A few words with Ulrich Schnauss
Tuesday, March 29th, 2011
I recently dug up this Q&A interview I did with the man himself in October 2008. On a Google images search I even found an image from the gig in De Burgo’s with my own blurry head in the background. Sometimes it all comes together easily enough.
Q. Favourite colour ? Purple
Q. How would you describe your music style? Hopeful melancholy
Q. What is your musical background? I had piano lessons for about 8 years, got my first synth at the age of 12 - electronic music seemed a way to be creative without relying on other musicians which were really hard to find in the area where I grew up.
Q. Where do you live? North East London
Q. What’s your favorite part of the day? Least favorite? Whenever I can switch into a nocturnal day rhythm - it’s much quieter at night so it’s easier to concentrate on music and I generally prefer the atmosphere as well. I hate mid day - everythings way too bright, loud and distracting…
Q. What’s your drink? Lassi
Q. Favourite book? “Der Zauberberg” by Thomas Mann
Q. Favourite movie? “Kamikaze 1989″ (Fassbinder)
Q. Favourite place? Orange County
Q. Favourite piece of studio gear ? Octave Plateau Voyetra 8 (my alltime favourite synth)
Q. Favorite subject in school? History
Q. Who/what inspires you? Missed opportunities, disappointments, memories
Q. Name one thing you feel strongly about. Why? German reunification - it should never have happened - Germany wasn’t a particularly open and civilzed society before 1989 but at least it didn’t have much power beyond its borders - the reunited stronger germany will sooner or later cause problems (dominating Europe etc) that could have very easily been avoided
Q. Best gig you’ve ever been to? It’s very difficult to narrow it down - saw Serena Maneesh at the water rats a while ago - incredible…
Q. What would be written on your headstone? No pretentious or patronizing bons mots hopefully
Q. If you weren’t a musician, what would you be doing? Don’t think I’d still be alive
Q. What 5 people dead or alive would you invite to dinner?
Marx, Gudrun Ensslin, Wolfgang Pohrt, Adorno, Marcuse
(I’d shut up and just follow their conversation)
Q. Concept of heaven? I don’t believe in heaven but I’d like to live in a society that has progressed beyond private ownership of the means of production
Q. Concept of hell? Capitalism is the end of history
Q. What would you like to be better at? Electro engineering (wish I had a clue about the technical side of studio equipment)
