Can you tell us about your musical background & training ? What’s your age, work, your town, hobbies... ?
IM a self taught music maker from the suburbs of London town. I’m 25 which seems old but feels young. I play a few different instruments starting with the guitar which I’ve played since I was 10, listen to all kinds of music, work here and there and recently have been shooting the breeze on the basketball court for exercise.

What kind of artists influenced you ? How did you come to electronic music ? What are your favorite records ever ?
I love loads of different music so All kinds of people influence me from lo-fi bands to jazz men. But I can be equally inspired to make a tune by hearing something by someone I hate as much as someone I love.
In terms of electronic music I think 1996 was when I got into electronic music thorough indie rock circles - probably listening to Tortoise I think, they had a bunch of remixes for their album Millions Now Living Will Never Die including a Luke Vibert and Spring Heel Jack one. About the same time I got into the Mouse on mars Iaora Tahti record and Richard d James, and a few other bits, plus some good techno like Plastikman most of which I garnered from a local library or through friends . Twas a time before the Internet kids.
Favourite records ever ? hmm. That’s a tough one. That changes a lot. I made a list here with some of me favourites on www.dustedmagazine.com/features/307 .
Off the top of me head today some I’d say are “Alien Lanes” by Guided By Voices, “Slanted and Enchanted” by Pavement. Stevie Wonder’s “Innervisions” “Blues and roots” by Charles Mingus” or maybe “it will take a nation of millions” by Public Enemy.

Generally, how do you compose ? What push you to create ?
There’s lots of different methods to composing But I won’t say I use a set way as such sometimes its from samples, beats or just playing. I’ve got loads of ideas and I want to get them all out, though accidents or intuition can often lead you to the best places.

In Yellotone’s music it seems you like to mix a pop/rock sensibility, hip-hop voices, dub echoes & techno effects. How would you present Yellotone’s music ?
In a box of tarnished gold.

How did think & compose Tar File Junction ? This first album goes in several musical directions. Was it a will of yours and why ?
I’ve come to realise more and more that similarities exist between melodies in a lot of music and so if you develop a style of writing things can go together. Its often how tunes are presented that determines a style. I think in a lot of ways the tunes fit together on tar file junction because they have indie rock structures and the kind of melodies I like its just some are presented in different styles because I was in that mood at the time. But I try not to think about that at all when I’m making stuff- that kind of thing is more of an afterthought when it comes to putting tunes together for an album. So even though there are lots of style I wanted it all to go together as much as possible.

It seems you have never remixed anyone and no one has ever remixed your music. Is it a choice or a question of chance ?
Mainly chance, no one has ever asked me. The closest I’ve come was with Styrofoam who got in touch a few months back about doing one but when It came to sending me the parts the trail ran cold. I’m usually working on something of my own to bother doing remixes for the hell of it though I have a couple in the locker for parties and sometimes I try things with accapella’s just to experiment. But I’m up for doing remixes, definitely.

You always released from Ai Records. Why ? Ai decided this year to stop working with Baked Goods. Will it change something for you ?
To cut this things to a man sized issue - I’ve never really sent out demos for one reason or another and it was a friend - James who puts on the wheels instead of hooves nights - who originally sent my stuff to Ai which is how I got hooked up. Because they took me from nothing I wanted to give my first album to them though I’m going to do some stuff with James’s new download label now and I may give out demos cause I’ve got loads of good tunes waiting or nearly ready to go.
Ai no longer being with baked ? Hopefully I might get some money and promotion now.

How does Yellotone sound live ? Do you play some instruments live ?
Live show I play guitar plus maybe some harmonica or keyboards along to my tunes on me laptop. I manipulate the sound of the tunes from the laptop, try and have visuals if possible and ya know I might even dance as well. The good thing about playing instruments is you can improvise and be a lot more energetic and I think people prefer that to just knob twiddling which is often great to indulge in at home but not so hot to watch.

How do think your music will evolve ? Would you like to work with some artists ? What can we wish you ?
Since finishing my album I’ve made loads of different tunes in loads of styles but I want to bring it all back together soon and make something completely new. One thing I do think is that some of my stuff in the future may in some way involve some vocals.
For a while I thought that I wanted to do it all myself - working with anyone else wasn’t necessary but I’m coming round to thinking other artists, yeah that could good. But I think I’d be quite specific. I’ve had jams with my friend buddy peace and that’s always fun but we haven’t tried to do anything too serious though we’ve often talked about it. The trouble I think with an electronic perspective is that you don’t get many jams because everyone is a self contained studio I mean often when you meet someone the talk is about what software you use rather than any melodic ideas for example which often gets boring. Technology seems to encourage independence which is good in some respects, I mean having the freedom to have a studio in my bedroom is amazing and essential but it can make life a bit lonely.
More pressing for me I think is maybe working with a good engineer cum producer so I can get a good mix of more live instruments and the electronic sounds and maybe polish up some aspects. I would also like to have a band playing my tunes live at some point and also maybe get some mc’s on some tunes.
You can wish me quick.

interview stephane
by email
2005.05
photo www.auxilec.com