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Bankai
an interview with Will Dayble

Bankai is a relatively new name in electro music circles, but he is making quite an impact by making breakcore-tinged electro madness which samples delights from the film "Labyrinth", through to "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", self-distributing his music for free, and having fans of his music completely finance a tour of Canada. We got the chance to ask Will Dayble his thoughts on the record industry, and just what exactly Bankai means.

To begin with, what made you go with the name of Bankai? Having researched the term in some dubious places online, it would be nice to get the official line on that one!

Nerdiest foot forwards, as always. 'Bankai' means kinda... err... ultramega-kaboom-cumshot-final-megablast. It's a term taken from an anime series called "Bleach".

How did you get in to creating electro music? Is this something you've always been in to?

Electro, specifically, or music, generally? I've been playing music of various kinds since before I could walk. I was in a punk/metal band for about a decade... but electro specifically is quite new to me; well, producing is, at least. I'm still a total noob, I've been doing that since early 2009-ish.

From the beginning you've allowed your music to be downloaded for free (under a creative commons license) from your website (bankai.fm) was there any specific reason for doing that?

Yep. I'm a nerd. I use open source software, torrents, donationware and all that stuff habitually, every day. If it's good enough for Linus Torvald and Apache, it's good enough for me.

It just seems the done thing, I suppose. I can't think of music as a commodity; that cheapens it somehow. I haven't figured out how I feel about the whole thing, but I'm pretty sure that demanding nothing from listeners makes their involvement and support even more satisfying. It feels honest.

Your music has quite a bit of 80's influence going on (samples of "Labyrinth", and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" to name just a couple). Is this on purpose, or just bringing fond memories from your childhood in to your music?

Hahaha! I think I'm more of a 90s kid than an 80s kid, honestly. I own a skateboard and I often wonder what Richard Dean Anderson would do. I guess with the remixes, it was kinda like realising you can eat bacon any time you want. I'm just being indulgent. The TMNT remix took about a day to make, it's just fun.

Recently you managed to go on a tour of Canada completely sourced by fans of your music. How did all this begin?

A bunch of users of thesixtyone.com (which has changed quite dramatically since) figured out they could fly me over if they got enough friends to pitch in money for a plane ticket. It snowballed from there. I am amazed as anyone else it actually happened. The internet is sometimes quite awesome.

You've actually used the internet in a very positive way by giving fans the control to get you to play in their clubs, and spending their money as they see fit. Is this something you think the record industry should embrace? I mean that in letting the fans control what they want, how they want it and where?

I think it's kinda funny people talk about "the music industry" as something almost like a sentient creature, with the ability to live and die. "Torrents are killing the music industry!", etc. Which part of it is living or dying? The same bit that got killed by VHS?

What the hell IS the music industry anyway? Is it the mechanism between artist and listener? If so, my 'music industry' is a very different beast from the accepted caricature. It's an intimate, personal creature. It doesn't understand geography and doesn't seem to focus on money much. Is it going to fling rocks at its larger brother, v. Goliath style? I doubt it. I'm also still not convinced it exists at all. The methods we're playing with of filtering signal from the noise on the internet is very interesting at the moment. These very immediate connections between people who create stuff and people who consume, or re-create, is very cool. That said, I still have my day job, I'm far from figuring out how the whole thing works, but I do think that people should be free to make the art they want, on the terms they want.

I speak of the record industry in the most basic form (record labels, buying CDs from stores etc) knowing full well that this has now changed quite a lot with the internet and the way artists choose to distribute their music, not necessarily needing a record label to get their music out there. The way you've chosen to distribute your music is pretty inspired to me as most artists I know of still have a record label supporting them even whilst they are doing their own thing.

Sorry, I'm being difficult. Words like "most" and "all" are loaded words. Most artists I know are nowhere near a record contract. I was that self-important idealist punk arsehole with the indie record label, releasing screamo EPs, changing the world. Nowadays... I don't know, I'm playing. It's fun. David Thorne's right - the internet is a playground.

