CONVERTER is well-known band among industrial lovers, and there is no need to introduce the band to the public. So, could you introduce yourself to our readers? It could be interesting to know about your job, city you live in, your family, etc.
My name is Scott Sturgis and I currently live in Seattle, Washington USA with my wife Jenny and our 4 cats. My regular day job consists of boring office work for a health insurance company. It is mindless work, but it helps to pay the bills so I have to do it. In my spare time I play video games, watch films and spend time outdoors hiking and camping with my wife and friends.
Seattle is known for it’s grunge music. Actually, my personal experience tells me that overwhelming majority of Americans prefers rock music and even techno music in the States is pretty rare. So how could it happen that you become interested in noise? What has influenced your interest?
I think I grew tired and bored of listening to EBM for more than 10 years and not allowing myself to go outside that genre to hear new things. I have been interested in noise for many years, but never really found much that I liked. I prefer structure over wall-of-noise music. So this rhythmic noise stuff was exactly what I wanted to hear at the time. I like sounds very much. I like to hear what people do with sound. Noise music is generally more adventurous than many other types of music, so that was also part of the appeal.
For how long you create music? Do you have classical musical education?
I have been making music for about 15 years. It started out as a casual hobby and became a more serious pursuit in 1993/1994. I do not have any sort of classical musical training. It was something I just decided to try and I ended up liking it. heh...
Could you tell me more about your first musical experiments? What kind of music you played 15 years ago?
When I started I was influenced more by bands like Depeche Mode and New Order. My first music reflected this and that's how I started. Then when I met some other guys who liked to do music, things got more experimental. The first project with someone else, it was three of us doing sampling (on a Casio SK-1) and tape loops. It was very rough, recorded to 4-track cassette and pretty horrible. But we were trying something that was new to us and it was very D.I.Y. and I liked that about it.
What do you consider your greatest achievement so far? As a musician and as a human being.
My greatest musical achievement would probably be what I have reached with CONVERTER. My goal was to become one of the main names associated with a musical genre and I think I have accomplished that with CONVERTER . Now it's time to keep moving and writing and trying to take CONVERTER to a higher level of success.
As a human being, I would have to say my greatest achievement was probably meeting and marrying my wife. She's the most important person in my life and for me to be able to keep her around for so long and having her put up with living with me is definitely an achievement! hehe...
So, how do you see this kind of success? MTV?
I would love that, sure. But of course that probably won't happen. No, I would simply like the opportunity to work more professionally on my music. I would like to be able to quit my day job and make music full-time. That is what I want to work toward.
If you could be someone else for a day, who would you be and what would you do?
I can't think of another person specifically, but it would probably be someone very wealthy and powerful and I would spend the day abusing that wealth and power to the fullest extent. :)
Which time period or event (past or future) would you most like to visit?
I think I'd like to go back to the late '60s/early '70s and hang out with all the freaks, burn-outs and hippies.
When and where were you the happiest?
I would say I was the happiest when I was a child, but I can't think of a specific day or memory. In my adult life, one of my happiest times was when my wife and I left our old lives behind and moved to Seattle in the summer of 2000.
And what is your greatest regret?
I think it is probably not being closer to some family members before they died. Also, that I have not taken better care of my health over the years.
What is your most treasured possession?
I guess my musical gear, but having a computer is important too. I don't have real attachments to my material possessions and I could live without any of them.
Please tell me a bit about your latest release. In fact I had no chance to listen to it so far, so your answer will be interesting not only for our readers but for me as well.
Exit Ritual is a departure from the CONVERTER sound that many people expect. There are influences from death industrial to psychedelic rock to dub to trip-hop. The beats are slowed down considerably and the atmospheres are much more present in the mix. There are moments of old CONVERTER in a couple heavy tracks, but mostly the album is something to listen to at home in the dark, under the influence of the drug of your choice... although I think the music can be a sort of drug in itself.
So, I guess, you do not belong to people who are against using drugs. What do you think about legalizing of "light" drugs like marihuana or extasy?
I don't know anything about ecstasy, so I can't speak on that. But yes, I do believe that light drugs like marijuana should be legalized. Yes, I smoke it and I'm proud to admit that. I think more people should, especially those in the public eye. Celebrities should "come out". The general public should know that it is not that harmful of a drug (no more so than cigarettes or alcohol) and that those consenting adults who wish to use the drug, mostly in the privacy of their own homes, should be allowed to do so. Prohibition does not work.
