http://www.digitalisindustries.com/foxyd/features.php?which=430Expo 70
What
can one say about Expo '70 that hasn't been said before? With each
release Justin Wright's continuously evolving space/kraut/drone project
continues to garner more praise, making each new release a must grab
for fans of experimental and psychedelic music. Apparently Justin
thought it was time for some of his Kansas City peers to get some
attention of their own, as he recently started his own label, Sonic
Meditations, to serve as not only an outlet for his own music, but to
also give some other diamonds in the rough their shot at the spotlight.
Already four releases deep, it seems this shot was more than warranted.
Though two of those four where Expo '70 releases (a cassette re-issue
of the amazing 2006 release Center of the Earth, and the galaxy
wandering new cassette Corridors to Infinity), the other two releases
are equally compelling, though occupying far different spaces than Expo
'70. I have had the pleasure of listening to all of the Sonic
Meditations releases to this point, and I can verify that they are all
quality. From the deep euro-horror inflected grooves of Umberto's "From
the Grave", to the incredibly beautiful, pensive tones of Sounding the
Deep's "Glacier", these are some special recordings. And they look
almost as good as they sound. Especially Expo '70's "Corridors to
Infinity", with its gold metallic space cobras set against a dramatic
red background. Having been given a chance to hear some of their
upcoming releases, I can tell you that the quality of Sonic Meditations
recordings is not diminishing any time soon. On deck they have two
releases by Plante, paying homage to Fripp with glowing orange tubes,
and a tripped-out progfolk excursion by another newcomer calling
himself Das Energi. They even managed to get their hands on a new Gnod
recording! Entitled "Crystal Pagodas", it sounds as if the somnambulist
has awoken and decided to start a cult that worships the motoric. Wild
stuff. Naturally, with all this new talent, a new label, and Expo '70
involved, there would be a lot of questions. Luckily Justin was nice
enough to answer some of them.
Things
are good, but hectic. I am multi-tasking too much and I think my brain
is almost fried, but I am ready for this tour. I really enjoy touring
and being on the road and wish it was something I could do more often
and hope to in the future. This tour is almost all set up, mostly East
Coast with Prince Rama of Ayodhya. Looking forward to playing Big Sur
this Friday, but not so much into the quick drive back to begin the 2nd
part of the tour in the Midwest.
I
have been harboring this idea around for a while, even when I was
subsequently releasing albums under Kill Shaman. I did most of the
initial work on my own, circulating those releases. I figured with
everything I had done to get Expo '70 off the ground to become an
established name, I started feeling that there was lots of local music
not getting any attention in Kansas City except myself. I feel it's
time now to let everyone take notice of the great music coming out of
here. There isn't anyone else really doing a label like this here. I
think the only other people are Goodwillies (Tim & Heather of
VxPxC) who moved from Los Angeles last year who are starting to release
tapes and vinyl as well. I know there are tons of labels like this out
there, but I feel that the quality of music that my friends are doing
here needs to be heard and just having a page on myspace these days
doesn't really mean shit anymore.
One of
the main kick-starts was Sounding the Deep and Plante. Both needed
recordings done, but had no way of releasing them except as
self-released CD-r's for local shows. I felt they and the other bands
need more attention focused on what they're doing. Breathing Flowers
(a.k.a. Cantus Firmus) is another example. He's got about a dozen
albums recorded and I helped him package and release them under Kill
Shaman, but there wasn't a plan to get it heard. I do plan on, at least
for now, focusing on the main groups here to get the label going, but I
don't plan on staying in Kansa City forever, so I don't want to be
restrained by that. I have been meeting great musicians all over the
world and would love to release stuff for them. I have been lucky that
small labels like Peasant Magik and Small Doses have released Expo '70
material. I have taken cues from what they are doing and ran with it.
Gnod is a great band and have the same aesthetics of music that I love
and appreciate. Brainworlds is another release I'll be doing later in
the year who are from Omaha, but now reside in Atlanta. There will
probably be others, but just taking it one step at a time for now.
There
are plans to release a vinyl version of "Animism", Expo '70's first
proper CD for Kill Shaman from 2007. It's going to be a double LP,
which is kind of expensive, so there may be another Expo '70 release to
kick off the vinyl aspect of the label. I would love to start doing
even lathe cuts in limited quantities. I love analog formats, that's
why I have started with cassettes. CD's just seem so disposable these
days, I find myself buying and trading more for tapes and records these
days.
