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Last Edit/Update
03/29/98
An Evening With
Steve R. Watkins
&
Phillip Caldwell
Of
This chat was conducted on 14 December 1997 on IRC by various people and sponsored by Last
Sigh.
Steve's Nickname is TMOTD
(The Memory Of The Devices),
and changes to thedevice later in the chat.
Steve Watkins was at the keyboard.
Transcription by Kim Alexander.
Q denotes a question from a quest.
C denotes a comment by a quest.
Q: How was the IndustroRave?
<TMOTD> IndustroRave was great
C: we want you to come back to Chicago
<TMOTD> we tried some wierd new things
(reference to comment.)
<TMOTD> well.... umm... work it out
<TMOTD> tell the clubs
Q: coming to texas again anytime soon?...
<TMOTD> we're putting a moratorium on live shows for the next 6 months
C: ahh...
<TMOTD> we have soooo much recording/studio stuff to do before summer
Q: steve have you talked with erie or anna of luxt about touring again? i caught you in ohio and was really impressed with luxt.
<TMOTD> here's the current Luxt news:
<TMOTD> they're finishing recording their new stuff (which is much different than
past work of theirs)
<TMOTD> btw, the new Luxt song I heard is amazing.. almost like Dive meets Revco
<TMOTD> and they went back to playing to DAT
<TMOTD> and they want to tour again, but we both feel we'd like to tour with bigger
bands, separately
Q: steve- so you wouldnt tour with them again?
<TMOTD> not because i don't think they're cool to tour with, it's just that each
band is at that stage where we NEED to tour with bigger acts
Q: how could luxt NOT want to tour with you, Steve i mean, they don't come
much bigger than Scar Tissue
<TMOTD> the all-live show was just too cumbersome
<TMOTD> hmph
Q: who do you want to tour with...since your talking about bigger bands....name a few
Q: anyone you have in mind?
<TMOTD> like we'd love to tour with Numb, Dive, test Dept, those level of bands
Q: what are you trying to achieve in your music? what themes are you trying to
explore if any?
<TMOTD> i hate those kinda questions... we have no agenda, no themes...
C: well you suck. <grin>
C: hah...
<TMOTD> we just load up on coffee and start twisting
knobs on our equipment
<TMOTD> its funny, people sometimes get really disillusioned when we tell them
there's no "message" in the music
C: i find no message hard to believe...
<TMOTD> well, you can find your OWN message
Q: I only like euro pop... should I listen to your music?
<TMOTD> yes... our music is like a refreshing mint.
Q: Mr Watkins: Fargo or The English Patient? Which was more deserving of the Best Picture
Oscar?
<TMOTD> FARGO
Q: steve have i ever told you how incredible gobstopper and
tehran is?
<TMOTD> no, and thanks!
Q: When are you going to Denmark ?
<TMOTD> when someone pays for us to come
<TMOTD> Phil is here too, btw
[Editor's Note: Phil is Steve's reference to the other half of Scar Tissue: Phillip Caldwell]
Q: who do you listen to....and/if did any bands influence your music
<TMOTD> umm... there are some band links on our website... mainly we just do our own thingy
Q: steve/or phil have you heard of God's Girlriend the band with a transgendered frontperson?
<TMOTD> yeah.. seen the band a few times here in SF
<TMOTD> really cool music
<TMOTD> scary person
C: steve: hellz yeah. we are scared at the station to open up the cd when it first came in
Q: What so you listen to in your free time?
<TMOTD> I have no free time
<TMOTD> though zoviet france is playing now
<TMOTD> I honestly mostly listen to the radio
(AM talk) or ambient stuff
<TMOTD> Tom Leykis is really cool ambient radio...
Q: steve: do you want me to spoil the ending for scream2?
<TMOTD> .. yes!
<TMOTD> since I'll never see it
C: hehehehehe
<TMOTD> LOL
[Editor's Note: LOL=Laughs Out Loud]
Q: so will that influence future directions of sound for you? (the ambient thing)
*** thedevice (devices (at) 205.138.246.58) has joined
#liveonline
[Editor's Note: This is where TMOTD was ping timed out and re-entered the chat as:
thedevice]
*** TMOTD has quit IRC (Ping timeout for TMOTD[205.138.246.29])
<thedevice> soooooo...
