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Interviewed by
Kim Alexander
Adrian Kaylor

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Sister Machine Gun

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Sister Machine Gun



Last Edit/Update
02 April, 2000

Chris Randall
Sister Machine Gun
and
Jamie Duffy
DJ Acucrack & Acumen Nation

This Interview took place on February 21st,
1998 in Grand Rapids Michigan at
Grand Valley State College.
Chris Randall and Jamie Duffy were interviewed
by: Kim Alexnder and Adrian Kaylor.
Transcribed *patiently*  for HOURS
by Michael Lund,
and typed up for a long long time by
Kim Alexander.

          Adrian and I patiently waited for Sister Machine Gun to get done with their work [after the show] in a small room off from the indoor track in the arena at Grand Valley State College in Grand Rapids where Sister Machine Gun played their most recent show. Jamie Duffy of DJ Acucrack and Acumen Nation was there and had tweeked the soundboard that night. They were both very kind and seemed in an *up* mood. Thanks to Chris Randall and Jamie Duffy, as well as the Student Activities Board of GVSU for our meeting with Chris and Jamie.

(Chris entered the room)...

Chris: Hi There.

Kim: Who are you again?

Chris: This is Chris Randall of Sister Machine Gun.

(chuckles)

Kim: OK, so I want to know a few things. What did you play tonight? Do you remember?

Chris: (chuckles)

Kim: ...I don't know...tell me...just ramble down what you played...new stuff or old?

Chris: A little of both...mostly new stuff.

Kim: Mostly new stuff?

Chris: Yeah...well, after the last album, new being a relative term.

Kim: What, when was it released, or is it released yet?

Chris: A year ago...how long ago...uhmm. it's four months old, but I recorded it...I was finished recording of Thanksgiving of '96, so I've known these recordings a long time, you kow, so they seem actually kind of old to me.

Kim: How would you describe the music you played tonight that was new?

Chris: Uhh..it was almost entirely, but not completely, unlike our older stuff...

Kim: (laughs...) that was real concrete...

Chris: Yeah...(laughs)... I mean it's not really,... you know, it's Sister Machine Gun...especially when we play live, there isn't that much difference between the older and newer stuff, because we tend to update the older songs, so that they fit better in the context of whatever we're playing currently.

Adrian: ok, let's get into it...you broke up with the label...I know you mentioned your last album was kind of...you had the "I hate women" girlfriend break-up album, the, "I'm in love", the "Religion sucks", and the "Anti-label" album, which is your last one....

Chris: Right...

Adrian: So, was that anything to do with...

Chris: They never figured it out, they never had any idea....at least not that I know about, they always thought it was a soundtrack for the movie: Metropolis, you know...I'm not joking.  It is actually kind of sad...uhm...'cause it is pretty obvious to me, but... .(spoken under his breath) you know to anyone who knows me, it is remarkably obvious...It's not a big deal though, you know...the main reason that we're not with TVT anymore is financial, where we cost too much, and they can't manage to sell enought of our records too...we are a very expensive band to have around, 'cause I use studio time like it's going out of style, so...well that's not entirely true, I'd never really had the time to really make a record the way I want to, ...and I end up making records the way they want me to....I just haven't got along with them in the last couple of years at all, and that was probably the overriding reason...I wasn't fun to have around anymore. And since I don't make them a lot of money -- they don't lose any money on me -- but you know, they don't make any. So, as a result, we're not on the label anymore...which isn't a bad thing let me tell you.

Kim: Where are you going to go now, can you tell us?

Chris: ...what I'm going to do now is, I'm gonna sit down all summer, and I'm gonna write myself some good songs...and, then I'm gonna go wherever I need to go to make those good songs...you know, get the opportunities they deserve...you know, whoever can feed me the best line of bullshit, basically...I'd perfer a major....most definitely, because TVT is the largest indie, the largest true indie, with it's own distribution, so, I don't really see the point of getting on a label that's not as big as the one I was just on, that doesn't make any sense...ergo, I am gonna shoot higher, and the only way to go up is to go on a Major...so, you know, it's no big deal...