Personally, the net is a big part in humanity's development. So it's a game changer, but how? Like crossbows or the printing press? It's still a baby! I think some of us owe it to this infant interwebs to play games with it, nurture it, see what's possible.

Are you planning on doing 'crowd-sourced' tours elsewhere?

I would like to. Some people have been putting up "Bring Bankai to X" type facebook pages for various other countries quite, if one of them shows enough support it'll probably happen again, yes. :)

Could you give any advice to other artists on touring in the way you've done it?

Haha! I don't really feel I've the authority to give advice, I'm still a noob at this. I got lucky... I guess working hard and being honest helps. Treating the people who consume whatever art you create as equals seems to work well too.

What's next on your agenda? Any new releases and tours we should be looking forward to?

I've been recording with a guy by the name of Dane Hunnerup, aka. DJ Kashishi; Dane's a really talented vocalist/percussionist/DJ, we're hoping to bring some tuvan throat singing + live instrumentation type stuff to a dubstep-ish EP.

I'm halfway through hacking a powerglove to send midi commands via Bluetooth, which should make live stuff more interesting. At some point I plan to learn how to actually produce. :)

I'm not sure if you've heard of Tim Exile, but I saw him live once and he had a joystick attached to his crotch and I think he was wearing a Viking helmet...not that that had anything to do with the technology - it just looked cool! Anyways the joystick was attached to something that was glitching out his vocals, it was really quite something - is this similar to what you want to do with the Powerglove?

I don't think I'll be as crotch-centric as Mr. Exile. That said... the live stuff came from being uncomfortable with knobs!

Mixing desks are boring; I need strings to break and mics to scream at. I can't help but feel really trapped behind a mixing console or a laptop. It seems you can plug in pretty much anything into Ableton Live and make it do stuff.

It's a compactness thing too. After the last tour I decided "only carry-on luggage from now on". I can fit a laptop, iPhone, Wiimote, Powerglove, microphone and Korg Nano all in a laptop bag and ride my bike to a gig. After years of dragging giant Marshall amps around, that's awesome.

You mentioned iPhone - are there any particular apps that you use? I mention this as Jason Forrest/DJ Donna Summer helped create Star6 and I've seen this used live to amazing effect...

I use LiveControl, which sends OSC data to Ableton Live. (livecontrol.q3f.org). Bit weird to install first time round, but a really excellent interface.

Anything else you'd like to add?

The X-Com multiplayer mod just went public beta. That's so fucking cool.

Relevant links
Bankai
Bankai @ Soundcloud

-- interview by Kate Turgoose (July 2010)

Edgey
an interview with Stephen James Knight

Can you give some background for the name Edgey?

Coffee. Lots of coffee. I'd say it would closer fit to being 'on edge' than say 'cutting edge'. Kind of that tense, nervous feeling you get when you get amped up a little too much. The name has nothing to do with being on the 'cutting edge' as some have thought in the past... I still use hardware/software from 20 years ago, I don't keep up on the latest underground DSP packs, and I'm not out to intentionally break new ground simply to break new ground.

Can you name some past and current influences be it music, books, games...?

Even though I work in the vein of drum n bass and breakcore, my roots are more in the post-industrial scene. I think that comes through in the music. Godflesh and Scorn are big influences. Along with the typical host of industrial pioneers.

Speaking of backgrounds, do you feel that living in New York has provided you with opportunities?

It used to. New York is not what it used to be. There used to be somewhere to go and something to do almost constantly, "the scene" has all but died in New York. NYC is a Disney tourist trap now. Years ago it was different, and there were many more opportunities, more clubs, more promotors, and more fans of the music. I rarely even perform in NY unless it's for a close friend.

How did the internet help you achieve notoriety? Do you as a musician and netlabel manager have any promotion advice to give?

Definitely, the internet is/was a great thing. I was able to reach out to people that I'd never have the opportunity to work for or work with. I met some great people and really took advantage of the promotional opportunities to be found there. With the good comes the bad, the ease of dissemination of the music to get it to the masses has the ugly side of piracy. I think it should be the artists discretion to distribute their music for free. The MP3 is a double edged sword. It was never easier to get your music out there, but it was also never easier for someone to take it...

