Interview - Andrew Weatherall in Paris: Part III

Interview - Andrew Weatherall in Paris: Part III

8 August, 2008 | 2.45AM

• Written by: Amanda Connon-Unda
• Filed under: Music News: andrew weatherall, two lone swordsmen

If anything can be known about Weatherall, his art, and perspective, it’s that he’s strictly in the camp of maintaining functionality in dance music, and a post-punk D.I.Y. ethos.

In fact he’s just written an article that celebrates 50 years of acid house.

His article was about the social impacts of this music, and he explained, “What acid house did was that it made people want to make their own music electronically.

“A whole generation of kids grew up into machine music, which fueled the rise of music software that we have today.

“That makes it even more DIY than punk.”

Weatherall’s article detailed the trajectory of DIY from pre-punk to post-punk electronic music.

He explained, “In the ‘50s there was a form of rock called Skiffle, and people built their own instruments with broom handles and a piece of string and stuff like that.

“There was a punk rock vibe to it – like ‘anyone can do it’ with only three chords.

“Then with the rise of music software, you don’t even have to play an instrument or know what a chord is.

“So that’s the punk rock and Skiffle ethic taken to its logical conclusion.”

“Now whether that’s a bad thing or a good thing, is to be decided.

“The fact that music is demystified and everyone can do it is a good thing.

“But the bad thing is that there is a hell of a lot of really bad music around because of it.

“But what are you supposed to do?

“Are you supposed to employ a Soviet art board, where you have to present your art to people and they decide whether it’s good or not?

“That’s what opened by eyes to electronic music was that ‘everyone can do it’.

“And that has been going on since the 50’s, with the birth of rock n’ roll – with people that couldn’t play instruments.

“You know the first time Johnny Cash went into the studio I think his guitarist had only three strings on his guitar and he could only play two chords.

“Now with the rise of Electronic music software it has taken it more DIY than that.

“You don’t even have to leave your house or the bedroom - it’s all on your computer.”

So what about quality control?

Where does electronic music go from this point of accessibility and over-saturation?

Weatherall says optimistically, “The cream always rises.”

“I think a lot of people get into electronic music because they want fame and money and other people get into it because they are totally driven, and are in love with the concept and they can’t do anything else.

“I think we’re at the stage where there are so many people treating music as a business, that they’ll realize they won’t make enough money and they’ll go on and do something else.

“And we’ll be left with the people that have it in their bones and they can’t do anything else.

“I fall into that category because I am not trying anything else other than music.

“I used to do manual labour, but I am a bit old now to do that.

“I think the business people are going to be weeded out and do something else, and the true musicians will carry on until they drop.”

Well for a non-career non-business man it can’t be denied that Weatherall has done more than well.

He has time in his studio whenever he can manage, he has a label working with him on all of his artistic endeavors including music and art, and he tours regularly.

He also has had his track called “Feathers” used in a Volkswagen commercial.

So, does he plan on more corporate music endeavors?

Weatherall says, “I am lucky to have a label that just deals with that for me.

“If people want to use my music, if it’s a good film or a good ad, then they can take it.

“The thought of sitting in a room with advertising executives telling me how my music should sound fills me with great fear and dread.

“I think I would end up going nuts if I had to do that.

“I haven’t got the discipline to work on something and make music purely to place it in a film or advert.

“I like the idea of that synchronicity where somebody somewhere out there has made a film and I’ve created my music totally separately.

“We didn’t know about each other or what we were each doing.

“Then our artwork – a piece of music with a film or advert - came together and it worked.

“I find that more interesting that sitting down and making a piece of music to go with something, tailor made.

“I find accidents more interesting than planned events.”

So, winding down the epic and ever-interesting interview in the hotel lobby, Weatherall gave me the goods about what’s next.

He said, “We have a lot of Two Lone Swordsmen remixes from the last album that are just sitting there that are really good, so there may be a remix album.

“I am booked up DJing now till November.

“Next weekend is going to be one of my favourite gigs – I’ll be DJing with Chuck Berry in England.

“After having DJed with Chuck Berry I could quite easily leave show business.

“My work here is done! It’s going to be my ultimate gig.

“So don’t be surprised if you hear that I have retired after that - you’ll know why.”

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