AAA - Ask Autechre Anything - Sean and Rob on WATMM!

[Guest theSun]

my only questions for AE, sorry if asked before

 

autechre, what the hell should i do with my life?

 

what types of objects could i attach to drumset for cool autechre sounding drumset?????

 

bump:

 

also - amazing set in toronto in 2008. music has always been a huge part of me, and that set literally changed my perception of music overall.

 

do you guys like tool?

Edited November 7, 2013 by theSun

[Guest Roksen Creek]

 

it's my fave thing he's done

it's weird cos a lot of my mates slagged it cos of the film quality, but i reckon it appeals to me even more than film cos i like some old video art as well

 

the way it flows is amazing tho

 

it's sad that he said he won't do any more, but he's old and i like enough of his music for it not to be a huge deal. but man, he was getting so good there

 

to me Inland Empire is the most Autechrian film ever, if that makes any sense.

Definitely. Inland Empire is the closest thing to Autechre in film imo

[soma333]

It was raining yesterday in Memphis, it's rather clear and sunny here today.

 

What's the weather like over there for you boys?

[olo]

Have you ever heard a music which successfully combines the best elements of say The Melvins/Venetian Snares or Queen Adreena/Aphex Twin or The Locust/Autechre - is such a thing possible?

 

(Something that is neither rock set to electronic beats nor rock music with electronic instruments but a true melding of the two? Music with electronic stimulation, imagination, diversity and exploration of sound and vocal/analogue instrument gut human emotion/physicality?)

 

Didn't Squarepusher attempt this most overtly to varying degrees, minus vocals, with Just a Souvenir?

Not like the pairings you suggested really. So, might be a moot point.

[cebec]

Sean and Rob, it has been a true pleasure participating in this q&a with you. Your music has been an inspiration and a conduit to new and heightened experiences for me and my best friend since we first stumbled upon it. Thank you so much for your music and your time and best of luck and health to you both in the future.

[xox]

How do you like watmm sense of humor?

Also...we somethimes make jokes about you but it's all love.

 

When/if u get really angry about something how that looks like?

 

Thnx forever! Come by sometime.

[olo]

Thanks Ae

 

[Guest KunoMerit]

Several questions all related:

 

1. When one of you have made a new bit of music - do you call it a "beat" a "track", etc.

 

ie. Do you say "Hey Rob/Sean, check this new beat I made"

 

I call them beats due to childhood hip-hop associations.

 

2. When you are amazed at what you just made but the other half of ae is not around, do you then go to your wife/girlfriend/lady/etc. and say

 

"Dear love, check this new beat I made"

 

3. Does said wife/girlfriend/lady/etc. then begrudgedly listen and say "That's nice"

 

4. According to your mood, do you then think "I'm half of fucking autechre - there are fuckers on the internet who'd be going crazy for this shit right now!"

[Amen Lare]

 

What did you guys think of Lynch's Inland Empire?

 

it's my fave thing he's done

it's weird cos a lot of my mates slagged it cos of the film quality, but i reckon it appeals to me even more than film cos i like some old video art as well

 

the way it flows is amazing tho

 

it's sad that he said he won't do any more, but he's old and i like enough of his music for it not to be a huge deal. but man, he was getting so good there

 

 

He's certainly not retired yet. There was an article on him in NY Times this year mentioning he's working on a new script, which wasn't denied by Lynch

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/magazine/david-lynch-transcendental-meditation.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&smid=tw-nytmovies&pagewanted=all&_r=2&

 

The quote:

 

A few months later, I reached Lynch by phone at his hotel room in Paris. Bob Roth had told me that Lynch said he was working on a new script and that it was typically dark. When I asked Lynch about this, he paused, annoyed. “Bobby’s got a big mouth,” he said. I asked him if the script was influenced by his work with T.M., and he said no, absolutely not. This will be a David Lynch picture, he said, adding, “I think people would probably recognize it.”

 

[Guest Retosik]

recommend me a good album to listen

[Guest thisfieldisrequired]

well that's a huge compliment

 

 

it def resonates with me in a weirdly deep way

i mean i was always a massive fan but that was like, times 10 for me

 

 

... one thing i've realised from reading this thread is that you guys are being mistaken as two cold technicians obsessed with virtuose modular prowess, when in fact you're just two sensitive guys obsessed with dreams.

 

i don't know but there's a dreamlike quality to Exai i seem to haven't noticed before. maybe it's those huge frozen reverb clouds in Bladelores or SPL9 (@3'20)... but it's like your work has taken a new dimension for me.

[daed]

What are your opinions on the use of fractal formulas for generating beats or melodies?

