1. How did you first get into Circuit Bending?
It was weird; i had heard about circuit bending but never given it much thought, and then saw a circuit bent casio on eBay and found myself buying a soldering iron and hanging around maplins at weekends.
2. How important do you feel it is to have an understanding of true-theory electronics? Is the knowledge necessary to enable one to progress further into the art?
Whilst chance be a big factor here you can definately have more control over the sound if you know (a) what your doing and (b) where to look. I have all but a basic knowledge of electronics which gets me by, but I wouldn't get by without the knowledge of other people. I would not have ever figured out the 555 oscillator by chance!
3. What factors do you think have contributed to the development and current state of the art?
The internet been a great source for people to get help/find out about it/share ideas, and also the shear complexity of some music programmes makes it fun just mucking about and having a laugh. I also think the availability of software samplers (perhaps even downloaded for free) means more people have had access to samplers and want to play around with strange sounds.
4. What do you think makes Circuit Bending such an easy access art form?
the fact that apart from the odd few most of those 80's keyboards have not held their value. I would hate to have to buy keyboards brand new!
5. Do you regularly make music or perform with your Circuit Bent instruments? Or is the thrill in the build?
I primiarlly bend to get sounds, but I often get more pleasure from the bending (maybe I should rephrase that
)
5. What do you think the future holds for Circuit Bending?
Some machines have become quite collectable, and I imagine with all those destroyed or circuit bent that will continue. SMD technology could kill circuit bending or it will force people to develop the ideas further.
6. Reed Ghazala often mentions how body contacts can enable both an instrument and the player to become one entity what is your opinion on this coming together of man and machine?
I don't really buy that man and machine thing.
7. To what extent do you feel miniaturisation (both in circuit board and component design) has contributed to the development of the art?
I imagine it hasn't in many ways, although cheaper constructions costs due to miniaturisation could allow cheaper products?!?!
8. What are your opinions on people who Circuit Bend for financial reasons (eg people selling bent instruments on Ebay etc)? Do you think Circuit Bendings cottage industry could ever progress to more of a mass production type?
I can't see it going into mass production because of it's very essence however I can invisage small-scale production of boards and kits such as type Highly Liquid produce. I have never sold any of my machines since I have either bodged them half through building them, or only have one of them and don't want to part with it. Space does become an issue so I expect at some point I will sell a few. Like anything if there is too much crap for sale (one bend wonders) then people will not want to purchase anything and that coulld harm the movement. Being able to make money from your 'art' allows freedoom to some extent because you can buy more gear and if successful give up that horrible 9-5!
9. Where do you see Circuit Bending in contemporary music?
Right at the forefront wih Phill Collins
10. What first attracted you to Circuit Bending?
the unpredictability of it.