Hello Eye Catching Music and thank you for being here, both in the Sanctum and generally! Before anything else, why ‘Eye Catching Music’? Is it as simple as it sounds?
It was inspired by the artwork I did with my hands and eyes which I did just for the sake of it, then it became the Album cover, so Eye Catching Music seemed an appropriate name.
When did Ingo feel the need to create music for the first time and when did Mike? How did each one manifest this?
I’ve played Piano since I was a kid and since we moved a lot when growing up, the Piano was a good consistent discipline and friend that I could rely on. Mike’s Mother was a Piano teacher and Mike started Guitar when he was young.
Under what circumstances did Ingo and Mike come together? What are the origins of this duo?
I met Mike when I was 14 and after I saved enough money, I bought a used old portable organ so we could play, he had a Gibson SG at then time and an amp, I just had a Piano. Mike was the first person I ever jammed with. Years later we both ended up meeting up again, so we again started a regular “get together” to write original music with the goal being to develop “new stylistic ideas” that could be used later.
Does ECM consist of full-time musicians or is it a getaway from everyday life/routine?
I was a full time musician on and off over the years, needless to say it’s not an easy life. I am a Pianist / Composer and while I really enjoy loud electric music, my first love is Piano. It was my choice for a “discipline”. We all need a discipline of some sort in our lives as so much in life is random and having an “Art” that you practice is key, for me anyways. Mike could have been a full time musician, but still plays all the time. MC is a Pro and played Bass on several tracks, VAMBO is the nickname of the other guy who played Bass on some tracks as well. Russ and Manis are actually two different people who played the drums and percussion on the tracks. All of these guys are basically full time musicians who met up with Mike and I for the pure sake of enjoyment, with no commitments to a “band” so consequently everyone was very relaxed. The only goal was to fish for “new stylistic ideas”. I recorded all the sessions with no intent to release any of it, they were for future ideas.
What was your vision for your latest release ‘ghosts of unknown day players’? What did you need to express/communicate through it?
The use of voices in place of “lyrics” creates a kind of odd feel. It’s an acquired taste. This and synthesizer solos! Rock doesn’t seem to have too many hard core rock solos, unless you’re willing to sit through a bunch of guitar inspired compositions. Keyboards in rock almost always relegates the keyboardist to a 2nd line player. On this effort, I solo all over the place! If you like that kind of thing, this record has at least one every track. I was inspired by the tracks we came up with but I’m tired of people singing… I love a great voice, but I remember thinking, these track are pretty fun, what can be done to complete the effort that’s kind of different? Using “old recordings of unknown day players” ended up being the answer. Note: Day players is a term that was used to describe actors who got a few lines, whether for a TV show or commercials or B-movies, educational films etc.
Please elaborate on your process of research and incorporation of the recordings in this album.
I remembered and listened to an album I own called “My life in the bush of ghosts” by Brian Eno and David Byrne, released in ’82 where they used “found recordings” in place of lyrics, which I thought was very effective. So that was my inspiration. Use voices of actors saying something interesting or dumb or mysterious and it seemed to work.
GOUDP feels seamless like one long, transforming piece. Still, is there a track or two that each of the band’s members holds closer to their hearts?
I produced all the tracks and since they were created unconsciously, meaning “we had zero intent of trying to impress anyone or care” the end result is a flow of ideas without restraint. The only instructions were to “play stuff you normally don’t” or “play like you don’t know how” or “try anything uncomfortable” etc. and maybe we’ll get some good ideas kind of thing. Had I known that it was going to be a release, I would have set up the sessions with that in mind, so it took quite a bit of tweaking to get the tracks to sound somewhat consistent, the Bass and Drums in particular, but after a lot of work, I think I got it to the point of being a listenable recording… at least I hope I did!
Are there any other releases we should know about? Have you released under other bands or as solo acts?
Eye Catching Music is my “catch all project name” I am currently working on Piano based tracks that are intentional, as opposed to this project which, as mentioned, wasn’t planed for at all. I will showcase Piano and Synths but with obvious composing happening instead of jam sessions that accidentally became a cool project.
Are there artists or albums that might have inspired the sound of GOUDP or the band’s style in general? What music influenced you during your childhood?
This specific album was a fluke, however, I love all the early 70’s rock stuff that had a lot of excellent keyboards: Yes, ELP, Genesis etc. I love a lot of Italian bands of the era as well, Like PFM, Banco and Area. Area in particular was a phenomenal band with a singer who had the most liquid and flexible voice ever recorded. Demetrio Stratos was his name and unfortunately he died young. Great voice!
If you were to gain worldwide recognition with one of your songs, which one would it be and why?
I really, really doubt that any of this will be heard worldwide! It’s a nice thought but I would bet against that ever happening! If I must answer, I would say all of them as a combo since none appear to be “hit material”.
Are there plans for new releases/touring in 2022-2023?
No gigging or touring of this stuff. I do plan for the next ECM recording later this year. It will likely fall into the “Progressive rock categories” and could feature some of the guys who contributed to this project.
Where do you see ECM in 10 years from now?
Hopefully still recording and producing my music as I have a wealth of it waiting to be listened to, now I just need… an audience!
Enjoy Eye Catching Music here: