zheimeer – Adrian Zalewski
Polish artist
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biography
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Interview: 10 questions
1. When did you start making music, what is/was your motivation to do it?
I started making music when I was 14- 15; the only motivation was the conviction that I have to record a set of certain sounds in order to attain satisfaction and internal peace.
2. Tell me something about your living environment and the musical education.
I did not graduate from any musical school; the only preparation and kind of introduction to the world of music was the fact that my father showed me a few chords for the guitar when I was 14. Currently I am living in a small flat with my wife, my instruments and our teddy bears.
3.Is making music your profession? What is the context in which you practice music nowadays?
Making music is not my profession and it never was. First of all, I practice music because it is a need or even desire I cannot resist, it is just a necessity; I simply have to play and record my sounds; of course, I would like to find a record label which is interested in publishing my last album.
4.How do you compose or create music or sound? Have you certain principles, use certain styles etc?
I actually create music while recording it; I have some ideas at the back of my head but they are relatively vague; sometimes it seems that we found a wonderful musical solution, but then, after recording it, it turns out to be completely inappropriate; that is why I check all my ideas, I somehow ‘verify’ them how they work in practice, how they sound- that is the only criterion! I do not have any principles coming from outside of the world of sounds; as for styles, I perceive them as a factor which may constrain the musician’s imagination; of course, I am aware of the fact that there are different styles, and it is interesting to use certain elements of them, but always deliberately and in a creative way.
5. Tell me something about the instruments, technical equipment or tools you use?
I do not use virtual instruments, but it is not excluded that I will be doing this in the future; currently my instruments are: electric guitar and effects, hardware synthesizer Waldorf Blofeld, and a toy keyboard; I record everything on my wife’s laptop, as I am still saving money to buy my own one.
6. What are the chances of New Media for the music production in general and you personally?
New Media chances for the music production are immense, that is obvious I think; the world has become digitalized in the last 10 years, if we like it or not; the good point of it is that art-making is no longer exclusive, the disadvantage is that everything is dispersed within the infinity; the relevant example is youtube, where we can find such valuable things as Ligeti’s works right beside absolute crap done by nitwits from neighbourhood…
I still think in that old fashioned manner, and it is really hard for me to accept the overwhelming virtuality of the surrounding world… thanks to New Media I can spread my music through the Net, but I am still looking for a ‘hardware’ label to publish my album as a ‘hardware’ CD… well, maybe I should not…
7. How about producing and financing your musical productions?
I do all the production, but I’d rather someone else did it! It is not financed by anyone, I personally do not have money to hire specialists to do professional mastering.
8. Do you work individually as a musician/soundartist or in a group or collaborative? If you have experience in both, what is the difference, what do you prefer?
Nowadays I work individually as a soundartist, I prefer to work alone, to have everything under control; I used to collaborate with others, but now there is no time to continue it as we are all completely busy with our professional lives; playing with other people is interesting when it is connected with live improvisation, but the process of composing requires solitude.
9. Is there any group, composer, style or movement which has a lasting influence on making music?
There is a lot of artists I admire from totally different domains (contemporary music, free- jazz, folk, rock, classical music, new romantic, electronic music, etc.). I especially treasure people who were brave enough to break the rules and create something completely new (Messiaen, Lachenmann, Partch, Sun Ra, Coltrane, Branca, etc.) however, there is nobody who influences me directly…
10. What are your future plans or dreams as a soundartist or musician?
I do not have any specific future plans, I am going to start playing concerts this summer; my dream is to have my record officially published.
external links:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=441197174
http://www.last.fm/music/zheimeer
http://pl.youtube.com/user/uhj4