JOHN FRUSCIANTE - THE (RE) BIRTH OF TRAGEDY
SKYSCRAPER-
IT SEEMS APPARENT IN THE BIOS FOR YOUR NEW ALBUMS THAT YOU'VE GOT YOUR OWN IDEAS ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY MAKES THIS MUSIC WORK AND WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
WOULD YOU CARE TO ELABORATE ON THOSE IDEAS A BIT?
JOHN-
WELL YOU KNOW , IT'S MUSIC.
IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER WHAT'S SAID ABOUT IT.
IT'S MUSIC THAT I DID , THAT I REALLY LOVE.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT ANYBODY SAYS OR WHAT I SAY ABOUT IT...I DON'T THINK IT ADDS ANYTHING TO IT.
(FRUSCIANTE GROWS INCREASINGLY MORE HOSTILE)
I'LL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS , BUT DO I THINK THE MUSIC HAS TO HAVE SOMETHING SAID ABOUT IT?
NO , THE MOST I CAN THINK ABOUT IT I WROTE IN THE BIO.
SKYSCRAPER-
THAT'S WHAT I MEANT , IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S SOMETHING THAT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF IN YOUR MIND
JOHN-
THE STUFF I WORTE IN THE BIO IS ABOUT THE PRODUCTION ASPECT OF IT , WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I'M USED TO IN MY LIFE.
AT THE SAME TIME , THERE'S LOTS OF GROUPS WHO GREW UP HAVING TOO - FOR INSTANCE MY FRIENDS IN THE MARS VOLTA , THEY USED TO BE IN AT THE DRIVE-IN , WHERE THEY USED TO HAVE TO MAKE A RECORD IN FIVE DAYS , YOU KNOW?
WHEREAS , I GREW UP MAKING RECORDS WITH MICHAEL BEINHORN , THEN WITH RICK RUBIN WHERE ALOT OF TIME AND MONEY WAS SPENT.
SO I HAD TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE RECORDS QUICKLY.
NOW THAT I DO THINGS THAT WAY , IT'S OPENED UP A WHOLE WORLD TO ME IN TERMS OF BEING AT ONE WITH MY DREAMS AND TO DECIDE TO DO A PROJECT AND JUST DO IT.
AT PREVIOUS POINTS IN MY LIFE , I'D TALK ABOUT DOING A PROJECT AND THEN NOTHING WOULD EVER HAPPEN ABOUT IT.
IT WAS JUST TALK.
NOW , I SAY I'M GOING TO MAKE A RECORD , AND I MAKE THE RECORD. THEN A MONTH LATER , I SAY I'M GOING TO MAKE ANOTHER RECORD AND I MAKE ANOTHER RECORD.
I FEEL LIKE I'M AT ONE WITH WHAT I WANT TO DO.
I'M GLAD THAT I TOOK THE PHILOSOPHY THAT THE ECONOMICS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF PLAYING THE MUSIC , AND THAT'S WHAT'S OPENED THIS UP TO DO AS MUCH MUSIC AS I HAVE.
THE ACCELERATION OF HOW MUCH BETTER EACH RECORD GETS , FROM MY PERSPECTIVE , IS SOMETHING THAT COULD ONLY BE GOTTEN FROM DOING A BUNCH OF RECORDINGS RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER.
IT'S A TIME I'LL ALWAYS BE PROUD OF.
SKYSCRAPER-
WAS IT YOUR GOAL TO HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF PRODUCTIVITY , OR WAS IT JUST BY CHANCE DOING ONETHING AFTER ANOTHER THAT IT ALL FELL IN LINE?
JOHN-
I HAD A 6 MONTH BREAK FROM THE RHCP AND I HAD ABOUT 70 SONGS THAT I WANTED TO RECORD .
SO I SAID , 'I'M GOING TO RECORD AS MANY OF THESE SONGS AS I CAN IN THIS TIME.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY I RECORDED , BUT I DID A DECENT PORTION OF THEM.
I DON'T GET A 6 MONTH BREAK VERY OFTEN.
ONE THE RHCP START WORKING TOGETHER AGAIN , I WON'T GET MUCH TIME TO SPEND.
NOW THAT I CAN MAKE A RECORD THAT QUICKLEY , I CAN TAKE A WEEKEND AND RECORD A FEW SONGS HERE AND THERE.
SKYSCRAPER -
THE THING THAT STRIKES ME ABOUT YOUR PLAYING AND SINGING IS THAT YOU SEEM SO ADAPTABLE AND A QUICK LEARNER.
FROM ONE RECORD TO THE NEXT , THERES THIS VERY APPARENT GROWTH IN VARIOUS AREAS THAT YOU SEEM TO FOCUS UPON.
FOR INSTANCE , I'VE NOTICED HOW MUCH YOUR SINGING HAS PROGRESSED SINCE YOUR FIRST SOLO RECORD UP TO NOW , THE GREAT CONTROL THAT YOU HAVE OF HARMONY AND LEAD VOCALS , NOT TO MENTION THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR GUITAR STYLE.
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WITH EACH RECORD YOU LOOK BACK AND TRY TO DO BETTER?
