another, and there it was. The main thing that happened was that I purchased a drum set and put it in the studio. What a mistake! At first it was going to be for another project I'm working on, but it turned strange. Not knowing how to record real drums made me stumble onto a tone from the early 70's disco / punkwave era. I was excited, and the songs came. To match the drums, I wrote guitar tracks and synth textures to fit the time period, and just before I mixed it, fast forwarded to 2005 and added the sprinkle dust. Everything is different. I made up some rules which will affect everything I will ever record from now on. Like... No vocal corrections or over comping tracks. Raw is best. Songs are best when they are done in a hurry, like your life is in danger. Also, these songs reflect my real life, not just fantasy stuff, at least on some level. There are no ballads... Q - Are there any talks of new Anything Box material or shows in the near future? A : Abox has a show in Mexicali, Mexico around April, and will feature Dania of course, so it should be lots of fun. Material always picks me and so far it is quiet on the front. We'll see. I thought that Hope was never going to be challenged by me and I was scared. Something always happens. Whether Abox, The Diary or Claude something, I'll keep going. Q - You guys recently performed a few shows in Ecuador. Joining you again on stage was Dania. I know that you guys have always remained good friends after her departure from the band but, how was it to perform with her again? A : To be 100% honest, it was as if there was no time away for either of us. We lapsed into our 'mode' instantly. That's the kind of magic she has with me on stage. We didn't plan a single thing. Also, let's not forget that although Dania took few years off, she did come in for Universe and TV. Ecuador was an eye opener. We were rusty in a few areas, but overall it was such a great thing to do together. And the people over there were amazing. Q - After celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King yesterday (MLK Day), it was nice to see the media headline other positive contributions from people (which is very rare). Explain some of the people who inspire you and who you feel have had a profound effect on the world. A : John Lennon is the guy. His life's work, "All You Need Is Love" is the most profoundly simple statement in the universe. And it works, man. The Beatles in general of course. Bob Marley, Joey Ramone, Ian Curtis, Kurt Cobain, David Bowie... Impacted my world at least. Martin Luther King was an amazing guy. Of course, I admire anyone who stands up for human rights. I'm not a very political person. Paul is better at that. I'm more introspective when it comes to the human condition. Q - a few years back, Dave(South) joined the band. In what ways does he enhance a-box and what are his overall contributions to the direction of the band? A : None. No I'm kidding. He was the guy who helped shake things up a bit live. The main reason we have him in there at times is because a live bass is actually fun on stage, and it adds a certain dynamic. As far as directions, he's real good at getting me mad, and that's ok sometimes. He's a great guy. I love that kid. Q - I was reading some of the new years resolutions for 2005 that you posted in the forum, if you could elaborate on your goals and tell us more about your new side kick ?oracle?. A : Oracle is amazing. He's my rescued Greyhound, and we love him to death. In fact, as I'm speaking, he's hangin on the couch with me! My goals a are actually simple living. The race is tired and old. I like to relax while I work. Everyone should get a greyhound. Like a dog for people who like cats. A 45mph couch potatoe. Q - since we last spoke, you have been co-hosting a radio show called ?The Listen Show? Are there any plans to do live shows instead of pre-recorded shows? What can we expect for the future of the program? A : I can't see us doing "live shows" on www.listenshow.com because it would take too much time. We may actually film them though, like a really bad version of Wayne's World. Who knows. It's trippy because I never expected the thing to do as well as it is doing. We'll see. Art first, then talking about art. I have thought about putting a phone line in so that we can warn everyone when we're taping and they can call us. That would be trippy and fun, too. Although guests are always welcome. Q - Finally, after almost a decade and a half after the ?peace? Album , you have managed to create some of the most innovative material such as Elecktrodelica, The Universe is Expanding, and TEOSTV. Explain the growth process over the years and the overall evolution of the music. What direction can we expect for the future of anything box. A : Anything Box has been a major force in my life, and although it has its moments of frustration, it is a force none the less. It becomes harder and harder to reinvent yourself. I think we've tried so many things it's almost silly. So now I think what I'd like to do is get the best of all that and create a simple album. One thing that The Diary taught me was that simple things go a long way. These were the things which shaped my growth. Also, although I LOVE TECHNOLOGY, I am not a slave to it. I write songs in very simple ways. I fool around with sound. Sure there are a million things yet to try, but over all it has all been done. So now it is all about FEEL. With a feel, one can do things that others find challenging. When I first heard Kraftwerk, I could not re-create their stuff because the gear was simply too expensive and hard to come by. In their world, they had luck and technology on their side. So I made do with what I could find that I could use for me. Now, we could redo Komputer Weld with three plug-ins and Cubase SE. But how much fun is that? So I can... But I won't. I like the idea that anyone out there with software and plug-ins canNOT reproduce Elektrodelica. Not because of the gear, but because it was not a lazy album. Closing statement : I want to thank you for another great interview and we look forward to the new album. Closing response : Thank you once again Matt! I Hope the album comes out soon. I feel its ready... |
