Orange Cake Mix es el proyecto del alucinante músico norteamericano Jim Rao quien desde los años 90's se dedica a confeccionar canciones ambientales de corte poético y dream-pop endovenoso a guisa de discos, 7"s, splits, eps publicados por sellos tan atractivos como Darla, Fuzzy Box, Elefant, Sonic Syrup, etc. Jamás olvidaremos su participación en la afamada serie Bliss Out de Darla con una de sus obras maestras "Silver Lining Underwater" allá por 1997.
Este prohombre de la vanguardia etérea internacional está de regreso desde ya hace algunos meses publicando abundante material en su propio bandcamp. Incluso tuvimos el honor en Marzo del 2012 de publicar en Superspace Records uno de sus trabajos: el fantasiosísimo "Soul Surfing". A seguir, una entrevista que le hiciéramos hace unos días a James Thomas Rao a.k.a. Orange Cake Mix.
Dinos, por favor, ¿qué bandas o músicos escuchabas o eras fan de cuando aún estabas creciendo?
¡Wow, podría ser una larga larga lista! Nací en 1960, así que lo primero que escuché fue The Beatles, Beach Boys, Rolling Stones, Tommy James and The Shondells y bubblegum music del sello Buddah como the 1910 Fruitgum Company.
Como adolescente en los 70's: David Bowie, T. Rex, Lou Reed, Todd Rundgren, Mott The Hoople, Neil Young, America, Yes, Steve Hillage, Brian Eno, Big Star, The Raspberries, Hall and Oates. Bastante de música power pop y new wave como Talking Heads, Television y The Clash.
Luego, en los 80s amé sellos postpunks como Cherry Red y específicamente todas las bandas de Creation, especialmente Biff Bang Pow y Felt fueron mis favoritas.
The Smiths, Echo and The Bunnymen, New Order, The Teardrop Explodes, The Cure, The Church, Jesus and Mary Chain... tantísimos más... Robyn Hitchcock hizo uno de mis álbumes favoritos de todos los tiempos: I Often Dream of Trains.
Julian Cope también publicó uno de mis álbumes favoritos: Fried.
Si tuviera que escoger, creo que el tercero de Big Star fue mi álbum favorito de los últimos 70s/primeros 80s. Me influenció tanto como lo hizo el "Another Green World" de Brian Eno.
Something/Anything fue uno de mis favoritos de los 70s también. Creo que tendría que decir que las canciones de Paul McCartney, ciertas canciones, especialmente las de Wings Greatest, fueron una fuerte influencia en mi.
Algunos de mis guitarristas favoritos fueron siempre Robert Fripp, Steve Hillage, Neil Young, Jimi Hendrix, Maurice Deebank y Carlos Santana.
En los 90s, realmente amé las bandas shoegaze como MBV, Pale Saints, Boo Radleys, Primal Scream, ¡también los sonidos de psicodelia drone de los excelentes Spacemen 3!
Una de mis bandas favoritas de todos los tiempos es Teenage Fanclub.
También editaron uno de mis álbumes favoritos de todos los tiempos: Grand Prix.
En realidad había una buena reseña de "Silver Lining Under Water" donde decían que les recordaba a una banda llamada Harmonia.
Nunca había escuchado Harmonia antes, así que salí y compré todos sus álbumes y ¡de hecho que empecé a imitar su maravilloso sonido!
En los 00's, volví hacia atrás y ¡empecé a escuchar todo el krautrock del que me perdí cuando estaba escuchando glam rock en los 70s!
En los 00's, me obsesioné con bandas de krautrock como Cluster, Harmonia, Neu!, Faust, Can y tantos otros.
También disfruté bastante del pop francés de Tahiti 80, Orwell, Mellow y Daft Punk.
Por cierto, en los 70's también escuchaba a los Jackson 5, Sly and The Family Stone y los discos solistas de George Harrison. Led Zeppelin.
¡¡He dejado de mencionar a tantos!!
Escucho un montón de jazz, muchos artistas para mencionar.
También rock psicodélico desconocido de todo el mundo de 1966-1972.
El box set Rubbles es un tesoro.
¿Qué hacías antes de formar Orange Cake Mix? ¿Fue tu primera banda?
Siempre toqué en estas bandas de jam con amigos, solo improvisando y tonteando. Edité algunos casettes en Inglaterra como James T Rao. Son MUY lo fi, pocas canciones buenas, mayormente un papelón. Salieron hacia fines de los 1980s, alrededor de 1988 creo.
¡Ni siquiera lo recuerdo!
Mi música realmente no fue buena hasta fines de 1993. Joey Maddalena me mostró qué equipo comprar y gracias a él, grabé canciones mucho mejores.
Hablando de ello, ¿qué herramientas usas para crear tu música?
Solo un grabador de cassette de 4 pistas. Creo que es una Tascam. También uso unos cuantos pedales de efectos y una unidad de efectos. Es bastante lo fi, tal vez mid fi. Trato de hacer que suene mejor.
¿Cuál es el concepto o sentimiento detrás del nombre de tu proyecto: Orange Cake Mix?
Empezó como algo a la manera del bubblegum twee pop, pues estaba escuchando mucha música del sello Sarah Records, the Marine Girls, mezclado con todas mis memorias de niñez relacionadas con Phil Spector, The Beatles, Wings, Beach Boys, Burt Bacharach.
Pero al mismo tiempo estaba grabando estas canciones de bubblegum twee pop acústico, también grababa piezas instrumentales de space rock influenciados por 2 de mis artistas favoritos: Brian Eno y Robert Fripp.
Así que aunque Orange Cake Mix empezara como un proyecto pop, también quise incluir y explorar mi inventiva en paisajes sonoros cinemáticos.
Incluso grabé algo de pop influenciado por soul esponjoso en "Another Orange World" para Darla.
¿Existe algo que quieras expresar a través de tu música? ¿Qué clase de sentimientos o ideas crees que transporta tu música?
Con algunas canciones solo quiero hacer soundtracks imaginarios. Otras canciones tratan sobre mis estados de ánimo depresivos y pensamientos suicidas. Otras canciones pueden ser sobre cuán feliz me siento. La mayoría son solo ideas poéticas abstractas que no quieren decir mucho sobre nada.
¿Cómo es tu método de composición, improvisas, sigues un método súper racional?
No realmente. ... Solo empiezo a tocar acordes de la guitarra y si me gustan, los grabo. Luego las voces. Las sumo. En algunas canciones solo he usado 3 pistas. En la mayoría solo presiono "play" y grabo.
Algunas veces me invento palabras después/durante la grabación de la pieza. Algunas veces apunto las canciones primero. O si es un instrumental, me gusta tocar canciones repetitivas para crear un sentimiento meditativo.
Los primeros discos que escuché de ti fueron en los 90's "Silver Lining Underwater" y "Dream Window". Era una especie de música dream pop etérea con algunos ritmos y melodías lúdicos. Editabas abundantes singles, splits y eps por aquellos días. ¿Podrías contarnos algo sobre aquellos días? ¿Cómo te contactaste con el sello indie pop español Elefant que editaron tu música también? ¿Cómo fue que Darla Records te dio la misión de trabajar en un Bliss Out?
Elefant es un gran sello. Le envié a Luis Calvo un cassette y le gustó, así que lo publicó. Darla es uno de los mejores sellos también, James era la única personas que se atrevía a editar mi material de space rock instrumental. Otros sellos lo rechazaron. Así que Darla hizo que todo pasara para mí. ¡No puedo agradecer a Darla lo suficiente por publicar "Silver Lining Underwater"! Blackbean también editaba toneladas de mis cds, discos también. Habían tantos sellos en ese entonces, luego de repente todos desaparecieron. Excepto por Darla y Elefant. Aún existen.
¿Cómo era la escena americana en los 90's, tenías algunos colegas o compañeros de vuelo?
No realmente. Solía grabar con Joe Maddalena como Watercolor Sunset pero las canciones eran terribles.
Pero la escena americana en los 90s era divertida. Justo alrededor de 1992-1999, la mayoría de las tiendas independientes de discos estaban abiertas aún.
Brass City Records en Waterbury CT fue donde vi tocar muchas bandas excelentes gratis, como The Loud Family, The Ropers, The Apples In Stereo.
Luego alrededor de los primeros 00's, las tiendas empezaron a desaparecer lentamente.
Los sellos comenzaron a desaparecer.
¿Puedes contarnos algo de tu ciudad en Connecticut? ¿Cómo es?
Como cualquier pueblo/pequeña ciudad en Estados Unidos. Aburrido. Pero hay algunos lugares hermosos para caminar en el bosque, Talcott Mountain en Avon/Simsbury es una linda montaña para escalar.
Demolieron la hermosa Calle Main en Bristol en 1971, cuando tenía solo 11 años. Nunca ha sido igual desde entonces.
Connecticut está ok. Pero realmente me gustaría vivir en California.
Es demasiado húmedo y caliente aquí en el verano y demasiado frío en el invierno, tuvimos 35" pulgadas de nieve el invierno pasado. Y es horrible ahora en Julio, es difícil par mí respirar porque el aire es muy húmedo. Me hace sentir realmente enfermo.
¿Qué hay de los conciertos de Orange Cake Mix, cómo son?
Nunca he tocado en vivo, solo lo hice como un proyecto de grabaciones en casa. Grabaría las canciones rápidamente y nunca las volvería a tocar. Así que usualmente ni siquiera recuerdo ALGUNA de las canciones que toco. Grabo la canción y luego no me molesto en tocarla de nuevo.
Alrededor del año 2001 tu producción musical pareció parar. Regresaste recientemente con tu propio bandcamp, publicando toneladas de música que tenías en los archivos. ¿Qué pasó con tu vida musical y creatividad todos estos años que no supimos de ti?
Solo no volví a tener un sello discográfico. Blackbean cerró. Tokuma cerró. Clover cerró. North of January cerró. Muchos otros sellos cerraron también. Pero Darla no cerró. Creo que Darla no quiso publicar más mis canciones, ¿tal vez no les gustaba tanto? Aún mandaba música durante los 00's pero todos los sellos lo rechazaban. Así que creo que mi música no era tan buena tan solo. Pero he seguido grabando constantemente, desde el 2003 directo hasta ayer por la tarde. Había escuchado sobre bandcamp así que pensé que podría editar mi música allí, pero era tan flojo. ¡
Agraciaste a mi sello Superspace Records de Peru al editar un disco, "Soul Surfing", con nosotros. Es tiempo para expresar en público gracias eternas por tal detalle con nosotros, tus admiradores desde los 90's. Cuéntanos algo de las canciones de "Soul Surfing". ¿Cómo inventaste tales maravillosos títulos por ejemplo? ¡¡El artwork de cada canción en el bandcamp es magnífico también!! La música de "Soul Surfing" parece una colección de tus canciones mas abstractas perdidas, por cierto.
Estuve feliz de hacerlo pues me recordaste de hacerlo por mí mismo. Amo la idea de música descargable gratis. Bastantes artistas y músicos se quejan de ello pero creo que regalar música gratis es ¡EXCELENTE! De hecho, es bueno que te den una cheque por regalías de tanto en cuando, pero he enfrentado HACE MUCHO el hecho que JAMÁS haré algo de dinero con mi música. No es realista. No voy de tour. No tengo una banda. No grabo música en un estudio profesional. ¡Grabo TODO en un 4 canales! No tengo ninguna de mi música usada en comerciales o películas. Como la mayoría de artistas, mi música hará dinero cuando esté MUERTO. Así que perdí la esperanza en hacer dinero con música, es como hablarle a la pared. Literalmente imposible si eres un artista de grabaciones caseras como yo.
Realmente quise que Darla publique "Soul Surfing" el 2009, pero no creo que a James le haya gustado tanto como para publicarlo. Le envié una copia y creo que ¿es tan solo porque mis discos no venden ya? No creo que pueda vender muchos cds... ¿tal vez 200? Y no culpo realmente a la gente por no querer comprar cds. Escucho casi todo en Spotify gratis. No tengo deseo en absoluto de comprar un cd o un disco de alguien, ¿así que por qué esperaría que alguien compre el mío? Entonces... no culpo en verdad a James en Darla de no querer publicarlo. Probablemente acabo rompiéndolo. Tengo un CD por salir en un sello de Inglaterra, Pebble Records, "Songs for a Late Summer", probablemente salga en unos cuantos meses. Es mayormente canciones pop de guitarra eléctrica y acústica. Los cds están listos, pero por alguna razón el artwork no está hecho. Lo cual es frustrante porque pensé que estaría publicado ya ahora. De todas formas, le dije a Michael de Pebble que solo haga 200 porque REALMENTE no creo que pueda vender demasiado. Espero incluso que terminará quebrado pues está poniendo todo el dinero para manufacturar el cd.
