INTERVIEW W/ NOSAJ THING

Nosaj Thing
1. How did you start making music?
I got hooked up with a boot-leg copy of a music production program when I was a freshman in high school through a friend. I installed it on my dads computer and never looked back.

2. Was there a person who taught you the tricks of the trade?
I shared my copy of the software with a friend from my high school drum line and we shared ideas and collaborated on tracks. We figured out how to use the program and shared ideas.

3. What was your first piece of gear?
Roland SP-303. I saved up for a really long time to get this piece only to find out that sample based production wasn’t for me. I love sample based music and plan on doing it but I was frustrated with the lack of control, not being able to write melodies and chords on the spot. I ended up returning the SP and saved up for a computer.

4. What were albums growing up that really influenced you?
My first tape was Warren G - Regulate and first CD was Doggy Style - Snoop Dogg. I got those when I was in 3rd-4th grade and didn’t understand any of the lyrics but I really loved the beats and the style of their flow. As I got older and more into music, I would say my influences are Chopin, Radiohead, Dilla, Daft Punk, and Board of Canada.

5. You are a master of Ableton Live, how does your live show differ from the record?
My live show consists of all the individual parts to my songs. I arrange/remix the songs live and it comes out different everytime. It is pretty difficult to make an interesting live show for an electronic act and this format works for me. You’ll hear a bassline from one song with drums from another with a lot of effects.

6. How long did the album take to make? What was the first song record and what was the last?
“Drift” has songs from 06-09′ and it took 6 months to take existing ideas and complete them. I think the first song on the record is “Light #1″ and the last song I did was “Us”.

7. What’s next?
Tours, remixes, and new songs.

Here is a sample of Drift, the track “Coat of Arms”