Flat Tire (album): Difference between revisions

OF: Allan, since the eighties you have been the greatest Ambassador of the SynthAxe, but it is only now you decide to make a complete album with it... Why ?

AH: In the past I had thought about it, but I was focusing on Group projects, so although I wanted to do it, I just never had the opportunity. When I found myself with the time to do it between projects, I went for it.

OF: In the leaflet you mention some serious personal problems you have gone through before the creation of "'''Flat''' '''Tire'''". Of course, music catalyses feelings and emotions (good or bad), and it is especially true with your playing which is so intense. Does music act as a kind of therapy on you ?

AH: Creating music can be therapeutic, but if I am in a bad space, the last thing I want to do is listen to or create music.

OF: Is there a special reason for using guitar only in the tormented overture of "The Duplicate Man" ?

AH: No there is not.

OF: Did the SynthAxe change something in your writing ? (or did you compose some pieces first on guitar)

AH: Some pieces are composed on guitar, but usually if I am writing a SynthAxe record, I will write it all on the SynthAxe. It did change something in my writing. I could play sustained chords and with the breath controller I could play long notes and make them loud or soft, make them go away then bring them back, just like you can on a real wind instrument. I could turn it into a non percussive instrument where the guitar is a percussive instrument. So overall, I would say it gave me more flexibility.

OF: The rhythm has always played an important part in your music and you’ve always had the finest drummers in your bands. I notice you did some drum programming on '''Flat''' '''Tire'''. Is it something you enjoy working on ?

AH: No, not at all.

OF: In general, do you work a lot with computers ? What comp/softs did you use for the arrangements on '''Flat''' '''Tire'''?

AH: In general I do not work allot with computers. I do have a collection of old Atari Computers because at the time the Synthaxe came out, it was the only soft where that would record the thing, because it puts out so much information, that if I used a regular sequencer I would play half way through a tune, and it would be full, and half of what I played wouldn’t play back. I then got turned on to the Steinberg softare, the Pro 24 which is really old, then I switched to Steinberg Qbase, which is what I still use, so I basically have an ancient set up.

OF: A few jazz composers have used symphonic orchestras, for instance John Mac laughlin, Bill Evans, Chick Corea, etc, And obviously the music of "'''Flat''' '''Tire'''" is very much "orchestrated"... So, have you ever considered writing a symphonic piece for an orchestra ?

AH: Well I would like to, but I don’t have the necessary skill of to be able to write out the parts. I would have to have someone like Allan Pasqua helping me. I remember when we worked with Tony Williams, I would play him something and he would play it right back to me, as if he had recorded it. He is amazing for that. So I would certainly love to do it, but it would have to be a collaboration with someone like Allan. There is also substantial cost involved, and it is hard enough to get a record company to pay for trio records.

OF: Finally let’s go back to '''Flat''' '''Tire'''. On the overall, there’s quite a few external sounds like industrial or natural noises. It all contributes to make the music even more visual, hence I guess, the subtitle "Music for a non-existent movie" ? Would you like to be involved in making some (existent) film music next ?

AH: I would love to do film music. Unfortunately, it is a very hard field to break into. There are people who have been trying to break into film music for as long as I have been trying to establish my career. The technical aspects are quite different as well. I would need a totally different studio. I would love to make music to pictures, because that is essentially what I do anyway. If I have an idea for a song or a title of a song, I have some sort of picture in my mind. So yeah, I would love to do film music. I would really like to do a Sci-Fi movie, I would be really good at that.