Entonces déjame decirte sobre "Soul Surfing": AMO grabar largas canciones drone, cortos instrumentales, música de soundtrack psicodélico. Esas canciones fueron parte de alrededor de 15 horas valiosas de psicodelia, space rock, ambient que estuve grabando alrededor de fines del 2007 hasta el 2009. Para decir la verdad, grabo tanto que es difícil seguirme el ritmo. Así que tomé las mejores canciones he hice 4 álbumes instrumentales: Soul Surfing / Silver Wind and Stars / Broken Clouds and Sun / At The Speed of Light. El resto de las canciones instrumentales están desperdigados en todas esas ediciones de bandcamp que edito. Luego grabé unos cuantos lps instrumentales el pasado verano: Circles y Colors For Tomorrow. Traté de editar 1 ó 2 álbumes por mes desde Marzo de 2012 hasta Enero de 2013. Luego tomé un descanso por unos cuantos meses y edité unos pocos más.
Gracias por apreciar mi artwork. Me encanta hacer artwork/pinturas/collages y fotografías desenfocadas de vidrios de colores.
Los títulos de las canciones de "Soul Surfing" fueron construidas al azar, como todo lo que hago. No paso mucho tiempo pensando sobre eso. Algunas veces solo imagino cómo suena la canción y le doy un título.
¿Cuáles son tus planes futuros relacionados con Orange Cake Mix u otras formas de expresar tu creatividad?
Además del cd "Songs For a Late Summer" en Pebble Records de Inglaterra, no tengo nada físico de Orange Cake Mix por publicar. Si un sello quiere editar algo del bandcamp, pueden bajarlo y manufacturarlo desde ahí. Pueden publicarlo en vinilo, o cd. O ambos. No estoy seguro si venderá bien. Con suerte me darán unos pocos dólares.
Creo que mientras viva, planeo seguir grabando y editando álbumes en bandcamp.
Me gustaría también integrar un banda de space rock y tocar la guitarra, una banda que toque estrictamente música influenciada por la música krautrock/spacerock, música que suene como Faust, Neu!, Harmonia, Cluster, Fripp y Eno o Spacemen 3. Puedo imaginarme jameando en canciones de 30 minutos con otros guitarristas.
La Industria Musical es más difícil que antes, ¿cómo manejas esta situación? ¿Algún consejo para los creadores o melómanos jóvenes?
No me considero parte de la Industria Musical para nada. Soy más un artista outsider. No hago plata con mi música. Así que no es fácil. En nada. Mi consejo para los jóvenes creadores musicales es CONTINUAR TRATANDO y NUNCA RENDIRSE. Pero también, sería excelente tener una habilidad real o un verdadero trabajo.
¿Has escuchado alguna música de Latinoamérica o de Perú quizás?
No conozco mucha música de Latinoamérica excepto por los psicodélicos pop brasileños Os Mutantes o Caetano Veloso y algunos otros que no recuerdo. Tenía un compilatorio de Psicodelia Garage de canciones peruanas psicodélicas de los 1960s, me olvidé el nombre. Tenía tantas bandas cool. Me gustan Traffic Sound y We All Together.
¿Qué bandas nuevas recomiendas a nuestros lectores o qué música estás escuchando estos días?
No escucho mucha nueva música.
Me gusta algunas de las nuevas canciones del nuevo álbum de Daft Punk, me gusta mucho la canción de media hora llamada "Driftin' Back" de Neil Young. No conozco muchas bandas nuevas. Estoy colgado escuchando música del pasado como T. Rex y David Bowie. Escucho Brian Jonestown Massacre bastante.
Me gusta Tame Impala pero no conozco muchas bandas nuevas. Escucho la música principalmente gratis en Spotify y escucho canciones psicodélicas pop bastante desconocidas que la gente sube a youtube. ¡Youtube ha cambiado mi vida!
Me gusta escuchar space rock y kraut rock de los primeros y mediados de los 70s.
Muchas gracias por la entrevista Jim. Espero que alguna vez puedas venir a Perú y ver nuestros colores también. Buenas vibraciones para ti por siempre hermosa alma)))))))
¡Gracias a ti por la entrevista!
ORANGE CAKE MIX OR THE MARRIAGE OF HEAVEN AND POP
Orange Cake Mix is the project of the amazing American musician Jim Rao who from the years 90's dedicates himself to make ambient songs of poetical feeling and intravenous dream-pop by way of discs, 7 " s, splits, eps released by labels as attractive as Darla, Fuzzy Box, Elefant, Sonic Syrup, etc. We will never forget his participation in the famous series Bliss Out of Darla with one of his masterpieces "Silver Lining Underwater" as far back as 1997.
This master of the ethereal international vanguard returns from already some months ago putting out a lot of stuff on his own bandcamp. Even we had the honor in March, 2012 of releasing, in Superspace Records, one of his works: the very fantasy "Soul Surfing". With you an interview we did a few days ago to James Thomas Rao a.k.a. Orange Cake Mix.
Please tell us what music, bands/musicians you used to listen to or were a fan of when you grew up?
Wow, that would be a long long long list! I was born in 1960, so the first music I was listening to was The Beatles, Beach Boys,Rolling Stones, Tommy James and The Shondells, and bubblegum music on the Buddah label like the 1910 Fruitgum Company.
As a teenager in the 70s : David Bowie, T. Rex, Lou Reed, Todd Rundgren, Mott The Hoople, Neil Young , America, Yes, Steve Hillage,Brian Eno, Big Star, The Raspberries, Hall and Oates. A lot of stuff like power pop music and new wave like Talking Heads, Television and The Clash.
Then, in the 80s I loved postpunk labels like Cherry Red and especially all the bands on Creation, especially Biff Bang Pow and Felt were my very favorites.