Well,
touring. A new album is about to be released on Beta-Lactam Ring called
"Sonic Messenger". This will be a very different album, there are up to
4 people playing on it and it was recorded over two nights this past
April at a proper studio. Matt Hill, who does Umberto and has had one
solo release on Kill Shaman, has been playing with me more often as my
touring partner, adds a really great second dimension to the sound and
the new album will definitely show that. David Williams of Sounding the
Deep also contributed auxiliary percussion, which I haven't utilized
much of. Ashley Miller, the engineer, also performs sporadically here
and there all over it. There was enough material for 2 releases so a
bonus CD is available with preorders. Aside from that, I can't seem to
say no to other releases, so there will be a grip of limited stuff
coming out soon as well. I have a lot of unused and un-listened to
material still waiting to be unveiled. Just did a record with Aaron
Martin, who has released albums on Preservation, and that was about 2
hours that I'll probably be mixing through the winter.
I
would untimely love for that to happen, especially on vinyl. I feel the
back catalog of albums, especially "Exquisite Lust" and "Center of the
Earth", should be on vinyl. That sort of was the ultimate goal with
those, I feel that they are really solid works in my catalog and
deserve not to be forgotten. I am finally weaning the back catalog of
CD-r's off, I had accidentally made too many covers for some of those,
but they have finally sold out.
I
have been wanting to get into video more, but I guess time has
constrained me. I would love to incorporate more of my art into the
live shows. I was planning an art show at Good Style shop, but due to
work, couldn't make that happen. There is a local band called Be/Non I
did album artwork for, who is currently making a movie that will
feature the album art as animation at the beginning of it, which is
exciting. I was also asked to be involved in a project started by Dan
McPharlin, who is a great visual artist and builds miniature analog
synthesizers out of cardboard. He's putting a magazine out in book
format with a CD and artwork that will have the aesthetics of vintage
analog synthesizers with an Omni magazine feel.
That
is my SG I use everywhere in my art. It's an Ibanez lawsuit SG from the
70's. The manufactures back then were selling Gibson's designs and got
sued, but there are a grip of rip-offs floating around. The amp on top
in the "Black Ohms" photo is an Orange Tiny Terror 15 watt head, but I
no longer have that. It's been replaced with a white Hiwatt Custom 50
tube head. The amp that is in the middle is a vintage Kustom 100 combo
amp, padded all in black, then the Hiwatt is connected to the 4x12
speaker cabinet on bottom. When Matt plays with me, his two combo amps
are on either side of my amps, creating a totem or pyramid shape. I
also have an arsenal of pedals, some store bought, some modded and hand
built. Matt plays bass, vintage Korg synth, and we both have analog
drum machines. Also just added a Sound Lab from Planet Synth, I read
about on Foxy D!
My
influences for starting into the world of music will have to start with
the first time I learned how to load a reel-to-reel player with Led
Zeppelin "II" and Black Sabbath's "Paranoid" in my dad's Panasonic reel
player. I was astounded with the sounds coming out of that when I was a
kid! I guess this leads into the all-time artists being Black Sabbath,
Led Zeppelin, Miles Davis, Alice Coltrane, Can, Faust, Pink Floyd...the
greats. As far as my influences in current music, that would have to be
Troum, Taj Mahal Travellers, Klaus Schulze, early Tangerine Dream, Ash
Ra Tempel, Amon Duul II, Hawkwind, Harmonia, Cluster, Ariel Kalma,
Christopher Tree, Tony Conrad, Popol Vuh, La Monte Young, Terry Riley
and Sleep's "Jerusalem". The list could go on and on. Newer stuff like
James Blackshaw, Daniel Higgs, OM, Svarte Greiner, Fursaxa, Peaking
Lights, Plants, Neokarma Jooklo Trio, Black to Comm, Mythical Beast,
Psychic Ills, Blues Control, Bong, and Electric Wizard also get heavy
play time.
Just
happy people are taking interest in the label and hope it continues, as
it will be a vehicle for more great music, art and relationships with
people around the world. Music has always been a big part of my life
and I'm happy to be contributing my life to it as much possible.