Monolithic's third AeschTunes hit, "Away From Here," is currently surging up our chart (having made it into the top ten on February 22nd), after the top 20 "Lulling Us To Sleep" and top 5 "House Of Joy". This demo version of "Away From Here" was posted on Monolithic's website, www.midihead.com as a preview of his upcoming "Weapons Of Mass Seduction" album. As we look ahead to the release of the new album, we questioned Midihead about names, religion, The Matrix, and Access Hollywood...
AeschTunes: The band Monolithic contains only one actual member, under the name of Midihead. Why did you choose to use two levels of pseudonyms?
Midihead: Midihead was a name fondly given to me during my DJ days by my colleagues. It was because of my love for electronic music during a period when it was taboo (the early nineties). So while Midihead is my artist name (rather than using my surname) Monolithic is the name of the "band" I suppose. This way, I can always keep Midihead when I want to release music under a different "band" pseudonym (hint, hint).
AT: Prior to Monolithic, you were the vocalist for a band named Paradigm, which split apart when your partner moved overseas. In the modern day and age of the internet and international collaborations (such as DJ Ram's Virtual Server project), have you considered bringing Paradigm back?
M: Nope. I have, however considered redoing a few of the old songs. I think with a little spice, some of those tracks could sound really good.
AT: I was recently noticing that a compilation album A Different Drum put out a few years back, entitled "Too Good For Radio", contains a bio on Paradigm, yet no music from the band. In fact, Paradigm is the only band featured in the booklet that's not actually contained on the CDs. Was Paradigm intended to be included in this compilation?
M: Now that I was unaware of..."Todd [Durrant, A Different Drum's label head], some help here please".
AT: "Away From Here," which is currently playing on the AeschTunes station, is the first song that we've heard from the upcoming album "Weapons Of Mass Seduction." What do you feel distinguishes this track from what we've heard from Monolithic in the past?
M:From my perspective, this track is probably the most "radio friendly" track I've done. In the past, I've sort of tailored my tracks to be at least 5 minutes long...a sort of non-conformist move. However, I found myself missing out on a lot of opportunities so I decided to try something different. I think as a whole, the album "Weapons of Mass Seduction" is going to be more intense than my other albums. This track will probably be the "lightest" one on it.
AT: How did your song "Speed Demon" end up being used in one of the movie trailers for The Matrix Reloaded?
M: I got hooked up with a great publisher here in Los Angeles. He has a thriving business providing the film and TV industry with music. He sent out a CD with a bunch of my tunes on it to the Matrix Reloaded music supervisor he met at a mixer party. I guess he liked that track enough to feature it for the entire length of the trailer which was pretty cool.
AT: You've also had material used in several TV shows, most recently "Access Hollywood". Has this typically been material created especially for these shows, or does it depend on the project?
M: I don't sync music to picture. The guys that do it tell me that it's "no fun" because you have guys breathing down your neck telling you what to do every second. My job is much easier. I create a bunch of tracks that can be used in a variety of places and have my publisher shop them. Basically dozens of CD's go out to various music supervisors and whoever likes the music, uses it in their show.
AT: How does your approach to doing music for a show such as "Access Hollywood" differ from music you do for, say, a Monolithic album?
M: One thing that's for sure is when you're working on styles of music that you've been sort of "forced" into...your eyes are opened. I've been able to toy around with ideas that I'd never had prior to the music for TV gig. Most of the music that I've done for TV has gone into a "darker" sort of vibe than Monolithic...kind of a cross between Fluke and Crystal Method. I've got some examples on my website if anyone is interested to hear the different stuff I've done. It's definitely inspired me to be more divers in the new album.
AT: Would it be safe, then, to say that your background music experiences are a sort of "sandbox" for you to play in, allowing you to refine new skills for working on new Monolithic tracks, or would it be more the other direction? Or is there that direct of a connection between the two?
M: I think the sandbox analogy works well to describe my current work because of a few key things:
- I have always had creative control since going the solo artist route
- The labels that I've been on strongly encouraged creativity and experimenting with different styles.
- When you make music for an underground following, the more you produce from your heart and soul and the less from your corporate bowels, makes your fans happy.
