60 Seconds with The Simonsound *Guest Post!*

Festival artist and seasoned interviewer Nick Luscombe took over our regular 60 Seconds With slot to chat with The Simonsound who will be performing on 22 June as part of our Village Underground evening Nick Luscombe Presents…

Tell me when did The Simonsound project begin?
The seed that went on to become The Simonsound was sewn about 4 or 5 years ago when Matt Ford (AKA DJ Format) asked me to work with him on a project for BMG. We’d worked together before as I’d always helped Matt mix his DJ Format material, but this time Matt wanted my input on a project that involved sampling old Chappell Library material  to make new tracks. He’d been given access to the Chappell Library to plunder but was getting frustrated with the limitations of sampling. He was aware that I’d been experimenting with electronics inspired by the early pioneers and thought it might be interesting to combine the two. Initially we had no bigger plans beyond doing a couple of tracks but soon realised that we could take it further. Around the same time I’d been involved in producing a 12 part radio series for Resonance FM called ‘Welcome to Mars’ which told the story of weird science and science fiction during the ‘50s, and I’d created a lot of sound cues and musical intermissions for this , some of which ended up being developed into tracks that appear on our debut LP Reverse Engineering.

How did you manage to recreate the album so well live?
Reverse Engineering is most definitely a ‘studio’ album and this reason alone makes it difficult to adapt for a live show, especially without pulling a full band and mini orchestra together! The combination of me playing synths, tape loops, fx and percussion with Laura providing vocals and flute (and an additional singer Rosi Lawlor for this show!) is a good dynamic that works well on stage. In addition to the sound, a pre-recorded synchronized video projects moving and still images from the ‘50s and ‘60s. Man’s conquest of space, new advances in technology and early computers are all represented alongside clips that show the fascination with ‘inner space’, or ‘the mind’, prevalent during the ‘50s and ‘60s.

What can people expect from your show at Spitalfields Music’s Summer Festival this year?
Imagine you have purchased a ticket into space, a space that takes in both the inner and outer realms of the mind and the cosmos. Along the way you will slip from one to the other, all the time guided by synthesised tones, oscillations, modulations, voice and flute from the ‘other’ dimension.

What are your plans for the rest of the year?
Well we’ve currently got a 7” single out on Battered Ornament Records called ‘Inside Your Bones’. It’s a collaborative single with Laura J Martin and has an amazing sleeve by Luke Insect. I’ve just finished a remix for a new artist Beta Hector which should be available soon on Tru Thoughts Records. His debut LP is out in August and well worth checking out. There will also be a couple of Simonsound tracks coming out on DJ Format’s new album sometime later this year.

I’m always trying to fit in more time for writing new material and this is ongoing, working towards a second Simonsound LP. There is a new track with Laura J Martin on the go and lots of other seeds that will hopefully grow into some interesting songs.

We are playing at Soundwave Festival in Croatia in July. More details -
http://www.soundwavecroatia.com/

4 things that are pushing your buttons right now

• Mala Morska Villa – film and soundtrack. A stunning Czech take on the Hans Christian Anderson tale ‘The Little Mermaid’, with a soundtrack to match.

• Natural Yoghurt Band ‘Tuck in with the..’ – The new LP from NYB continues their take on odd instrumental library music. Beautiful sleeve too.

• Found Objects blog. A Hauntological Dumping ground. http://found0bjects.blogspot.com/

• Practical Electronica – a film documentary about Fred Judd, a little known UK pioneer of electronic sound and music. It is being made by a friend of mine, Ian Helliwell, and I’ve been lucky enough to get some sneak previews. Find out more here http://www.ianhelliwell.co.uk/practical_electronica.htm

Your website debsite details please!
www.thesimonsound.com
Blog – http://thesimonsound.tumblr.com/

60 Seconds with… Simon Hewitt Jones

This year’s Summer Festival sees the world premiere of Who is My Neighbour? an east meets west collaboration between Britain’s Fifth Quadrant and Palestine’s Dal’Ouna. We’ve managed to grab 60 seconds with Fifth Quadrant’s Simon Hewitt Jones to find out a little bit more about him…

What’s the most played track from your MP3 player/CD collection?
An appalling piece of 80s’ pop that I use to get up in the morning! The most played Classical track? Beethoven’s Grosse Fugue.

Where’s your favourite place in London?
I love the area around Green Park and Piccadilly. So much history, so much green space!

What did you want to be when you grew up?
Until I was 11, I wanted to be a train driver! Since then, I’ve always wanted to be a violinist.

What would you most like your audiences to take away from your performances?
A feeling of having been taken somewhere in a way they weren’t expecting.

What inspires you?
Truly innovative ideas, and old musicians who are generous with their wisdom.

What’s your favourite venue to perform in?
I love big concert halls for orchestral performances, but also strange and unusual venues for chamber music.

What do you like about working with Spitalfields Music?
I love the creative attitude that Spitalfields has as an organisation. I love the freedom to to take risks and do something exciting.

What do you think your breakthrough moment was?
Realising that presenting something truthful to an audience is only possible by serving the music. 

Do you have a favourite piece or repertoire to perform, if so what?
I like most music, but virtuoso violin music and great chamber music never fail to excite me!