The Smiths, Echo and The Bunnymen, New Order, The Teardrop Explodes, The Cure, The Church, Jesus and Mary Chain...so many many many more....Robyn Hitchcock made one of my all time favorite albums : I Often Dream of Trains
Julian Cope also released one of my all time favorite albums : Fried.
If I had to choose, I guess Big Star 3rd was my favorite all time album of the late 70s/early 80s. It influenced me the most as much as Another Green World by Brian Eno did.
Something/Anything was one of my favorites of the 70s also. I guess I would have to say Paul McCartney songs, certain songs, especially the songs on Wings Greatest, were a heavy influence on me.
Some of my favorite guitar players were always Robert Fripp, Steve Hillage, Neil Young, Jimi Hendrix , Maurice Deebank and Carlos Santana.
In the 90s, I really loved the shoegaze bands like MBV, Pale Saints, Boo Radleys, Primal Scream, also the psychedelic drone sounds of excellent Spacemen 3!
One of my all time favorite bands is Teenage Fanclub.
They also released one of my all time favorite albums : Grand Prix
There was actually a good review of Silver Lining Under Water and they said it reminded them of a band called Harmonia.
I never heard Harmonia before, so I went out and bought all their albums and sure enough I started imitating their wonderful sound!
In the 00’s, I went backwards and started listening to all the krautrock I missed out on when I was listening to glam rock in the 70s!
In the 00’s, I became obsessed with krautrock bands like Cluster, Harmonia, Neu, Faust, Can and so many others.
I also enjoyed a lot of the french pop stuff by Tahiti 80, Orwell, Mellow and Daft Punk
Also in the 70s I was also listening to the jackson 5, sly and the family stone and george harrison solo lps. led zeppelin.
I left out so many!!!!!!!!!!!!
I listen to a lot of jazz, too many artists to list.
also obscure psychedelic rock from all over the world 1966-1972
the rubbles box set is a treasure
Where you in a band before creating Orange Cake Mix or was it your 1st effort to produce your own stuff?
I always played in these jam bands with friends, just improvising and goofing around. I released some tapes in the UK as James T Rao. They are VERY lo fi, a few good songs, but mostly embarrassing. These came out in the late 1980s, around 1988 I think.
I don’t even remember!
Really, my music wasn’t that good until late 1993. Joey Maddalena showed me what equipment to buy and because of him, I recorded much better songs.
Speaking of that, what equipment/tools do you use to create your music?
Just a 4 track cassette recorder. I think it’s a tascam. I also use a few effects pedals and an effects unit. It is very lo fi, maybe mid fi. I try to make it sound better
What is the concept or feeling behind the name of your project: Orange Cake Mix?
It started off as a bubblegum twee pop thing, because I was listening to a lot of music on the Sarah label, the Marine Girls, mixed in with all my childhood Phil Spector memories, The Beatles, Wings, Beach Boys, Burt Bacharach.
But at the same time I was recording these twee acoustic bubblegum pop songs, I was also recording space rock instrumentals influenced by 2 of my all time favorite artists : Brian Eno and Robert Fripp
So even though Orange Cake Mix started as a pop project, I also wanted to include and explore my creating cinematic soundscapes.
I even recorded some fluffy soul influenced pop on ‘’ Another Orange World’’ for Darla.
Is there anything you want to express through your music? What kind of feelings/ideas do you believe it carries?
Some songs I just like to make imaginary soundtrack music. Other songs are about my depressed moods and suicidal thoughts. Other songs can be about how happy I feel. Or most are just abstract poetic ideas that don’t mean much of anything.
What about your method of composition? Do you improvise or lead by a very rational plan?
Not really. .. I just start playing some guitar chords and if I like it , I record it. Then the vocals. I’ll add.Some songs only 3 tracks are used. But mostly I just press play and record.
Sometimes I make up words after/during the song recording. Sometimes I write the words down first.
Or if it is just instrumental, I like to play repetitive songs to create a meditation feeling.
The first discs I've heard of you were back in the 90's "Silver Lining Underwater" and "Dream Window". It was a sort of ethereal dream pop music with some playful rhythms and tunes. You were releasing a lot of singles, splits and eps those days. Could you describe us your activity those years? How you got in touch with the spanish indie pop label Elefant that put some of your music too? Also what about Darla giving you the mission of working on a Bliss Out?
Elefant is such a great label. I sent Luis Calvo a tape and he liked it, so he released it. Darla is one of the best labels also, James was the only person willing to put out my instrumental space rock stuff. Other labels rejected it. So really Darla made everything happen for me. I cannot thank Darla enough for releasing Silver Lining Under Water! Blackbean also was releasing tons of my cds, records also. There were so many labels back then, then they all sort of disappeared. Except for Darla and Elefant. They still exist.
How was the american scene in the 90's, did you have some colleagues or fellow travellers?
Not really. I used to record with Joe Maddalena as Watercolor Sunset but the songs were terrible.
But the american scene in the 90s was fun. Right around 1992-1999, most of the indie record shops were still open.
Brass City Records in Waterbury CT was where I saw a lot of great bands play live for free, like The Loud Family, The Ropers, The Apples In Stereo.
Then by the early 00’s, the stores started slowly disappearing.
The labels started disappearing.
Can you tell us something about your hometown in Connecticut? What is it like?
Just like anytown / small city USA. Boring. But there are some nice places to walk in the forest, Talcott Mountain in Avon/Simsbury is a nice mountain to hike.
They tore down beautiful Main Street in Bristol, in 1971 when I was only 11 years old. It has never been the same since.
Connecticut is ok. But I really wished I lived in California.
It is too humid and hot here in the summer and too cold in the winter, we had 35’’ inches of snow last winter! It was awful. And it is awful now in July, it is difficult for me to breathe because the air is too humid.
It makes me feel really sick.
What about the Orange Cake Mix concerts? Can you tell us something about it?
I never played live, I just did it like a home recording project. I would record the songs quickly and never play them again. So I usually don’t even remember ANY of the songs I play. I record the song and then I never bother playing it again.
Around year 2002 your music production seemed to stop. You came back recently with your own bandcamp releasing tones of music you had on the archives, what happened with your music life and creativity all these years we didn't know about you?