<thedevice> that sucked
<thedevice> my connection was dropped
C: steve we thought we killed you.. thank the maker
<thedevice> oh look.. now I'm thedevice
<thedevice> lame i mean
Q: who would you most like to work with?
<thedevice> work with... um... peter gabriel
Q: what was the most fun you had on your tour with luxt? relative to music...
<thedevice> most fun... um.... eating really good food
Q: any side projects going on with you or Phil?
<thedevice> side projects up the poopy hole
<thedevice> we got this remix CD coming out in March
that we're frantically working on
<thedevice> and then Phil and I are also working on the Form/Alkaline project
Q: who is remixing whom?
<thedevice> it's other bands remixing us, us remixing some others, me remixing Phil, Phil's remixing me
Q: who are the bands remixing?
Q: can you name a few of the bands?
<thedevice> so far: Necrofix, SMP, 3D House of Beef, New Mind
<thedevice> also some unsigned bands: A-Pod, Railgun
Q: is 16 volt still together?
<thedevice> yup
<thedevice> they all moved to LA
Q: How about a device list?
<thedevice> device list: ASR-10 and a bunch of effects
Q: no sampler?...
Q: no drums?
<thedevice> ASR-10 IS a sampler you... you.. ahem.. nice fan
C: besides the asrten...
<thedevice> LOL.. the "Arse-10"
<thedevice> oh yeah.. Phil just picked up Pro Skill Enhancer ver 4.0
Q: any OOOOOOOTHER samplers you use?...
<thedevice> nope
<thedevice> oh yeah.. the old analog sampler
<thedevice> :-)
Q: would you be interested in doing one original track for a comp cd for last sigh ezine?
<thedevice> sure... how much would something like that pay?
C: it would pay off for you in promotion
<thedevice> ah.. well then!
<thedevice> we're there, man
Q: you seen this hanzel und gretyl? i dont know about their albums but they were quite impressive live.
<thedevice> I haven't seen or heard H&G but everyone says they rock
Q: what kind of schooling do you have? any formal instruction in music?
<thedevice> some piano lessons... Phil had classical
guitar training
<thedevice> I mainly learned drums from trying to copy Neil Pert (Rush) when I was
13
Q: any other musicians you would like to compose/play music with either in private or public?
<thedevice> in private? those chicks from Elastica, and the girls in Lush
C: heh
Q: is scar tissue moving in a specific direction?
Q: if so, what direction?
<thedevice> we're moving in MANY directions... the song we just did using samples from 3D House of Beef is one of the heaviest things yet
<thedevice> I really like working with music / sound
fragments from other artists, yes
<thedevice> no preferences though
Q: how would you classify your music? experimental? ambient?
Q: I heard your first album and I liked it but I
haven't got a chance nor the money to buy the second one. How different is the second
album from the first one?
<thedevice> 2nd album is MUCH darker
<thedevice> and we've done some really beautiful
ambient things too
<thedevice> also doing some more dark techno stuff too (see the upcoming Dark Techno
compilation)
<thedevice> that's about all I can say.. no vocals, lots of samples
<thedevice> some really cool tribal heavy songs too
C: dark = good
C: dark=very good
<thedevice> yup
<thedevice> some really cool tribal heavy songs too
C: no xtra mixes by anybody (16 volt did one in your first album )
<thedevice> when I do listen to music its dark ambient, atmospheric or hip hop or girl rock
C: thedevice: check out TUU
<thedevice> no extra remixes.. the CD is 70+ minutes as it is
Q: isnt scar tissue supposed to be on 7 pm pacific time?
<thedevice> well, it IS a little after 7
<thedevice> right?
Q: thedevice: are you in a pacific timezone?
<thedevice> yup
<thedevice> CA
Q: do you live there?
Q: so they should be on.. shouldnt they?
C: nuh uh...haha... refer to thedevice...
<thedevice> we ARE! [online]
<thedevice> i belive the correct term is "in da house"
Q: what do you enjoy doing outside of music?
Q: you're scar tissue?? [directed to thedevice]
<thedevice> outside of music... well, work takes up about 9 hours a day
<thedevice> so music, work, sex.. that's about it
C: thedevice is Steve of scar tissue yes.
