Interview with Dean Garcia

4th Jul 2007

Glasswerk was so inspired by the way Ultrashiver was put together – with the band members communicating purely through Myspace – that they decided to interview the UK half, Dean Garcia, in exactley the same fashion!

So, Dean, how did The Secret Meeting come about. Who contacted Whom and how did the idea arise?

Karin contacted me via my myspace profile. She wrote to me asking if I would be interested in a collaboration guest vocal. She says it was just an instinctive moment as both her and Statik like Curve and thought it was worth asking not really expecting a reply. I checked out their Collide site and myspace page to listen to her voice and words and connected with it straight away…I replied to the message quickly and began to think about what the track should sound like. I sent an MP3 a few days later of the track Touch to see how Karin would respond, I wasn't sure she would like it. I got a message straight back saying she loved the track and would get to work on an idea for it and send it back. 1/2 weeks later I got the track back and thought it was excellent. It had a broad 3D kind of otherworld quality which made me think that one track is not enough and we must do more. I suggested this to Karin and went about gathering and writing more. I already had a few ideas that I thought could work. Karin then suggested that Statik become involved which I was more than happy about as he has that I'm going to finish this and make it sound great quality which is essential in a project like this. I got messages back suggesting certain tracks could work. I sent the first batch of Pro Tools session files with all the separate elements like bass drums guitars etc on CDs through the mail for them to make a start.

I think i've read already that Static and kaRIN would work on tracks and then send them to you and then you would do your thing and then send them back, is that a correct assumption, or did you mix and match who worked on material first?

Well it was the other way around. I would write and record the tracks and get them to a decent stage where you could clearly hear what the track was saying. I like to get them to a fairly advanced stage musically with the bass drums guitars and riff melody ideas etc all in place. I’m not so concerned about arrangement and structure as this is very much an open book area. The basic ingredients ready for vocals and additional production. Some were more advanced than others. Once sent I only redid one bass part I think the rest was used as I recorded it. Statik added a lot and arranged the tracks as he felt he should and sent me rough MP3s of the work in progress. I made my comments and this is how we worked throughout the recording process. All the messages were sent via myspace and I think Statik and I chatted once on aim.

Was there any creative discussion between you in terms of templating the feel of certain songs, or did you work purely artisticly form your own point of view when working on the material?

Nothing was discussed about how the tracks should sound, it was very much an instinctive mindset. Whatever sounds good, no restrictions anything goes, which is the best way to start any project. Keep an open mind.

What if anything were you drawing your inspiration from for this project?

Not really, inspiration to me is the fact of actually being in the studio on the day making the music happen. I rarely listen to certain tracks or songs for inspiration. It's either with you or it's not. Some days you can sit in the studio and everything will work really well and you get the results you're after, others are the complete opposite…I like it that way, inspiration to me is the mood you're in at the time of recording, if you're feeling angry then go with it make it angry if you're feeling lost or down go with it…it's all the same and it's all good. One inspiring thing to me that was said by Statik when he was asked in an interview half way through the album was that he said he didn't know what was going to happen all that he wanted to do was to make a record that didn't suck.which I thought was a focal point for us all.

You've spent a lot of time working in the Electronic Experiemta arena now; what with Headcase and even the last couple of Curve albums. There is certainley a strong sense of this influence in Ultrashiver. Is this the area of music that you are most comfortable in now?

I've always been into the merging of electronics and real instruments or getting real played instruments and manipulating them so they take on a life of their own. Electronica is very much a part of me. I’ve always loved the futurist element in music. I love the scope and ability to be able to push things in any direction you want all from the comfort of your own small room…The technology available today is very exciting to me. I'm not really a gadget or gear head kind of person always looking for the latest fx box or whatever I use the things I have and stick with them. Like the Abeleton and Reason 3 this combined with Pro Tools an open mind and a phat box of pedals and fx (not forgetting the Mini Moog ) is all I need to keep myself entertained in the studio. All of the music I have ever written has an electronic angle to it. The first Curve track Toni and I wrote was made on a studio 440 sampling beat box with a messed up Juno 106.

Overall, how was this experience for you, compared to working with people in person?

The experience was easygoing and most agreeable. I don't think there has ever been a time when writing an album that has ever been as natural feeling as TSM one. Normally it’s distraught with dysfunction and time schedules budgets and stress. Working with Karin and Statik on this album has been truly and completely void of any nasty or stressy moments and has been an absolute joy to work on. A good team of like minded open thoughtful people brought together because they wanted to make something for all the right reasons. As far as not actually being in the same room at any point makes it unique. To be honest it feels natural to me. I like working on my own as I'm sure Karin and Statik do. It's a very intensely personal thing when writing and creating I personally prefer my own space when in this mode, it's a time to let yourself loose and be completely abandoned which is difficult when you have to think of others. We're all in separate worlds but come together within the record.

Are there any tracks in particular on here that you are particularly proud of, be it your own work or even kaRIN and Static's?

Stand out tracks for me would be. Shooting Lazer Beams, Am I Hear, Touch, and Shiver X. I like the others as well but these are my favourites at the moment.

Is The Secret Meeting a one off, or do you think you might consider a second project?

I'm not sure, I think there's a very strong chance that we'll do more. We have all enjoyed the process so yeah why not.

Would you work like this again with Static and kaRIN, or anyone else for that matter?

Yes. I'd be very open and excited to work with Karin and Statik again. I’d be happy to do more. I'm always excited to hear from people re writing /production collabs…I'm quite fussy about who I get involved with but am very open and approachable on that level. Just get in touch and lemme hear what's going on.

Just briefly, What are you off to work on next?

I'm working with my Daughter Rose Berlin, she has an amazing ear for melody with a voice to match. I 'm excited to hear where we go with it. We've already made an albums worth then kind of stopped due to other work and her exams but now we have a nice summer gap where we're gonna make some noise.check out her myspace page myspace.com/roseberlin.

Also I've just finished a bunch of work with a project called The Chrono Logic which is very dance based electro minimal trancey pop.where I am singing (:)) which is something I love to do. I also continue with The Black Holes (darkcore lounge) and most recently The Europeans (myspace.com/theeuropeans) both of which I love lots and will to do more work with in the coming months/years ahead…