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[L to R
- A. Patterson, Albert Bergemont, Giorgio Gomelsky, Bernard Gueffier]
[Photo
by Jean Claude Granjean]
INTERVIEW
w/ Archie Patterson
Q: You started out
covering the more Kosmische oriented bands, and then moved on to include a
wider scope of progressive rock, but typically the more avant-rock bands. Does
this simply reflect the development of progressive rock in the 1970's, your own
personal musical discoveries, or something more?
A: To some extent it
reflects all of these. In the beginning there were few bands doing this new
form of “weird” rock music. If not for Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser in Germany who
started the OHR label, who knows what would have happened? There is
always a catalyst, and he was it! The normal record companies (as always) had
no interest until something happened, then they stepped in to capitalize. Of
course the artists had no problem leaving Kaiser behind for more money at first
opportunity. I’ve heard he ended up with a broken heart, being sued in court
and spending some time in a mental hospital in the end. As the Euro scene
developed more indie labels came along and new experimental/progressive bands
entered the scene in many countries. It was a rather miraculous flowering of
music and culture that flowed naturally from pop music and the psychedelic
revolution.
Q: A common thread
throughout Eurock’s history, and certainly what seems to be the focus of
your current catalog, is electronic music. Do you think electronic music has
been the most consistently exciting over the years?
A:
I’d have to say that the very first issue of EUROCK portrays pretty
well my initial musical fascination as it features the holy trinity of
Krautrock – Amon Duul 2, Can and Tangerine Dream. In the beginning there
were more rock oriented bands and fewer pure electronic artists. Over the
years that ratio changed. I think that is mostly due to the fact that
electronic music lends itself incredibly well to film soundtracks. For that
reason it has withstood the test of time better than progressive rock on a
creative level. In the beginning, it certainly conjured up imaginary movies
for the mind. Now when used as a score for actual films it results in
multi-media magic in the best of cases. It was also more unique stylistically
in that it was a new development in terms of pop music and stood apart from
the other rock hybrids from the outset. EUROCK as you say has continued
to focus on that a bit more than prog rock. Part of that is simply taking what
is submitted to me and picking out what I think is most interesting musically
and then making arrangements to distribute it. I hear a lot, but hardly all
that there is… Today everything sounds pretty derivative, but I find that
electronic music, especially when cross pollinated with other musical forms
(rock, acoustic, classical) can sometimes create quite an amazing new sound.
The reality is that the entire spectrum of music has been changed by
synthesizer technology – for better and worse. Electronic music in the pop
idiom led to a complete revolution in sound and style.
Q: Without the
benefit of the Internet or other publications like your own, how did you find
out about all these bands when Eurock started? (In my case it was either
buying records strictly based on cool covers, or buying based on the
descriptions in a 1976 JEM catalog I got at a local record store.)
A:
In the beginning this music was not in the record stores. I began subscribing
to the UK pop magazines Melody Maker and New Musical Express in
the late 1960’s (actually my grandfather bought me Xmas gift subscriptions
in my teens.). I then started buying Move and Zombie records and other
singles/albums from the UK, spending my pittance of disposable income (while
in college) on mail order from UK record stores. I think it was Ian McDonald
(of King Crimson fame) who wrote some of the original small articles on
“Euro rock” that I saw in those mags. Then one day I ran across an advert
by the very first Virgin Records store in London’s Notting Hill area
(at that time a small hippie record store that marked the beginnings of the
Branson empire, before the record label and airlines, etc.). They had a long
list of strange new band names advertised under the label of “Krautrock”.
I immediately made a long distance call late one night (it was quite a
different experience as I’d never called overseas before, and it cost a
fortune in those days)! I ask them to reserve 1 copy of each LP for me and
emptied my bank account (a couple hundred $$$). Some weeks later a series of
small packets arrived with 20 some albums by Can, Amon Duul, Guru Guru,
Kraftwerk, a/o. My mind was blown.
Later,
a small record store/mail order called Moby Disc started up in LA and I
struck up a friendship with this cat named Dana Madore who worked there. They
imported direct from England and got in more of these cool new German
platters. He kept me up on all the new arrivals and took lots of my money –
it was wonderful. Later one of the Moby Disc owners went on to open JEM West.