Who’s your favourite fictional hero?
Postman Pat was always a big role model.

Who are your real-life heroes?
Yehudi Menuhin, Pablo Casals, Leonard Bernstein and Daniel Barenboim.

To find out more about Fifth Quadrant and Dal’ouna’s joint project including video footage of their trip to Palestine visit www.roadtojericho.com

Book tickets for this exciting event now!

60 seconds with…Rhodri Davies

Today we have the first Summer Festival installation of our feature 60 Seconds with…! In the build up to the Summer Festival we will be posting interviews with a variety of Festival artists . This week we spoke to harpist Rhodri Davies. As well as the harp, Rhodri also plays electric harp, live-electronics and builds wind, water and fire harp installations. To find out more visit his website.What’s the most played track from your MP3 player/CD collection?
CD: Gaelic Psalms from Lewis, School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh, Greentrax Recordings
MP3: Eliane Radigue, Triptych, Important Records
LP: Alterations, Peter Cusack, Steve Beresford, Terry Day and David Toop, Bead Records 9

Where’s your favourite place in London?
Sir John Soane’s House.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
Fireman or carpenter.

What would you most like your audiences to take away from your performances?
A glimpse of alternative ways of doing things.

What inspires you?
Werner Herzog’s documentaries.

What’s your favourite venue to perform in?
Kid Ailack Art Hall, Tokyo.

What do you like about working with Spitalfields Music?
The staff and Festival team are passionate about the music they are programming.

What do you think your breakthrough moment was?
I don’t think I’m looking for one.

Do you have a favourite piece or repertoire to perform, if so what?
Ben Patterson: Pages to Save our Planet.

Who’s your favourite fictional hero?
Any by Thomas Bernhard.

Who are your real-life heroes?
The 180 workers battling to stabilise the Fukushima Nuclear Plant.

Catch Rhodri Davies playing harp in the
world premiere of Eliane Radigue’s Occam I:
Tuesday 14 June 7.30pm
Christ Church Spitalfields.
Book now!

Produced by Sound and Music as part of Triptych: The Music of Eliane Radigue

60 seconds with… Rebecca

Round two of our 60 seconds with a Spitalfields Music team member. This week Marketing & Box Office Assistant, Rebecca discusses new year’s resolutions, her love for Contemporary Finnish composers and European Metal bands!

What was the first CD/LP/Album you bought?
I think it was a Savage Garden cassette tape… (which I am ashamed to admit I still listen to…)

Who’s your favourite composer?
A very difficult question but either George Crumb, Einojuhani Rautavaara, Magnus Lindberg or Kimmo Hakola. I have a little bit of an obsession with contemporary Finnish composers but I also really love Early music especially when played on period instruments!

Favourite song/album?
The album I am listening to most at the moment is: Rautavaara: Garden of Spaces; Clarinet Concerto; Cantus Arcticus on ONDINE. I also have a bit of a penchant for the ‘heavy’ stuff and listen to a lot of European Metal bands like Opeth, Textures and I even throw in a bit of ‘progressive fusion Italian jazz metal’ like Ephel Duath…

Favourite venue in London?
Probably Brixton Academy, for bands, because all the best tours end there! For classical, though, it’s the The Wigmore Hall. I really like the intimicy of the Wigmore Hall, and the fantastic acoustics – especially for chamber music.

Last concert/gig you went to?
Not counting any Spitalfields Music events, it would have been BBC Symphony Orchestra 80th birthday concert back in October. It was fantastic!

Red or white (wine)?
Both! (though not at the same time)

Any New Year’s resolutions?
To spend more time playing the Clarinet – I don’t get much time to play anymore since I moved in to my current flat. I need to try and find some decent rehearsal space!

What’s the best thing about working for Spitalfields Music?
Getting to hear a diverse range of music that I may not necessarily have heard otherwise, and meeting lots of great musicians!

Rebecca Steel
Marketing & Box Office Assistant

60 seconds with…Orlando Gough

The next installment of 60 seconds with… is here and today we have one of tonights Songs in the wires composers. Orlando Gough tells us about the first album he bought, the difficulties of choosing his favourite composer and what inspires him.

Composing or performing?
Composing – I’m not a great performer, though I enjoy MCing.

Black tie or all black?
Have never worn a black tie – but all black? Hoorah for colour!

What was the first CD/LP/Album you bought?
Gorilla, by The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band – slightly strange to start with an album that was taking the mickey

Who’s your favourite composer?
Too difficult! Monteverdi, Bach, Stravinsky, Bartok, Messaien, John Adams…

Where’s your favourite venue in London?
Again, too difficult! Cafe Oto, Young Vic, Roundhouse, Wiltons…

What’s been the best thing about working on the Fables project?
Mad, exuberant, slightly out-to-lunch recording day in a scuzzy recording studio in Nottingham – very enjoyable

What one thing would you most like to tell your audiences?
The story – as clearly as possible

What do you think your breakthrough moment was?
I don’t think I’ve had one yet…

What inspires you?
Working with brilliant people

There are still tickets available for tonights performance of Songs in the wires. Get yours on the door from 8.00pm tonight!

Songs in the wires
Wednesday 15 December, 8.30pm
Christ Church Spitalfields
Tickets: £10, unreserved