Sonic Youth e Pixies são referencias eternas pro college radio americano e para toda e qualquer banda que tenha como influência noise e guitarras gritando.
Enquanto aguardamos, como de praxe vai uma entrevista exclusiva e inédita, é obvio, dos caras so TBTCI.
***** Interview with Machines Learning *****
Q. When did Machines Learning starts, tell us about the history...
The bassplayer Brad and I have been playing in bands together over the better part of the last 6 or years. We were in between drummers and the other band I play guitar in called Immovable Objects (http://immovableobjects1.bandcamp.com/) was gearing up to record the record 'So I'll Know to Believe in Sparrows' so our project was put on hold due to the demanding rehearsal/recording schedule of I/O. The Drummer Mario owned and operated Black Box Rehearsal and Recording Studios where I/O practiced and he was engineering the recording. During the Immovable Objects recording sessions I told Mario I had some songs I'd like to record for posterity and he offered to play drums. Once we got the guitars and drums down, I called Brad and he came in laid down the bass work and machines learning was born.
Q: Who are your influences?
Autolux
Failure
The Life and Times
Mogwai
Sonic Youth
Q. Made a list of 5 albums of all time…
Autolux - Future Perfect
Failure - Fantastic Planet
Tool - Undertow
Tortoise -TNT
Polar Bear - Why Something Instead of Nothing?
Q. How do you fell playing alive?
Playing live is a funny thing for me since this is the first band I've ever sang in and I'm really just getting comfortable with it. As a guitar player, I've always been proud to present the music I've written and jump around and move and have a great time. At first as a singer/guitar player I wasn't performing the songs as much as I was concentrating on singing, playing guitar, switching pedals,etc. Now, it's a much more cathartic experience as I'm more comfortable doing everything and I can really enjoy what's happening. I love looking over and seeing Brad and Mario just ripping it up and hearing the music we've worked on translate to the audience the way it was intended. It's a magical thing.
Q. How do you describe MAchines Learning sounds?
I would describe machines learning as post atmospheric space rock. I think it has an element of shoegaze, but also that 90's alternative feel to it. I think we wear our influences on our sleeves without biting on actual songs. I've heard us compared to failure, autolux and smashing pumpkins, which flatters me of course because I love those bands.
Q: Tell us about the process of recording the songs?
We had a simple formula for the whole pendragon's lullaby ep. I would come in to the studio with mostly completed songs on guitar that neither Mario or Brad had really heard. I would sit with Mario and we'd record them to a click track and tweak anything that needed to be tweaked. He'd run out into the live room and I'd man the controls and he'd do 3 or 4 drum takes. We'd do the guitars next and then I'd take the tracks home and write lyrics and melodies to the recording and send it to Brad. Brad would come in and do the bass and then I'd do the vocals and then we'd do the whole cycle over again. We had a basic theme of not overthinking things, just making everything simple as there's a certain power that comes from simplicity. The biggest challenge for me was writing lyrics and melodies. I had never done it before and had no idea what I was doing, but I had gone through a particularly difficult time in my life, so I just decided to write based on those things and excercise those demons. It was a completely different outlet for me and I really enjoyed the process....once it was over! HAHAHA.
Q. Which new bands do you recommended?
I highly recommend Mario's band Sleep Lady (http://sleeplady.bandcamp.com) He plays guitar on it. It's a fantastic record.
I don't know how new they are, but the band Death Grips is unbelievable. It's a more hip hop than 'rock' but the beats are crazy and his flow is insane. He reminds me a little of artist from NY called Beans who is also worth checking out. I like how they play with the different rythms of the songs.
There's also a band called 'Palms' that I can't wait to hear. It's basically ISIS with Chino Moreno from the Deftones on vocals. I have a feeling that album's going to be a MONSTER.
Q: Which bands you love to made a cover version?
I've thought about this one a little lately but haven't come up with anything, when I do, I'll let you know.
Q: What´s the plans for future....
We've got a 3 song EP coming out called 'Success Has Many Fathers While Failure is an Orphan'. It should be out in January or February. There's a free download of one of the songs on the record here
https://soundcloud.com/#machineslearning/pentuckett-blues
Q: Any parting words?
Thanks so much Renato for what you do! It's people like you that help keep the spirit of independent music alive, without people like you our music would never reach the people reading this right now!
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Thanks Paul