JEM
East had started some time earlier, at first selling UK imports out of
their car trunks, up and down the East coast. They were heavy anglophiles and
not hip to the non-Kraut or other Euro stuff for some time. In fact, one of
their earliest efforts promoting it came when they asked permission to reprint
something from EUROCK that detailed the latest Cosmic Couriers
releases. They then got into the groove and worked with Nektar, plus started
distributing some other Euro bands.
Q: There was no
Internet then... how did you get the word out that Eurock was available?
I suppose you did this through the Intergalactic Trading Company in
1975?
A:
I did one initial classified advert in Rolling Stone in 1973 that
attracted a bit of attention and then it just started to spread via the rock
underground word of mouth. It took a long time, not like today where
technology bombards us with new information every minute.
The
founding of ITC certainly helped EUROCK and the Euro record
scene here expand. We were the first to specialize in all the Euro
experimental stuff and were the first ones to import Swedish, Finnish, French,
Italian and many other obscure imports. There was also a company on the East
coast, Peter’s International, which started bringing in some continental
Euro imports at that time as well.
Around 1977 I moved to LA and
helped start Paradox Music Mailorder, a branch of Greenworld (a
company that went on to be one of the better and larger importers during that
time before the bottom fell out of the marketplace in the 1980’s). It was a
conscious effort to expanded the ITC market further into the wholesale
sphere and at its peak sold thousands of these strange albums to unsuspecting
collectors across the country. As you say, the covers looked great, people
experimented musically, and became converted to the cause. That was when the
import scene exploded. Those years were totally amazing…I got some incredibly
supportive feedback from customers and storeowners. They were astounded by what
we were constantly discovering musically from all these far off countries by
musicians who had never even registered on the music map in their own
countries. Over the years I’ve gradually met many of the musicians I wrote
about and they still talk fondly about how incredible it was when they read in
a new issue of EUROCK that their next album was due for release in a
couple months – and in fact they were still in the studio recording it. I had
very good sources in Europe at that time that helped me with music and
information, but it took some time to communicate, as it was mostly all done
via the post (long distance telephone calls cost a fortune back before the
breakup of ATT). It really was like a crusade for them, and me as well,
because the music was so unique back then. It’s very different now because
music along with everything else has become basically just another commodity.
Q: As you got into
the 1980's, the table of contents lists more and more bands I’m unfamiliar with
and many more formats in the reviews are listed as being cassettes. It seems
like Eurock was experiencing the emergence of the DIY underground and
global cassette networking?
A: To some extent that shift
reflected the changing times in the music industry. The initial bloom was off
the rose in terms of commercial record companies releasing and supporting that
sort of music. The import scene in general went through a recession of sorts
with JEM, Greenworld, Paradox MM, Peters International
and ITC all being swept into the dustbin of history by the mid 1980’s.
In
1981 I left Paradox/Greenworld and decided to make EUROCK itself
an outlet for selling indie music. Due to the changing economic situation, the
initial way musicians could self-produce their releases shifted to cassette.
It was cheaper and easier. LPs were still being made of course, but they were
more expensive to produce, they had to be made in larger quantities, and
large-scale distribution was a problem. So the focus of the scene shifted to
some extent and cassettes became an important part of it. The EUROCK
cassette releases were among some of the first DIY productions. There were new
labels springing up all around the world: DD Records in Japan, Marquee
in Japan, Bain Total in France, Illusion Productions in France, Mirage
in the UK, YHR in the UK, Transmitter in Germany and many
others. Later as interest grew production moved more to the LP format. It was
so different then as there was no precedent for doing such a thing, thus it
was very hard. Then came the computer…
Q: Reading your
editorials it sounds like you were/are involved in promoting progressive music
well beyond the Eurock publication. You make references to being in
charge of some record distribution companies, getting the chance to do a radio
show, and you even mention giving a nine-week course on progressive music. (I’d
love as much detail about these as you’d care to share.)
A:
I’ve done many activities over the years related to music. The first was in
1971 when I lived in Fresno, CA. It was right before the start of EUROCK when
I did a weekly radio show for 3 years on the biggest commercial FM station in
town (KFIG FM). It was called EUROCK and on WED night 9-11 PM.
