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Comm Plex and Marble go OFF video:

Interview

Hello everybody! This week we will present you one of the most complex artists from the Electronic Youth family ... Comm_Plex, a guy who can create music for lots of electronic genres without any troubles. Let’s find out more about him...

FOEM/Christ Saddler: Well, Hello Comm_Plex and welcome here at the FOEM “camp”. We have some questions for you so that people will get to know you better. First, tell us where does your artistname come from? What does it mean?

Comm_Plex: Just a little twisting the letters of Complex, cause I love complex music and try 2 make things complex in my tracks… Fear Engineer is just something I came up with for harder styles. Artists in Terror/Hardcore/Industrial always have these typically dark and non-friendly aliases, so I got one 2… And it rhymes!!

FOEM/Christ Saddler: Or in a Shakespearean way you can name yourself “Fear Not The Comm_Plex Engineer” :) and fear not the music you make, fear not the roots of your creativity, and regarding this describe us your musical roots!

Comm_Plex: It all started with poppy Dance music in the 2Unlimited-era. From there I got introduced with Hardcore/Gabber (here in Holland everybody my age has absolutely been a Gabber at some point in their life). That was about age
9/10/11 or something? The hardcore-feeling stayed, still listen some Terror/Industrial-music nowadays, but less. I was about 14/15 when I got in touch with ‘other’ music through a very close friend of mine; DnB, Electro and APHEX TWIN, and when I heard him, everything changed in terms of my musical world. From there I spent a lotta time searching for, ordering and listening 2 more and more complex music: Warp, Planet Mu, Clone, Ninja Tune. After a couple of years I started producing my own things…

FOEM/Christ Saddler: Now we have an explanation for your diversity that leads you to the beauty of electronic music. How did you come to producing?

Comm_Plex: Introduced 2 the concept when I was about 13/14 years old by a friend of mine (the still producing and FOEM-active member Marble) Just 4 fun back then… Then
another close friend of mine started showing interest in getting a synth/drumcomputer/sampler, so that’s when I was first introduced with serious      producing, up until then I didn’t even think about the possibility of making ur own          (electronic) music. So after a while, I think at age 17/18 I started 2 do some stuff          with Reason (1.0 at the time), and still producing using Reason… Been tinkering          with Cubase lately though, so we’ll see what happens!

FOEM/Christ Saddler: You are also a DJ? Or just a producer?

Comm_Plex: No, planning 2 learn, but first I wanna get my producing skills better and learn 2 work with other software/hardware.

FOEM/Christ Saddler: Do you work together with other artists also? E.g. Remixes? Because I’ve seen that you know a lot of artists from the FOEM family.

Comm_Plex: The netrelease we’ve done with Xal Records was a remix-project on one of Mez’s tracks, everybody made another version. Other than that I’ve remixed one of      Hardmoon’s Tracks, ‘Patlink’. Other than that, many co-ops. We’ve got about 5/6     friends that all live in the same area, so it’s easy for us 2 get together and make     something, everyone uses Reason 2, so that’s nice… Me and my brother Mike Donfield live in the same house and have almost the same taste and musical Ideas, so I think we complement each other well, especially in Terror! And there are plans for a collab with Teflonbuddha, so I’ve gotta get to that soon!

FOEM/Christ Saddler: Hehe so music it’s a family business for you. You should pass this gift to your future kids also if you intend to have some. It shouldn’t be wasted. But tell me, is this the only area of music which you’re working in? Or do you also play in a band or something?

Comm_Plex: No band or anything, there is something about other music than electronica that somehow doesn’t appeal 2 me… I never listen 2 lyrics, so that’s one thing. When I   listen 2 music, I listen 2 the music and music alone, not enough concentration...      There is some metal I like, just because it takes skill and creativity 2 put something like that together. And because it’s just really harsh and gritty, which I like… Fear Factory, Deftones, Spineshank, Slipknot, Metallica, Godsmack, Marilyn Manson, NIN, stuff like that…

FOEM/Christ Saddler: Almost every terror producer has a little bit of rocky thing in him. Maybe because Metal is combining so well with the gabba/terror music. But tell us what are your musical aims?

Comm_Plex: If possible, I wanna make this my job, but I know that’s a risky goal… So in the meantime keep looking for education or a good job. And if there’s a possibility; take it! Send some demo’s around and stuff. Terror is easier 2 get into (being my roots also easier for me 2 produce), so I think I’ll first focus on that…. Why not make music all day and get paid doing so? Not in it for the money though, which isn’t even possible; I’m no Tiesto… But It’d just be cool if I can do this all day long!