C: and phil...
<thedevice> and Phil, but he went to go answer the door...
Q: what do u do for a living?
<thedevice> you know what a Headhunter is?
C: yuh huhhh haha...
<thedevice> well, I do the research for headhunters... finding the people for them to call
<thedevice> kinda like corporate spying
<thedevice> its fun, and it funds the music so I ain't complaining
C: hey as long as it funds the musik is kool
<thedevice> yup
<thedevice> ya know, speaking of funding music, Rhys Fulber said that he can't support himself on FLA alone..
<thedevice> now THAT'S disallusioning
C: they don't even sound like FLA anymore
C: their new cd sux
<thedevice> Decree injection is what they need
C: well after their newest single, FLA is gonna need real jobs cause I think their newest single kinda sucks
C: they need to remove the hockey stick from their asses and get down to business making good music like they did in the past....
<thedevice> maybe they used up all those ideas
C: Rhys was a vital part to FLA
C: maybe its the fact that like two people left
C: him and bill combined made wicked shit
<thedevice> well Decree kicked my ass when I heard it
TOPIC: Welcome to #liveonline live chat with Steve from Scar Tissue: 21st circuitry record artist.
<thedevice> I'm trying to think of some cool CDs I've bought recently...
<thedevice> OH!... Disjecta
<thedevice> its the guy from Seefeel
<thedevice> Mark Clifford
Q: so steve will you be coming back to minneapolis?
<thedevice> they have 2 CDs out.. awesome Dive-ish techno
<thedevice> if we tour this summer, yeah we'll be all over the place
Q: what did you think of ground zero?
Q: are going to be playing in ontario at all TD?
<thedevice> want to...
<thedevice> but again, its all about $$
C: yeah indeed it is
<thedevice> getting enough to cover costs is the big pain
<thedevice> and it costs $400 just to cross the border to PLAY in Canada
Q: thedevice: if somebody were to ask u to have like a private party at their house how much would that gig run for?
<thedevice> as long as expenses were paid for (PA, food, transportation, etc.) we'd probably do it for next to nothing
C: scar tissue is much better than Black Lung.
<thedevice> really?.. never heard BL but was told they were great
C: they are good......but a little different than scar tissue music
C: alot different.
C: I like the crunchy scar tissue sound better anyhow.
<thedevice> we just did the crunchiest song ever this eveining.... our remix for 3D House of Beef
<thedevice> crunch crunch crunch....
C: Come to Calgary alberta Canada.
C: You MUST come to Canada. Nobody comes here.
C: we miss bands..*cry*
<thedevice> awwww...
<thedevice> well, it costs $$ to play there
C: How much?
<thedevice> $400 to cross the border
C: you should hook up with Scott gibbons of Lilith and he is in: Orbitronic off World Domination.....
<thedevice> US dollars
<thedevice> have Scott's email?
<thedevice> web site?
C: yes. he is on Last Sigh under reviews.
C: Lilith review
C: all his data is there.
C: all his links and email
<thedevice> cool
<thedevice> what's his music like?
C: he might be going back to europe
C:he is on sub rosa for dark ambient. he is into using rebuilt synths to react to lasers......awesome
C: lilith is on sub rosa. orbitronic is on world domination
Q: so when are you going on tour?
<thedevice> MAYBE summer
<thedevice> and the wheels of our truck
C: thedevice, hey, you need to yell at the people at the club you played in in west palm beach, FL...i drove all the way up there all excited and then they made your show 18+ :(
<thedevice> it was supposed to be all ages?
<thedevice> damn... well we have little control over that ya know
<thedevice> did you at least stand outside and listen? :-)
C: heh i should have
C: try to make venues that are all ages so you can make more money and get more ppl into the shows
C: clubs can be so fickle about stuff like that...
<thedevice> thing is, bars sometimes can't seel amcoholl at all ages ahows, so they make less $$
C: thats true steve and it sucks
Sinnie would like to thank you all for showing up here tonight. and a big electronic THANKS to steve of Scar Tissue for being here.
<thedevice> aww thanks
<thedevice> LOL
<thedevice> we got an hour of new stuff in the can man..
