JOB KARMA
"...peculiar kind of catharsis , magic ritual..."
Job Karma do exist just only twoyears. Was there any other musical experience before ?
M: Actually, Job Karma is the firstwell-thought-out and consistently executed project . Long time ago Ihad some experiences with HC/Punx band where I shouted for some time. Then live sessions appeared placed in bunkers and catacombs . Me andfew friends were smashing some scrap taken from junkyard ( plates ,pipes , barrels , etc... ) - lot of trance and magic in some way . Unfortunatelyevery sound existed only at the very moment of creation and disappearedirretrievably. Then the adventure with electronics begun . Its unlimitedpossibilities of sound creation became an obsession for us - this ishow Job Karma was born .
You live in Wroclaw where the industrialcommunity seems to be quite strong . Under different resources maybethe strongest in Poland . What has contributed to this fact , underyour opinion ?
M: I am not quite sure about that -might be just an illusion. Anyway the fact is that in spite of inaccessibleand difficult character of sounds , something about 200-250 people comeon the shows - that's nice . Approximately 500 listeners arrived fromall over the country on festival with Schloss Tegal and Column One inJune one year ago. Besides Wroc3aw has very good location between Berlinand Prague - this is why many great bands visited the city in the eighties.Moreover this town has specific atmosphere , very weird place wherein a factory smoke you can find architectural monuments of communistPRL and nazi Germany .
A : It is also the matter of peoplehere. They seem to be very open for new sounds and musical structures.For most of them it is unknown phenomenon worth exploring or at leastlistening to it . Lot of creative movements took place here during times( Orange Alternative ) so people got use to it somehow . Also the wayof `promoting `and presenting artists is important, but it's not verymodest for us to describe it. Anyway I hope they are not disappointed.
You organize shows and festivalsin Wroclaw - are such communities and musical holidays in other Polishcities too ?
M: As far as I know industrial showsin Poland are organized very rare . It happens as sporadic event mostlyin Gdansk , Legnica , Gorzów and Warszawa . As you could see here inWroclaw lot of gigs have taken place last time and people still wantto come .
I know you plan big industrial eventin one of Wroclaw's factory . What will be the difference between eventof this kind and shows in the common club scene ? Can you drop the detailsabout the forthcoming performance for our readers ?
B : Ritual it's a name of the eventwitch will take place on 27.04.2000 in one of the biggest factory inour city. This actions organized for internet users and thanks to liveinternet transsmision it has open and international character. In aprogramme: exhibition, presentation of films, live-fire performance,Job Karma concert and a display of films from WRO �Centrum Sztuki Mediówcollection. In a huge factory hall, all the time the pomps, the kilnsand other maschine work and they with accompany during action. Ritualit's imagination of the first fire, moving in a new situation, withgives new signification and new substance, serves esthetisation of industrialspaces , rising fear as well as fascination.
Which media do you use for work -radio , press...? Is it possible to find Job Karma on Internet ?
M: We use radio first of all . I'v'been running broadcast `Industrial Dance Macabre ` in local radio stationfor over four years . Without any limitations from above, I can promotethis music - it turns to be the main mass megaphone in our work. Supposedlyit has 1 % of listening, so for one hundred thousand of listeners atthis very moment - almost one thousand can more or less experience it. It's'a lot .
You can find us on Internet on www.terra..pl./job_karma- the website that is dedicated to the underground scene in Poland (from folk to avant-garde ) , we are also reachable on Sled In May rec.web site .
Can you give us information aboutthe scene in Poland ? I know other names Vilgoa , Godzilla , Christblood, Jude , Spear , Embryonal Position. Do you cooperate somehow or areyou more or less isolated ?
M: It's'hard to find any trace of socalled `scene` in Poland . The communities are isolated - I don't'knowwhat has contributed to this fact. There are only few good bands likeEmbryonal Position , Moan , Godzilla , Spear and some related to Obuhrec. There are some zines like excellent , strictly bruitistic productcalled `Stetoskop` produced and edited by Rafa3 Kochan. Other zinesI would like to mention are : Anxious Exe and Eld Rich Palmer. Everythingis run by idealists and enthusiasts who sacrifice their time and moneytrying to keep developing the scene. This is great they do it .
Unfortunately I observe some negativeparts - especially if you consider financial conditions required bysome artists for playing here . Sometimes the fee is much more higherthan the ones required by European or American bands, so we can't'affordto invite them - that's'sad . I think it looks much better in Czechs.
