Mark Spybey probably needs no introduction at this point, as
he's become an extremely active participant in a number of musical collectives.
His primary "group", DEAD VOICES ON AIR, has released 4 albums, while
Spybey has also been involved extensively with DOWNLOAD, PROPELLER, SPASM, and
quite a few other collaborations with like minded musical artists and
filmmakers. The always intelligent and accessible Mr. Spybey was interviewed by
GODSEND's Todd Zachritz in February 1998.
GS - First, how did you first become interested in experimental and unconventional sound? What was it that first moved you into thinking "this is for me", musically...
Spybey - I became interested at an early age. Two friends and I graduated towards more "experimental" music, really because we had quite eclectic listening tastes and in the mid seventies, the "underground" was warmly represented by some very fine bands. It all seemed very accessible. Once I had scratched the surface it was easy to explore. We made odd little bits of music with a curious assortment of odds and ends, borrowed or stolen. I'm not sure that once I became interested, there was any other option but to become more deeply engrossed. All of this happened with no respect of genres. When punk happened in '77 we naturally started to listen to that because it always seemed to be right in the context of that time. Many, many interesting bands attached themselves to that movement. Many were more than cognisant of explorative music. I must say that "experimental" is a less than satisfactory term though. We always seem to use it apologetically. I don't know a better descriptive word but experimental conjures up images of scientists and I'm really unmoved by technically relevant music.
GS - Before joining up with Zoviet France, did you play in any more conventional bands?
Spybey - Many. Although there were long gaps between bands and only one, an "intelligent" pop band called The Euphoria Case had a hope of being successful. Until Zoviet France I was mainly a drummer, although I had some vocal experience and as I've alluded to, also do some more "experimental" music. I haven’t played the drums seriously for 12 years and have no intention of doing so.
GS - Was dvoa your first solo venture? Describe how the early days of dvoa (Abrader/Hafted Maul/New Words Machine) differ from that of today...besides of course the personnel changes.
Spybey - I would just sit at home and twiddle and record, quite comfortably. Usually between watching or listening to Hockey Games. I enjoyed it enough to start to jam with other people. Much of New Words Machine was recorded in a few days over Christmas in 1992. I've always started out by just picking up an instrument and finding a sound that I like. I " sketch" these to tape and multi-track. Until recently when mixing, I added no additional effects. It was very primitive and I really had no conscious control over the sounds. However, if you do something for long enough you naturally become more skilled. I'm fortunate to have managed to be able to maintain my interest and therefore my development. Not since the first three or four months of DVOA has any other "member" had a particularly active role in the "band." That's my fault entirely just can't share DVOA. I have recently decided that the only person who can understand this fully is my wife, who has literally sat through 5 years of DVOA, unconditionally supporting me. I have worked with other people and of course I'm grateful for their investment in my work. But DVOA is such a personal animal; it can't be comfortably shared.
GS - I notice that now, dvoa is a predominantly a collaborative project, with a revolving membership. Do you find this to be a refreshing change from just producing the sound yourself?
Spybey - Ironically (in the light of what I have just said..) I do actively seek collaborators but most of that work is confined to what you could call "solo projects." But DVOA is in sole ownership musically. I do have somewhat of an extended family that includes people like Eric Pounder, David Wright, James Plotkin, cEvin Key, Jim Coleman, Martin Atkins, Curse Mackey etc..people I'd be more than happy to incorporate into live concerts and projects. There is also Team DVOA and a group of people who meet on the DVOA IRC chat who are completely behind my work. I gain much support from these people actually. But..when my tape rolls, it's inevitably me, sat at home by myself, who is in complete control.
GS - With all the work that you do with dvoa and with other bands, is it safe to assume that you now focus on music exclusively, or do you still hold a full-time job outside dvoa?
Spybey - I still hold down a full time job. I have to admit as much as I love my work and feel committed to it; it is extremely difficult to juggle all of my activities successfully. I see no changes on the horizon. One of my day job colleagues said that she believes my work as a Therapist benefits from being a musician and I would like to believe that.
