ASMUS TIETCHENS

The following interview was printed in N D 15.
(c) N D 1992, Austin, Texas.
Please notify N D before use of any of this material in part or in entirety.

ASMUS TIETCHENS (Hamburg, GERMANY)

Germany's Asmus Tietchens has been creating music since 1965 when he began manipulating tape-machines. In 1971 he bought a synthesizer and has been exploring its possibilities, and has never looked back. In the 70's he became involved with Sky Records, appearing for example on the album titled, "Cluster & Eno", but it was not until the 80's that Tietchens' own music was released, of which several early Lp's appeared on Sky. These records were of playfully rhythmic, often melodic music, but as is revealed in the following interview not representative of Tietchens' ideas about music. In 1984 United Dairies issued "Formen Letzer Hausmusik", an album of more powerful concrete and industrial compositions, shedding a new light on the composer's work to both listeners and other musicians.unaware of his powerful music. Since then an abundance of material has been issued (close to 20 releases in various formats and about 30 compilation appearances) all in a highly experimental vein.

While having a large influence on the explosion of industrial music during the past 15 years, Tietchens has never belonged to any of its musical, philosophical movements, or styles and has never really attempted to create a "style" of his own. Tietchens' releases are simply the musical exploration of the studio, idea, or collaborative situation at that given time.

"My music is composed of aesthetic and extraordinary events which make statements for themselves, but there is absolutely no message. For myself the music most definitely has a meaning. I am an adventurer in the studio.....my aim is to discover the white dots on the landscape of sound, territories where no others have travelled." (Unsound, 1987)

The following interview transpired through the mail during August, 1991. Questions by Rob Forman and Daniel Plunkett.

N D: Could you start out by giving a general history of your involvement with music and what got you interested in it all?

Asmus Tietchens: I started listening to "experimental" music at a very early age of 12 years. Then one day, I had the feeling that most of the composers and musicians never stepped beyond a certain border. I was very curious of overstepping music. Suddenly I found the solution; I have to make music by myself, because I heard a lot of thrilling music, but I always missed something. So I had to make music which contains this "something". And I did and have done so since 1965.

N D: Your music from the 70's and the early 80's, since the SKY releases, is departed from around 1984's "Formen Letzer Hausmusik" which is more electro-acoustic in sound. Could you discuss the two different musical approaches and how your approach has changed as well as your thinking about music ?

AT: The Sky releases were no more than a stylistic intermezzo which ended abruptly with "Formen Letzter Hausmusik". This album mostly contains material recorded between 1968 to 1978. I always prepared in creating music beyond rhythm and harmony and so "Formen Letzter Hausmusik" and all albums since then continue my work of the 60's and 70's. Actually the Sky period was the experimental one, because I made music with synthesizers and rhythm boxes; which I never did before or after this time. This kind of rhythmic and harmonic music didn't really satisfy me, so I returned to my roots after approximately two years (1983). Just in time, I noticed that it is not my cup of tea to experiment with structures of pop music.

N D: You refer to the Sky period as a stylistic intermezzo, yet these are your first releases. Why was it so long for your material to be released?

AT: It was in fact an intermezzo. As I mentioned, I have been making "experimental" music since 1965. The first relevant results have been recorded approximately around 1970. They were consequently atonal, and I continued making such music in the 70's. Who should release it? Who was willing to release it? No one! 75% of the material of "Formen Letzter Hausmusik" has been recorded between 1969 - 1977. In 1980 I tried to record some so called Electro-Pop, impressed by the possibilities of a rhythm machine together with a synth. After three years of doing that I nearly died from boredom. I abruptly stopped making this kind of music and went on from what I developed in the 70's.

N D: "Formen Letzter Hausmusik" seemed to bring your music to a new segment of listener and artist. What about the impact for yourself?

AT: "Formen Letzter Hausmusik" was my first release containing music I'm really interested in. Lucky me to finally have passed the lowlands of Sky.

N D: What about the project which you are working on with Jšrg Thomasius?