Do you think the scene in Polandwill grow ? Another wave of industrial music will come? Or this musicwill be still aimed only on the small circle, fans communities ?
M: It's'going to be stronger for sure.After opening the borders lot of things changed , more bands are reachablewith new music ; people travel and see what is happening somewhere else, get inspired. I can see permanent demand for this kind of creativityand activity .
There are some labels oriented on experimentalmusic in Poland - for example Obuh , Face Production , Sled In May ,Fluttering Dragon . What are your prospects at those labels - do theyunderstand and respect your work ? Are they interested ?
M: The biggest and the most professionallabel is Obuh Rec. that releases more acoustic experiments at the moment. Anyhow Wojcek has done and does lot of good work for the music. Wedo owe him a lot.
Besides some small labels exist thathave released few titles each - most of it are their own products .First edition of `Cycles per Second` we produced ourselves and the tapeedition was prepared by our friend Wojtek from Sled In May rec. We don't' strive for somebody's'favours so if they are interested - we cooperate, that's'all . Wojtek did like the sounds and proposed releasing it.
The debut CD `Cycles per Second`released by yourself with handmade cover in limited edition to 69 copieswas accepted with extremely positive reaction from the musical audience. Could you tell us details and circumstances about its rise and creation ' ?
A: "Cycles per Second" as mostly theresult of discovering the abilities of instruments and equipment westarted to use. I think that panorama of analog sounds was beyond ourexpectations so every new change of frequencies , functions or timbrebrought finished ideas - we had lot of them that time . Unfortunatelyonly part of them we put on S.p.C - other ideas were gone irreparably.Besides we had lot of time for this , much more than we have now . Itis CD that only registers some part of creating, very far from perfection.Some of the tracks appear on the shows and I think sound much betterthen the original ones from C. p. S. Anyway, this product is very austere, harsh and two-dimensional but also very important for us personally, because seems to be peculiar photocell picture of our start . Up tillnow `the sickest' track # 2 makes 'y intestines boiled and my cat getsconfused every time so it deserves to be played after all.
How do you see the reactions of listeners? Have you notice' any very ecstatic reaction , from the other handsome very "grinding" reaction ?
M: The reactions are various , fromadmiration to hatred - that's normal and we like 't . After show inArsenal of Art Festiwal my mother asked me : `What's in your head ?I felt like III World War was about to start !` Moreover , my sistersuspected me of attempting to commit suicide - that's excellent ! '/p>
People are also interested in our antiqueequipment we use. Sometimes sound engineers get confused when high frequenciesdrive their PA mad.
How have you reached your extraordinary,sophisticated sound ? What technologies do you use ?
A : It is a matter of using the oneand only set of instruments , equipment and effects . We `struggle`with analogue synthesisers ( Roland , Vermona , Estradin ) , measureinstruments (oscillators of high and low frequencies , generators etc.), sound modules , reverb tape cameras and PC waves. We try to be mobileand we're not attached to on' instrument, so we often change our placesduring the show. However, each of us has his favourite timbres and frequenciesthat consolidate seemingly different parts of a track . It is very importantto get right proportion between analogue surround and digital layerof music and to create proper balance of frequencies, that with thehelp of effects will evoke the image of space trip and appeal somebody'simaginat'on. Analogue dirt doesn't make this trip plea'ant sometimes- but who said it should ?
Coherent and necessary part of yourlive-performances is video art. . Who is the author and what does itsymbolise ?
B :Video works are made by Wojtek Majewskiand Arek Baginski. The films created especially for Job Karma live presentation,are prepared in video and computer animation technique. The concertsaccompanied the slide's project, light, str'be and smokes, what provokedramaturgy and tension. The films are differentiated with regard totechnique and substance and each of them builds other tension, likemusic too. There is dynamic and overcoloured pictures but it appearalso the minimal abstract and trance form, apporting no deep substance.It can say that pictures with accompany Job's music are an attemp'ofcritic view of an alienated and constrained society with life are dictatedby consumptive value of west civilisation.
You work on the next studio recording`Newson` which is the basis of your current live performances . Wheredo you see the difference and `progress` from your debut ?
M: `Newson` is almost finished . Newtechnical abilities let us create lot of ideas that have been hiddeninside us for along time. Diverse sound , variety of effects and moretrance and rhythm make it more interesting than harsh `Cycles per Second`.We escaped from conception of suite. Psychedelic trance - that's thefoun'ation of J.K. sound. I hope it sounds like this .