[sinnie changes topic to "Scare Tissue Now!"]
<thedevice> excellent
<thedevice> wow
W changes topic to "Scar Tissue chat NOW eh
C: scar tissue is steve as thedevice
C: thedevice: send us all your choons in mp3's!
<thedevice> what the hell does that mean?
C: its a program
<thedevice> never used any computer based stuff
C: 303 emulation proggie
<thedevice> for music, that is
C: it means he wants you to send us all your songs in mp3 format
<thedevice> buy the CDs, man
Q: what do you use for synths?
<thedevice> no synths.. ASR-10 and some drum modules, many effects
Q: so do you guys have any unreleased material.. and i don't mean for a new album or anything..
<thedevice> well sure.. and it's unreleased cause it sucks
C: yeah but even if you think it sux im sure your fans would be interested in hearing it..maybe even just in mp3 format
<thedevice> nope... I know good music, and our unreleased stuff is unreleased for good reason
<thedevice> we DO have about an hour of new stuff that IS very good though
Q: how do you feel about ppl encoding music or entire cds on internet and others downloading them to tape for personal use? (encoding in MP3 format for inet piracy)
<thedevice> anything that gets the music into the hands of as many people as possible
C: if you dont want it released i cant very well twist your arm :)
<thedevice> fine with me
C: [MP3's] cheats you out of money
<thedevice> I'm not in this for the $$
<thedevice> obviously
Q: but doesnt that take the money OUT of the artist's pocket, as well as the label when ppl pirate music in mp3's?
C: underground artists make most of their money on merchandise
C: not cds
<thedevice> yup
Q: but....IF you had more money you could tour more often. maybe quit your other job...just make music?
C: artists dont get much of the money that you pay when you buy the cd
<thedevice> in fact, we made more $$ on our Newer Wave compilation track than on Separator
Q: you did a cover song on that right?
<thedevice> we did Destination Unknown, by Missing Persons
Q: Newer wave is on what label?
C: 21st Circuitry
Q: you ever heard of bill laswell or harold budd? if so, do you like their stuff?
<thedevice> I own some Bill Laswell... its interesting, but doesn't move me
<thedevice> never got any Harold Budd
Q: what about controlled bleeding or die form?
<thedevice> yeah, CB is "interesting" too
Q: not to be repetitive.. but if your on the underground scene have you heard any of Itchy Scratchy CHrists material..?
<thedevice> in that genre I like zoviet france, Hafler trio, early Severed heads
Q: do you like puppy?
C: YES. zFrance, hafler trio, very good....we have some of that here.
<thedevice> I really like this "classical" music composer named Lou Harrison.. really cool compositions
<thedevice> puppy rules, of course
<sin-tek2> what label he on? [Lou Harrison] and have you heard of the swarm/throne/storm of drones cds?
<thedevice> I have Swarm.. #3
<thedevice> he's on a bunch of labels... 20 releases... just look in the classical section
<thedevice> and I generally hate "classical" music
Q: yer a neo-classicalist then =p ?
<thedevice> yup
Q: how would you define your music? (not a genre, but in terms of your self, since it comes from you.)
<thedevice> well.. Phil came up with "surprise ambient" which I think is hilarious
Q: are their any real audio or similar samples of your work on the net... i've never heard any of your material
C: some music just defies a genre...
<thedevice> that's us.. defying shit all over da place
Q: steve: do you see any trend in electronic music going on? say for example: techno, or industrial, experiemental type things. any rumours in the band circle that any of it is dying or taking off ?
<thedevice> well... the only sure trend I see is that mainstream alterna-rock is embracing electro by throwing in break beats, synth loops, etc into guitar-oriented songs
<thedevice> like "Mouth" by Bush
<sin-tek2> have you heard new download III?
<thedevice> yeah.. ew
<thedevice> but [Cevin Key] he's smart.. he intentionally put himself smack in the middle of mainstream alterna shit and is now inserting electro / techno into it
<thedevice> brilliant
<thedevice> we NEED someone like thaht
C: I like Stanley Pain
<thedevice> haven't heard it
<thedevice> last I had was Charlies Family
Q: you heard about a festival in denmark called: Roskilde fest?
