Gavin Hislop Interview
Chapter XXIV: Calibre
Justin Maller (ekud)
How did you originally get in to electronic music?
Gavin Hislop (babyshaker)
I have this utter dislike for the styles of electronic music that inhabit the airwaves (house, trance, techno etc…), and I knew there had to be something more out there, something a lot more diverse and compositionally interesting. I'm a huge fan of jazz of all kinds, and was led to this Jazz bassist called Tom Jenkinson (the almighty Squarepusher), when I first heard his music it was like hearing Miles Davis play the trumpet, or Al Di Meloa play guitar or Jaco Pastorius play bass for the very first time, I was like "how the hell is he doing that with a tool I've heard used so mundanely for so long?", it was such a fresh and interesting sound that I had to investigate it. Several years later, here I am. I have such a massive passion for music its allmost sickening, its all i do and all i live for. I spend roughly 6 hours a day (on a good day) playing and working on my guitar. and another 5 seuqncing music, fit that round a day at college where i study music and you get where im coming from.
Justin Maller (ekud)
Did any particular producer influence you or your style more than any other?
Gavin Hislop (babyshaker)
I cant pick just one producer, so I'm going to go dodge the bullet by answering it the way I want to - the three main artists that have influenced me the most are probably the three that have inspired the most amount of people to try and tackle the barbwire riddled assault course that is IDM production : Squarepusher, Aphex Twin and Venetian Snares, they might seem like buzzwords or even clichéd names to choose for a question like this but as far as I'm concerned they are the thee most intelligent minds in electronic music production to date (millions will disagree with many valid reason to, but this is only the opinion of one man). the thing is, people shuold realise im into almost every style of music, dosent matter how bizzare or diverse, i will listen to it.
Justin Maller (ekud)
Apart from producing music in your studio, do you do any live dj performances?
Gavin Hislop (babyshaker)
Yeah I play live, I'm still sorting out a good live set-up though, every time ive played vie used a different method! I have played some really successful nights though, and im in the process of organising a series of events with another producer buddy of mine called Architeq. I also play with my band "MuthaFunka" fairly regularly.
I think my favourite let set so far has to be when me and another friend of mine played in a bandstand in this little town fair event called "gig in the den" in a town called Kirriemuir here in Scotland, our audience was mostly made up of old folks and parents with there kids, so we took it upon ourselves to play some mental break beats (200bpm+) at them and generally piss them off a bit with some really bizzare sounds.
Justin Maller (ekud)
Do you play any traditional instruments? What training have you had?
Gavin Hislop (babyshaker)
Yeah ive been playing guitar and bass guitar for about 8 years now, I started off with a couple of private tutors but realised I was progressing a lot faster with my own study of the instrument. I now study Guitar as my first study instrument in college (I'm soon to finish my degree in music performance).
Justin Maller (ekud)
Is music production a career path for the 'shaker, or strictly a hobby?
Gavin Hislop (babyshaker)
I'd love to make a career out of it but I have no illusions of the difficulty of a producer of my type of music trying to make it in the world of music these days. I make and play music because of the buzz it gives me, and the reason that music literally keeps me alive. If I can get paid for it, then hells yeah. Im actually in the process of putting together a really nicley finished Demo for "Babyshaker". I also produce different styles of music under different names, Babyshaker is the Psuedo-name i take for the more crazy side of my music, i also produce, classical, sound scape, trip hop, jazz, eveything. DC has had a little taste of most of my styles.
Justin Maller (ekud)
If you could collaborate with any another musician, who would you work with? What kind of song would you hope to produce?
Gavin Hislop (babyshaker)
Frank Zappa, and god, I don't have a clue what that combination would give birth to. Something really perverse I'd wager, like a thee hour sample of me having a shower crossed with some kind of Gregorian monk-chant with Zappa soloing over the top screaming his last shopping list……………his being dead might hinder this a touch though..
Justin Maller (ekud)
What bizarre twist of fate led you to depthcore?
Gavin Hislop (babyshaker)
A very good friend of mine Joe Stearn actually showed me the site first, I then sent an e-mail to fake (Bart) to compliment him on his fine work and he basically got me an application. ( I was surprised at first because I didn't realise DC also covered music).
Justin Maller (ekud)
How do you feel your music intertwines with the visual component of the collective?
Gavin Hislop (babyshaker)
I think my music fits with depthCORE very well purely because of (what I understand) the ethos of depthCORE. Experimentation, Originality, Individuality, technical & Creative ability, and a massive desire to push boundaries and swim against the direction of normality.
Justin Maller (ekud)
Does any artist in particular spark your music? Do you feel that anyone really captures your audio style visually?
Gavin Hislop (babyshaker)
I think that depthcore in general sparks my imagination, i have to be honest for the longest time you guys were my main inspiration, the images here are fucking mind-boggling, I started trying to make versions of your images in musical format.
Justin Maller (ekud)
Where would you like to see dcmusic go?
Gavin Hislop (babyshaker)
Hopefully one day become an independent label.
Justin Maller (ekud)
Do you have any particular all time favourite piece of art from the thousands we've released?
Gavin Hislop (babyshaker)
Answer - Day-to-day - Fake - habbitat pack. ( or is it element? doh) God dammit, why do I only ever get to pick less than I can
actually choose from?!
1)Ares - Psicence
2)TLC - Fake
3)Let us destroy you - Ekud
Justin Maller (ekud)
If you could make everyone in the world listen to just one track, what would you play?
Gavin Hislop (babyshaker)
Aphex Twin - "Nannou" or "Go Spastic" by Squarepusher
Justin Maller (ekud)
In keeping with featured tradition, a couple of non artistic related questions: Name your three personal heroes?
Gavin Hislop (babyshaker)
I cant pick three. But at the moment Aaron Funk, Tom Jenkinson and who-ever pulled off that recent bank robbery here in Britain. They got some big balls.
Justin Maller (ekud)
Go out for a drink and karaoke with three people. Who are they, what are you all drinking, and what song are you singing?
Gavin Hislop (babyshaker)
Mahatma Ghandi, Mother Theresa and Florence Nightingale, were drinking French recipe Absinthe and singing anything by Arnold Schoeberg.
Justin Maller (ekud)
Any last shouts?
Gavin Hislop (babyshaker)
Architeq, Problem child, Permutation, Mellow-drum-attic,check these names
out on myspace.com, there all amazing unsigned artists.
one for DC and all its people here, your all doing a grand job, keep up the
hard work dudes.
and one for me.
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