Adrian: Any thoughts on who it is, or who so far, or...

Chris: I know who I'd like to be on....

Kim: Who would that be?

Chris: In no particular order...550, Workgroup... Workgroup mainly...Dreamworks, possibly, I don't know...but, it's whoever throw the biggest suitcase of money at me, and feeds me the best line about how they are gonna market me, you know, will be my choice. That is the way it is with any label, when in a bidding situation...

Adrian: Isn't that the kind of thing you were criticizing on Metropolis that you seemed to want to get away from? Or is there any way to do that?

Chris: NO, what I wanted to get away from is one particular person and one situation...

Kim: Who he won't name....

Chris: Right...I have no problem with Major labels, they...record labels sell records, you know, they do that the best they can, the problem that I have is with a label that says one thing and does another...I am a very pragmatic person, I don't mind someone telling me the truth: "We don't think we are gonna be able to do anything with this," that's fine, whatever, that's cool, you said it, you know. But, some labels have a hard time breaking that news to their artists, you know. I am a business man as well as a musician, and I realize when I've made something that's gonna be successful or I haven't, and I don't need someone blowing flowers up my ass, saying, you know, it's the next greatest thing since GOD and then turn it around, literally a month later, and say that they don't think it's going to do anything, what is that?!?

Kim: It's Bullshit! Ok, another question,...are there any bands that influenced you in your music? If so, who would they be? In the past or present...

Chris: Oh JESUS CHRIST....there's a lot...

Kim: Jesus isn't in a band....

Adrian: Don't say Garth !!!!

(laughs all around)...

Chris: I won't say GARTH...Garth doesn't influence me, I like Garth Brooks, I don't endeavor to write songs like Garth Brooks, or...he doesn't really write many of his own songs...or perform like him...I enjoy watching him perform, it's a whole different ball of wax. I like seeing any show that's well put together, and good songs sung, and it's entertaining.

Kim: Like whom?

Chris: Like anybody...but they are not necessarily people who influence me, I get a lot of flak because I like Garth Brooks, but I like the the attitude that he projects in his...it amazes me that one person in an audience -- there's an audience of 35-40,000 people every night -- that he can make each one of those people feel like [they] went to the coffee shop together, and that's what he does, and that amazes me that anyone can do that, I haven't quite figured that out yet...I respect him for that, I am not a big country music fan or anything, I just like him...

Kim: (chuckles)...So who influences you?

Chris: Yeah, as far as influences, there's a lot...major influences: Matt Johnson of The The, it is... I mean it's pretty obvious when you listen to my music, Shriekback, Joe Jackson, The Clash...as far as songwriting, I listen to a fucking lot of Beatles all the time...

[Kim chuckles]

Chris: ...and Pink Floyd [Kim: ooooh!] is my other big, Big favourite, as far as listening to songs go. That's about it really.

Kim: If you had one day off, and you didn't have to work, or do any of the tings you do normally in your routine, what would you do on your day off? What would Chris Randall do?

Chris: ...sit at home and watch Jackie Chan movies, pretty much [Kim chuckles again...]...that's, I mean, I don't really work, I don't have a day job or anything...My normal routine...I get up...I am fanatic about movies, I Love movies, I watch a lot of movies...

Kim: What kind of movies?

Chris: All kinds...

Kim: Do they influence your music?

Chris: No.

Adrian: Except Metropolis....

Chris: Well yeah...but, I mean, that was a whole different ball of wax there....that was with a purpose. I don't know, I like sappy love movies...My Best Friends Wedding and stuff like that.

Kim: Have you seen Titanic yet?

Chris: No, I haven't, I don't go to the theater -- especially for long ass movies like that -- you can't smoke, I'm not gonna watch...I mean, a movie that's...I have a hell of a long theater system, it's THAT [he spreads out his arms to show how big his system is] BIG, believe me....I mean a movie like that you gotta shave half way through it! [Kim laughs]...it's SO LONG....it's sooo long...especially old movies, they smoke the whole time, I can't do that, I can't go watch a movie like that...speaking of which...

