CS: What has been inspiring you lately?
MG: The arrival of the bee-eater (bienenfresser / Merops apiaster) to our village. Always arriving May 1 st, this year, they were 4 days early. But a joy to see them return year after year. And hear them sing. Almost like 50s electronic music. Hilarious.
CS: Favorite musicians, artists, thinkers and why (current or general)?
MG: Too many to mention. I am a discaholic for a reason. This is topic for a whole book or two. But, i can say that without the initial musical kicks of Little Richard, Albert Ayler and Peter Brötzmann my life would have looked very different. There are so many things that inspires. You just need to open up your thinking and your soul, to be able to achieve. It is all out there. All up for grabs. Small inspirations and the big ones. All effecting life and your music.
My favorite people in the world are my 3 daughters and my wife. I mean it. On all levels.
Whenever i can read anything by Robert Creeley, Johan Jönsson or Sture Dahlström, I smile.
There a zillion thinkers, artists, philisophers, conceptual artists, musicians, composers to go and look for. Those doors needs to be open by yourself, to mean something. It is all about the search. The re-
search.
CS: Favorite films, books, etc. and why (current or general)
MG: The whole thing is really to find out on your own and see what kicks your mind and butt. The road is all. The goal means shit, if you can pick up creative things along your search. This is the whole key to being an artist: to pick up things, details, information along your path… and transform it all into your own music and art. Your own way. That is all. It means the world to me.
CS: Favorite record no one else has listened to?
MG: How would i know? It needs to be something not yet released, I guess. I have recordings of music that would make your toes stand up in your boots. Never issued, because of legal issues and related. I have the original recordings of Ornette Coleman’s “Town Hall” concert from 1962. Originally intended for a 2 volume Blue Note release, but never issued. The rejects (!) were issued by ESP in 1965. I have them mixed and ready on a couple of acetates. Very few people have heard this – and i can guarantee, this is the wildest and most beautiful Ornette’s playing ever. Period. Out-of-this-world GREAT. It is illegal not to have this out. Absolute KILLER music. On all levels. I have some other stuff as well, that will blow minds away. This we can discuss in a proper bar at some point…
CS: Best thing you’ve seen on Youtube (recently)?
- Mariam Rezaei turntable solo:
- Luigi Lai – launeddas. I cannot get enough of launeddas…
- Ivan Kelava – gusle. I cannot get enough of gusle/ guslar…
- The Cramps and meaning of life. I cannot get enough of The Cramps…
CS: Dream trio/quartet/quintet with historical figures?
MG: I wanna do things for real. In real life. I m very very happy working with Fire!, Fire! Orchestra, Gush, Cosmic Ear, Rite, Luft, The Mag-Nuts and Backengrillen… this is enough for me.
CS: Last performance you saw that expanded the way you think about your own
work?
MG: I was very inspired to hear Kit Downes killing on B3 recently, while on tour with the new project Action Now, run by Nicolas Leirtrø , with the great Veslemøy Narvesen on drums. The way of playing the Hammond by Kit, blew my mind away. I cannot get enough of that. Loving B3 and Leslie since birth… very inspirational.
CS: Record you most wish you had played on?
MG: I’m happy to hear records without my shit added to it. And I m happy to contribute on real records, in real life. I could make a list of 100 records that inspired my deeply. But , the list would look different tomorrow. Lists are great. Lists are bad. I am very priviliged to be involved in great contemporary projects. New ones and old ones. I m also happy to collect records. Adding stuff to my archive for inspiration and information. A record I am VERY happy that i was playing on is the forth-coming
record by Ken Vandermark, Tomeka Reid, Chad Taylor and myself called “PIVOT”. To be released in 2025 on Silkheart Records.
CS: Recording people would be most surprised you listen to?
MG: I am a discaholic. A bad one. So i listen a LOT – all the time… all my awaken hours… and sometimes when i sleep. I heard The Cramps in my sleep many times already. It is all about preconceived opinions of course. What do people THINK i listen to? I don’t know. And I don’t care, really. Everyone need to make own journey, take their own path, in order to to develop their listenings and life. And to trim their discaholic gardens.
Before and during this interview i was/ am listening to the following:
- Andrew Hill – Point of Departure
- Monette Sudler – Time for a Change
- Jaco Pastorius – Jaco
- Christer Bothén 3 – Línvisible
- The Courettes – We are The Courettes
- Jack White – No Name
- Lydia Lunch – In Limbo
- Eiko Ishibashi – Antigone
- The Body/ Big Brave – Leaving none but small birds
- Nursery Rhymes – We´re gonna hate ourselves in the morning
- The Courettes – Here are The Courettes
The search is ALL!
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Enjoy Mats’s Artist Profile at the Soundstream!