FOEM/Christ Saddler: When you sent your last promo to a label, was their reaction? Which label was it?

Comm_Plex: I left one at Clone, they said they would listen, but never heard anything since, so… Met some people of Hardcore/Terror-labels on the net and my brother      already has a release on Underground Society. We sent some tracks and they thought they were very good (at least that’s what they say), so we’ll see what happens…


FOEM/Christ Saddler: I listened a lot of tracks from you and I see a lot of potential in you. You will definitely be a good producer. But maybe if you want make money from this you should concentrate more only on one genre. Or maybe make a new one that fits you and satisfies you for your both music sides… the chili and the terror one. In which groups in the internet are you active? Boards?

Comm_Plex: Nothing anymore, used 2 be a member of Clubcharts and am still active at Kraakpiep (Hardcore own productions forum, former MoH-forum)

FOEM/Christ Saddler: Speaking about forums how did you come to FOEM?

Comm_Plex: When I was an active ClubCharter, I got introduced 2 the EY-compilations by threads on CC and met Jerzz there… That’s where we ‘founded’ Xal Records. I grew tired of the people, posts and music at CC, so I switched, since I knew Jerzz, who’s now in the EY-crew.

FOEM/Christ Saddler: What do you like about FOEM?

Comm_Plex: The main thing I like is the initiative taken by the people behind FOEM, mainly Rocky, but others 2, respect for that! The second thing is that FOEM’s a board where the underground/experimental music is the main thing, which is great! Other than that, I like the people here and everything around it, good contests, cool compilations and the crew is always looking for ways 2 improve things, parties, promoting, meetings and stuff like that! And of course, for me as producer, the ‘Own Tracks’-section is really worth it. The place where u get honest opinions and critics.

FOEM/Christ Saddler: My opinion is that if you want to make something really god then you should put a lot of heart in it. We managed to gain here at FOEM a lot of nice people. And you, as one of them, can you tell us how do you see the future of FOEM?

Comm_Plex: Given the passion the crew has in developing and maintaining FOEM, constantly looking for new ideas, designs and implementations, I’d say FOEM’s gonna be a force 2 be reckoned with in the future. Lots of coverage of things happening here in several music mags and organizing stuff behind the scenes is gonna help achieve that goal!

FOEM/Christ Saddler: Hehe, of course, but now let’s find out more about the cultural side of you also. What have you read recently (book, play, film, etc.) that moved or surprised you?

Comm_Plex: Nothing much recently, but just 2 stay with music; AFX’ biography, that guy is crazy man, drives in a tank, can control his dreams and makes music while sleeping… Other bio’s on Warp are cool as well...

FOEM/Christ Saddler: What do you think of the contemporary popular music which is played by normal radio stations?

Comm_Plex: Overrated bullshit, bad rip-offs and a shocking statement of the overall level of people… Some exceptions, but not 2 many…Sorry!

FOEM/Christ Saddler: What do you think about the uprising of netlabels and the conflict between them and the commercial music industry?

Comm_Plex: I don’t know about any conflicts, but everything always ‘conflicts’, so why not here?  :s… I guess from the money-making-point of view it’s costing them 2 much     that “everybody” can just start a netlabel… I don’t care, I just think that the Net is the best place 2 get music 2 a wider audience, so why not?

FOEM/Christ Saddler: Maybe you have a point here but I think that commercial labels can only earn lots of good things from a netlabel. Netlabels are gaining unknown artists much easier, so for a commercial label it will be easier to find an artist for their needs. So they should not worry because of netlabels. But tell me what's one thing you're a fan of that people might not expect?

Comm_Plex: Maybe that I like Art? Escher, Dali, stuff like that. Or that I like really noisy music? I dunno…

FOEM/Christ Saddler: You are an artist, so it’s ok to like art in general. And music is a way to expose the feelings from a drawing. Being a musician or a DJ can be tough and frustrating and many musicians and DJs 'burn out' after a number of years. How do you plan to sustain your efforts over  the coming years and avoid that 'burn out'?

Comm_Plex: Now that’s a question I haven’t thought about… I dunno, just keep doing my thing, hope people will like it. I think innovating and developing ur own style without getting boring is the toughest part. I dunno while there’s progress and u believe in what ur doing, it’ll turn out allright. Other than that, just chill, smoke some joints, play Chess, do some serious gaming and partying and you’ll be fine ;)!

FOEM/Christ Saddler: Have good luck and much fun in your life Comm_Plex! FOEM supports you as much as possible!