Hi Jon how are you ?
Summer has finally arrived in New York City. It is 73 degrees and breezy. I’m enjoying it.

Can you introduce yourself and talk a bit about yourself, what kind of person you are...
My name is Jon DeRosa, and I am the principle member of Aarktica.
I am... overly self-aware and morally-conscious, which leads to constant inner conflict. I make a deliberate effort to always look at the bigger picture, yet still tend to get caught up in the intricacies of a situation. Overly cautious about hurting people, which results in hurting people. Eclectic tastes that border on manic relate to all areas of my life from relationships to friendships to music. I have a fear of falling into small routines, which results in creating larger ones. I tend to shun the things that make me most comfortable out of fear of dependence. Hate crowded spaces. Into the idea of psychotherapy as a hobby and physical fitness as necessity. Not ever completely sure how I feel about anything at all.

When and how did you start composing your own music ? What has been your musical training ? Why did you come to music ?
When I was very young, I wanted to be an archaeologist. Then a baseball player. But from 8 years old on, all I ever wanted to be was a heavy metal guitarist. I wasn’t allowed to take rock guitar lessons, so I studied classical and flamenco guitar from age 10 - 17. I started composing around the time I started playing.

Is Aarktica your first musical project or have you been part of other ones before ?
In 1994, I released a cassette under the moniker “fade,” titled Pale Broken Truths followed by another one in 1995 called Windows. Then there was Dead Leaves Rising from 1997 - 2001. In the midst of that, I released a cassette under the name Still in 1998, which eventually evolved into Aarktica. I also played in Flare from around 1999 - 2002. Numerous others escape me right now.

How would you introduce Aarktica’s music to people ?
To do so would be difficult. I would either come across as vague or pretentious. I don’t like either.

You always work with Aaron Spectre. Why isn’t he a part of Aarktica ?
Aarktica is an entity separate from myself, a collective of members of whom I’m the coordinator. Aaron lives in Berlin now and we rarely see each other, but I consider him very much a part of Aarktica. In fact, if it weren’t for his amazing mastering work on No Solace in Sleep, I’m not sure Aarktica would be where it is today. He’s contributed to nearly every release, and we just released a 12” EP together on his label Moonbunny.

How would you introduce Pale Horse & Rider’s music to people ?
Drinking music in the model of classic country/Americana.

What’s is your most personal musical project : PHR or Aarktica ?
Neither is personal in the confessional sense. I stopped doing that when I ended Dead Leaves Rising.
Pale Horse and Rider is a storytelling kind of band. The stories may be based on personal events or observations, but they’re still just stories. Aarktica gets a little more cerebral, but I try and keep the themes universal. It’s supposed to be for everyone, not just myself.

In one you work on atmospheres & textures (Aarktica) and in the other on indie songs (PHR), but they are links between the two projects. For exemple, with Aarktica you sometimes tries to melt those two directions together or you covered Aura Lee (a song by Aarktica) with PHR...
If a song is truly well-written, it can be performed successfully in many different ways.

What kind of sound treatments do you use with Aarktica ?
These days I use very few effects. I play a Gibson Night Hawk guitar and run it through a Morley Volume pedal, Rat Distortion, Alesis Nanoverb, Digital Echoplex, and an Akai Headrush delay into a Fender Deluxe Reverb amp. Sometimes I will use a Line 6 Delay Modeler. I rarely use all these effects at once, the new sound is much more reliant on organic instruments.

Every Aarktica new lp brings a new color to Aarktica’s universe, often by the implcation of other instruments. Is it one of the keys of Aarktica’s evolution ?
Definitely. After No Solace In Sleep, there were a lot of bands around that sounded alike with no individual voice, relying on lots of effects. I didn’t want Aarktica to be considered one of these projects, so I started thinking of ways to create drones and atmospheres more organically, and to incorporate more structures and textures. Bleeding Light has trumpets and saxophones, which I decided to use because of La Monte Young’s work with brass and reeds.
Not to mention that was the instrumentation available to me. Unless you can afford to hire orchestra players, you have to find ways to incorporate what is available to you. I think it inspires one to work in new ways and has definitely influenced the direction that Aarktica has gone.

Could you talk about your creating process ?
I wish I could. I don’t really understand it myself.

You also work for Silber Records. How do you manage between your everyday life, your creation time and label work ?
I’ve recently taken time off from Silber to pursue some other endeavors, but still remain close in touch with Brian at the label.

How do you proceed when you play live as Aarktica ?
Aarktica currently ranges from 4 - 7 pieces at any given time. Guitars, drums, trumpet, harmonium, saxophone and anyone else that would like to play. I still perform solo now and again, but I prefer playing with the band.

What are your projects for future ?
I will let you know as soon as I’m sure.

interview stephane
by email
2005.03.