With Edgey’s history spanning over ten years and a significant discography (two full-lengths as edgey, 1 as SJK, 2 splits and the 2 2-track 12" and quite a few compilation appearances), could you give some insight into your creative process? How, over all these years, do you manage to keep your ideas fresh? Would you say that there is something tying all your work together?

I write when I feel like writing, and if I'm not in the mood, I don't force it. I'd rather keep it honest than put out some convoluted piece of meaningless crap that people can see through. So I might work hard for several months and release a handful of things, and then quiet down a few months with seemingly no activity.

Besides Edgey, you are involved in various side-projects like the more chilled/idm Stephen James Knight and Deep Fried Clams to name a few. Can you tell us a bit more about your side projects and what do you feel makes them different and unique?

I started the SJK project during a strange time in my life, and wanted to express something quite different than the raw noise I was putting out with Edgey. I've always sort of thought, if I'm angry and I write angry music, it's a release of that anger, and once the music is out, I pass it on, and the anger is gone... as I realized that the music can compound on those feelings, amping them up rather than releasing them, it only seemed appropriate to take a different direction and work on something new. I had always incorporating bits of pleasantries in my music, and through it was time to separate the two - one harsh grindy aggressive project, and one light and airy pleasant project. The duality fits my personality well (sorry if that sounds cliché).

Would you like to talk about your studio gear & live show gear? Do you have any favourite pieces of gear?

My studio has gone from piles of electronics, keyboards and hardware towards the more minimal approach with software dominating the scene. Live shows used to consist of a truckload of gear and several people to me and my laptop. I don't dance around or act like a fool on stage. I perform my music, hope to not fuck it up, and try to create an appropriate atmosphere. Shows and events have become more about the social gathering than the music it seems, the music is the common point for the fans, and I think its up the artists to create that atmosphere. That's my job, to give people a reason to get together, and provide them an accommodating atmosphere that fits the theme. If someone wants to stand up front fist bump and bang there head, or dance like a lunatic completely spaz out - or just stand in the back and enjoy, it's all good. As for favorite pieces of gear, I recently picked up a small DM5 drum kit to bang out my frustrations on.

Having performed live as Edgey in high-profile underground festivals like Maschinenfest, Forms of Hands, C.O.M.A. and Kinetik Festival as well as numerous shows through the years can you share some thoughts about performing live? What can one expect from one of your live performances in comparison to recorded material?

Some artists go absolutely insane on stage, the dance, they yell, and they put on a great show. I suppose I'm a little different in that regard, I've gotten generally one of two comments regarding my stage presence, either boring or intense. Some ask me if I'm cleaning a virus off the laptop, while others comment on my 1000 yard stare and focus. I may nod my head if I'm really getting into it though, heh. Also, you usually can't see it, but I tap my foot at 16th notes.

Still on the subject of performing live, are there any stories you’d like to share? You know, the kind of crazy stuff that inevitably happens from time to time when playing concerts...

I'm not going there. Thankfully I quit drinking before youtube was around. But I'm sure if you ask around there's plenty of stories to be heard...

Would you like to recommend any artists or projects from DarkStep.org? Outside of DarkStep.org, has anything caught your attention lately?

All of them, there are some seriously amazing artists there. We're working on a new compilation which should be available sometime in September 2010. I don't actively go out in search of new music, if I stumble across it that's great, but my general concept is that the more outside influence I hear, the more it will incorporate into my own music, so I kind of limit myself to what I listen to.

Do you still think about kermit when you hear current value?

Unfortunately yes, you can all thank Fexomat for that one!

Finally, what is the final thoughts you want to leave the readers with?

Hmm.. Open soapbox eh? There not enough time or pages. I'll keep it simple, I have a new album due out shortly, working on the next Darkstep release, and a few other nice surprises coming by the end of this year.

Relevant links
Edgey
DarkStep.Org

-- interview by Kathleen Chausse (July 2010)