Kim: [looks over at Chris]...He grabs a Chesterfield... Here's Jamie from DJ Acucrack and Acumen Nation....

Jamie: HELLO!

Kim: What have you been doing Jamie?

Jamie: I just got back from touring with C-Tec, I was doing sound and lights for them, and DJ Acucrack was opening. We did that for a month. It was Great! It was Exellent! We all had fun...just happy to be here and help out the team...that is the politically correct thing to say right?

Chris: Right, right, that'll do.

Kim: That was Jamie...[holds mic to Jamie...]

Jamie: Duffy...

Kim: That's right, Jamie Duffy from DJ Acucrack and Acumen Nation....on Slip Disc and Lost In Bass, or just Lost In Base and Conscience Records....

Jamie:...and Iron Lung Corporation, which is on Reconstriction...

Kim: You GO Chase!

Jamie: I have another band...

Chris: Yeah...you only have...what FIVE?

Jamie: We are at three steady ones now....

Chris: Gotta get one for each day of the week....

Jamie: Well...we can do that....

Chris: And then have Saturday and Sunday for doing your own stuff...your solo project?!?

Jamie: Well, that's already on the back burner....

[laughs all around....]

Kim: Yeah, what would you do on your day off, if you had one, Jamie?

Jamie: I would play Sony Playstation...[laughs]...aiming for an endorsement now... SONY PLAYSTATION ROCKS! Thank you. Give me free games...

[Laughs...]

Kim: Yes and his address is....

[More laughs and chuckles in the room...]

Kim: Where did you get the name Sister Machine Gun?
[In a silly voice as if not to get an answer....]
I HAD to ask you that...no, let's dispell the rumours here, was it Skinny Puppy lyrics or what?!?

Chris: NO, my sister is in the army...

Kim: You're sister is in the Army?

Chris: ...and she fired a machine gun, so there you go...

Kim: And when did this happen? Years ago or?

Jamie: Actually, Skinny Puppy got the lyrics from Sister Machine Gun, right?

Chris: Right...

Kim: [Looks at Chris]...Is that true?

Chris: No..

Kim: It's not true..he lied...folks forget it...

[Jamie laughs]

Chris: Well...it started wayyy back, what, '63...'64 or something '64 right...

[looks at Jamie...]

Jamie: Yup...

Chris: Jim Marcus, uhm...no...[laughs]...

Kim: You weren't even alive then, were you?

Chris: I don't have a good answer for that...[referring to the name of Sister Machine Gun].

Jamie: It's, uhm...transcribed from ancient sanscrit hieroglyphics, actually...

Chris: Correct.

Adrian: Speaking of Hieroglyphics, there was one CD, you got with those little...what are those...

CHris: It's Russian...

Adrian: Russian?!?

Kim: What CD?

Chris: Torture Technique.

Adrian: By the way, it kind of explains it on the cover, there is a little bit about it...I noticed...you mentioned that you had dropped all your tapes and things like that, and you added a saxophone, so..where is this going?

Chris: I'll tell you when I get there.

Adrian: Ahhh...come on..no insider stuff?

Chris: I don''t have any information to give you, I don't know...I mean, I'll know when I get there, you know, that's the way music is...I don't have any big plans for it. I was actually thinking of sampling a Police song and rapping over it, because that is the sure sign of success.

Jamie: That...That is a brillian, very unique idea...

Chris: Kafkaesque idea, anyway...

Kim: ...Ok, hang on, Jamie, I know a band that really wants to play with Acumen Nation, when they go on tour in the fall with their new CD...their new CD is coming out in a couple weeks...Luxt off 21st Circuitry...

Jamie: OH! Luxt...uhmm...

Kim: Anna and Erie [Luxt] wanna tour with you, or play a few gigs with you, they asked me to find out if you guys would do it or not...