You are talking about atmospheres, and I'd like to ask you about role of music. Do you think that music is something which is born by our current reality, or it doesn't belong to our world and comes out from something outside?
Maybe it depends on the musician. For me, I am influenced by everything that I hear and see. This affects my music more than maybe I even know. So, for me, music is born from the reality around me. But still, there are times where even I am not sure where the ideas come from. :)
And how do you see the role of music-writer? Should he take part with his music in activities of society, influence them, or he should stay outside and create "pure" Art? I think you agree that music is very important form of propaganda, just look at various patriotic songs, military marches, anthems.
Yes, music is very important. It moves people like nothing else can. But I don't think I know where a musician's place in society lies. It's different for everyone in every genre. Maybe it depends more on where they feel they belong. Some are happy to make music only for themselves and their friends. Others want to rule the world with their music. I think there is a place for both these types of musicians in society.
What do you think about current rhythmic noise scene? To me it's getting less and less interesting with the time.
I agree. I do not listen to much rhythmic noise anymore. I grew bored with it (as a fan) about two years ago. I have moved on to other musical interests, trying to discover some new sounds and get outside the industrial genre. I think influences need to come from other genres of music to keep the rhythmic industrial genre alive and new. I think it sounds like everyone uses the same software to write all their music. People have gotten lazy with this and it's time for a new direction or the genre will stagnate and die. Maybe it is dead already. This is partly why I wanted to take a chance and take a new direction with CONVERTER. I know that many people only listen to CONVERTER for the hard stuff, but I can't keep writing the same album over and over because I get bored with that. I hope that other artists in the genre will also take some chances and push themselves, their music and their audience to another level and make something new and exciting with it.
This is pretty interesting statement. Can you explain it a bit? Why do you think so? My experience says that many newcomers who begin to play with noises believe that it's so easy - the better computer you have the better music you play. And many people think that "normal" music is much harder to play cuz you need to know how to play guitar or drums, at the same time every kid can play with his computer and some software.
Well, I just meant that, in general, the noise/experimental genre is very, very broad. There are many influences used and many unique approaches to writing music. Also noise artists have a tendency to question what music really is or what it really means. They build it up and tear it down, changing the structure along the way. Mainstream music doesn't do that very much; it's not generally as adventurous because the mainstream public, their very audience, wouldn't allow that. There is less to lose in the noise genre and people expect this sort of adventure from its artists.
Do you have favorites among rhythmic noise bands and do you listen to such music?
As I said, I do not listen to very much of it, only what is given to me as promo. I do not have any favorite stand-out projects at this time. I will say, though, that my favorite artist(s) on the ant-zen label is Templegarden's.
I continue my previous question. To what kind of music you listen to?
My favorite band at the moment, and for the past two years, is Techno Animal. I also like their various other projects like The Bug, The Sidewinder, Godflesh, and The Curse of the Golden Vampire. I also enjoy SubArachnoid Space and other psych/space/krautrock bands such as Escapade, Can, Faust and Ektroverde. I also like Electric Wizard, Butthole Surfers, Crash Worship, dub reggae and some trip-hop. I am always looking for something new to listen to.
American bands like Skinny Puppy, Download, NIN and Ministry have influenced a lot of today's industrial bands in Europe, and in fact industrial music is more popular in "Old World" than in the States. Am I correct? I lived in the States 5 years ago and I haven't seen much my favorite music on your shores. So, what's wrong with the States or what makes Europe so fertile for industrial culture? Your opinion.
I wish I knew! Sometimes I think the American industrial audience is afraid of something. Maybe they're afraid to commit to something that is unfamiliar until it becomes popular so other people won't laugh at them for listening to it. But honestly, I just don't know.
Well, my last question would be: What is your best track so far? The one you are very prod of?
That is a very difficult question to answer. I don't think I have ever thought about it. I do have a few favorites, but to narrow it down to just one track might be impossible... I have a tendency to like best whatever it is that I am currently working on. I am happy with some new tracks I wrote recently for a one-time live show. These were for no project in particular, just a small show I played with some friends. It wasn't anything industrial either, so I am having a good time exploring some new directions. I think I am happiest with this material right now. When I move on to something new, I will probably be happiest with that... and so on.
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