I just didn’t have a record label anymore. Blackbean shut down. Tokuma shut down. Clover shut down. North of January shut down. So many others shut down also. But Darla didn’t shut down. I guess Darla didn’t want to release my songs anymore, maybe they didn’t like them as much? I was still sending music out throughout the 00’s but all the labels rejected it. So I guess my music was just not good enough. But I kept recording constantly, 2003 right up to yesterday afternoon! I had heard about bandcamp so I figured I would release my music on there, but I was so lazy. Then you reminded me!
You graced my own independent label Superspace Records from Peru by releasing a disc, "Soul Surfing", with us. It is time for me to express eternal thanks in public for such a detail with us, your admirers since the 90's. Can you tell us something about the songs of Soul Surfing? How did you come up with such wonderful song/album titles for example? The artwork of each song on bandcamp is also magnificient man!!! The music on "Soul Surfing" seems a collection of your most abstract lost songs, by the way.
I was happy to do it because you reminded me of doing it myself. I love the idea of free downloadable music. A lot of artists and musicians complain about it but I think giving away music for free is GREAT! Sure, it is nice to get a royalty check now and then, but I have faced the fact LONG AGO that I will NEVER make any money on my music. It just isn’t realistic. I don’t tour. I don’t have a band. I don’t record music in a professional studio. I record EVERYTHING on a 4 track! I don’t have any music being used in commercials or movies. Like most artists, my music will make money when I am DEAD. So I gave up on making money on music, it’s like hitting a brick wall. Literally impossible if you are a private home recording artist like myself.
I really wanted Darla to release ‘’Soul Surfing’’ in 2009, but I don’t think James liked it enough to release it. I sent him a copy and I guess maybe it’s just that my cds don’t sell anymore? I don’t think I can sell many cds...maybe 200? And I don’t really blame people for not wanting to buy cds. I listen to most music on Spotify for free. I have no desire whatsoever to buy a cd or a record by anyone, so why would I expect someone to buy mine? So...I don’t really blame James at Darla for not wanting to release it. He would probably end up just breaking even. I have a CD coming out on a UK label Pebble Records ‘’Songs for a Late Summer’’, probably should be out in a few months. Its mostly acoustic and electric guitar pop songs. The cds are ready, but for some reason the artwork isn’t done. Which is frustrating because I thought it would be out by now. Anyway, I told Michael at Pebble to only make 200 because I REALLY don’t think he will be able to sell too many. I really hope he will break even, because he is putting up all the money to manufacture the cd.
So let me tell you about Soul Surfing : I LOVE recording long drone songs, short instrumentals, psychedelic soundtrack music. Those songs were part of about 15 hours worth of instrumental psych space rock ambient music I was recording from around late 2007-2009. To tell the truth, I record so much it’s hard to keep up with myself! So I took the best songs and made 4 instrumental albums : Soul Surfing / Silver Wind and Stars / Broken Clouds and Sun / At The Speed of Light . The rest of the instrumental songs are scattered on all those other bandcamp releases I self released. Then I recorded a few more instrumental lps last summer : Circles and Colors For Tomorrow. I tried to release 1 or 2 albums a month from March 2012 – Jan. 2013. Then I took a break for a few months and just released a few more.
Thank you for liking my artwork. I love making artwork/paintings/collages and out of focus photographs of colored glass.
The song titles on Soul Surfing were just made up randomly, like everything I do. I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about it. I just sometimes imagine what the song sounds like and I give it a title.
What are your future plans regarding Orange Cake Mix or other ways of expressing your creativity?
Besides the Songs For a Late Summer cd on Pebble records UK, I do not have any physical form of Orange Cake Mix coming out. If a label wants to release something from bandcamp, they can download it and manufacture it right from there.They can release it on vinyl, or cd. Or both. Not sure if it will sell. Hopefully they will give me a few dollars.
I guess as long as I am alive, I plan to keep recording and keep releasing my albums on bandcamp.
I would also love to join a space rock band and play guitar, a band that plays strictly krautrock/spacerock influended music, music that sounds like Faust, Neu, Harmonia, Cluster , Fripp and Eno and Spacemen 3.
I can imagine jamming on 30 minute songs with other guitar players
Music industry these days is harder than ever before, how do you get along with this situation? Any advice for the young music creators and/or music lovers?
I do not consider myself a part of the music industry at all. I am more of an outsider artist. I do not make money on my music. So it isn’t easy. At all. My advice to the young music creators is KEEP TRYING and NEVER GIVE UP. But also, it would be great to have a real skill or a real job.
Have you heard any music from Latin America or from Peru from perhaps?
I don’t know much music from Latin America except for the Brazil pop psych Os Mutantes or Caetano Veloso and some others I can’t remember. I had a Garage Psychedelic compilation of Peruvian psychedelic songs from the 1960s, I forgot the name of it. It had so many cool bands.
I like Traffic Sound and We All Together.
What new bands do you recommend our readers to listen to and/or what new music are you listening to nowadays?
I don’t listen to much new music.
I like some of the new Daft Punk songs on their new album, I really love the half hour long song called ‘’Driftin’ Back’’ by Neil Young. I don’t know many new bands. I am stuck listening to the music from the past like T. Rex and David Bowie. I seem to listen to the Brian Jonestown Massacre a lot.
I like Tame Impala but I don’t know many new bands. I listen to most music for free on Spotify and I listen to very obscure psychedlic pop songs people upload on youtube. Youtube has changed my life!
I like listening to space rock and krautrock from the early – mid 70s.
Thanks a lot for the interview Jim. Hope you can come to Peru anytime and see our colours too. Good vibrations to you phorever beautiful soul))))))))))))))
Thank you for the interview!
Estuve feliz de hacerlo pues me recordaste de hacerlo por mí mismo. Amo la idea de música descargable gratis. Bastantes artistas y músicos se quejan de ello pero creo que regalar música gratis es ¡EXCELENTE! De hecho, es bueno que te den una cheque por regalías de tanto en cuando, pero he enfrentado HACE MUCHO el hecho que JAMÁS haré algo de dinero con mi música. No es realista. No voy de tour. No tengo una banda. No grabo música en un estudio profesional. ¡Grabo TODO en un 4 canales! No tengo ninguna de mi música usada en comerciales o películas. Como la mayoría de artistas, mi música hará dinero cuando esté MUERTO. Así que perdí la esperanza en hacer dinero con música, es como hablarle a la pared. Literalmente imposible si eres un artista de grabaciones caseras como yo.