Jamie: Well, Luxt...our bass player Greg just did a remix for Luxt...and, that's coming out soon...I had nothing to do with that, Jason had nothing to do with that, but Greg did it, with the guys from Maintenance Of Order, and that'll be out soon...but, to be honest, I haven't heard much of Luxt stuff, but...I hear that one of the guys from Failure played guitar on their CD, so that's a bonus, that's a plus...

[laughs]

Adrian: If you ever get a chance to see them live, they are much better than that...

Jamie: Luxt?

Kim: Yes, they toured with Scar Tissue last summer...

Jamie: Scar Tissue....[I] like them....Steve is a friend of mine.

Kim: Like them a lot, yuuup...very good band, oohooh...

Jamie: We did sound for them for a little bit, and that kind of thing...

Kim: Yeah, Steve is way cool, so is Phil [Scar Tissue] ...anybody else you'd like to tour with?

Jamie: Seven Dust...uhm...it would be Acumen Nation.
We'd like to get Acumen Nation out with Deftones, sure, why not, and Tool, what, if we are gonna shoot big...

Kim: How about Pantera...

Jamie: Yeah...exactly [laughs]...Don't know what the future has in store for Acumen Nation...kind of waiting, see if we can get a tour opening for someone else...because, we have learned that headlining on our own doesn't really work that well...lately...

Chris: No...we've had the same problem...live music isn't drawing the way it used to...especially Industrial music, that's why I don't call myself Industrial anymore, because that is a Death Nail for ticket sales...

Adrian: How would you describe your music then?

Chris: I don't say anything...

Jamie: Oh, it's kind of like electronic rock 'n roll, I think is a fair way...

Chris: Aggro-Pop...

Jamie: Aggro-Pop is good...

Chris: I coined that term, I own the copyright, if you use it, you gotta pay me...Aggro-Pop is what we are...

Kim: Does that mean we have to "bleep" that out of this interview? [laughs]
Ok, I have another question, are you familiar with MP3 format of  music on the internet? How do you feel about people encoding [your] music on MP3 and spreading it around the world on the internet, for people to burn on their own CDs?

Chris: As long as I get royalties for it, I couldn't care less.

Kim: You won't get royalties for it, it's like bootleg stuff...

Chris: Well then, it's illegal...

Kim: So you don't approve of it?

Chris: Of course not, I am a professional musician, this is how I make my money.

Kim: Jamie, How about you?

Jamie: I'm gona say, we barely see any money from what we do as it is, so any person who's sitting there, like taking more money away from us, I will personally drive my fucking car to their place, and hunt them down, and...do something bad...No, it's just that if any of these people -- who are doing this -- were making music, and someone else did it to them, they wouldn't appreciate it, so why do it to other people?

Chris: Yeah...and the people who are loudest about that are super chumbo-wumba, anarchist, bullshit people, you know,...and, it's like...

Jamie: And they put out something that says: "Here's how to steal our record."

Chris: My sole source of income that I support my wife from is royalties...and, as with any carpenter or mechanics royalties, these are how I make my living...and, it would irk me that someone would choose to distribute...It's like, if I made cars, and someone came into the lot, and took them, and said, "these are free"... or anything like that...any product...it belongs to the person who's made it, until that person has paid for it...music is no different.

Kim: I agree...

Chris: You know, our copyright laws in our country [usa] are quite good...I am very happy to be a member of ASCAP, I get paid for my work, and...I think, 'til they work it out, I think it is bullshit, this is how we make our living.

Kim: So, you know it's going on, people are burning whole CDs down to their computer off the internet that other people uploaded...

Jamie: Unless the band authorizes that...people should not be doing that, I mean, if people wanna care more about their music than staying alive, and putting food on their plate, go ahead...

Chris: Yeah, but then that's their opton, here's your MP3's, have fun, they are on my webpage, I put very ample chunks of music in CD quality on my web page -- I don't put the whole song [up] for that reason -- but people know, and they can download it, and know enough about the song to not be making a blind decision with the record -- that way, I don't want someone to spend $15 on a CD and not like it...

Kim: Right...

Chris: I give them the opportunity to find out if they are gonna like it or not...but...

Kim: Yeah, that's real fair...

Chris: Yeah, but...it's a whole different ball of wax to just... other people giving away my music...

Jamie: The only way I'd put a whole song on the internet is if it is a really low sample rate in mono or something...

Chris: Right...well, now, see, I put a whole song CD-quality up a couple of times, because TVT wouldn't release 'em...they were like: this song is not...proper for you, we're not gonna put it on your record...so I'm like, well, OK, watch this.  I'll put it on my web page. They get mad, but what are they gonna do you know...

Adrian: Is there any place we can still get a copy of those?

Chris: Uhm...You know, you had to have been there and done that, when the opportunity presented itself... we generally do a couple a year and then we send a letter to our e-mailing list, which is 8000 people, so they know. Anyone that get's that mail will know that they are up [online] there,  that is my gift to them for being fans, and they are welcome to it, they can do whatever they want with it. I gave it away, and then, at that point, it's alright.

Jamie: It's like live shows, that's been taped live...

Chris: Oh yeah, of course, live bootlegs, go right ahead...the people who were in the audience are welcome to it, and can do whatever they want with it...

Kim: OH! That's good, 'cause I booted a couple of songs tonight [Laughs]..no, no, no, just kidding...

Chris: I dont' mind... I'd be like The Dead, set up an area...I mean, that's a whole different thing. The record, the album, I make each one...you know, and we put a lot of work into it, it's a lot of work to make a whole record...and get it all flowing right...and, it's not fair to the artist to divie it up like that.

Kim: Well I agree...are there other friends of yours in the music business who feel this way do you think?

Jamie: I think everyone pretty much does, unless they are... unless it is someone who's totally independent, and doesn't have a record label, and is not depending on their music to make a living... I am sure they don't care...but, once you enter the game so to speak, you know, once you're in the market, and you're deciding to do this for a living...every penny matters in a way, and not to be stingy, or... but it seriously does, and you don't need people taking that away from you...

Adrian: So, do things like real audio concerts and that...

Chris: That's totally different...Real Audio...you can't even fucking listen to that shit, so, then it's crap...half the time it doesn't even work, you know....If I had a buck for every time my Real Audio player has crashed...it's like -- whatever...or crashed my whole system...but more power to them, that's a whole different ball of wax, you can't even listen to that twice without getting mad, it's not like there is a quality issue, and when there is not a quality issue, there is no issue.

Adrian: So, we're cutting the Real Audio sponsorship also.

Jamie: There's this guy in Chicago, he's got this place called The Lab ...they have bands like local Chicago bands play there....Lab Report...

Chris: That actually brings up an interesting point, it gives bands that -- especially in Chicago -- that would never see the light of day in another city...the opportunity to spread themselves all over the world, if people just look at it, and that's a whole different thing, it's another way to market yourself...or, what is that band that does the ISDN concerts?.... I wanna say Aphex Twin, but that's not right, it's a band like that though, but their concerts they give from their studio and if you wanna have them live, you set up a video screen...but that's a whole different ball of wax, that's purpose-built, for an absolute idea, whereas, just throwing MP3's out to the wind is, you know...

Jamie: See, that would be great, that's the best way to tour for an electronic thing, send out a video screen, and a PA, and send it over the phone lines, and then you can play at home [laughs]...

Chris: And then you have much more control over the....with electronic music in particular, it's hard to do the same way twice, you know, and especially difficult on stage, because of the nature of technology.

Jamie: I think it all boils down to, if the artist that creates the music says that it is alright to do it [MP3's], then it's OK, but if people are going behind someone's back, and saying: "Here's my favourite band, and here is their whole new CD, and you can download it for free, then that is...you know... but if the band -- the people that create the music -- are fine with it then, it's a great way to spread your music around... Chris puts stuff on his web page, we put stuff on our web page, but usually just like a minute and a half of stuff, and people can hear it....and if you want to go out and buy it, then you can...

Chris: You can click on that CD Now button, it's all good, but there are definitly issues that need to be addressed before it becomes a viable way to distribute music.