<thedevice> nope
C: there are over 90,000 ppl that attend. last year they had about 100 bands there each year in June....they have 10,000 ppl who work there.... it goes on for four days. they pay bands to go there.
<thedevice> wow.. hook me up, man!
Q: so what is your band actually labeled by the mainstream?
<thedevice> "unknown" ?
C: yahoo labels you as industrial/dance. i would be more inclined to call you soundscape
<thedevice> that's cool
C: scar tissue seems more experimental ambient ebmish stuff
<thedevice> SOME of our stuff is like that (esp. from TMOTD)
<thedevice> experimental, definitely
Q: so tmotd is the latest release?
Q: unless its too personal, what do you do at work other than music? (you dont have to answer that.) and what do you use for a computer system?
Q: im not sure if this is a stupid question but what does TMOTD stand for?
<thedevice> didn't I answer that work question? well... I do research for recruiters and companny HR depts.
Q: do you have any housepets?
<thedevice> I basically do the detective work of finding the people for headhunters to cal
<thedevice> 2 cats!
<thedevice> New Mew and Tad
C: the memory of the devices.
<thedevice> yup
<thedevice> it was too long to put on the CD spine
Q: what do you think of a cd comp put out by last sigh called: Device Logica vol. I
<thedevice> hmmm... can i sue?
<thedevice> LOL
<thedevice> darn
C: you can have my offspring. one does dishes. the other dirtys them
Q: have you ever listened to scorn?
C: scorn....you like harris?
<thedevice> oh yes
Q: so you said you had new material.. when might you plan on releasing a new album?
<thedevice> some on our remix CD EP in march, 3rd full-length due out in summer
Q: have you ever remixed anyone elses material for your own personal enjoyment?
<thedevice> yeah, I've done that
Q: so what is your contribution to the band?
<thedevice> well... most of the music
<thedevice> It's just me and Phil, and Phil does about 10% programming / sampling, 100% of the guitar
Q: what sorta drum machine do you use?
<thedevice> we dont.. we sample from a few modules (D4, DM5, kawai) into the ASR10
C: i wanna see steve jam with test dept live.........
<thedevice> YUM!!!!
<thedevice> I wanna I wanna I wanna
Q: you sample loops into the asr10?
<thedevice> loops, effected drum sounds, whatever
Q: you like boyd rice? [NON]
<thedevice> I dunno .. haven't heard him yet
<thedevice> who asked about the megaphone... yeah, we use a few
<thedevice> I just got a new one (exciting) that I can hook up the wireless mic to
<thedevice> the old one wouldn't...
<thedevice> wouldn't work with the wireless
Q: have you ever used one of those kids echo mics steve?
C: it makes some unique noise in conjuction with a reverb box
<thedevice> never used the echo mic
Q: i was reading in Culture Shock about your love of being compaired to different groups....is there anyone you think you sound similar too?
<thedevice> peter gabriel meets Dive meets... something else
Q: so did Karen only tour live with you or have you guys made any tracks with her?
<thedevice> Karen?
C: Karen Feder
<thedevice> she only did that one show in SF with us
Q: who is karen?
<thedevice> the hot babe playing sampler in some of the photos on our site
<thedevice> www.jps.net/devices
Q: did you see THX1138? did you like it?
<thedevice> what's that?
C: george lucas's first full lenght sci-fi film from 1971 ish.....
Q: secant? like sine & cosine?
C: clock dva/download sampled it heavily, as did NIN
<thedevice> yeah
C: liabach maybe too.
C: laibach too
Q: steve: you like doubting thomas?
C: was that the one where everyone had numbers instead of name?
<thedevice> I never got the album, just the CD single
<thedevice> love it
C: yes. all dressed in white
<thedevice> is Robert Duvall in that?
C: GET THE CD. it is so good....key just released an ep with all the single stuff and two new tracks....father dont cry ep with two new tracks
<thedevice> hey.. me and Phil are gonna go get some food..
<thedevice> hello from Phil
C: see you steve, will email this week.
C: toodles
<thedevice> cool
<thedevice> thanks fer setting this up again
C: sure. any time. thanks for showing up
<thedevice> poodles
<thedevice> later
thedevice [devices (at) 205.138.246.58] has quit IRC (Leaving)
