2. Talk about the
first guitar/instruments you took a focused interest in.
It was a Harmony solid body. It was a gift from my dad who had
received it from an East
German feller. My amp was also a gift from my dad. It was a Danelectro
and it had a great crappy sound.
a. What were you doing with it/them?
Playing rhythm guitar for an egomaniac in a small high school band.
b. How did people around you respond/react?
My dad was super supportive. My mom wished I was less mutated.
Everyone in high school
hated me, so that is somewhat irrelevant. I made friends with some older
musicians and they were good people, very encouraging. In fact one
of them is still one of my best friends to this day.
c. Was it fun? - What made it fun?
Hell yeah. It gave me something to do and a place to focus. Up until
then I had been into art.
But the academic art scene sucked. Rock music
was still anyone's game
and still is as long as you don't listen to fools.
3. Formal training?
- Lessons? - Significant "tutor"/"mentor" experience?
Self taught and filched whatever I could from other players. My dad
showed me E, E minor,
A, A minor, C, G and B. That was it. Everything else came from long hours
of tooling about.
4. Have you
taught?
I have taught a few. But it is difficult, because so many want a
rarefied knowledge.
5. Initial
recording-experience memories?
Bloody awful, I didn't realize how inept most studio owner/operators
were until I built my
own. In fact that was why I built my own studio. I
got sick of hearing what
could and could not be done. No is a tedious word.
6. What gear/stuff
do you play in a performing context?
a. Presently.
For a guitar I use a '79 SG Standard. It is thinner than the early
and more recent models.
In the seventies they finally got the scaling
somewhat close. It has
hot rod pickups. I paid a hundred and fifty for
it. It has been on so
many recordings that I have given up count. It
really does have a sweet
tone. For a live backup I use an '80 metalburst
Gibson Les Paul Custom
that I picked up for two hundred. The neck had
been busted so the guy
glued it back together. It weighs a ton. I also
use a Danelectro 12 string.
My rig is relatively straight forward. I
have an (very, very old)
Ampeg v-4 amp, a fuzz box and a chorus. My
stomp box models change
periodically. For a bass I play a DeArmond
Jetstar (it is really
ugly.)
b. In the Past.
About the same as I am using now. For a while I played a Tele and a
Gibson L6-S. (I still
kick myself in the ass for letting that sweety go.)
c. Future aims and objectives?
Maybe a pedal board....
7. How, if
at all, does the performance paradigm differ from the zeitgeist during
the documentation/recording process?
Well for me the gestalt of live performance is energy and excitement
over precision. Recording
is permanent, so I really focus on tone and character.
Which do you prefer
and why?
I like 'em both. They both trigger different endorphins.
8. Five favourite
recorded songs/compositions (by others).
1. Love Or Confusion by Jimi Hendrix.
2. Busted Bicycle by Leo Kotke
3. Toad of Short Forest by Frank Zappa
4. Penetration by Iggy and The Stooges
5. Interstellar Overdrive by The Pink
Floyd (Syd Barrett.)
9. If you could
edit your ten favourite recorded/experienced sonic moments together into
a seamless loop, what would they be?
In all candour, I dig sonic objects in their original context.
10. What are
your feelings about improvisation?
There is a difference between improvisation and jamming. Jamming
is
usually wank. True
improvisation is listening and choosing carefully. In the hands of
a good listener, improvisation is exhilarating. In the hands of a
clod it is excruciating. I like to improvise, but have found that
making my performance dependent upon it is dangerous at best. There
are some nights where I just want to do a pro set and get off the stage.
I have never played the same solo twice, but then I don't play that many
solos because most folks get really bored by them (yay Ramones!).
11. What strategies
have proven effective to you in terms of successful group interactivity?
Rule with an iron fist (just joking, sort of.) Listen to your fellow players
(both musically and emotionally.) Be ready to drop an idea if it doesn't
really work. Be ready to change course if a better idea comes along.
12. Are you
friendly with any resources, publications, or collaboratives which might
be of utility or interest to our readers?
I own a 16 track studio (Toad Hall) in MA, (USA) where you can record -
real cheap.
13.
On what project(s) are you currently involved?
My group (snakes & ladders) is in the process of recording two albums.
The first is called"Staring
At The Sun and will be a collection of our recent tunes. The
second will be called "ExperiMental" and is just that think early
Floyd and Public Image with a garnish of Varese.). We are also readying
a video release called "Public Access," which will be a collection of our
public access cable appearances, some studio and live stuff. On top of
all that I am helping promote my other recent project called "Large
Letters""
for the
group Aslan.
I play bass with that band. It's the only Christian Rock band with a Wiccan
bassist.
14. How
can interested readers learn more about your work?
a. URL(s)?
http://instant_dogma.tripod.com/
http://www.mp3.com/InstantDogma
http://www.mp3.com/Doggy_Stuff
b.
Postal Address?
Steve Blake/Instant Dogma
Box 1288 Douglas, MA 01526, USA
c. Available published work?
Tons...
Please go to our website.
RETURN to Zzaj Productions MAIN page!