GS - With Invisible, you seem to have found a very open and supportive label, and subsequently, dvoa has collaborated with a number of other artists (Not Breathing, Pigface, Spasm, etc). Discuss your affiliations with Martin and the Invisible family...
Spybey - Well, I must say, my artistic freedom is absolute. I have never been told to change this or alter that..never. I'm not sure that many other musicians could say the same. Invisible takes huge risks all the time and whilst I might not agree with every ramification, I remain more than satisfied with our affiliation. A label like Invisible could not work without the support and work of its "artists." Most labels seem little more than large depositories, strung together with marketing clout and scotch tape. There are relationships at the core of this label that transcend personal agendas. If someone wants major label support, they should try and get signed to a major label! Once there they can expect whatever they like but basically, they get given whatever the label deems is right. Invisible remains small enough to be manageable but big enough to make waves. Creatively, the label encourages collaborations. The SPASM releases attest to that. Martin is very engaging and has literally never dented my enthusiasm nor denied me the opportunity to pass an observation or judgement. I can remember saying to him recently....." and you are going to hate me for saying this...... before launching into an opinion about a band that he was thinking of working with) and he just said, " No Mark, I'd hate myself If I you felt like you COULDN'T say those things to me..." The label has clearly etched out a niche for itself and continues to grow.
GS - Describe propeller and its aims and differences from your other projects...
Spybey - I started Propeller after I was asked to submit a 30-second piece for a CD-ROM. So instead of just doing an edit, I recorded a whole bunch of short pieces and 34 tracks later, with the assistance of Scratch Records released an album called RAME. I've just released a more conservative sophomore called ORO. I made a conscious decision to create short, compact tracks, with a sense of composition. So that they would actually stand up as individual pieces of music and not just soundscapes (a term I am not at all fond of). The intention is to encourage random play. I find Propeller to be quite disciplined really. I guess we really concentrated on the product, to the extent that the sleeves themselves became as important as the music. Every step was quite joyful. At no point in time did I feel the process to be out of my control. Yes, Propeller is an exercise in compositional restraint, focus and discipline. Not that this approach differs that much from anything else I do! I recall Keith Parry of Scratch saying to me. " I don't care how many of these things I sell." That comment, taken literally, did give me quite a bit of freedom to cock things up! I love accidents!
GS - On Download's "Furnace/Microscopic", it seemed you had a more prominent role, integrating your vocals and handmade sounds into their electronic frameworks. On "Eyes/Sidewinder", it seemed that your main contribution was vocals, with the electronics taking over..is that an accurate assessment? Were you at all involved with "Charlie's Family"?
Spybey - Yes, that's an accurate observation. The Eyes of Stanley Pain was recorded at a time when we were feeling very emotional. We did make a conscious decision to make something nasty. I never really considered myself a vocalist but I'm really quite proud of what we achieved and I have to say that I did, paradoxically, become very comfortable in front of a microphone. I eschewed most rock singer stage habits though. I happen to believe in understatement and reaction to the here and now, which is why I became more than happy with rabid freeform - vocal improvisations. I get sooo bored with singers acting like dour cheerleaders and pained aerobics instructors. But Download is an evolving exception to the rules. We never decided on a conscious plan. In the beginning we jammed for hours on end. Stanley Pain was a very tight recording in comparison to the Furnace sessions. Charlie’s Family predates even Furnace, so I am not on it except for the track Catblower. Just before we went to Europe in '96 I improvised to tape with Anthony engineering and eventually he edited some of my sounds into the finished track. But Download is a unique animal and the fact that they have never followed any formula is a healthy sign.
GS - Did being a central member of download begin to take too much time from your other projects? Why did you leave? I see you plan on working with cEvin Key again in the future, but I imagine it will be in a more limited capacity?
Spybey - Whilst I was in Download I really didn't have time to do much solo work. Leaving was a mutual decision. It felt right for me to opt out of the recording of what became 111. I don't feel like I would have added anything earth shattering. The split was very amicable and seemed to feel right. I'm very proud of what we achieved and cEvin is still a good friend, hence the reason why I will record with him again. I've always regarded the time spent with him as being quite special. After touring I really didn't do a great deal for a few months but ever since, I've never stopped working.
