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The second MESH event this week started off with an interview with Adam Gaensler, a Shanghai based musician, artist, producer, and inventor of the vegetarian burrito. You might have recently seen him playing in Shanghai’s rock-opera ensemble, ‘The Illumin8tors’.
The host of this interview, Brian Offenther - AKA DJ B.O. - donned commemorative Larry-King-esque attire, and structured the interview with four sponges, each one marking a period of Adam’s expansive career in the music scene. Rabshaka Shakalaka from Friend or Foe picked up the first sponge to get the interview rolling.
Sponge 1 - What brought you into music / creating?
Adam talks of The Dovetail Joints, the victors at Shanghai Global Battle of the Bands in 2008; tracks available on douban.
A question from the audience sheds some light on the The Illumin8tors. Don’t expect much in terms of live performances for a while, they are on a gigging hiatus. However, they are working towards creating a new show for the next year.
Sponge 2 - Blog / Scene
Adam’s writings on music gear and the industry can be found at www.luwanrock.com.
When it comes to the scene at the moment, Adam’s interested in:
Song Dynasty
Friend or Foe - Interview
Adam was recently the Stage Manager for the Black Rabbit Festival, read an interview with the festival organiser, Archie Hamilton.
B.O. moves on to a Q&A section featuring questions from characters in the Shanghai scene.
Andy Best (Blogger at kungfuology / author of Parkour Girl and Yellow Fish Car ) - “How has the scene opened up your tastes and your views?”
Adam - paraphrased - “From Song Dynasty to Moon Tyrant to Stegasaurus? to Break for Borneo to Pairs; I’ve been exposed to extremely varying works of music”
Sponge 3 - Biography
B.O. - “When were you born, and what first attracted you to rock?”
Adam - “DOB 1975. It was definitely the volume. When you hear powerful tracks like Def Leopard's ‘Pour some sugar on me’ from ‘Hysteria’, played best at the highest volume...it just fills you with energy.”
Leading on from the rock/metal volume, Adam’s interests moved towards the psytrance scene in Melbourne, Australia.
Adam - “The event organisers would set up a massive ring of speakers in the forest outside of town. The music would get deep inside of you, in a way that’s indescribable. You would just let the music fill you, and dance into the next afternoon. A life-changing experience that I highly recommend”
Adam boasts his culinary skills with an impromptu cooking lesson in his most recent creation. The vegetarian burrito, a la Guinsberg
Finely chop some broccoli and other veg, carrots and so forth. Make a nice mix with them, like a mince. Throw in some bell peppers. Fry it all up. Throw in some breadcrumbs. Goes down well with some Led Zeppelin III.
Adam produced Break for Borneo's LP, 'Life Gets in the Way' - Shanghai’s only tropical rock act -, listen to the CD release show podcast here, and find their tracks on soundcloud
Sponge 4 - Mastering
Rabshaka Shakalaka - “What would your message be to young musicians interested in recording?”
Adam - “Get a good microphone, that’s key. Also, a decent pre-amp and a high quality sound card will go a long way”
Adam runs through the mastering process, what’s involved in taking a mixed composition and enhancing it into something that’s radio-ready.
Adam has recently mastered for Rainbow Danger Club, and plays the room a before-and-after of ‘Drown the Creatures drowned animals’ Listen here.
A quote to walk away with - “Mastering is like...taking out the whoofyness”
Adam is currently mastering the Shanghai Compilation CD with Twin Horizon, Shanghai’s latest creative collective. We have a bit on them here, official website
Don’t miss out on hearing their MESH panel on DIY Album Creation, December 17th 15:30 at Bikes and Friends. Full details on www.ilove2mesh.com Follow MESH on Facebook and Twitter for all the updates from organiser DJ Jane Siesta.
A nice track about afternoon delight to finish up with. Great transition at the 45 second mark.
The Dovetail Joints - ‘Afternoon’
WORDS: GAVIN-SH247
PICTURES: A. LINCOLN PHOTOGRAPHY
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