by Brad Rose

I was 14 when I first got a guitar and began playing. It was probably my discovery of Jimi Hendrix that most inspired me to do so.

I was lucky to find some friends to play with right away. In my first band, started immediately after I got a guitar, we wrote all our own experimental noise rock "songs". In our first of performances at a farmer's grange hall, we had strobe lights and a TV onstage. Also, a fire was started by an audience member. The room was filled with smoke and the clouds of white fumes from the fire extinguisher somebody used to put this fire out. That's how my first performance ever went. I was 15.

A couple of years of guitar lessons and Mills. My studies at Mills helped me tremendously. I learned quite a bit. I was exposed to a vast range of new music and had some talented peers to work with as well. It took things to another level for me; I became much more focused on what I was doing musically.

I think it plays a role, yes. The sky is so all-consuming here, and the landscape here is intense and beautiful.

I founded a music series called the SPECTRE SERIES that is held at their facilities.

I don't know if the horror films themselves inspire me. I became interested in TCSM by way of the soundtrack, actually. Several years back there was a rare copy of the original soundtrack released and there are some interesting sounds that prompted me to watch it again. The opening credits may be the best part of the film for me, actually. The reason I investigated Dario Argento's films was due to my hearing the soundtracks that Morricone did for him. Most recently, as far as horror films go, I enjoyed “Let the Right One In”.

I'm constantly listening to all sorts of music. I tune in to the sounds of the environment I'm in. I watch a lot of films...

Yes, it is my second full-length. With "Western Violence & Brief Sensuality" my goal was to give listeners a broad range of things that I am interested in as a musician/composer. It was my "introduction" and I wanted to demonstrate some diversity, as I'd be sending the work to labels, etc. "Perdition Hill Radio" has more of a theme and a darker color palette for sure. I prefer for people to interpret things without my influence.

Somewhat, yes. I believe "Dark Country Road" and "Slow Motion Prayer Circle” are the only tracks where I've used field recordings on this album. The last only had a couple of tracks featuring field recordings as well. At times, due to the processes I employ to develop the sounds, the line can be blurred between field recording and recorded material I've generated myself (guitars, electronics).

This is a good question, and not so easy to answer. I was just discussing this with my wife the other day. In describing it I feel many of the things that have been discussed in this interview would apply. Cinematic qualities, field recordings, guitars... I feel the work is certainly cinematic but has the advantage of not being married to a particular film. Hopefully the listener is taken to a different place each time they listen. As far as applying a genre goes, I think Boomkat has done pretty well by listing it under their DARK AMBIENT/DRONE/METAL category. It definitely has all 3 of those elements in there. I feel there is plenty of ambient atmosphere; I am into Hindustani music, which is obviously big on drone, and the guitars can provide a metallic edge. I also play a resonator guitar on "Dark Country Road", so there's some Americana in there, I suppose.

I sent John a copy of "Western Violence & Brief Sensuality" when I released that. Scott Hewicker (The Alps) suggested I check out Type as a potential label. John told me he liked the album and wanted me to send new material when I had some. So, during a time when I was sending different types of material to different labels, I sent him some of the darker, more ambient work and he reacted quite positively and immediately brought up the double album concept. That focused me on finishing it up and creating the Side D track that isn't on the CD version.

I've just finished a remix for To Live and Shave in LA (whose cast of characters includes Tom, Smith, Thurston Moore, Andrew WK, etc.), and have broken ground on a collaboration with Mike Bjella, whose latest GOG project was just released on Utech. There are many other things being discussed but they've not yet begun. One is related to the Root Strata festival called "On Land" (September 19/20) that I will be performing at in September in San Francisco.

Working on new material, playing On Land September 19th, possibly playing some Texas dates in August.

I like the Tuma/Weis "Taradiddle" LP, the Charlemagne Palestine/Christoph Heeman LP called "Saiten In Flammen", the new Xasthur album, and Nortt's "Galgenfrist" album is good. Summer listening has been a Sandy Bull LP "E Pluribis Unum", and the Public Image Limited re-releases. I just bought "Second Edition" as a double LP and may well pick up the vinyl version of "The Flowers of Romance" soon. Old time country is good for summer (not even close to new country, I hate new country). And I'm way into Zia M. Dagar these days as well.

I think it is important to appreciate the various mediums that music continues to be released on - vinyl, cassette, even CD - and not just the downloads. And don't forget to support your local record store, the one that isn't a huge retail outlet. The same goes for the smaller record labels who are putting out music that they truly care about. Thanks for your time!