Realmente quise que Darla publique "Soul Surfing" el 2009, pero no creo que a James le haya gustado tanto como para publicarlo. Le envié una copia y creo que ¿es tan solo porque mis discos no venden ya? No creo que pueda vender muchos cds... ¿tal vez 200? Y no culpo realmente a la gente por no querer comprar cds. Escucho casi todo en Spotify gratis. No tengo deseo en absoluto de comprar un cd o un disco de alguien, ¿así que por qué esperaría que alguien compre el mío? Entonces... no culpo en verdad a James en Darla de no querer publicarlo. Probablemente acabo rompiéndolo. Tengo un CD por salir en un sello de Inglaterra, Pebble Records, "Songs for a Late Summer", probablemente salga en unos cuantos meses. Es mayormente canciones pop de guitarra eléctrica y acústica. Los cds están listos, pero por alguna razón el artwork no está hecho. Lo cual es frustrante porque pensé que estaría publicado ya ahora. De todas formas, le dije a Michael de Pebble que solo haga 200 porque REALMENTE no creo que pueda vender demasiado. Espero incluso que terminará quebrado pues está poniendo todo el dinero para manufacturar el cd.
Entonces déjame decirte sobre "Soul Surfing": AMO grabar largas canciones drone, cortos instrumentales, música de soundtrack psicodélico. Esas canciones fueron parte de alrededor de 15 horas valiosas de psicodelia, space rock, ambient que estuve grabando alrededor de fines del 2007 hasta el 2009. Para decir la verdad, grabo tanto que es difícil seguirme el ritmo. Así que tomé las mejores canciones he hice 4 álbumes instrumentales: Soul Surfing / Silver Wind and Stars / Broken Clouds and Sun / At The Speed of Light. El resto de las canciones instrumentales están desperdigados en todas esas ediciones de bandcamp que edito. Luego grabé unos cuantos lps instrumentales el pasado verano: Circles y Colors For Tomorrow. Traté de editar 1 ó 2 álbumes por mes desde Marzo de 2012 hasta Enero de 2013. Luego tomé un descanso por unos cuantos meses y edité unos pocos más.
Gracias por apreciar mi artwork. Me encanta hacer artwork/pinturas/collages y fotografías desenfocadas de vidrios de colores.
Los títulos de las canciones de "Soul Surfing" fueron construidas al azar, como todo lo que hago. No paso mucho tiempo pensando sobre eso. Algunas veces solo imagino cómo suena la canción y le doy un título.
¿Cuáles son tus planes futuros relacionados con Orange Cake Mix u otras formas de expresar tu creatividad?
Además del cd "Songs For a Late Summer" en Pebble Records de Inglaterra, no tengo nada físico de Orange Cake Mix por publicar. Si un sello quiere editar algo del bandcamp, pueden bajarlo y manufacturarlo desde ahí. Pueden publicarlo en vinilo, o cd. O ambos. No estoy seguro si venderá bien. Con suerte me darán unos pocos dólares.
Creo que mientras viva, planeo seguir grabando y editando álbumes en bandcamp.
Me gustaría también integrar un banda de space rock y tocar la guitarra, una banda que toque estrictamente música influenciada por la música krautrock/spacerock, música que suene como Faust, Neu!, Harmonia, Cluster, Fripp y Eno o Spacemen 3. Puedo imaginarme jameando en canciones de 30 minutos con otros guitarristas.
La Industria Musical es más difícil que antes, ¿cómo manejas esta situación? ¿Algún consejo para los creadores o melómanos jóvenes?
No me considero parte de la Industria Musical para nada. Soy más un artista outsider. No hago plata con mi música. Así que no es fácil. En nada. Mi consejo para los jóvenes creadores musicales es CONTINUAR TRATANDO y NUNCA RENDIRSE. Pero también, sería excelente tener una habilidad real o un verdadero trabajo.
¿Has escuchado alguna música de Latinoamérica o de Perú quizás?
No conozco mucha música de Latinoamérica excepto por los psicodélicos pop brasileños Os Mutantes o Caetano Veloso y algunos otros que no recuerdo. Tenía un compilatorio de Psicodelia Garage de canciones peruanas psicodélicas de los 1960s, me olvidé el nombre. Tenía tantas bandas cool. Me gustan Traffic Sound y We All Together.
¿Qué bandas nuevas recomiendas a nuestros lectores o qué música estás escuchando estos días?
No escucho mucha nueva música.
Me gusta algunas de las nuevas canciones del nuevo álbum de Daft Punk, me gusta mucho la canción de media hora llamada "Driftin' Back" de Neil Young. No conozco muchas bandas nuevas. Estoy colgado escuchando música del pasado como T. Rex y David Bowie. Escucho Brian Jonestown Massacre bastante.
Me gusta Tame Impala pero no conozco muchas bandas nuevas. Escucho la música principalmente gratis en Spotify y escucho canciones psicodélicas pop bastante desconocidas que la gente sube a youtube. ¡Youtube ha cambiado mi vida!
Me gusta escuchar space rock y kraut rock de los primeros y mediados de los 70s.
Muchas gracias por la entrevista Jim. Espero que alguna vez puedas venir a Perú y ver nuestros colores también. Buenas vibraciones para ti por siempre hermosa alma)))))))
¡Gracias a ti por la entrevista!
ORANGE CAKE MIX OR THE MARRIAGE OF HEAVEN AND POP
Orange Cake Mix is the project of the amazing American musician Jim Rao who from the years 90's dedicates himself to make ambient songs of poetical feeling and intravenous dream-pop by way of discs, 7 " s, splits, eps released by labels as attractive as Darla, Fuzzy Box, Elefant, Sonic Syrup, etc. We will never forget his participation in the famous series Bliss Out of Darla with one of his masterpieces "Silver Lining Underwater" as far back as 1997.
This master of the ethereal international vanguard returns from already some months ago putting out a lot of stuff on his own bandcamp. Even we had the honor in March, 2012 of releasing, in Superspace Records, one of his works: the very fantasy "Soul Surfing". With you an interview we did a few days ago to James Thomas Rao a.k.a. Orange Cake Mix.
Please tell us what music, bands/musicians you used to listen to or were a fan of when you grew up?
