Lecture on Nothing

February 22, 2006





*Name: Lecture on Nothing

*Are there any additional names used to describe this project: No

*Members: Eddie Miller

*Tape manipulations, digital deconstructions or turntable creations: The first album was done without any computers or sequencers. A casio fz-1 sampler, cheap (A.R.T.) harmonizer, and a tascam 388 8 track tape machine were used. I mixed down to an early form of digital 2-track (pre DAT), which used a box to convert analog to digital (and vice versa), and a sony beta machine to store the data. I think the one i had was made by akai. All samples were played by hand, which in some ways is quicker, and allows for more experimenting with pitch, rhythm, and harmony. The second album was done much the same way, but I used a computer (Cubase was the software) for a tape recorder and mix down machine, and for some drum loop editing.

*Location: Los Angeles, California

*Original Location: Pittsburgh, PA

*What is your creative/artistic background: I started my pro career at Paisley Park where I managed to engineer/mix my first records with Prince. It's been an uphill/downhill ride ever since. I started playing in bands as a drummer when I was 8. I decided at one point that I'd try the artist thing, and that I'd do it on my (strange) terms so that if it was successful, I'd really have fun doing it. It took seven years to get the first album released, and I was happy to be able to do it that way.

*History: The first album was recorded in 1989-1990 (released in 1997) as a side project to a more conventional band I was in at the time. The other guys in the band- Tom Fleming and Tim Hixon co-wrote half the stuff on the first album. The second album was finished in 1/1999 - just me. I got it ready as a second release for the label I was on at the time, but the label didn't survive. It took about a year to do each record. Very tedious. No computers or sequencers on the first album. My favorite tracks on the second album are "Custom Apocalypse" and "Fresh Makeup".

*Born: 1963

*Motivations: Best thing i could come up with in terms of doing my own thing.

*Philosophy: Taking at least 3 different musical elements (usually a lot more) to make 1 new one. The vocal pieces I use I try to use melodically- in the way Steve Reich does on "Different Trains". I try to use samples in a very different musical context (harmonic/rhythmic) than they were found originally. I also try to keep the harmony moving- not static. The form of the songs generally follow pop forms. I started doing this kind of stuff with tape loops in the early 80's. Makes me feel old (I'm 43 now...).

*Web address: http://home.sprintmail.com/~lon/index.html