Last Sigh: You are from Australia. Where are you residing now and what is the music scene like there for playing live or associating with other musicians who are interested in the same music as you are? Where would you suggest a visitor go to hear live music down there?

Porl: I am still residing in Adelaide [Australia], and I must say that the music scene here has suffered for quite a few years. The original music scene is starting to gain a little momentum, but only in certain areas.For example (shoe gazing kiddy bands " as well as " hate your Mum and Dad " types as well, which is really not what I am into. So people that are into the same music as I find it hard to find an outlet for performing live, but I am hoping for new musical climates in the future ? There's great pub here in Adelaide called the " Grace Emily " and it has been nurturing some good original talent here, so if anyones thinking of coming down under, check it out, as well as the fine Adelaide beer.

Last Sigh: You have quite a few releases out right now, and work with various people. Would you give us a brief background of your releases and who you have worked with and in what capacity?

Porl:I have now released 2 complete ambient albums " The Crooked made Straight " and " A Buoy Painted White ", as well as a solo piano EP called " Her Naked Name ". My first release was the " Romantic Pop " CD " October's Cruel Night " which went under the " Galas's Shadow " moniker. I have recorded 2 pop EP's with " Gone to Earth ".

Last Sigh: You are quite an accomplished composer. Your first love was bass guitar, then self-taught on piano. How has your training, both formal and self-taught furthered your interest in creating music in terms of diversity in sound and genre?

Porl: I think musical training has benefits and limitations, and if you can distinguish what you want and don't want out of the training, you are half way there. Myself personally, I found the training of benefit in terms of technique, but not in composition. My piano style is very simplistic as I have had no formal training, whereas my bass playing is more advanced because of the studying of the instrument. My interest in the genre of my music is purely from what I have discovered over the years, as well as an emotional connection to it. I don't anyone can dictate to you what you will like or not like. I am not a musical sheep as such ?

Last Sigh: What life situations, films, music or bands have inspired your music?

Porl: That's a big question for me to answer, but I must say that certain events in my life that were quite traumatic at the time, but have now become romantic or nostalgic to me have influenced my musical style. Bands...well...at first " The Beach Boys and Ace Frehley from KISS " were the ones who got me enthusiastic about music, but it wasn't until I heard artists such as " Japan, Gary Numan, Cabaret Voltaire, Jaco Pastorius, Not Drowning-Waving and Peter Gabriel " that I found my feet.

Last Sigh: Do you have a set means by which you compose? Do you think chance plays as large a part in composing as does a structured methodology?

Porl: I think everyone composes in different ways, but chance does play a definite role in my compositions. It can trigger off a mood, which will mutate into a undiscovered area, or it will be simply stated by an original idea or mood. My compositions abide by this method, or also by working on an idea, and developing that into the final piece.

Last Sigh: What is a typical day in the life of Porl Shaiman the composer?

Porl: Well....I get up early...around the crack of noon ( musicians are nocturnal by nature ), and I will start by listening to the previous nights work. I tend to leave things for a while and come back to them with fresh ears. I will generally practice bass guitar for a few hours ( technique mainly as well as playing along to CDs , and finishing with some improvisational ideas ) then back to the compositions for the rest of the day. Some days, idea's flow freely, other days....blank blank blank, so if it's not happening, I tend to do something unmusically related.

Last Sigh: If you could compose and record music with one musician of your choice, who would that be and why?

Porl: Probaby the hardest question to answer, because of the different styles I write in, but overall, it would be David Sylvian. He is one musician who I have admired the most in my carreer so far. He has such a unique style, and is not afraid to tell it like it is. There is darkness and light in life, and he writes from that perspective. Alot of musicians ignore one or the other, but Sylvian can compose both vocally and instrumentally in both, and I hope I can do the same in the future.

Last Sigh: Do you have any set philosophy behind your music? What is it and
why?

Porl: I compose music because I love creating a mood that is essentially me, so hopefully the philosophy behind it would be some sort of honesty.

Last Sigh: What is one of the most difficult aspects of being "self-published"?

Porl: I most difficult aspect of self publication is getting your work out into the world to people that love that genre of music. The music industry is not built in a very varied way, rather, it goes on the " road most travelled " philosophy, so alot of great music by great artists are left on that outer edge, trying to be heard. Not that I mind being on that edge, it would be nice to be able to promote your work to a larger audience, and that is where the internet has been a great benefit to musicians worldwide.

Last Sigh: Do you feel MP3 technology is more of a hinder or a help for today's musicians? How about for those who are independently released like yourself? How do you feel about Napster software and [music] copyright infringement on the Internet?

Porl: I haven't really looked into the MP3 debate, but I will say that there is self confessed " audiophile " writing this right now, and anything rare, unreleased, anything I don't have by an artist, I tend to look out for. A good example is a rare recording by someone who would never perform in Australia because they are simply not popular enough to travel here, and I happen to be a big admirer of their work, I will purchase these items, but have no fear, there is no Metallica in my collection. I'm such a small
fish that the MP3 sites probably don't know that I exist ?

Last Sigh: What can we expect from you in terms of future releases? Will  you be playing live in the future? If so, where and when, with whom?

Porl: Since our last communication, I have released a pop EP with a band called " Gone to Earth ", and we had a national hit with the single "Mildred's Modern Way ". We are currently in the mixing phase of the new EP, so that has been a great ride so far. I have spent the last few months on a film composition, which is due out in the early part of 2001. I am now working on a new solo CD which will be available later in the year. " Gone to Earth " will be touring during summer to promote the new EP, and we hope to get to Europe, North America and Canada later in the year.

Last Sigh: Thanks for taking the time to do an interview with us. We hope to hear more of your music in the future. Do you have any further comments?

Porl: would like to thank you for taking alot of time in developing and promoting artists on your site. May the muse of music " Castalia " reward you.

Porl Shaiman ( December 2000 )

Visit The Web pages of Porl Shaiman:
http://galas-shadow.purvision.com/
http://www.lastsigh.com/reviews99/shaiman_selectedworks.htm