Wow, that would be a long long long list! I was born in 1960, so the first music I was listening to was The Beatles, Beach Boys,Rolling Stones, Tommy James and The Shondells, and bubblegum music on the Buddah label like the 1910 Fruitgum Company.
As a teenager in the 70s : David Bowie, T. Rex, Lou Reed, Todd Rundgren, Mott The Hoople, Neil Young , America, Yes, Steve Hillage,Brian Eno, Big Star, The Raspberries, Hall and Oates. A lot of stuff like power pop music and new wave like Talking Heads, Television and The Clash.
Then, in the 80s I loved postpunk labels like Cherry Red and especially all the bands on Creation, especially Biff Bang Pow and Felt were my very favorites.
The Smiths, Echo and The Bunnymen, New Order, The Teardrop Explodes, The Cure, The Church, Jesus and Mary Chain...so many many many more....Robyn Hitchcock made one of my all time favorite albums : I Often Dream of Trains
Julian Cope also released one of my all time favorite albums : Fried.
If I had to choose, I guess Big Star 3rd was my favorite all time album of the late 70s/early 80s. It influenced me the most as much as Another Green World by Brian Eno did.
Something/Anything was one of my favorites of the 70s also. I guess I would have to say Paul McCartney songs, certain songs, especially the songs on Wings Greatest, were a heavy influence on me.
Some of my favorite guitar players were always Robert Fripp, Steve Hillage, Neil Young, Jimi Hendrix , Maurice Deebank and Carlos Santana.
In the 90s, I really loved the shoegaze bands like MBV, Pale Saints, Boo Radleys, Primal Scream, also the psychedelic drone sounds of excellent Spacemen 3!
One of my all time favorite bands is Teenage Fanclub.
They also released one of my all time favorite albums : Grand Prix
There was actually a good review of Silver Lining Under Water and they said it reminded them of a band called Harmonia.
I never heard Harmonia before, so I went out and bought all their albums and sure enough I started imitating their wonderful sound!
In the 00’s, I went backwards and started listening to all the krautrock I missed out on when I was listening to glam rock in the 70s!
In the 00’s, I became obsessed with krautrock bands like Cluster, Harmonia, Neu, Faust, Can and so many others.
I also enjoyed a lot of the french pop stuff by Tahiti 80, Orwell, Mellow and Daft Punk
Also in the 70s I was also listening to the jackson 5, sly and the family stone and george harrison solo lps. led zeppelin.
I left out so many!!!!!!!!!!!!
I listen to a lot of jazz, too many artists to list.
also obscure psychedelic rock from all over the world 1966-1972
the rubbles box set is a treasure
Where you in a band before creating Orange Cake Mix or was it your 1st effort to produce your own stuff?
I always played in these jam bands with friends, just improvising and goofing around. I released some tapes in the UK as James T Rao. They are VERY lo fi, a few good songs, but mostly embarrassing. These came out in the late 1980s, around 1988 I think.
I don’t even remember!
Really, my music wasn’t that good until late 1993. Joey Maddalena showed me what equipment to buy and because of him, I recorded much better songs.
Speaking of that, what equipment/tools do you use to create your music?
Just a 4 track cassette recorder. I think it’s a tascam. I also use a few effects pedals and an effects unit. It is very lo fi, maybe mid fi. I try to make it sound better
What is the concept or feeling behind the name of your project: Orange Cake Mix?
It started off as a bubblegum twee pop thing, because I was listening to a lot of music on the Sarah label, the Marine Girls, mixed in with all my childhood Phil Spector memories, The Beatles, Wings, Beach Boys, Burt Bacharach.
But at the same time I was recording these twee acoustic bubblegum pop songs, I was also recording space rock instrumentals influenced by 2 of my all time favorite artists : Brian Eno and Robert Fripp
So even though Orange Cake Mix started as a pop project, I also wanted to include and explore my creating cinematic soundscapes.
I even recorded some fluffy soul influenced pop on ‘’ Another Orange World’’ for Darla.
Is there anything you want to express through your music? What kind of feelings/ideas do you believe it carries?
Some songs I just like to make imaginary soundtrack music. Other songs are about my depressed moods and suicidal thoughts. Other songs can be about how happy I feel. Or most are just abstract poetic ideas that don’t mean much of anything.
What about your method of composition? Do you improvise or lead by a very rational plan?
Not really. .. I just start playing some guitar chords and if I like it , I record it. Then the vocals. I’ll add.Some songs only 3 tracks are used. But mostly I just press play and record.
Sometimes I make up words after/during the song recording. Sometimes I write the words down first.
Or if it is just instrumental, I like to play repetitive songs to create a meditation feeling.
The first discs I've heard of you were back in the 90's "Silver Lining Underwater" and "Dream Window". It was a sort of ethereal dream pop music with some playful rhythms and tunes. You were releasing a lot of singles, splits and eps those days. Could you describe us your activity those years? How you got in touch with the spanish indie pop label Elefant that put some of your music too? Also what about Darla giving you the mission of working on a Bliss Out?
Elefant is such a great label. I sent Luis Calvo a tape and he liked it, so he released it. Darla is one of the best labels also, James was the only person willing to put out my instrumental space rock stuff. Other labels rejected it. So really Darla made everything happen for me. I cannot thank Darla enough for releasing Silver Lining Under Water! Blackbean also was releasing tons of my cds, records also. There were so many labels back then, then they all sort of disappeared. Except for Darla and Elefant. They still exist.
How was the american scene in the 90's, did you have some colleagues or fellow travellers?
Not really. I used to record with Joe Maddalena as Watercolor Sunset but the songs were terrible.
But the american scene in the 90s was fun. Right around 1992-1999, most of the indie record shops were still open.
Brass City Records in Waterbury CT was where I saw a lot of great bands play live for free, like The Loud Family, The Ropers, The Apples In Stereo.
Then by the early 00’s, the stores started slowly disappearing.
The labels started disappearing.
Can you tell us something about your hometown in Connecticut? What is it like?
Just like anytown / small city USA. Boring. But there are some nice places to walk in the forest, Talcott Mountain in Avon/Simsbury is a nice mountain to hike.
They tore down beautiful Main Street in Bristol, in 1971 when I was only 11 years old. It has never been the same since.
Connecticut is ok. But I really wished I lived in California.
