What computer do you use? A G4 Powerbook while on tour to finish my studio work, as well as the business side of running my record label m-nus. I also carry my Sony Vaio Z505 for the Final Scratch DJ system. I have been carting a laptop around with me since they were as big as kitchen sinks to stay on top of the less glamorous side of DJ-ing_ie, business. I was introduced to Commodore PET's and CBM's at my grade school in the early 80s. After getting my own Commodore Vic 20 and getting way too involved with the 80s video game craze, my electronic assimilation was complete.
How does Final Scratch work? It is a software system that enables full "analogue" control over digital files. With the FS system, the music you are hearing is coming from the computer as a digital MP3 file, but allows the user to scratch, cue and mix the music file by way of a special FS record on a regular turntable. The computer then uses your physical movements to change the digital file. It is a bridge between the analogue and digital worlds.
Do you take samples from the net? All the pioneers of sampling technology - like the Art Of Noise or early rappers - took "found" sounds of records, birds, construction equipment, and turned those sounds into music. Listening in to the net and using that for a new composition could become extremely exciting.
Favourite sites? www.harmony-central.com for new music technology news, http://slashdot.org for general tech news and http://maccentral.macworld.com for Apple news. www.ableton.com is home to a new piece of electronic music software specialised for live performance, which is definitely the most groundbreaking piece of software I've seen for the past decade!
Favourite gadgets? I'd like a small contact personal communication device that is worldwide and not tied to any one telecom territory. Something like Bluetooth that doesn't need to be picked up, or answered per se, but is fluid and integrates to us more easily. A Final Scratch unit the size of the new iPod would be great!
Microsoft: saint, sinner or indifferent? Indifferent. I was originally a PC guy who only used Microsoft and ran my whole business on that platform - as well as my studio. I then went the other way, becoming an Apple fanatic, but I have since found a balance and use both platforms now. Also, Final Scratch uses BeOS and we have had audio and net servers running Linux and FreeBSD. There is a staggering amount of shareware for electronic music on the Windows platform: this is a good thing for the creative world!
Visit: www.plastikman.com DE9: Closer To The Edit is out now on Novamute