JOHN-
IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT I TRY TO GET BETTER.
IF I'VE ALREADY DONE SOMETHING , IT'S NOT THAT EXCITING TO CONTINUE WITH THE SAME CONCEPT.
FOR ME , IT'S IMPORTANT TO GO SOMEWHERE THAT I HAVE'NT GONE BEFORE.
IF I PLAY A CERTAIN STYLE ON ONE ALBUM , I WANT TO SOEMTHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ON THE NEXT ONE.
IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING AN ARTIST CAN DO - TO TURN THE CORNER ABRUPTLY AND DO SOMETHING THAT'S NOT LINEAR , LIKE ANY NORMAL PERSON WOULD DO.
SKYSCRAPER -
WAS YOUR GOAL TO PLAY WITH A MIXED BATCH OF MUSICIANS ON THESE RECORDINGS?
JOHN-
UM...NO , NOT REALLY.
IT'S MOSTLY ME AND MY FRIEND JOSH ON THE RECORDS.
JOE LALLY PLAYED ON ONE AND MY FRIEND OMAR PLAYS SOME GUITAR SOLOS ON A COUPLE OF THE RECORDS.
SKYSCRAPER-
ARE YOU TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM OVERDUBS AND ADDING IN THE LAYERS?
JOHN-
NO,NO,NO.... THAT WAS JUST ON THE WILL TO DEATH.
AND , STILL ON THAT , THERE WERE ALOT OF OVERDUBS TO THE BASICTRACKS.
ON THE ATAXIA RECORD , THE MUSIC AND VOCALS WERE DONE LIVE, BUT I DID A LOT OF OVERDUBS TREATING THE TRACKS - LIKE RUNNING THE DRUMS THROUGH THE SYNTH , DOING LITTLE SYNTH OVERDUBS , THINGS LIKE THAT.
THERE WAS'NT ALOT OF SPACE ON SHADOWS COLLIDE , IT WAS REALLY PRODUCED AND HAD THINGS GOING ON ALL THE TIME.
FOR THE WILL TO DEATH , I WAS LISTENING TO THE 3RD VELVET UNDERGROUND ALBUM ALOT , AS WELL AS TO BBC SESSIONS AND DEMOS OF OTHER BANDS THAT WOULD DO THAT HAD A REALLY STRIPPED - DOWN SOUND.
I WAS REALLY ATTRACTED TO THAT KIND OF SOUND.
SKYSCRAPER -
THERE SEEMS TO BE AN EVOLUTION THROUGH ALL THE RECORDS , FROM YOUR FIRST SOLO ALBUM TO "TRWFOTD" AND ONWARD , THERE SEEMED TO BE AN ESCALATION OF PRODUTION VALUES.
BUT THEN , WITH THE NEWER RELEASES , YOU WERE STEPPING BACK FROM THAT.
JOHN-
YEAH , IT'LL BE MORE INTERESTING IF I DO SOMETHING MORE PRODUCED.
I MEAN , "APITHOS" IS SOMEWHAT MORE PRODUCED... IT HAS A LOT MORE ELECTRONICS , BUT IT'S RECORDED IN A MUCH MORE RAW WAY.
IT'S MUCH MORE ALIVE AND LIVE PERFORMMANCES THAN IT IS REALLY PRODUCED.
WHEN THINGS ARE REALLY PRODUCED IT'S LOOKED AT FROM ALL ANGLES:
HOW ARE PEOPLE GOING OT HEAR THIS?
HOW AM I GOING TO GO ABOUT GETTING THIS SOUND?
ET CETERA , IF I DO A REAL PRODUCED RECORD , NOW WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF LAYERING , IT WILL STILL HAVE THE RAW PRODUTION.
IF I GO IN THAT DIRECTION AGAIN M IT WON'T BE AT THE EXPENCE OF FLAWS.
SKYSCRAPER-
THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT YOUR RECORDINGS - BEING ABLE TO HEAR THOSE LITTLE GLITCHES.
EVEN ON rhcp ALBUMS , IT SEEMS LIKE YOU BRING A SENCE OF SPONTANEITY TO THE MUSIC.
THERE ARE OFTEN THESE LITTLE BEAUTIFUL ACCIDENTS THAT GIVE THE SONGS MUCH MORE CHARACTER,
JOHN-
YEAH , I AGREE
I THINK I LOST SIGHT OF THAT FOR AWHILE AROUND THE TIME I DID SHADOWS.
IT'S ALWAYS A BUMMER WHEN THE MUSICIANS GET MORE AND MORE PERFECT AND THEY LOSE ALL THEIR SOUL AND SHIT (LAUGHS)....
I REALIZE THAT I STARTED TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION AND NOW I'VE TAKEN A COMPLETELY BACKWARD APPROACH TO AVOID IT.
SKYSCRAPER -
THERE'S A SOLO ON THE ATAXIA RECORD THAT JUST GLITCHES UP A LITTLE BIT AT THE END AND IT REALLY MAKES IT ALL SOUND SO PERFECT.