It may not be the way to become a successfully cloned rock star, so a financial return will always be minimal to none. But I wouldn't trade my self-respect and value system to allow someone to mold me into their next revenue machine. Even the music that I do for TV still has the distinctly flavored Midihead sauce. I just work with people who respect my abilities. They don't question why I've done something "risky" anymore because that's the stuff that's landing in shows like Las Vegas, CSI, Access Hollywood and even a Matrix Reloaded movie trailer. All of the music is fairly different from what these music supervisors are hearing. I add a little non-conformity and mix it with a pinch of conformity...just enough to catch their attention. It makes for good BMI sheets. Mailbox money has been good to me of recent. I think that anymore, music is my life...it's what I do for a living. As long as I can continue to learn and play around with new styles in this virtual sandbox, I'll never run out of unique ideas for the sound of Monolithic, or any other name I happen to take on as I evolve.
AT: You got your start in music as a DJ nearly twenty years ago. Do you still do any occasional DJ work?
M: Very rarely. To be quite honest, I'm a bit rusty at the wheels o' steel. I don't think anyone would let me spin if they saw my lack of skills these days ;) I've done a few things on a volunteer basis for youth groups and such, but that's about it.
AT: Monolithic's lyrics have contained some strong religious images. Do you consider Monolithic to be a religious band or do you feel that these images simply come naturally to you?
M: Hmmm. I've never thought of Monolithic to be a "religious" band. I'm not quite sure what you mean by "strong religious images" as I think that the "images" are quite left up to the imagination. I'm just writing music from my heart and my soul. I'm like everyone else out there who is searching for answers, feeling defeat, sadness, joy, pain, etc. I just try to write about it in a way where it won't negatively effect the end listener as I try to evoke some contemplation.
AT: "Window Of Faith" is a prime example to me, with lines such as "In this world so doubting...(they say) "If your eyes can't see then how can you believe?"" and "...to find a place where I can be near (Y)ou...". "Arms" can also be seen as speaking to God, as putting one's life into the hands/arms of God is a common Christian image. There are also times in the Bible where Jesus speaks of the home prepared for us in heaven ("House Of Joy") and the subject of materialism in "Lulling Us To Sleep" as connected to the Biblical quote (paraphrased) "What does a person gain to have the world but lose their soul?"
M: Well, in the sense of religion, there are so many churches and organizations funding artists anymore to spread their word. Some of it's fairly out of control. I can't listen to some of it because it's offensive to me. What I write is how I feel, how a lot of people feel. I'm not endorsed by any religion or denomination. "Window of Faith" is about my early journey through life facing walls of trials, and questioning a supreme loving being's care for me. All my youth I've been told what to believe and to have faith...but there comes a time when you have to find out if those things are true. The Window of Faith is a 2 way window, but sometimes we shut the blinds on our side because of fear, guilt, disbelief, etc. We all want a sign, yet we all look in the wrong place for one. It takes a humble heart, sincere, and truly searching person for the knowledge to be revealed. You've brought up good points in regards to the other mentioned songs. One thing to note is that "Arms" has been interpreted different ways. It was even the wedding song for a good friend. On one hand you have a soul who's drowning, shackled to the pains and disappointments of bad choices, or other's bad choices for that matter. Trapped, in despair, drowning in a sea of sorrow. Then you have the opposite contrast of someone who loves unconditionally and without guile. His greatest desire? To pull you from the sea you're drowning in. Could be a father with a son, could be a wife and a husband taking different roles, it works that way too. I'm not trying to poke anyone in the chest and say "listen to me" or "you're damned if you don't" that's just as silly as Marilyn Manson ripping up books on stage that are considered to be holy. I'm no prophet, no revelator, I'm just a guy who's been through a great deal in his lifetime thus far, and I've learned many things from pitfalls and dark roads that have deeply impacted my ability to write with real intent and purpose. My only hope is that people will not judge me, and that my positive outlook on life will impact them in a way that is constructive and meaningful. I just hope that I don't get too cynical in the album I'm currently writing, as I've grown weary of the world today. Music is the power and the language that all tongues and Civilizations can feel and understand.
My love to you all, whether or not you love me back ;)
AT: And lastly, a "free" question - what would you like to tell the readers of this newsletter, about the band, yourself, life in general...?
M: Music has always been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I used to jump up and down in my crib, whistling and humming along to songs that my mother would play. My father would make up lullabies and sing them to get me to drift off to sleep. Music is my second language, my sixth sense. Though I'm not particularly skilled at any instrument, I am somehow able to create. For the end listener it means that they're hearing something real, not forced unlike most of the music today. I am truly thankful for the gift it has been in my life, and for the many opportunities I've had to share it with you. I'm very honored to receive email from you, my friends and fans...who have given me words of encouragement, and motivation to continue creating.