Solo Goodspeed

Story

There is strangeness in beauty, and vice versa. Somewhere between crowd-pleasing popularity and breaking the rules outright, there's a place where we take chances on an open mind or two, and encourage the evolvement. It's a very safe place... just a little more interesting. When you've had your fill of the comfortingly familiar, by all means, feel free to take a detour into other possibilities. Don't be afraid - it's only music. All track production and performance by Solo unless otherwise noted.

Profile

Instruments

Genres

Influences

Equipment

Languages

What is music to you? What does it give you?

Music is the best way to decorate thoughts, and can explain them more clearly and powerfully than attempting verbal explanation. Overall, it makes reality much more satisfying.

What is your music dream?

Yes, most of my dreams have musical accompaniment. That's where many ideas come from.

If you could change the world - what would you start with?

I'd get out of its way so it could keep changing without my help (interference). I wish more people would do that.

Which is the most memorable song from your childhood?

Uranus The Magician, by Gustav Holst

Who are your favorite musical artists or bands?

Mike Keneally is so brilliant it's almost hard to take at first. I think he's the one I would single out who keeps me from missing Frank Zappa. Other than him, Ozric Tentacles seem to be my preferred dinner music. I find myself listening to Gong a lot when I'm working out at the gym. Also quite fond of Claypool/Lennon Delirium... wish they'd record more.

What inspires you to make music?

Imagining music of the future, or from other worlds — things that haven't been tried yet.

What is the message you want to send with your music?

Deprogram.

How do you feel when you perform in front of an audience?

I feel relieved that I don't have to dance.

How do you see the musicians’ reality nowadays? What could be improved?

I try to avoid seeing others' reality as much as possible. Many of the musicians I know live a very finite and restricted reality, and it is not of interest to me. How we maintain our reality is our own business.

What do you think of Drooble?

It's kinda cute. I really appreciate the emphasis on community interaction, which was how Soundcloud started out before they got all industry co-opted.

What frustrates you most as a musician?

I'm a musician with a day job that has nothing to do with music.... so I'm frustrated with time constraints and narrow-minded listeners.

Do you support your local scene as a fan? How?

I don't support "scenes". I support adventurous, original thinkers who refuse to be tethered to styles, scenes, and nostalgic sentiment. I show up at their performances, buy their recordings, and tell lots of other people about them whether they care or not.

What qualities should a musician nowadays have in order to get their music heard by a larger audience?

If a person wants to be really popular, they need to pander to the mediocre preferences of the majority. The majority of listeners don't seem to have very high standards; they care more about the performer's personality than what they have to offer creatively. So the most assuring qualities are: Youth, attractiveness, a well-crafted voice, fashionable outfits, corporate ambition, irresistible charm, and competent backup players if they themselves aren't instrumental virtuosos. Obviously I'm the wrong person to ask about this, because I'm not willing to do what it takes to be significantly popular. Caring what a lot of people like is not what drives me as an artist.

Share some awesome artists that we’ve never heard of.

Dogma Probe. Freshly Wrapped Candies. Elisabeth Waldo. Koenji Hyakkei. The United States Of America (yes, that was a band). Screaming Gypsy Bandits. SchizoBrainiac. 180Gs.