chart mag interview with CUP '01

ChartAttack: How is the creative process different in I Am Spoonbender than it was in previous separate collaborations for you, cup?
cup: IAS is a much more defined project. Precision, texture, style and chance being the major elements. Cub was my first band, we were learning as we went along. Songs were usually written by one member, learned by the rest of the band and then recorded fairly swiftly. When we were forming IAS, I knew it would be a very different and challenging experience. With IAS the process is considerably more expansive and meticulous - using the studio as an instrument. Live drums and bass are recorded and we proceed from there.

There is a harsh, lonely element that runs through much of the IAS material, droning passages, a juxtaposition of numerable repetitious melodies. Are those there to offset the warmer, more organic moments?
cup: I'm intrigued that you find much of our music harsh or lonely. There are certainly elements of both, but I wouldn't think that they're the dominant tones. Juxtapositions? Definitely, of every kind.

Are there samples used on either of your albums or are the sound textures made with more traditional analog or earlier digital equipment?
cup: IAS does not use samples. We do use field recordings however (of crowds and babies crying, for example). Everything you hear is played by a person in the band - we rarely even use machines for sequencing. This is one of the reasons we feel that our band is different than most other "bands" that use electronics. This applies to the stage also - in the moments that Dustin is doing vocals and synths, the rhythms that you hear are recordings of him playing drums. All of this (hopefully) achieves an end result of a closer marriage of exciting live performance and innovation - live electronic music performed in real time by PEOPLE.

Both albums have a similar mood with Sender/Receiver being more angular, harsher than the follow up, Teletwin, which is more melodic. Was there a difference in your view about either the material or the recording process or the group's demeanour during the different recording sessions?
cup: Because we have our own studio, Seismic Séance, we don't really have recording sessions. For us, it's an ongoing process. Sender/Receiver is an album - meaning that it can be listened to as individual songs or as one long composition. Each track flows into the next like the scenes of a film with constantly shifting moods. We look at Teletwin as an EP even though it is very close in time length to S/R. Because it was originally recorded to be a three-sided 12", Teletwin's more of a collection of songs - an EP. You think S/R is more angular and harsher? If anything, I think Teletwin is more so... as well as being more straightforward. It's just further into our musical concept, I think.

How was the transition for you from the guitar-pop of cub to the experimental avant-garde sounds of I Am Spoonbender. Was there a gradual shift in the music you listened to between the two projects?
cup: No. What you listen to doesn't necessarily dictate the music you make. During and prior to my cub time, I listened to music of all genres. My listening habits haven't changed now that I am in IAS. It's about being open and attentive to all things.

Was the primary IAS influence '70s Kraut-Rock or more recent developments in drum 'n' bass and other new electronic sub-genres?
cup: We've certainly been into (and work with) artists in each of those genres, but I think all of the categorization and sub-categorization of music has gotten out of hand, not to mention the exaggerated focus and mis-definition of artists' "influences." Simply because an artist likes or performs with another artist doesn't mean they are an influence.

How does the studio material translate to the live stage? Is the stage show equally stark and experimental?
cup: The first part of your question can only be answered by the audience, I think. Secondly, I don't really think our music is stark or experimental. Exploratory, yes. Experimental, no - we know where we're going. Our live show is much like Sender/Receiver. Once it begins it doesn't stop until its end, like a film. Our aim is to deliver an entertaining, full audio-visual environment with a unique stage set-up and our own lighting.

Is there any novels or films that have sparked your interest recently?
cup: Cruddy by Lynda Barry. Booska: The Early Years.

How is the lifestyle in San Francisco different than Vancouver?
cup: When I'm in San Francisco, I'm pretty much immersed in the band (working on our music and our website). I love both cities. I've felt a strong connection to San Francisco ever since a high school band tour took me there. Sadly, San Francisco has rapidly lost much of its unique charm and character in the last few years due to the influx of new money and greed from the flood of flimsy dot coms. The art/music community has taken quite a severe blow - innumerable rehearsal and studio spaces have been given the boot in favour of overpriced "live/work" spaces. Small longstanding mom 'n' pop businesses have lost their leases. It's pretty depressing.

What is your opinion on Napster, people getting music for free on the backs of hard-working artists or an industry scared they'll lose control of the medium and ultimately control of what the masses hear and buy?
cup: It's remarkable to me that so many people never experience the thrill of musical discovery and only consume what's placed in front of them on the radio, television, etc. You have to take responsibility for what you're consuming. There's sooo much music out there. Some of the hardest working artists never get radio play or a record deal or any contact with "the industry." I think Napster is good in so far as it's a way for all types of music to be heard and shared. Ideally, I see it as a starting point. If you find something that piques your interest you can go out and buy the complete CD. Wishful thinking? I mean, most audio online sounds like poop. And what about the complete vision of music packaging, booklets and artwork? There's nothing like holding a record sleeve in your hands while listening to the music. So much better than squinting at a screen, multi-tasking. Music is so often relegated to background noise while people work, read or whatever. It seems there's a shortage of time and attention spans. Slow down. Strap on a pair of headphones for a change.

Are you looking forward to the industry-oriented appearance at Canadian Music Week or do you tend to avoid these sorts of events?
cup: This is our first U.S. tour. And the show in Toronto will be only our second in Canada. The reason why we haven't taken our show on the road and why we rarely play in San Francisco (where we're based) is due to the scale of our live show. But when we do, we want it to be with bands we find interesting - in this case, Fly Pan Am, One Speed Bike, Oh No The Modulator. I'm looking forward to playing with them, not necessarily to it being an industry-oriented appearance.