GS - You are quite interested, and very active in collaborating with others. Will your work with Jarboe, khan, Mick Harris, Kinder Atom, PBK, James Plotkin, etc. be integrated within dvoa, or will they be full-length album collaborations (like the Spybey/Theriault CD)? Anyone else you'd like to divulge collaborative info on?
Spybey - Each collaboration is a different hybridisation. I love the dynamic of working with others. Dave Wright and I did Fire In The Bronx Zoo without meeting. I'm very pleased that so many people want to work with me, flattered is a more apt description. I openly divulge all of my collaborations on my web page, so no; there are no scoops to be had! With DVOA I have a very specific sound in mind, a feel I guess. If I incorporate anybody else’s work it's usually because they help me out in some way. The exception to the rule is How Hollow Heart which was a live album, recorded in a studio setting in Toronto with Kinder Atom and as a result definitely feels like it is different to my usual product. With my new album Piss Frond, it is the result of many hours of recording here in my studio and as a result is heavily constructed from a massive number of sessions. I just chose the tracks that I liked the best. The tracks that seemed to compliment each other.
GS - How has living in Vancouver influenced your sound & music (or has it)? It seems a thriving centre for electronic-based music...
Spybey - It's afforded me a relatively good standard of living and a change of scenery. I remember when I first moved here that I thought that when I played a show that all these " electronic" musicians would come out and mingle..mingle..Well it never happened and it never happens to my knowledge and even if it did, I would be unaware as I spend most of my time at home or at work. When I have free time I try to lead at least a semblance of a real life. I'm sure that the West Coast has influenced my work but to be honest, never really give it that much thought. It feels insignificant.
GS - Your work with not breathing was considered "remixes", according to the liner notes on "a fire in the Bronx Zoo". Are you interested in remix work for other artists, or is it all really collaboration, mixing sounds from the original artist with your own?
Spybey - I'm not that interested in remixes because as a rule I find them remarkably dull. Let’s face it, the genre that created the remix phenomena has little in common with other genres. Fire In The Bronx Zoo was completely different. We created completely new pieces of music and then just added to them. I recently completed a similar project with a band called ANTIFORM. So, yes, I like that approach a great deal.
GS - I know you were at one time quite fascinated by the drum & bass scene...whatever became of the "drumme & basse" 12", aside from the part that was included on "drug test 2"?
Spybey - I WAS interested in that scene but haven't really seen any major developments happening that have appeared noteworthy. I was attracted by its inherent minimalism. I may release that drum and basse material. Let's see... Yes. It seems like the logical next step. I'm fascinated by song structures and feel like it's a wide-open field. I'm definitely becoming more disciplined and less content with vacuity.
GS – What are your thoughts on the current experimental "noise" scene? Do you feel yourself to be a part of this at all?
Spybey - Not a jot. I casually regard most noise music as masturbatorial aggression. Most practitioners seem like lazy heavy metal guitarists. Evolution is an option!
GS - You've toured as dvoa and internationally with Download...do you enjoy the travelling and touring, or is it something you'd rather not do very often? I'm sure the performance aspect would often be a joy, but the driving and constant disarray must be quite gruelling and tiring?
Spybey - It's a double-edged sword. I've been very lucky and I count my blessings. I'm getting old, I need my creature comforts and I'm quite obsessively tidy so living in abandoned squalor is unappealing. Touring is something I can't do very often due to my workload. I do enjoy being a tourist though and I love meeting people. There really is no better place for me to be as a musician than on stage. I adore performing. Ironically I slept more than ever on the road and I lost weight. I came back from touring feeling energised.
GS - What lies in the future for dvoa, and closing words (of any)?
Spybey - More of the same..grin! No really, more of the same. I just try to do what I do a little better and if I feel happy with it and people continue to support the music I'll carry on. I'm not one for making long term plans though. I really do want to develop DVOA and I think Piss Frond is an adequate step towards pastures new..or slightly new!
For further information on Mark Spybey's musical endeavours, visit these web sites: