How important is the internet to your 30Hertz label?
It's vital. We sell direct from the website, and publicise performances and recordings, too. It is low maintenance compared with our other operations. It helps us be autonomous.
Do you see 30Hertz releasing a download-only version of your albums?
There's a good chance of that, when I feel a need to document a piece of music and make it available, without incurring pressing costs. However, I'm sure a corporation will somehow control access to uploads as well as downloads and apply charges similar to those incurred when pressing CDs. It's the nature of the (capitalist) beast. Involvement in the music biz will always entail hard-fought battles, but I'll never give up.
How do you feel the record industry handled the advent of MP3s, Napster et al ?
The way they "handled" it is not worthy of serious debate. The people running the music industry were culturally redundant two decades ago. I found the disingenuous presentation of Napster repugnant. Unfortunately, due to the lack of informed people in the media, the battle was presented as a teenagers versus grown-ups battle. The serious ethical arguments were barely touched on. I have come across "big kids" in their 40s wearing T-shirts demanding fair wages for slave workers, naively championing the cause of things such as Napster, while being unaware of the implications of their actions - never mind the contradictions of attitude.
I hear you are getting into downloading music?
Just emusic (www.emusic.com) at the moment. I like its immediacy. If I fancy a bit of Turkish Rom music, I can be listening to it minutes later. It is also a convenient way for people to introduce themselves to music or artists they have never come across. We have broadband with AOL (www.aol.co.uk/products/broadband/gold/), which makes downloading easier, although we have had problems sending files via email so we may have to change.
Picture messaging?
Picture messaging is good as it means I can take artistic nude photos of myself and send them to friends. They never comment, but I know they're a great comfort to them. I use a Nokia with hands-free headphones, similar to Walkman ones. I tried a Motorola with Bluetooth a few weeks ago but it wouldn't work.
What music software do you use?
Logic Audio (">www.emagic.de) when I work with my engineer, Mark Lusardi. At home, I work with Yamaha Sequencers and a Yamaha work station/multitrack. They are musician-friendly, there are knobs to twiddle and faders to actually push. It suits an old boy like me. My computer says eMachines (www.emachines.com ) on it.
Any trouble with spam or viruses?
Yes, the memories of a post-war, working-class diet still haunt me, and my immune system is not the barrier it once was! Yes, I have an immense amount of spam, and it's a nuisance. I daily receive 30 viruses that get eaten by Norton (www.symantec.com/avcenter/).
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