Kirkland crystallizes story of Method
by Wei Huan Chen
Staff Writer
Arts | 4/28/09
Posted online at 11:18 PM EST on 4/27/09
JA: Do you have anything do say to the young aspiring college musicians out there? How do you go from playing around in Garageband to being on tour and producing an album?
SK: With regard to technology, enough is definitely out there for people without a large budget to give themselves an opportunity to be expressive. Reason is a great program out there to buy. There are really a lot of programs out there to get now, Ableton Live being another good one. There's no shortage of reasonably-priced complete sets that allow someone to record the audio, guitar, bass, vocals and have a good collection of sounds.
JA: Is that how you guys got started, with lower budget software?
SK: It was many years ago, and we were using DigitalPerformer, but we're talking about around 14 years ago. Nowadays, I'm sure everyone has some sort of keyboard or drum machine that you start out and expand with. We didn't have that equipment when we started.
JA: Do you think it's become easier for electronic musicians to get started since then?
SK: I think it's overall easier for everyone, like guitar players and such having much more access to options, especially for a couple of DJs who are tired of just playing other people's music and want to use their influences to create something cool. It's easier to reach the gear and purchase and find it, but it's still not easy to be creative. The quality of musicality isn't guaranteed.
JA: Being part of a duo, is the process of making music more flexible?
SK: I have two kids, so they pretty much rule my schedule. Early on, not having [a] family, and not having a schedule, we'd probably work until later in the evening. The work was more conducive to the creative process. Now it's been pretty rigid, and I'll wake up at 8 or 9 in the morning.
JA: Is there a balance needed between playing for college-aged fans and being a family man?
SK: We don't make music for any age group. It's always great to see people grow up with your music, to see any longevity. We've played clubs DJing and stuff for the last four years. DJing definitely brings an influx of a younger crowd, though. Electro music brought considerable new fans over the past few years.
JA: Now, is there any chance of you guys wanting to perform at colleges like Brandeis University?
SK: We've actually done lots of shows at colleges and universities DJing and playing live, so yeah.
JA: What do you plan to do after the tour?
SK: Go back into the studio, do some things that we want to make remixes of, do a couple more tours and start working on the new album again.
Divided by Night is due out in stores May 12. The Crystal Method will be performing at the House of Blues in Boston on May 6 at 7 p.m.
SK: With regard to technology, enough is definitely out there for people without a large budget to give themselves an opportunity to be expressive. Reason is a great program out there to buy. There are really a lot of programs out there to get now, Ableton Live being another good one. There's no shortage of reasonably-priced complete sets that allow someone to record the audio, guitar, bass, vocals and have a good collection of sounds.
JA: Is that how you guys got started, with lower budget software?
SK: It was many years ago, and we were using DigitalPerformer, but we're talking about around 14 years ago. Nowadays, I'm sure everyone has some sort of keyboard or drum machine that you start out and expand with. We didn't have that equipment when we started.
JA: Do you think it's become easier for electronic musicians to get started since then?
SK: I think it's overall easier for everyone, like guitar players and such having much more access to options, especially for a couple of DJs who are tired of just playing other people's music and want to use their influences to create something cool. It's easier to reach the gear and purchase and find it, but it's still not easy to be creative. The quality of musicality isn't guaranteed.
JA: Being part of a duo, is the process of making music more flexible?
SK: I have two kids, so they pretty much rule my schedule. Early on, not having [a] family, and not having a schedule, we'd probably work until later in the evening. The work was more conducive to the creative process. Now it's been pretty rigid, and I'll wake up at 8 or 9 in the morning.
JA: Is there a balance needed between playing for college-aged fans and being a family man?
SK: We don't make music for any age group. It's always great to see people grow up with your music, to see any longevity. We've played clubs DJing and stuff for the last four years. DJing definitely brings an influx of a younger crowd, though. Electro music brought considerable new fans over the past few years.
JA: Now, is there any chance of you guys wanting to perform at colleges like Brandeis University?
SK: We've actually done lots of shows at colleges and universities DJing and playing live, so yeah.
JA: What do you plan to do after the tour?
SK: Go back into the studio, do some things that we want to make remixes of, do a couple more tours and start working on the new album again.
Divided by Night is due out in stores May 12. The Crystal Method will be performing at the House of Blues in Boston on May 6 at 7 p.m.
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