 

Any particular favorite types for particular applications? (i.e. L-Systems for melodies... Mandelbeats...etc)

Just bumping this one, in case it wasn't previously answered in the last 150ish pages.

 

Additionally: thank you guys so much for doing this. It absolutely blows my mind that you've put so much time and effort into this.

[Guest TSF]

Are y'all into any noise/harsh noise stuff?

[Guest Roksen Creek]

 

 

to me Inland Empire is the most Autechrian film ever, if that makes any sense.

 

well that's a huge compliment

it def resonates with me in a weirdly deep way

i mean i was always a massive fan but that was like, times 10 for me

Have you read anything by Thomas Pynchon, Sean?

 

To me he is the most Autechrian author (I guess it's the other way round as he came first, but you know what I mean). Especially Gravity's Rainbow.

[Goiter Sanchez]

Would you two like to submit a Christmas-themed track or cover (as an alias of course) to WATMM's annual Christmas Compilation? All you have to do is email the finished, unmastered track to cytoplantastic [at] gmail [dot] com before December 8th.

For more info here is the topic for this year's comp: http://forum.watmm.c...christmas-2013/

 

Don't worry if you don't want to or can't, I just thought I'd go out on a limb and ask :)

[triachus]

I have no idea when this thread will end, so I'm going to say this before it does:

 

Thank you guys for doing this, it has been a great pleasure. Thanks for putting up with everything. Our lame jokes and awkward questions. And for answering them! Yeah, just, thanks a whole lot. I feel I can't say thanks enough.

One thing, I was surprised that the word "weird" got said a few times when talking about your music. Something like Q: "do you get annoyed when people find your music weird" A: "nah, we know its weird"


I just want to say that to me, your music has never been weird.

It all makes fucking sense to me.

Not sure what that says about me tho, lol.

 

 

And never forget....

 

 

twelb.

[hanz tisch]

Hi again, in some ancient interview you stated, that major society thinks that music 400 years old is the best music ever created and has no ability to look forward...and that aphex twin uses some of it in his compositions...precisely crafted melodies witch he creates by moving notes for hours until it's perfect...you said that it's cold approach to music and you are trying to be more human...to get to year 0...how you think about it now? tbh i like each of those principles...because i don´t think that you're more human just because you follow your instincts more...

[soma333]

Y'all dig Peter Chung?

[Redruth]

ttul ..bye

 

[soma333]

Peace from the southern US!

 

Big ups to you both!

[NewSchoolScience]

Oh sh*t, is this over? I didn't get to my question in time :-( Thanks Sean and Rob, this was an awesome gesture to the fans -- reading through all the answers in these 150 pages is awesome.

 

I think I've been to all your Glasgow gigs. My absolute favourite was in ... Tin Pan Alley I think, the tour around the time of Tri Repetae. Man that was good -- proper pummelling. Anyways, I don't expect you guys to remember that particular gig, but it leads on to my question ... do you have a favourite venue or city to play in, and do you have a stand out gig that's been your most enjoyable to date?

Edited November 7, 2013 by NewSchoolScience

[Guest ZombieLincoln666]

Oh sh*t, is this over? I didn't get to my question in time :-( Thanks though Sean and Rob -- reading through these 150 pages is awesome.

 

They're maybe eating dinner. Earlier it was revealed that they actually do that.

Edited November 7, 2013 by ZombieLincoln666

[triachus]

Lol, the AAA isn't over yet, and people are saying their goodbyes.

 

 

I don't know, there's some confusion about the time. I think we have time until tomorrow, right?

 

 

[soma333]

I personally have to stop at some point, my gad :)

 

Edit; this has been aewsum and also has been ruining my work life !

Edited November 7, 2013 by soma

[lumpenprol]

 

yeah obsessions are still pretty locked (i think u can tell really)

now, but only with the benefit of hindsight

 

 

really glad to hear, I just hit 40 and feel pretty burnt out tbh, glad you guys still feel the power of the force

 

and all joking aside, many many thanks for this Q&A, never thought something like this would happen. You've been my favorite electronic artists since...well since LP5, pretty much. Though I had purchased Incunabula and Tri Rep when they came out (for some reason didn't get Amber til later), it was LP5 that radically redefined how I saw music. Have been fascinated with your musical journey from then til now. As I said in another thread, I think you are the most consistently innovative, and consistently quality act I know of. It's actually really reassuring to know that another Ae album will come along at a pretty regular interval, full of fresh new tunes to mull over and digest. With so many of the big names retreating into near-obscurity, it's very welcome to have you guys make yourselves so available to your fans. Unprecedented, in my experience.

 

Live long and prosper! (did anyone ask if you are/were Trekkies/ers?)