MemeBrane

Story

I started my journey into music whilst studying the first half of my degree at Dartington College of Arts, an institution that embraced the weirdest of the weird of the contemporary art world and a great place to seek inspiration. I then completed my degree at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire which built upon my creative foundations with hard fact and technique predominantly writing for orchestra and medium sized ensembles. Over time I came to realise that I didn’t enjoy writing for ensembles, not due to the sound of it, but due to the interaction with other people. I can be quite the control freak when it comes to writing. This lead me down the path of writing electronic music. Everything came to me much more naturally than it did before, it wasn’t long until my electronic composition tutor didn’t have any more pointers to give me and I set off on my own journey of discovery.

Profile

Instruments

Genres

Influences

Equipment

Languages

What is music to you? What does it give you?

Music for me is my ventilation shaft, i have spent a large portion of my life debilitated by mental health issues and music helps me 'process' bad thoughts and feelings when they arrise, rather than letting them fester. When im writing, nothing can touch me!

What is your music dream?

One day i would love to be able to make a stable career out of music, write and tour but in a way that is true to myself (i would never sell out, or write a specific way, regardless of the money involved...). I would like to be able to use that to reach out to others who are suffering in silence from mental health concerns and help them find solace as i have.

If you could change the world - what would you start with?

Exile any political member or body of members who are not experts in the fields they are supposedly in charge of. Then fill all these empty slots with real experts...i.e David Attenborough for Environmental Secretary etc, all slots in the house of commons and the house of lords would be taken up by those who are qualified to vote on such matters (i.e higher level degrees). Any legislation written that needs public approval must be written so everyone can understand what they are voting for and the resulting implications in the future (including options for those with learning difficulties). (However the Anarchist in me is screaming BURN IT DOWN! BURN IT ALL DOWN...so either or lol)

Which is the most memorable song from your childhood?

Its a tie between 'The Mama's and Papa's - Dream a Little Dream' and David Bowie 'Life on Mars'

Who are your favorite musical artists or bands?

Nine Inch Nails, David Bowie, Skinny Puppy, Filter, Cabaret Voltaire, Fuck Buttons, Depeche Mode, The Cure, Kraftwerk, My Bloody Valentine (And lots more...this is as much as i can trim it down!)

What inspires you to make music?

Thats tricky to answer, im not aware of any specific thing that makes me want to write, its often like applying salve to a wound, i do it when i feel low...but i also do it when im bored (but when that is the case i often just play with my synths to make a new instrument for later on). For instance listening to music DOESNT make me want to write, if i write just after listening ill try and make something that sounds like what i just heard...and thats a big fat 0 on the originality scale to start with!

What is the message you want to send with your music?

That most beautiful things can spill forth from the darkest recesses of your own mind...dont feel hindered...allow what you see as weakness become your biggest strength!

How do you feel when you perform in front of an audience?

Free

How do you see the musicians’ reality nowadays? What could be improved?

Well despite having a degree in music composition and the benefit of several years of writing experience, i dont really imagine being able to be a musician and nothing else...unless i became a teacher...which is pretty much the default option after a music degree as there just isnt enough work and money available to us musicians at the start of our career. Bar "That Big Break" we all day dream about, the out look for the professional musician is a bleak one. Especially now the UK government coming down particularly hard on Degree courses that do not offer much in the way of prospective job options, being a musician these days is increasingly becoming a part time option at best. That is true for me too, i worked as a Chef for a number of years to keep the bills at bay and now i am studying to go into a career in IT (mostly as the extra money from a job in this field will let me pay for promotion/new gear/rental costs for concert venues etc). I guess my reality these days is that my once dream job is now my hobby that occasionally pays me out a bit of money and that is genuinely very depressing...

What do you think of Drooble?

It fur-fills the criteria of being a website....as i have barely used it yet perhaps wait a while before asking me for a review....smh

What frustrates you most as a musician?

Pigeon holing, i dont know what genre my music is, i dont really care either. If we removed this categorical way of dividing music, we would open up so many avenues for people to uncover great music they otherwise would never have known about.

Do you support your local scene as a fan? How?

Unfortunately i am too poor to make it to many gigs these days, all my extra cash goes towards the costs of my upcoming release and the concerts i do make it too are often just cover bands. I support groups and musicians (specifically Industrial/Darkwave/EBM artists) on an international level via Twitter by reviewing, sharing and giving shout outs to artists of a particularly high calibre

What qualities should a musician nowadays have in order to get their music heard by a larger audience?

A magic wand... or an affiliation with known terrorist cells (Joking...well sort of)

Share some awesome artists that we’ve never heard of.

Tim Exile, Leifendeth, The Fair Attempts, Sapphira, Nitzer Ebb, Sleepy Time Gorilla Museum