How did you start using computers to make music? When I was in a studio called Lilley Yard I was involved in setting up a Fairlight CMI (see www.ghservices.com/gregh/fairligh), which seemed like a manipulation tool that was really complicated! I think that's all the computer is, a way of manipulating information. I moved through programming synthesizers until I found the Atari 1040 ST (see www.aceadvanced.org/computers/atari/1040st.htm), running Notator, and that is where I have been ever since.
Is streaming the future for music delivery? When I was DJ-ing for U2's Pop Tour a lot of the sets were broadcast live on the web. They would give you some crazy numbers of how many hits there were but what does that actually mean? Does it mean they have scrolled through it or logged on for a second then logged off again? It doesn't mean anything and doesn't let you know if people enjoyed it or not. It is definitely not the future at all because then you would be giving yourself up to the streamer and I am not letting a computer boffin choose what sort of music they are going to offer me.
Favourite gadgets? I use an iBook at home and a Nokia Communicator when I am abroad for Wap etc. I had the new Siemens SL45 mobile with MP3, but it was crap. The buttons kept locking so I gave it away! My favourite is still my Ericsson T20s (see www.ericsson.com/t20). The EFX500 delay box from Pioneer is an absolute beauty.
How important has the net become as a publicity tool? It might be a lot of people tap-dancing or it might not! We still don't know what is triggering people on to a product. Is it random surfing of the web or is it going to their favourite site or is it a poster in the street? I think there are a lot of people spending a lot of money and not knowing what the actual return is. That is why with our label site at Pussyfoot ) we wanted to go for a good idea rather than something technically amazing. We wanted to make it interesting to people but without throwing a lot of money at it.
Favourite Sites? I am quite into looking up historical figures and finding out about their lives. I like going to the DVLA site, A HREF="http://www.channel4.com/highlights" TARGET="_NEW">Channel 4's TV listings ) and the microfilm page at the British Library.
Any major disasters? I once lost two days' work on the Atari simply because instead of saving a track, I loaded up another one. I was also in the studio once working on a fully computer automated desk and a technician came in to line up the only analogue machine we had running and he tripped the whole studio! One minute everything was fine: the next we were in complete darkness!
Visit: www.howiebfolk.com
