Old Interview I did with Kettel

[Guest Phasen]

Hey ya'll. In 2008 I got a spot writing reviews and doing interviews with some musical pal's I admire, but things fell through and the initial work I did was never published.

 

So after 2.5 years I decided to share at least one of the interviews (Kettel) since he's a fav of mine. I have another one with Lone floating around on the hard drive too somwhere...Anywho, I hope you enjoy the read:

 

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Phasen: Tell us about Sending Orbs.

 

Kettel: It’s a label run by my best friend Kris and my brother Wouter-

and me, but more as an advisor and thinktank. I'm not officially involved

anymore because I got too distracted with my own music. But of course very

close.

 

They seem to be one of the only labels that is able to keep their heads

above water these times, and I can really say, as I’ve been a label-hopper

in the past, and no label has ever paid and treated me so well.

I'm like.. it tells me something about their professionalism.. or maybe it

tells me something about how some IDM labels I’ve worked with were very

comfortable pseudo-ripping off their artists?

Anyway we're just trying to put out some great CD's, be fair and open to

everyone involved, pay a lot of attention to the art, be nice to our

customers and hope to bind them directly to our shop/e-shop.

We're all very proud of our discography; we're slow releasers; but as long

as we're happy with everything we do it’s all OK. The thing is that we're just three extremely picky individuals. We only go and put money and time and love in a release when we have ecstatic dreams about it.

 

Phasen: When can we expect Myam James Part 2?

 

Kettel: It was announced to be happening in September/October [2008].. Since I'm closely

affiliated with sending orbs, and knowing the progress I've made so far on

that sequel I gotta say I don’t know when it will come out but I'm sure it

will be this year-and it may very well be this autumn. There are a lot of

factors involved, some financial, some inspirational. More info on my

website..I hope it'll be soon, but I can't rush things. If I did, it

would be a bad record.

 

Phasen: What do you like the most about electronic music over other styles?

 

Kettel: Good Question.

I think what I like most is that any sound possible can be used in

electronic music. Melodic sounds that you’ve never heard, beat sounds that

you’ve never heard.

It’s not the sound that intrigues me; but a certain sound can carry a very

different and characteristic emotion, even if it’s a random sound from a

synth.

I think the most beautiful melodic instrument is a (grand) piano; but it has

its limitations.

Electronic music is "allowed" to harbor sounds that go beyond the usual

spectrum. Even clicks, buzzes, noises can be emotion-laden.

That’s what is very good about electronic music.

 

But, in the end, good music is good music, and it doesn’t matter if its

electronic music or whatever-music. All the rules get cancelled; good is

good!

 

 

Phasen: Do you like to make up your melodies on the spot or write them out ahead

of time?

 

Kettel: I always make them up on the spot, but it’s not random. I hang back, rocking

in my chair, imagining what melody I would want on top of the thing I'm

hearing now, and then work it out.

A lot of it is from jamming too. I'm very keyboard-driven (I make all my

music using the keyboard, I can’t make music without it).

I’ve never written out any melody, I can usually store them in the mind!

 

Phasen: What have you been listening to most lately?

 

Kettel: James Taylor, Secede, and Burial.

 

James Taylor - I love his music so much, his voice, melodic genius and

songwriting.

Secede - ok this is cheating, he's a good friend of mine, but he's such an

overlooked mastermind in the electronic scene so far. I’ve met a lot of

electronic musicians over the years, but Lennard has a very distinct kind of

musicality (and humor) that I’ve never seen in anyone else. This guy can

literally make any electronic music style ever, and sounding alike or even

better than the original, too. Seriously! Even if I woulda thought of him as a severe asshole, I would have liked his music. But I don’t think he's an

asshole. He was at my birthday party. He gave me a fake fish. Seriously, his

music touches me in the heart.

Burial - I'm glad he stood up as a new star in the electronic music scene.

This is truly emotional music that has a groove, and a LOT of personality. I

love it to death.

 

Phasen: What is your favorite sound?

 

Kettel: The sound of a Japanese girl talking.

 

Phasen: What is your greatest accomplishment so far?

 

Kettel: Hmm..probably the fact that I live off music and dictate my own life.

Also, I think the My Dogan album was a creative accomplishment, because it

was a puzzle that fell into place that night I put it together.

 

Phasen: Any good stories to share from your tour of America?

 

Kettel: A lot. One memorable moment is this. We (Flashbulb, me, and a ...guest) had

just travelled a long distance from Montana to Washington, somewhere. Note

that during my tour the European Soccer Championships were on, and me being

a big (Holland) soccerfan, upon arrival in the motel I instantly downloaded

the match (that was already played back home- time difference). While I was

getting loaded with Rolling Rock waiting till the download to finish, the

Flashbulb was practicing his set and played some awesome guitar. I watched

the match, we beat France 4-1 and I caused a beep in Flashbulbs ear screaming

and yelling. By the time it finished I was nothing more or less than a

drunken Dutchman, far away from home, celebrating a party that was

originally already over. Anyway, that night we took off to the festival to

check out what it was like. It was already dark and the festival was up on a

high mountain. Somehow we took a few detours, and although we were told the

roads were gonna be unpaved and steep, the roads we drove on that night were

life-threatening. We even were caught up in stream of sliding rocks that

made its way into the ravine, our brave SUV and SUV-driver (Benn) fighting

with it.

 

Anyway, all I can say is I'm glad I was drunk when that happened.

 

Phasen: What can we expect to see from you in the years to come?

 

Kettel: I think it will be both sequels to the Kettel stuff you're used to now (it

sounds a little brackish, but doesn’t mean it isn’t dear to me), and

adventures into new territories.

I don’t like to keep myself to one thing. I like to make ambient, acid,

classical music, techno, trance, pop, piano improvs, rock music, and yeah,

especially R&B- so anything can happen.

 

One thing I know I will continue is the way Kettel has sounded the past few

years; it will change and progress, but the basic idea of that music is

something I can’t escape making.

[tontonz1]

tis a cool interview mr. phasen, but would it not be more appropriate in the music section?

[Guest chax]

Cool interview, I'd ask him some different questions though, like how does he make a living..if it's entirely on music or he does other jobs and stuff. I'm always curious as to how a lot of the IDM artists survive in the world or if it is even possible to survive solely through the music, like I know Tycho does graphic design work and stuff

[Guest Phasen]

Cool interview, I'd ask him some different questions though, like how does he make a living..if it's entirely on music or he does other jobs and stuff. I'm always curious as to how a lot of the IDM artists survive in the world or if it is even possible to survive solely through the music, like I know Tycho does graphic design work and stuff

 

 

Thanks man! Glad you think so. I sort of read this to mean that he only does music for a living now:

 

"Phasen: What is your greatest accomplishment so far?

Kettel: Hmm..probably the fact that I live off music and dictate my own life."

 

--And sure, he doesn't say 'only', but it's just what I assumed he meant. 'Naw meen? I've wondered the same thing, and some artists like Milieu, for example, told me that he does only music, but that it is a ton of work. I mean, Brian is a good example. That guy is prolific as hell.

 

tis a cool interview mr. phasen, but would it not be more appropriate in the music section?

 

I'm a noob. The only place I thought it was appropriate in I wasn't allowed to start a new topic in. This is okay, no?

[Guest Calx Sherbet]

Kettel has made some of my favourite acid music EVER.

 

Church is the bee's nads

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