Kim: OK, how about new releases, what's coming up for Sister Machine Gun again?

Chris: Nothing.

Kim: Nothing?

Chris: I'm just gonna sit at the home and write songs.

Kim: Ok, how about Acumen Nation or DJ Acucrack?

Jamie: Well, Acumen Nation has a new single with radio edits and remixes that'll be available through Conscience Records -- distributed by Never Records and Cargo, which is coming out soon...we also have DJ Acucrack full-length through Slipdisc, Lost In Bass, and for those of you who don't know, Lost In Bass is the DJ Acucrack electronic label, which is through Slipdisc, our first release is DJ Acucrack, we have a single out already...full-length comes out in April, distributed by Mercury/Polygram. Looking forward to that, that'll be fun, and just writing, getting ready to work on a new Acumen Nation record, and see what happens.

Adrian: Back to the MP3's for a minute....do you think it is a problem with...the format, or the people who are doing it, I mean, do you have a problem with people doing it for their own records, so they can get a 500 CD collection...?

Chris: I have a 9.1 gigabyte hard drive, which is the biggst you can buy, you can hold about ...a whole compact disc, 37 minutes gives you a 130 Megs...that is fucking ridiculous, and your computer will get so completely slow having that much information, so you're not condensing anything. It's just a different way to hold the music, and besides the computer is such a shitty medium for delivering music in the first place, it was never designed to do it, it was designed to be a data base, yeah yeah, well whatever, with that -- the company isn't around anymore, so it doesn't fucking matter...

Kim: Amiga...Commodore...

Chris: Actually they are starting to make clones... Commodore is now in existence again, yeah...

Kim: Gateway is a clone from Commodore?

Chris: So...the Atari ST series was also adapted at music, but for a different purpose... PC's and Mac's are not capable in my opinion, of having the simplicity that you have, when you take a CD, put it in your CD player, and press play...

Adrian: You notice he said "Mac" too!

Kim: Mac'ucrack!

Chris: Which I FUCKING hate! [Macs]

Kim: I hate 'em too they suck.

Chris: See, Im one of the few musicians who uses PC, so...I am a pariah in the scene....but no, I mean, here is my final theory...and then I have to actually go...

Kim: That's good, thanks.

Chris: And you can leave it at this....When you walk into a CD store, it is a reactive environment, you react to the advertizing, you react to what's playing over the PA, you react at the listening booths. To get a song off the internet is a proactive thing, you have to go search it out, download it, burn it to your CD, all of these things you have to do as opposed to just walking into a record store, hearing something you like and buying it, which is a very reactive spur of the moment thing, and that's how most music is sold, and when you have to make it so that you gotta hunt down the music, sales go through the floor, and as a result it is an unviable way to deliver music...the trouble when Bowie put out the "Telling Lies" single on his web page on MP3 -- he was like the first one to do that -- a European page for starters...hard to find, it wasn't easy to find at all, and then the download was 8.5 megs, you know who the fuck wants to sit there for an hour and a half watching that thing come, when I can walk to the store and buy it, until they make it a reactive issue, where when your thing pops up on netscape home page, and there's  something blaring at you instantly, without having to wait for it, 'cause I am gonna press stop, and go where I need to go, you know -- when that happens, or I can go to CD-Now, and there's music playing, and there's advertisements going, and I can get intrigued. Now you go to CD-Now you have to type in what you want to see, and they may suggest some other artist, but not really...so you have to know what you want, and a record store is not like that...and that's how records are sold, you know. I mean, especially smaller bands that noone would ever hear of otherwise, you are going to go in there, and you are going to see the endcaps [of the cds], or you are going to be listening at the listening booth, and you accidentally press 6 instead of 5, and you hear this record, "This isn't bad, what the fuck am I listening to?" -- and then you buy it, and when they make it so that the internet delivers you that kind of content on an instantaneous basis, then you'll see it being a viable form of music delivery.

Kim: Thanks a lot, thanks.

We all gathered up our things, said our goodbyes, and  left to go home.

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