We played all the cosmic, German stuff at the beginning. A funny story –
Manfred Mann’s Earthband was playing a concert in Fresno one time and
Manfred was listening to the radio. He asked my friend, Ray Appleton, who was
the station program manager, what the great music he was hearing was? My
friend told him it was a show called EUROCK, and the music being played
was in fact Embryo’s ROCKSESSION LP. I still have a couple
reel-to-reel tapes of shows (in my garage so who knows what condition they are
in)?
When
I moved to Portland, OR I programmed a show for 2 years on the largest FM
station there (KINK FM). It was 3 hours of Euro and Anglo electronic
and progressive music on prime time SUN nights, called OTHER WORLDS. It
was incredible as we would play all this far out Euro music and the next week
would sell hundreds of those albums in our local store Music Millennium
(which was the parent company for ITC).
When
I moved to LA I did a series of special shows on the local Pacifica public
radio station there (KPFK FM) that were quite popular with their
audience. Also while in LA I got a call out of the blue from Michael Mann. He
was looking for music to use as the score for his film THIEF. I made
several sample tapes for him and went to Hollywood for a couple meetings that
resulted in Tangerine Dream doing the film’s music for him.
After
I moved back to Portland, later in the 1990’s, I taught classes at a local
public high school. They were called “Roots of Rock”. One dealt with the
“rock revolution” of the 1950’s and 1960’s. Part of that was the
9-week series you mention that focused on “Euro Rock”. It was an amazing
experience talking to and sharing music and ideas with a new generation –
the classes were for grades 7-12. At one point the school decided they
wouldn’t offer the course any longer (it was an elective), so some 400+ of
the schools students signed a petition asking that I be allowed to come back.
The school reversed their decision and I taught it for 2 more years. I’d
prepare sample music tapes and lectures that would illustrate a particular
class topic. I actually recorded and released the Euro rock series as special
limited set of EUROCK cassettes. People still today ask about them.
Someday maybe I’ll listen to the tapes again and see how they sound.
In
June this year I’m going to start doing a column in PROGRESSION Magazine
that will focus on other music from around the world that I don’t think gets
enough coverage in other publications today.
Q: In your editorial
for issue #20, you introduce the Klaus Schulze interview and mention that it
raises the question as to whether computers and art are compatible. How do you
respond to that question now that computers are so much a part of our lives?
A:
Computers and the development of CD technology have completely changed the
music, the marketplace, and the entire way people function today. I’d
definitely say that they have greatly enlarged the musical palate. On the
other hand, today I’d pose the question somewhat differently: how come the
music being made now that we have this incredible technology is not so
creative? Personally I’m not sure what the answer is – maybe it’s simply
a short circuit conflict between left and right brain functions? I will say
however that there is very little music being released today that comes close
to the creativity or emotional/cultural impact of say Elvis, the Beatles and
Dylan to name just the most obvious (in terms of the mainstream). As far as
the “second culture” is concerned, there is nothing nearly as innovative
as Zappa, the original Magma, or the early Krautrock electronic
experimentalists in Germany. Has the collective gene pool been drained, or has
corporate control simply sapped us of our desire to do anything but replicate
the past and become just another commodity in today’s marketplace (the
medium has become the message)? I think computer technology makes things in
some instances perhaps too easy to do unfortunately. It becomes a struggle to
escape the limitless possibilities of technology and focus on the pure act of
creativity. Maybe that’s the Catch 22 for artists/humans today: computers -
can’t live with them, can’t live without them…
Q: Affordable CDR’s,
web sites, Mp3.com... do you view the ease of virtually anyone making their
music available as being a positive force? Do you think it’s a true kick in the
pants to the music- industrial complex?
A:
Theoretically it makes the means of production more democratic and open to
everyone as long as you follow the rules imposed on you by the software or
provider. In a way the recent US election is an appropriate metaphor for this
dichotomy. It illustrated the fallacy of “democracy” and “freedom” and
what happens when rules and/or machinery breaks down. An arbitrary authority
or system beyond rationality and reproach dictates the outcome. Here then may
be the ultimate question: is music really about simply having access to better
means of production, or is it more importantly about the search by creative
minds for that elusive ultimate chord, tone or musical note?
