Greg Stomberg & Dan Susnara
Prequel: The 1st Annual Trips Festival

Jeremy Gluck & Dave Fuglewicz
Sleep on the Edge

Various Artists
godspunk volume ten

Interview by Bryan Baker on 8/29/2010

What was the thought process of bringing the electric guitar 16+ minutes into "The Universe Comes To the Lilly Pad" ?
Well, I only think of the guitar now as another part of what I do and play. At that particular point in the piece it seemed like the time to bring it in. My process for these long form works is similar to what I do at Tape Germ except I do not use loops on this pieces. They are sort of free flowing, organic improvisations that grow by themselves. I like short, 2- 3 minute segments that I tie together with segues. I also like a variety of sounds to keep myself engaged. ItŐs not about virtuosity but about trying to express something bigger and more personal.

What is your recording setup these days? Do you find yourself expanding your music making arsenal these days?
I use a digital 8 track machine. I do not use a computer for recording. Keeping me restrained to 8 tracks is healthy for me because I could easily go off and lose focus on what I am trying to achieve which is hopefully a more balanced, intimate expression of myself, if that makes sense. Sure, I sometimes expand a particular song to more tracks if needed but when doing so I always ask myself, Ňdoes this serve the song, is it necessary?Ó. In regards to expanding my music making arsenal I would say I do that through challenging myself with unknown instruments and sounds. I am not a perfectionist and I like, and desire, the unexpected. I think thatŐs why I like collaborating so much. I donŐt know whatŐs going to happen and itŐs about creating something with someone else that is totally different than what I might do on my own.

How long did it take to record "The Universe Comes To the Lilly Pad" ?
I think it was a few days of intense, focused recording of the various improvisations and textures. When I get on a roll I can accomplish a lot in one day. And, by staying with a piece for an extended session I can more easily feel where it should lead me next. I had originally intended some of the tracks as a backing for a live radio performance with Ninah and das of Big City Orchestra. Instead of using these tracks though, we simply improvised together for two hours on their radio show (also available as a two CD set from me). I then fleshed out and added to the original recordings to create a new work.

How was "The River Is My Body" recorded?
Recorded on the 8 track, it was similar in form to the other long piece on this release. Hal McGee had asked me to contribute a 30 minute work for a split micro cassette on his Hal Tapes label. Using my current method of creating, I used many sound sources from instruments to field recordings to shortwave to previously recorded jams I had done. The concept was to chain together sounds that would be part of the river of life. The way everything in our experiences and lives is a long, complex and undivided whole.

Besides mono/stereo, what differences do you see in the experience listeners encounter between handmade CDR and the microcassette releases of "The River Is My Body"?
Perhaps some people can hear a bit more subtlety in the piece , especially on headphones. However, there is something to be said for the mono version for Hal. It casts a somewhat different shadow and while not being so tremendously different gives a slightly different immersive experience, to me. Also, there is the way that I actually physically listen to these different media. With CDRs I usually have them on speakers ( sometimes headphones) and with micro cassettes I like to curl up in bed and have the micro cassette player really close to my head and turned down really low, almost like it is my imagination, or like it is very far away. That is a magical experience and feeling to me.

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