IT MUST BE RELIEVING TO DO WHATEVER KING OF GUITAR PART YOU WANT , BECAUSE I'M SURE YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH MORE RIGID TECHNIQUES FOR THE RHCP STUFF.
JOHN-
NOT REALLY IN TERMS OF MUSIC , IT'S MORE LIKE ALOT OF CARE GOES INTO PERFECTING THE DRUMS BEFOREHAND , AND PERFECTING THE VOCALS BECAUSE ALOT OF TIMES ANTHONY IS STILL WRITING LYRICS WHILE WERE RECORDING.
THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT RICK RUBIN IS REALLY PUTTING THE DRUMS UNDER A MICROSCOPE TO GET THE PERFECT GROOVE , AND WE HAVE TO DO 4 OR 5 TAKES, OR SOMETIMES WE JUST MOVE ON TO SOMETHING ELSE.
FOR JOSH AND I THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN.
THEY'RE SONGS FIRST AND FOREMOST , THEY'RE NOT GROOVES , YOU KNOW?
IF A SONG IS A GOOD SONG , IT CAN WITHSTAND THE TEMPO SPEEDING UP IN A PART , OR WHATEVER.
IT'S MORE ABOUT GETTING THE SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE IN A ROOM WHO LOVE PLAYING TOGETHER.
AS LONG AS THATS THERE , I'M ALWAYS GOING TO BE HAPPY WITH THE PLAYBACK.
WITH THE RHCP THERE'S ALWAYS THIS CONCIDERATION , LIKE , "IS THIS THE GROOVE THAT 10 MILLION PEOPLE ARE GOING TO ROCK OUT TO IN THERE CAR. (LAUGHS)
YOU KNOW , IT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT CRITERIA.
I'M HAPPY TO BE INVOLVED IN BOTH OF THOSE THINGS.
SKYSCRAPER -
YOUR LYRICS ARE REALLY CONFESSIONAL.
THEY TEND TO BE FOCUSED ON YOUR PERSONAL LIFE.
AND , I THINK THAT IT FITS WELL TO THE TYPE OF MUSIC AND RECORDING THAT YOU DO.
IT'S VERY INTIMATE.
JOHN -
THATS SORT OF THE FUNCTION THAT MUSCI PLAYS IN MY LIFE.
I MIGHT GO A LONG PERIOD OF MY LIFE WITHOUT BEING AROUND A GIRL , BUT IF I CAN BE LISTENING TO ROOBERTA FLACK OR SANDY DENNY OR ALL THE WONDERFUL WOMEN SINGERS THAT THERE ARE WHO SOOTHE ME , I FEEL LIKE I'M WITH A WOMEN.
IF I LISTEN TO SONGWRITERS WHO REALLY TOUCH ME LIKE PETER HAMMILL, LOU REED , OR CAT STEVENS , OR WHOEVER , EVEN IF I HAVE;NT SEEN MY BEST FRIEND IN 2 MONTHS , I FEEL LIKE I HAVE MY BEST FRIEND IN MY LIFE.MUSIC HAS ALWAYS CARRIED ME THROUGH TIMES OF LONELINESS.
SO WHEN I MAKE MUSIC , I LIKE IT TO MAKE PEOPLE WHO LISTEN TO IT TO FEEL LIKE PERSONAL TO THEM , RATHER THEN TRYING TO BE ALIKE A GOD UP ON A PEDESTAL.
IT PULLS ME IN WHEN SOMEONE SHOWS YOU THE MOST FRAGILE PART OF THEIR CHARACTER.
SKYSCRAPER-
WELL , IT SEEMS LIKE IF ONE WERE TRYING TO READ INTO YOUR LYRICS , THERES THIS SENCE OF REMORSE AND LOSS... I THINK PEOPLE
LOOK FOR CLUES IN YOUR LYRICS , BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH QUITE ALOT IN YOUR LIFE.
JOHN- (IN CLOSING)
YEAH , IT DEFINITELY CHANGE ME IMMENSELY.
IT WAS A REAL TRIP JOINING MY FAVORITE BAND WHEN I WAS 18 , YOU KNOW?
BUT THERE'S SO MUCH... LIKE , WHAT CAN I SAY ABOUT 15 YEARS OF MY LIFE?
THE FOUNDATION OF WHO I AM AND WY I DO WHAT I DO LIES IN A BELIEF THAT THERES MORE TO WHAT'S GOING ON THEN WERE SEEING AROUND US.
THERES MORE THEN MEETS THE EYS.
IF I DID'NT HAVE THAT PHILOSPHY , I WOULD HAVE NEVER SWITCHED MY LIFESTYLE FROM BEING EXTREMELY SELF DESTRUCTIVE TO NOW BEING VERY HEALTHY AND CONSTRUCTIVE.
I'M EXTEMELY GRATEFUL FOR THE HELP THAT I HAVE FROM OTHER WORLDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I TRY TO PAY THAT BACK AND I TRY TO OPEN UP PEOPLES MINDS WHO WEREN'T ABLE TO GO AS FAR OFF THE DEEP END AS I WAS TO LEARN THE VALUABLE LSSONS I'VE HAD.
Post je objavljen 07.07.2005. u 11:47 sati.