Re: What got ya to where you are...

[J- <lobo27@boulder.quik.com>]

>        " I am curious about everyone involved in looping and their 
>influences. What
>
> brought you to where you are now? "

Funny, just today, I was telling my bandmate about this list, and said I 
really had
no idea what people's musical interests were, aside from Torn, Fripp and 
the few
things mentioned...   so, good question!

For me too, it was probably a record skipping that intrigued me way back 
when I was
in grade school.  (Probably some Zeppelin or Sabbath thing)  Somewhere 
during
gradeschool in the mid seventies I discovered John Cage at the local 
library.  It was
probably the main influence that took me into the realm of experimental 
music.  I got
into punk int he late seventies, like '79, and learned to search for music 
that was
far from the mainstream.  In the early eighties, SWANS and Butthole 
Surfurs had loops
that attracted me.  Shotrly thereafter, I learned about groups like Nurse 
with Wound,
Current 93, Sleep Chamber, Hafler Trio, Lustmord, Controlled Bleeding, 
Burroughs &
Gysin's tape cut ups and much, much more.  They all created sounds that 
went straight
into my mind, unlike most popular music.  (Classical and traditional jazz 
have always
done the same thing for me.  Well, in different ways.)

About 15 years ago I decided to try to create my own "soundtracks" and 
experimental
music.  Loops, whether looped in a "looping" device or sequenced, have 
always
intrigued me.  For me, they can be very mesmerizing, even if they are very 
harsh like
the works of Merzbow.  Loops play a good sized part for me in creating 
soundscapes.
My sounds progressed quite a bit since I ran in to my friend and 
guitarist, Tim, whom
I record with.  He came from a somewhat more trad background, (Rush, 
King's X, Torn
etc) but knew how to experiment.The primary comments from people who 
listen to our
recordings is.. "sounds like Fripp & Eno."  Wow!  Is my response to that.  
Kind of
funny since Tim knows of and likes Fripp & Crimson, but never really 
"studied" his
stuff. I have like Crimson,  Eno and the "No Pussyfooting" type 
collaborations, but
never really thought about trying to sound like them.  Nurse with Wound is 
my big
influence. (But I don't sound like that either.)  Tim also turned me onto 
David Torn,
and am forever in debt to that!  (Excellent music David!  Perhaps you and 
Tim should
play together! Or try teaming up with Steve Stapleton of NWW!)

Right now we (XERST) have been communicating with World Serpent to see if 
they have
any interest in taking us on.  3rd demo is in their hands, ther eis some 
level of
interest...so we'll see.  If not, there are still a multitude of 
experimental labels
out there to contact.  It would just be fun to get the stuff out there, 
and perhaps
make enough to keep putting out music and buying gear once in a while!  
(just an
enjoyable hobby I guess)

So them's the influences, what got me here, and where I'm going!  Thanks 
for asking,
and I sincerely thank everyone else that has responded.  It is fun to find 
out where
everyone else is coming from. (and thank you Kim for the list, even if I 
disagree at
times!)

Jim Sincock