Post by LukeyChukey on Mar 30, 2005 21:36:23 GMT -5
e.x.p.: Your latest release, Big Soup, has received a mixed bag of reactions from both old and new fans. How do you feel about the negative reactions?
L.V.: It all kind of amuses me in some way, even if they don't like it. There have been some reviews where they were like 'if you like Wagon Christ or Plug then don't get this cause it's boring.' And I think that's wicked. love that.
e.x.p.: Is that a compliment?
L.V.: Yeah! Definitely. Cause I know that it's a million billion samples put together. If you think it's boring, than that's great 'cause that means it must be flowing nicely. They're not thinking of it as little bits put together, but as this boring piece of music. I like it all really. I like bad reviews as much as good. As long as whenever it's in a magazine, I get off on it.
e.x.p.: Are you a Gundam fan?
L.V.: Huh? I haven't seen that one.
e.x.p.: It's on the cover of Big Soup.
L.V.: Yeah, it isn't anymore. I had to take it off. The new copies have got a different, made up robot on it.
e.x.p.: How do you feel about that? Do you like causing a stir?
L.V.: Uh, yeah. I mean, I'd rather not have problems. Ben Drury, the cover designer for Mo'Wax, is just the only person whom I let have complete control because I know he's brilliant. He used to go to art school just up the road from me back when I was a young boy. I just let him do whatever he wants to do. James Lavelle gave him this robot, and they just ripped that off and put it on the cover. There was this big conflict until [Ben] made a new robot.
e.x.p.: Now that you have success, and have an amount of money, which you could pretty much do what you wanted...
L.V.: Not quite...
e.x.p.: Really?
L.V.: Oh god yeah. I've got like £25,000 at the moment, and that's not much, which makes it rather hard. All my labels besides the American ones are really small, timid ones. So I didn't get any advance.
e.x.p.: Do you find it hard to break even with the things you're releasing?
L.V.: Oh no! I'm definitely profiting, but I don't get much. I get royalties in a couple years time, but I haven't had any advance for my releases. The Plug [on Nothing] was a one album deal. They wanted to do a five album deal, but I might never do another Plug album. It's like 'tough shit,' but I don't know what I'm going to be doing next year... So I never sign big deals, which is stupid really 'cause I could get tons more money if I did, but I just don't want it. I prefer to do things one album at a time.
e.x.p.: Then, if you did have the resources to do whatever you wanted, would music be the only thing you would be doing? Or would you take it in other directions?
L.V.: I think so. I'm sure I would buy a lot of stuff, like I would love to have a big studio filled with organs or harps and lush instruments...
e.x.p.: Are you interested in "retro" things?
L.V.: Oh yeah. Definitely! Old Moogs and... Definitely. Yeah. And real instruments as well. I'd love to have a Prince kind of studio thing. Record all the music for each track. He's my biggest influence really. I loved him for years. Yeah, I'm a "pop" boy.
e.x.p.: What other musical influences have you had?
L.V.: Eighties music... Frankie Goes to Hollywood... not much else really. I just liked a bunch of songs. There were loads of good songs when I was growing up.
e.x.p.: What do you see in the future?
L.V.: I never try. Whatever happens, happens. I know my stuff's going to change all the time. The next stuff is going to be different just becuase I bought a few new keyboards. Where as Big Soup was entirely samples. I had a DX-100 when I did that. The next album will be a lot more electronic. Apart from that, I never really know what's going to happen. I'm not sure about drum'n'bass. I haven't made a drum'n'bass track for ages. It doesn't really interest me anymore.
e.x.p.: So where do you think your next interest is?
L.V.: I don't know. Just whatever happens. Maybe soundtracks. Not the "Spawn" type shit... I'd rather do the score for a film. But I'm pretty sure that's not going to happen because of expectations... I'd probably have to release a bunch of ambient type shit so people can go 'Oh, he can do that kind of music.'
e.x.p.: Do you think we'll see another incarnation?
L.V.: No. I didn't even want to come up with three names. It was just a record label thing cause I was on different labels.
e.x.p.: So you would never have any desire to repeat what you were talking about with the Plug alias, so people wouldn't recognize it was you?
L.V.: No, I was just worried at that point cause drum'n'bass was a new thing, and none of my friends liked it at all. It was just stupid, sped up rave music. I was just a bit worried, and didn't want to alienate all the Wagon Christ fans. I didn't want to go under my own name for Mo'Wax either. But I thought that, at least, was better than making up another stupid name.
e.x.p.: Is there anyone you feel very proud of being associated with in the same breath?
L.V.: Aphex always. Squarepusher... just the people I usually associate with. I hear there are plans for your own imprint. The Virgin one is my own imprint. It's called Personal. Hopefully, if it goes well, I could release other peoples stuff on it.
e.x.p.: Do you have plans to release other peoples work?
L.V.: Not at the moment, but that's totally what I wanted to do. But probably not until a couple years time.
e.x.p.: Have you seen the web page dedicated to you? (Phat Luke Nightmare)
L.V.: Yeah, Richard showed me that.
e.x.p.: Are you pleased when people do things like that?
L.V.: Oh yeah, it's wicked.
e.x.p.: What are you most likely to sample when you sample?
L.V.: Mostly easy listening.
e.x.p.: Many people, once they get popular, or known in any capacity, use that as a platform to talk about things they're concerned with. Do you have anything like that?
L.V.: Legalize weed... Other than that, no.
e.x.p.: Marijuana... is it a big influence?
L.V.: Yeah! Oh god yeah! I love pot. It makes me work for 10 hours in a row totally happily on the computer, where as if I didn't have any, after a few hours, I would get pissed off and want to do something else.
e.x.p.: Has fame improved your sex life?
L.V.: Totally the opposite. I work so much that I don't have time for a serious relationship with a girl. It's been rough. I've had a lot less shagging in the past three years then ever. I used to hang out all the time, but once I got into computers and music, half of my sex drive went out.
e.x.p.: Do you think the two don't mix?
L.V.: For me they don’t, but Richard doesn't have a problem.
e.x.p.: What does e.x.p. stand for to you?
L.V.: European xylophone player.
e.x.p.: ...And the Drum'n'bass for Papa cover?
L.V.: That's my grandfather. It's sort of a papa thing. I thought it would be a nice touch.
end
Nice one.