AT: Two years ago I met Thomasius in Berlin and a friend of his did an interview with me for the GDR broadcasting. We talked a lot, Jšrg and I, and finally we had the idea of a collaboration. Jšrg sent me some basic material a year ago, but I still didn't work with it because I had to complete a lot of other projects first. I collaborated with David Myers (aka Arcane Device) from New York, last year by mail. He sent a lot of basic material of his feedback music. I treated and processed these sound excessively, but did not add any new sound source. I strictly derived the final pieces from David's basic sounds. This kind of collaboration works fantastically, it is a kind of creative recycling. Our collaboration will be released by Curious Music (Iowa) late '91 as a CD. The collaboration with David Myers differs a lot from the one with Terry Burrows ("Watching the Burning Bride"). In that case we exchanged semi-completed tracks to be completed by each other. We also collaborated by mail (and telephone), but never met. Maybe we'll meet for the first time this spring when Terry will perform with the Chrysanthemums in Germany. My collaboration with Okko Bekker ("E") again differs from the two latter ones. We worked together in the studio for three weeks. It was a very close kind of composing, programming, recording, and mixing. This year I'll collaborate, again by mail, with Vidna Obmana.

N D: Over the course of many recordings you have continued to collaborate with a wide variety of composers and musicians. Could you comment on this and what attracts you to them?

AT: The variety is not as wide as you assume; Terry Burrows, Okko Bekker and C.V. Liquidsky. And the not yet released collaborations with PGR/Merzbow, PBK, Vidna Obmana and Arcane Device. The Vidna Obmana collaboration is still in progress. The others will not be released before 1992, if ever. Except the one with Okko Bekker (whom I met in the studio), all other collaborations are kinds of recycling the material the artists delivered to me by mail. I didn't play any additional stuff. Much more I de-composed the material totally and then re- composed the particles in my very own way. The basic sound sources are always material for my free disposal. Collaborations with me are not really mutual, because I always take, but never give basic material. Of course, I only take material of musicians whose music I respect highly. There must be a certain potential of relationship.

N D: Have you ever worked with Conrad Schnitzler?

AT: I have never worked with Conrad Schnitzler, though I like most of his records. His concept differs totally from mine. Obviously he has only one concept - a very productive one. I have different concepts and they nearly change from year to year. Schnitzler regards himself as an artist - himself, his work and life together is the work of art. I admire this attitude, but it is very alien to me. Listen to his music (strictly electronic through the years) and listen to my music. It is nearly impossible to find a common sense.

N D: When working on a new work, what is the working process like for you?

AT: An interesting noise mostly is the cause for a new piece or series of pieces. Firstly I have to "research" the sound material. Is it worth it to be processed? Can I handle it? Does it fit with my aesthetic aims? The research work often takes a long time, but this work has to be done, otherwise I would muddle along at random.

N D: Do you ever score or graph out your music?

AT: No, I just listen to the first track I've recorded on the 24-track machine and then construct and derive all other tracks from the initial one. Each piece is based on an idea which I am to realize. It is not necessary to score it; I have the composition (structure) in my head.

N D: "E", with Okko Bekker, is one of your more diverse records. Could you discuss this and your relation with Okko Bekker?

AT: We aimed to record an album in the vein of different styles of so called "Serious Music of the 20th Century". Just for fun, because Okko Bekker and I are far away from being "serious" composers. We did it with quite good success, I think. I met Okko Bekker already in 1962. We were classmates for two years in the secondary school (Gymnasium). We are still best friends.

N D: "Seuchengebiete" is a favorite release. What can we expect from volume 2?

AT: Again this CD will contain 'Hydrophonien', but new versions recorded in 1990 with an advanced know-how in creating structures (composing) and recording technology.

N D: Do you have a favorite Asmus Tietchens release?

AT: No, there is no favorite Tietchens release. To me all my releases have in a way the same value, otherwise I wouldn't have released them. Though I would never record again an album like the Sky albums, they are important to me in a more historical view.

N D: You co-produced the "Neue Deutsche" compilation that was done at the Goethe Institute in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Could you talk about the album and your impressions of its outcome?

AT: In 1986 I toured Brazil with tape concerts in the metropolises of that country. The Goethe Institute Sao Paulo asked me to produce a compilation album for them which shows the recent state of German avant-garde in the field of so called 'Difficult Music'. All contributors I asked agreed. Regrettably only 150 copies of this album came to Europe. All other 2,800 copies have been distributed in Brazil. You can imagine that this album has become a very rare item meanwhile.

N D: In an interview with "UNSOUND" (1987) you mentioned that the music scene in Germany was dead and you were awaiting the new cycle. Do you still feel as such or do artists such as H.N.A.S. and Jšrg Thomasius indicate change?

AT: Of course, we have groups like P16.D4, Werkbund, H.N.A.S. and some others. But there are still not enough youngsters to launch a new cycle of interesting music. Let's wait for a better musical future.

N D: What is your involvement with Werkbund ?

AT: Who told you that I'm involved in Werkbund? When will this silly rumor come to an end? Actually I never collaborated with this group. Of course I love Werkbund's music, it is really great, but nevertheless I have in no way anything to do with Werkbund.