Do you already know what label willput out `Newson` or are you ready for another self-made release ? Whatare reactions from the labels side ?
M: Black Plagve from USA are interested.They also want to make the reedition of `Cycles per Second`.
What is the basic JOB KARMA philosophy, which basic issues do you deal with ?
A: There is no specific idea or philosophyof J.K. It's individual. Each of'us presents his own vision , perceptionof music and life values. I don't claim they are diff'rent - on thecontrary. In other case we wouldn't invent anything or 'ven met eachother. How I consider the music or `antimusic` is how I consider industrialtrend - set of sounds `stolen` from surroundings that have no musicand harmony character as singular , but all together very imaginativeand emotional. It can be attempt at moving sender and receiver to distantand awaited places. That is the superiority of this kind of music -with a little bit of goodwill you can find yourself in a various environment( cave , space shuttle , factory , highway , operating room etc.). Imaginationcontributes to creativity and activity growth. The other thing are emotions- pleasant and also painful ones. If anyone will listen to us and feelpleasure , elation, ecstasy , passion , fear , depression , stupor ,menstruation pain ( it happened once ) , etc. - means we succeeded.
What was the biggest influence intime of your beginning ?
The biggest influence and inspirationscome from inside, out of total need to take a position on reality thatsurrounds us. It was peculiar kind of catharsis , magic ritual , sortof releasing subconscious sound motifs and structures . Place and timeswe live in have contributed to those for sure . The sound has ever beenthe best medium for us , the closest to our nature - this is why wecreate together , ` register` , sense the surrounding and one anotherin a similar way.
Your music almost lack of rhythm,it's very minimal, built'on motives repeating `in cycles`. Won't youuse 'ore rhythm structures as the basis for your future conception ?Do you have any idea how your music will grow ?
M: Well , I think the rhythm is in allour tracks - it exists as loops or cycles as you called it. Foundationof our music are repeating motifs that determine the rhythm. On `Newson`we have more rhythmical structures in a traditional meaning of thiswords. Rhythm is more important for us than melody , rhythm is everywhere; world is vibration - vibration is the rhythm.
How will our music grow ? - I thinkwe'll be going our own way , no matter what will `attack` us and howwe'll react .
A : I have no idea how it will growand I am not even interested. In this area of creativity nothing shouldbe planned - it would be less surpassing and boring in some way. Tomuch things affect us in common life , so it would be hard to overcomeit and determine the direction of interference in our music.
Similar question - don't you think about using more voices or even vocals on your recordings?
M: We're not missionaries, 'e don'twant to 'alk with words . All our samples are another structures thatbuilt the sound
A : We use samples as waves , as anothertrack or instrument that along with the rest create the atmosphere andcomplete other layers . No suggestions , no contents , no specifiedmessage - emotions above all.
What are your strongest non - musicalinspirations? Any very respected artist / persons?
M: First of all it's surrounding welive in - our karma of the way we live and where. Besides some psychoactiveabilities of using sound matter , Tibetan Buddhism , any avant-gardetrends in art (mostly pre-war etc.).
Are you interested also in otherartistic forms?
M: I think this kind of music, especiallyduring live shows, has to be supported by non-musical activities , likevideo projections , performances etc. It can be perfectly experiencedin loneliness at home, but on the stage some activities have to be arranged.This is why we collaborate with video performers to strengthen visualreception - make it more dramatic. We often play shows connected withgraphics exhibition of our friend Arek. His drawings perfectly harmonizewith our sound.
You were performing also abroad,for several times. The reaction in Czechia were more than positive,in my opinion. Do you plan another foreign live performances?
M: At the moment we are focused on fewactions we prepare here but we are open for any move. Live shows, especiallyin interesting places, are always direct form of confrontation betweenour music and the listeners - we love it and will always do it.
As was said before, also the videotapeis in preparation. What can we await to see?
M: There will be some pieces of ourconcerts assembled together plus the recording of planned multimedialshow in production hall of heat and power plant in Wroc3aw. We alsowant to add `Shekle` clip plus `System` movie with our soundtrack -both made by Arek Baginski and Wojtek Majewski.
Any message to our readers ?
The best message is not specified message- ................. EMOTIONS ABOVE ALL .........
Thank you very much for your answersand wish you good luck.
answering : M : Maciek Frett . A : Aureliusz Pisarzewski . B : ArekBaginski ( video artist )
Job Karma - Tom Saivon 20 / 04 / 00