Extension _ Interview with Inigo Kennedy

Inigo Kennedy needs no introduction..

It may be a cliché to throw the phrase “respected DJ & Producer” around when you are talking about Inigo Kennedy, but if anyone has earned the right to be called such a title, it is he. Unsurprisingly, his popularity and longevity can be attributed to a consistent ability to compose music that resonates with people on a deep emotional and physical level. Along with his technical ability as a DJ, it is something that continually brings him positive attention.

IK joins us for a special broadcast @ 2100GMT on Wednesday 13th February. The namesake of his current release on Token Records; we’re expecting a magnificent journey on the Cathedral Session. If you don’t manage to catch it, don’t worry as it’ll be up on our Soundcloud after transmission.

Listen live on Fnoob: http://www.fnoob.com/radios/fnoob-techno-radio

Join the Event on Facebook.

In the interview we talk about his relationship with music and memory, catharsis, IDM and how the state of Techno has changed internationally. After chatting about photography and some amusing incidents while on the road, we find out that Inigo is wasting no time introducing his love of music to his Son. Later, there’s talk of double decks and the early days of his music production, which leads on to a nice discussion about his current set-up, old synths and how the learning never really ends.

We’ve all followed Inigo for a long time now – so it was wonderful to be able to chat to him like this – let alone have a mix from him also. Hope you enjoy it as much as we have.

 

Rachael: So first of all, what exactly does music mean to you?

Inigo: I don’t think there’s an exact answer to that; it means so many different things at different times. I respond better to music than say the visual arts for sure, so that must stand for something. I think for me music conveys energy and allows imaginative freedom more than other things.

Do you find making music cathartic and if so, could you elaborate on why it is?

Yeah, I think so. It’s always been a way of getting lost in something although to be honest it’s harder now than it has been in the past. I think it definitely has a cathartic side to it although I’m also a fairly quiet soul, so it’s not like there’s some dark anger that is satisfied by my music making (some might think otherwise listening to some of it of course). It’s a pretty good way to release or side-step tension or stress. So that plays a part, but there’s also a side that is more to do with the technology and the challenge. It’s as much about getting in or being in a different head-space I think.

What is it about music that is so powerful in conveying emotion?

I suppose it leaves a lot more to the imagination than visual arts. It’s much easier to trigger your own memories and be in your own thoughts than to be lost in trying to figure out someone else’s. In many ways it lets you go inside yourself more; it is a lot more introversive.

Is there any track (or tracks) that transport you back in time and cause you to vividly relive a particular time in your life?

Oh there are plenty.. from hearing Paul Hardcastle’s ’19’ on the radio for the first time, losing a tooth to ‘Don’t Let Me Down Gently’ (or more accurately to an 14-hole DM boot) at a Wonderstuff gig in Brighton after my A-levels, ‘Red 2’ at so many nights in the early 90’s, being handed Surgeon’s ‘Magneze’ at Fat Cat Records from under the counter, hearing Moderat drop ‘Seamonkey’ live at The Roundhouse in London…

What interests me is how artists come up with track names. It’s a very tough call, but I would have to say that Obsidian is my favourite tracks of yours. What was going through your head when you made this track and why did you pick ‘Obsidian’ as the track title?

Hard to say what was going through my head although I remember it was a pretty quiet day and I’d been tinkering with the sound design and melody pattern for quite some time as a loop. Shani, my wife, popped her head round the door and made it pretty clear there was something good going on and the track came together. There were a few versions initially with different kicks and patterns until it just worked; it’s one of those tracks that doesn’t have a lot of elements but those that it does have are great.

As for track names, they are almost always the last thing I do and then usually out of necessity more than anything else. It’s quite hard sometimes to find fitting titles and I feel like it’s a strange process too; I’ve never really set out to make tracks with titles in mind beforehand although sometimes it does make sense to capture a moment or an inspiration in a title too. Sometimes the names fit curiously well with the music like ‘Obsidian’ or ‘The Shard’ but then it’s quite a personal association in many ways and basically down to listening to the music and running various words around my head until something fits what I’m getting from the music.