It is too humid and hot here in the summer and too cold in the winter, we had 35’’ inches of snow last winter! It was awful. And it is awful now in July, it is difficult for me to breathe because the air is too humid.
It makes me feel really sick.
What about the Orange Cake Mix concerts? Can you tell us something about it?
I never played live, I just did it like a home recording project. I would record the songs quickly and never play them again. So I usually don’t even remember ANY of the songs I play. I record the song and then I never bother playing it again.
Around year 2002 your music production seemed to stop. You came back recently with your own bandcamp releasing tones of music you had on the archives, what happened with your music life and creativity all these years we didn't know about you?
I just didn’t have a record label anymore. Blackbean shut down. Tokuma shut down. Clover shut down. North of January shut down. So many others shut down also. But Darla didn’t shut down. I guess Darla didn’t want to release my songs anymore, maybe they didn’t like them as much? I was still sending music out throughout the 00’s but all the labels rejected it. So I guess my music was just not good enough. But I kept recording constantly, 2003 right up to yesterday afternoon! I had heard about bandcamp so I figured I would release my music on there, but I was so lazy. Then you reminded me!
You graced my own independent label Superspace Records from Peru by releasing a disc, "Soul Surfing", with us. It is time for me to express eternal thanks in public for such a detail with us, your admirers since the 90's. Can you tell us something about the songs of Soul Surfing? How did you come up with such wonderful song/album titles for example? The artwork of each song on bandcamp is also magnificient man!!! The music on "Soul Surfing" seems a collection of your most abstract lost songs, by the way.
I was happy to do it because you reminded me of doing it myself. I love the idea of free downloadable music. A lot of artists and musicians complain about it but I think giving away music for free is GREAT! Sure, it is nice to get a royalty check now and then, but I have faced the fact LONG AGO that I will NEVER make any money on my music. It just isn’t realistic. I don’t tour. I don’t have a band. I don’t record music in a professional studio. I record EVERYTHING on a 4 track! I don’t have any music being used in commercials or movies. Like most artists, my music will make money when I am DEAD. So I gave up on making money on music, it’s like hitting a brick wall. Literally impossible if you are a private home recording artist like myself.
I really wanted Darla to release ‘’Soul Surfing’’ in 2009, but I don’t think James liked it enough to release it. I sent him a copy and I guess maybe it’s just that my cds don’t sell anymore? I don’t think I can sell many cds...maybe 200? And I don’t really blame people for not wanting to buy cds. I listen to most music on Spotify for free. I have no desire whatsoever to buy a cd or a record by anyone, so why would I expect someone to buy mine? So...I don’t really blame James at Darla for not wanting to release it. He would probably end up just breaking even. I have a CD coming out on a UK label Pebble Records ‘’Songs for a Late Summer’’, probably should be out in a few months. Its mostly acoustic and electric guitar pop songs. The cds are ready, but for some reason the artwork isn’t done. Which is frustrating because I thought it would be out by now. Anyway, I told Michael at Pebble to only make 200 because I REALLY don’t think he will be able to sell too many. I really hope he will break even, because he is putting up all the money to manufacture the cd.
So let me tell you about Soul Surfing : I LOVE recording long drone songs, short instrumentals, psychedelic soundtrack music. Those songs were part of about 15 hours worth of instrumental psych space rock ambient music I was recording from around late 2007-2009. To tell the truth, I record so much it’s hard to keep up with myself! So I took the best songs and made 4 instrumental albums : Soul Surfing / Silver Wind and Stars / Broken Clouds and Sun / At The Speed of Light . The rest of the instrumental songs are scattered on all those other bandcamp releases I self released. Then I recorded a few more instrumental lps last summer : Circles and Colors For Tomorrow. I tried to release 1 or 2 albums a month from March 2012 – Jan. 2013. Then I took a break for a few months and just released a few more.
Thank you for liking my artwork. I love making artwork/paintings/collages and out of focus photographs of colored glass.
The song titles on Soul Surfing were just made up randomly, like everything I do. I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about it. I just sometimes imagine what the song sounds like and I give it a title.
What are your future plans regarding Orange Cake Mix or other ways of expressing your creativity?
Besides the Songs For a Late Summer cd on Pebble records UK, I do not have any physical form of Orange Cake Mix coming out. If a label wants to release something from bandcamp, they can download it and manufacture it right from there.They can release it on vinyl, or cd. Or both. Not sure if it will sell. Hopefully they will give me a few dollars.
I guess as long as I am alive, I plan to keep recording and keep releasing my albums on bandcamp.
I would also love to join a space rock band and play guitar, a band that plays strictly krautrock/spacerock influended music, music that sounds like Faust, Neu, Harmonia, Cluster , Fripp and Eno and Spacemen 3.
I can imagine jamming on 30 minute songs with other guitar players
Music industry these days is harder than ever before, how do you get along with this situation? Any advice for the young music creators and/or music lovers?
I do not consider myself a part of the music industry at all. I am more of an outsider artist. I do not make money on my music. So it isn’t easy. At all. My advice to the young music creators is KEEP TRYING and NEVER GIVE UP. But also, it would be great to have a real skill or a real job.
Have you heard any music from Latin America or from Peru from perhaps?
I don’t know much music from Latin America except for the Brazil pop psych Os Mutantes or Caetano Veloso and some others I can’t remember. I had a Garage Psychedelic compilation of Peruvian psychedelic songs from the 1960s, I forgot the name of it. It had so many cool bands.
I like Traffic Sound and We All Together.
What new bands do you recommend our readers to listen to and/or what new music are you listening to nowadays?
I don’t listen to much new music.
I like some of the new Daft Punk songs on their new album, I really love the half hour long song called ‘’Driftin’ Back’’ by Neil Young. I don’t know many new bands. I am stuck listening to the music from the past like T. Rex and David Bowie. I seem to listen to the Brian Jonestown Massacre a lot.
I like Tame Impala but I don’t know many new bands. I listen to most music for free on Spotify and I listen to very obscure psychedlic pop songs people upload on youtube. Youtube has changed my life!
I like listening to space rock and krautrock from the early – mid 70s.
Thanks a lot for the interview Jim. Hope you can come to Peru anytime and see our colours too. Good vibrations to you phorever beautiful soul))))))))))))))
Thank you for the interview!
No hay comentarios.:
Publicar un comentario