N D: Would you ever be interested in having your music used for film or other visual work?

AT: If a director comes and says, "I would like to make pictures or a film with your music", I would like to give him my music. But the directors always say, "Here are pictures and film. Make some music to it". That's the reason why my music still is not part of any film, dance piece, or performance.

N D: Have you ever performed live?

AT: I never performed live. To perform live would mean that I would have to compromise. I can create my music only with the help of a complete studio. I hate backing tapes on stage, so it is impossible for me to perform live. I did a lot of tape 'concerts' in the past. That means I play complete tapes without any action, visuals, performance or something similar. Just tapes! The classical method of presenting synthetic music since the early 50's. The audience has to concentrate on the music, nothing else. You can imagine that this is very hard, if not problematic, for a contemporary audience.

N D: Concerning the changes which have occurred in your country, do you see changes regarding the musical exchange of artists from both the east and west?

AT: After the re-unification (this horror event) the barriers between East and West are higher than before. The ex-DDR now is a colony of West Germany and the people of East Germany are the niggers of our new glorious Fourth Reich. Ask Jšrg Thomasius. I don't see any changes regarding the exchange of creative ideas from East to West of vice versa. Perhaps I'm wrong.

N D: "Experimental" music is very wide open now, as well as categorized. Where do you feel your music belongs and what do you see happening in the future with your music?

AT: After all the efforts of the early 80's ('Industrial', 'Techno-Pop', 'Ritual Music' etc) "experimental" music (whatever that is) seems to be established. Many people worldwide are interested in the fascinating pluralism of this difficult music. This kind of music has become an antonymous category. Only a few of the pioneers survived (NWW, Hafler Trio, P16 D4 and others), but a lot of new people appeared (John Waterman, Lieutenant Caramel, Werkbund, HNAS to name only a few). For myself I only hope that my music will be accepted by curious listeners.

N D: Are there any myths that you would like to dispel (or perpetuate) concerning yourself or your music?

AT: I only will stress that there is no theory behind my music, that I have nothing to do with Werkbund and that I object to all kinds of myths. I really hate this silly and childish New Age Movement.

C O N T A C T Asmus Tietchens Eppendorfer Landstr. 6a 2000 Hamburg 20

D I S C O G R A P H Y
L P s
NACHTSTUCKE EGG/Barclay (91.040), France, 1980
BIOTOP Sky Records (Sky 057), Germany, 1981
SP€T-EUROPA Sky Records (Sky 070), Germany, 1982
IN DIE NACHT Sky Records (Sky 077), Germany, 1982
LITIA Sky Records (Sky 087), Germany, 1983
FORMEN LETZTER HAUSMUSIK United Dairies (UD 014), UK, 1984
SEUCHENGEBIETE A-Mission Records, (PRO 18:4), UK, 1985
GEBOREN, UM ZU DIENEN Discos Esplendor Geometrico (EG 003), Spain, 1987
ZWINGBURGEN DES HEDONISMUS Multimood Records (MRC 003) Sweden,1987 (one-sided LP)
NOTTURNO Discos Esplendor Geometrico (EG 011), Spain, 1987
AUS FREUDE AM ELEND Dom America (DOM LP 2), USA, 1988
FACE TO FACE, VOL 1 Odd-Size (OS 04), France, 1988 (split LP together with Die Form)
ABFLEISCHUNG Hamster Records (HAM 25), UK, 1989
MARCHES FUNEBRES Multimood Records (MRC 008), Sweden, 1989
STUPOR MUNDI Discos Esplendor Geometrico (EG 018), Spain, 1990

L P s
WATCHING THE BURNING BRIDE Hamster Records (HAM 16), UK, 1986 (with Terry Burrows)
E Dom (V77-05), Germany, 1988 (with Okko Bekker). Included bonus 7"
MONOPOSTO Dragnet & DOM Elchklang (Dradomel 03), Germany, 1991 (with C.V. Liquidsky)

C A S S E T T E S
MUSIC AUS DER GRAUZONE Yorkhouse Records (YHR 019), UK, 1981.
Re-issued by Auricle Music (AMC 024), UK, 1987
MUSIK IM SCHATTEN Aeon, USA, 1982. Re-issued by Auricle Music (AMC 034), UK, 1988
MUSIK AN DER GRENZE Yorkhouse Records (YHR 024), UK, 1982. Re- issued by Auricle Music (AMC 025), UK, 1987
MUSIK UNTER TAGE Aeon, USA, 1983
GROSSE STATIK ADN Tapes (ADN 10), Italy, 1985 ("Club of Rome")
LINEA Korm Plastics (KP 1199), Netherlands, 1988

