all points in between...
The musical content contained herein is not indicative of the new Claude sound that all the kids aren't talking about. No. I haven't written a note in 2 years. I've been working sporadically with my improvisational rock band, Tennis Roberts. And sporadically working is the best way to improvise.
My musical tastes have really changed quite a bit. I've always been a fan of an ample amount of progressive, fusion, and art rock, but a few years ago I really smashed my head on the prog rock. The "Zeuhl" and "RIO" sub-genres of art-rock being my new found favorite, if I have to boil it down to an essence. It's a good time to be a progressive rock dork. Both Magma and Univers Zero have appeared on this side of the pond in the past few years. Discovering this music and being able to see these orchestras that are decades old is quite visceral, to say the least.
The current music posted here is indicative
of phase 1
of
Claude. You may notice the progression of the music from "indie rock"
to
"indie prog".
These labels (in fact) (may) only make sense to me. The introduction of a few unconventional time signatures, or other vague elements. A fat, greasy, "analog" synthesizer belching it's squelch at an audience of no one. The compositions are unrelated. They live in the same dwelling, but do not communicate.
In the works... down the turnpike... a trilogy is in development. Three. This trilogy is based on the Black Plague epidemic between 1347 and 1353.
1. Infection
2. Death
3. Rebirth
Claude started in late 1996. The project is still going and the music continues to evolve.
I don't play live with "Claude", but I play live with my other band "Tennis Roberts". "Claude" is just me, my instruments, and a computer to glue it all together.
Magma (France), Univers Zero, Cheer-Accident, Zappa, Henry Cow, Art Bears, Fred Frith, Chris Cutler, Igor Stravinsky, Bela Bartok, Witold Lutoslawski, Kryzystof Penderecki, Present, Polvo, Tar, Helmet, Weidorje, Shub Niggurath, Genesis, Yes, King Crimson, Muffins, 5uu's, Dave Kerman, Van Der Graaf Generator, Peter Hammill, Dazzling Killmen, Unwound, U.S. Maple, Area (Italy), Blast, Don Caballero, Gentle Giant, Happy Family, Hurl, Tortoise, Miriodor, Nels Cline Singers, Peter Gabriel, Ruins, Rush, Shellac, Shiner, Shudder To Think, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Slint, Rodan, Steel Pole Bathtub, Sun Ra, Melvins, Thinking Plague, Samla Mammas Mannas, Big Black, Rapeman, Black Flag, Killing Joke, fIREHOSE, Minutemen, Doctor Nerve, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, Premiata Forneria Marconi (PFM), Uzeda, John Coltrane, Offering, Boud Deun, Miles Davis, Meshugga, Gorguts, Cryptopsy, Deicide, Darkthrone, Mayhem, Slayer, Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth, Sebadoh, Further, Sportsguitar, Clikatat Ikatowi, Fluf, Antioch Arrow, Seam, Benoit Weidemann, Patrick Gauthier, Y'ochko Seffer, Eskaton, Guapo, Ahvak, Stanford Prison Experiment, Shorty, Sicbay
Instruments: Roland V-drums v-stage kit, Fender electric violin, Florea viola, Studiologic SL-880 keyboard controller, Clavia Nordlead-2, Kurzweil micro ensemble, E-mu vintage pro, Alesis nano piano, Oberheim matrix 1000, Epiphone bass guitar, Squier Venus XII 12 string electric, Fender fat strat, LP flex-a-tone.
Recording equipment: Midiman delta 10/10 interface, Windows based PC, Cubase VST, Peavy VMP-2 mic pre, Bellari rp-220 mic pre; microphones: Royer R-121, 2 Beyer m-160's, stereo matched pair Oktava MC319's, stereo matched pair Oktava MC017's, Shure sm-57; miscellaneous: Electrix Warp Factory Vocoder, Sans Amp, some Korg guitar effects processor, Re-Amp, Barcus Berry viola pickup, 2 RNC's, Dbx compressor/gate