I
remember going to the first progressive music festival held in the USA in
1978. It was organized by Giorgio Gomelsky in NYC and called the ZU MANIFESTIVAL. Some amazing Euro artists performed as well as early NY
experimentalists. Also of prime importance was that the artists, journalists
and fans from around the world all interacted in panel discussions and
conversation. I remember one particular discussion with Chris Cutler. He said
something to the effect that the problem of gaining exposure and promotion for
good music was not that there was too much of it, but instead that there was
too much music period, and most of it was bad; therefore it was incredibly
hard to promote anything. That early invocation of the law of diminishing
returns was prophetic and has become even truer now in light of the state of
the music, and advanced economic systems of today. Your term
“music-industrial complex” is absolutely appropriate now that control of
the music business and much of the major media and consumer outlets are in the
hands of a very few multi-national corps. They will end up basically
controlling the major technological innovations you mention as well – the
Net and its delivery systems. Soon 20 corporations (or less?) will own
everything worth owning on the entire planet. Meanwhile the barbarians outside
the gates (artists, musicians and those who’ve been left out of the post
Reagan new world order) will be left cannibalizing each other trying to get in
on the action.
Q: Having been
immersed in this music for so long, where do you see progressive music going in
the new Millennium? Do you still hear music that is fresh and exciting, is it
retro, or somewhere in the middle?
A:
For the most part it is retro. Some of the original groundbreaking artists
continue playing good music, but are hardly pioneers any longer. Being a
creative genius at 30 years old is a rarity, being one at 50, highly
improbable. Younger musicians today filter their musical and life influences
through a very different cultural prism than was present during the “The
Golden Age”. Therefore the results are not the same. Some musicians have
done this very well, but for most the level of creativity is not very high in
my opinion. Others may disagree. Just because you create something (music),
and make it available, does not mean that it’s good. To some extent quality
is a subjective question, but I always remember what one of my college
philosophy professors told me – be wary of people who say “that’s only
your opinion” – that is the ultimate act of denying reality.
Q: What does Eurock
currently consist of? Of course you have the mail order catalog. Do you still
do recordings released on the Eurock label? Is Eurock a full time
endeavor?
A:
The current incarnation of EUROCK consists of a printed catalog of
recommended recordings consisting of the best music I’ve come across in the
last 45-60 days. Over the span of a year there may be 4-6 of these, which form
a cumulative catalog. I try to keep these items in stock as long as demand
warrants it and/or I can get them, often they are Ltd. Editions. Once a year I
print a complete stock catalog. To coincide with this eurock.com
contains the same catalog, but with more things offered than in the print
version due to the limitations of that medium. There are also many other
features on the web site as it allows for much more freedom and creativity
(that’s a great advantage of technology and the Net). I’m going to begin
posting on the site new interviews with artists/music people I like, and who I
think carry on the original creative spirit. There also exists the possibility
(as my technological abilities increase) of adding more graphics and sound
clips of each title offered and perhaps a “radio show” of the music
reviewed as well. I might even do excerpts from the class cassettes perhaps.
This is all contingent on technological improvements being made that are
beyond me. My 20-year-old son Aaron is a genius at this and as we speak is
revamping the entire site to improve the look and functionality. The main
problem with the technological aspects is that he attends college in LA during
the year and works for Microsoft in the summer so his time is limited.
I’m always looking out for someone to become part of EUROCK in this regard.
The
EUROCK RECORDS label remains active, but only releases things that I
believe in musically. I have national US distribution via DNA, but the
sales-payment-returns equation is always problematic for a small label. EUROCK
is my full time occupation and over the years I’ve developed a name for
being a bit different from the rest of the pack. My main focus is on
attempting to maintain a high level quality wise. I’m quite proud of the
fact that I started something from nothing, when few would even listen, and
now almost 30 years later I’ve turned countless number of people on to great
music made by some of the most creative musicians all around the world. My
latest release is a multi-media project that I hope people can appreciate
titled “The Golden Age”. It is a CD-ROM that when taken as a whole
is a rather remarkable musical and cultural history of those times. It has
just been picked up for domestic release in Japan. I’d like to think that it
allows those who were not around at the outset to experience that original
vibe all over again; long after it has passed into history.
Interview
by Jerry Kranitz / AURAL INNOVATIONS.COM (USA)
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