C D s
SINKENDE SCHWIMMER Barooni (BAR 004), Netherlands, 1991
SEUCHENGEBIETE 2 Musica Maxima Magnetica (Syrenia 1), Italy, 1991

L P C O M P I L A T I O N S
"Dahinter IndustriegelŠnde" on THREE MINUTE SYMPHONY, Xtract Records (XX 002), UK, 1984
"Deformhaus" on SNX, M.A.S.M. (Hawaii 006), France, 1985
"Gift im Lift" on OHRENSAUSEN, Dom (DOM V77-03), Germany, 1986
"Medienlandschaft 2" on DRY LUNGS 2, Placebo Records (PLA 21), USA, 1986
"Medienlandschaft 1" on FREEDOM IN A VACUUM, Freedom in a Vacuum (VAC LP 01), Canada, 1987
"Para-Linear" on CIGURI, Odd-Size, France, 1987
"Colombine Lunaire" on OBSCURE INDEPENDENT CLASSICS, VOL. 5, Hamster Records (HAM 22), UK, 1988
"Die Prinzessin auf der Karaffe", "Krypto-Phonophonie" on CAPTURED MUSIC, Selektion (SLP 019), Germany, 1989
"Stupor" on ARCANA COELESTIA, Multimood Records (MRC 007), Sweden, 1989

C A S S E T T E C O M P I L A T I O N S
"Club of Rome" on LIGHT BULB, L.A.F.M.S., USA, 1981
"Park und zuruck" on VIDEOGAMES FOR THE BLIND, Area Condizionata 3, Italy, 1983
"Zersendet" on OBJECT 2, Ladd-Frith, USA, 1984
"Triumph des Wilden" on ALTERNATIVE FUNK 1, Audiologie 2, France, 1985
"Humpelmann", "Tina, ich liebe Sie!" on SEX AND BESTIALITY, Bain Total, France, 1985
"Endzeit-Kino", "Gehirnspinst", "Hydrox", "Torsox" on USA/GERMANY, Tellus 8, USA, 1985
"Medienlandschaft 3" on SECURITY, Undergrowth Tapes, Canada, 1986
"Faircomp 1E" on SEXORAMA, VOL 4, ZSF Product, Japan, 1986
"Vierter" on JOURNEY INTO PAIN, Beast 666 Tapes (BST 007-2), Japan, 1987
"Erster Vorkriegs-Hit" on ZAMIZDAT TRADE JOURNAL, VOL. 6, USA, 1988
"Hydro-Linear, pt 1"on MASSACONFUSA, Australia, 1988
"Hydro-Linear, pt 2" on ANGELIC TECHNOLOGY 1, Angakok, Japan, 1988
"Starkentwickeln" on NEUE MUSTER 6, Tonspur, Germany, 1989
"Klavierstźck 1 + 2" on VOICES IN A DARK ROOM, Honeymoon Production (Honey 4), Netherlands, 1989
"Filtrat F + A" on BALANCE, Alter Tapes (AT 005), Poland, 1989
"Unter der Vier" on TOURNEY INTO PAIN, Beast 666 Tapes (BST 015-4), Japan, 1990
"Im Netzwerk" on ASSEMBLAGE 1990, compiled by PBK, USA, 1990
"Ponton" on IBERICO 3, Portugal, 1990
"Hydro-Linear, pt 2" on ESCAPE FROM THE CAGE VOL 2, Auricle (AMC 041), UK, 1990

C D C O M P I L A T I O N S
"Post-katholische Himmelfahrt" on CONSTRUCTIVE MUSIC 1990, U.P.D. Organization (U.P.D. 004), Japan, 1990
"Karma Finanz" on MOUVEMENTS, La Legende des Voix (LDV 3), France, 1990

S O U R C I N G S
CLUSTER AND ENO by Cluster and Eno, Sky Records (SKY 010), Germany, 1977
LILIENTAL by Liliental, Metronome/Brain (0060.117), Germany, 1978
THE IMPOSSIBLE HUMANE by Mixed Band Philanthropist, Selektion (SLP 007), Germany, 1987
LABYRINTH: BIRTH-DEATH by Doc Wor Mirran, Efa (LP 15094.08), Germany, 1989
RRR 5TH ANNIVERSARY BOXSET THING, RRRecords (RRR 555), USA, 1989
UTILITIES by Kapotte Muziek, Petri Supplies (PS 2), USA, 1990