Interview Pete Namlook/Gaudi

Incuriositi dal progetto “GAUDI:TESTA1105-CONTINVVM” (em:t Records) in collaborazione con il musicoterapeuta Antonio Testa, abbiamo scoperto che il dub-maker Gaudi (Italiano, ma da piu’ di 10 anni residente a Londra), stava realizzando un nuovo album con uno dei più famosi e prolifici manipolatori sonori dell'ambient music, il tedesco Pete Namlook, personaggio per alcuni versi piuttosto "esoterico" che produce esclusivamente per la sua label, l'altrettanto notoria FAX. Il loro Re:sonate -esordio della settima fase del percorso musicale dettato dalla FAX?- contiene tre lunghe anthem atte a scrivere un pezzo di storia di quel filone espressivo un po' dimenticato a queste latitudini, dopo l'exploit atorno agli anni 94-96, noto come ambient-dub che il duo combina sapientemente con elementi della kosmische musik. Ne consigliamo vivamente l'ascolto. Pete Namlook & Gaudi Re:sonate (Fax)01.The 7th Spirit 17.50 02.NAFK 23.06 03.The Sun Won't Set 15.59

Hi Pete & Gaudi. How are you? PETE NAMLOOK: great GAUDI: nafk!..

Re:sonate is your 1st collaborative album... Just out of curiosity, what do you think of each other? PETE NAMLOOK: we both respect each other as excellent musicians and producers GAUDI: Pete became an "ambient legend" because of his amazing skills, and also because he does ONLY what he likes! Respect.

From the structural viewpoint, Re:sonate sounds like a lot of Pete's album but with a remarkable touch of dub. Sometimes ago, someone should call it ambient-dub. If you should label it... PETE NAMLOOK: perhaps this comes from having recorded the CD at Pete's Studio "Klanglabor Hödeshof". GAUDI:..that's the result we were looking for "an ambient album with a remarkable touch of dub"; mission accomplished!

Fax press releases are rarely reviewed as we know that you never experienced conventional promotional way. What's the reason of this choice? PETE NAMLOOK: There is no budget for marketing with the limited releases of FAX. GAUDI: Nafk!..

For common listeners, ambient workouts are similar and we can say that they recognise differences between one and another with a lot of difficulties. What are your pieces of advice for them? PETE NAMLOOK: If you are not into ambient, listen to something else. It is the same with me.. all the "New Rock" bands (re-established by the industry) sound to me the same.. then .. out of a sudden I realize .. it is because I don't like it and so I listen to the music I am more into. The "real" followers of our movement can well distinguish one CD from the other.. but of course if you listen to a CD from Gaudi or me you will always find a similarity called "personal style". GAUDI: in my opinion every single artists, in "ambient music" and generally in all other music styles, has a personal "trademark"; sometimes you can find similar "experimentation" or similar direction, but this can happen in any form of arts…, sculpture, music, painting…

What about the 7th spirit that woman is looking for? PETE NAMLOOK: listen to the music and find out by yourself.. if we were into explaining our music we would not have the time to create any. There is always a deeper sense that each listener should find out by himself. We just deliver the soundtrack to -their- dreams. GAUDI: All FAX releases contain "mysteries", …we are "mysteries"!..

Pete, you're considered one of the most prolific composer in the ambient scene. You also collaborated wih a lot of musicians. Are there any musicians you'd like to collaborate yet? PETE NAMLOOK: of course

What does those German word mean in NAFK??? And then, does NAFK stand for Natriumfrouridoxalatkalium (for plasma tests)??? PETE NAMLOOK & GAUDI: As we said .. referring the 7th spirit there are secrets in the music to be explored and solved by the listener.

The result of your 1st work together is very good. Any other workouts together? PETE NAMLOOK & GAUDI: it will happen but not yet... it was hard enough to find this production date .. we are both very busy…..but keep tuned!

What about your individual personal projects? PETE NAMLOOK: I don't talk about unfinished projects.. the latest news are on www.namlook.de GAUDI: www.gaudimusic.com

Pete, we know you're a good chef. Any special recipe for thevibes.net readers? PETE NAMLOOK: Get yourself a garden, grow your own vegetables without chemistry then everything tastes like a delicious meal even if it is raw cooked. I enjoy this a lot with my production partners and family.. The favourite meal at the moment is boiled potatoes with salt. ;-)