:: BB INTERVIEWS ::

:: CARBON COMMUNITY ::

Live and Direct With Carbon Community Doug Vaccaro learns it's not all about buttons and dials in the studio The brainchild behind the Carbon Community is Dallas based producer Dave Cannon. After picking up his brothers’ electric guitar at the tender age of 12, he immediately found his calling, and began to dedicate his life to music. The study of music began with classical guitar, and eventually grew into a study of Jazz, Blues, and Rock music. Years later Dave found himself in and out of different bands in his area, and playing classical guitar recitals. Minutes turned to hours, hours to days, and days to years, as his passion for music grew exponentially and an absolute obsession began growing from within him. It was around 1998 that Dave started trading in his guitar rig for synthesizers, samplers, and drum machines. “The early stuff I was doing was just horrible!” “There was a lot of experimentation for me back then…just trying to figure out how all of the gear worked!” Around Christmas time in December of 2000, he moved back to Dallas and hooked up with an old friend and local Dallas DJ Cody Phillips (Mac IX). The two started working on tunes together, and in early 2001 a Dallas based label, “Thrust Records”, showed interest in several tracks the duo had completed. The first Carbon Community 12 inch was now official. The “Ready 4 This” E.P. was released in 2001 and billed as Mac IX vs. The Carbon Community. The last year has seen the Carbon Community continue to move forward, and has spawned several remixes. The remixes that he has done for house producer JV’s “Set Your Soul On Fire” for Dorigen, and 40oz Frap’s “Safety Glasses” for Blue Plasma have been huge successes, and continue to bring him remix work. Dave also sat in the remixer role for the KiloWatts release “Reflective Deceptor” that came out on Sober earlier in the year and also featured a remix by Johan at Sound of Habib. “That KiloWatts release was actually slated to come out on Bless, but I loved the original so much I talked Bill into letting me put it out myself, and luckily he let me!” Plans for upcoming Sober Music releases include tracks and remixes by Fine Cut Bodies, Lawgiverz, Influenza, and loBudg. It’s great to finally get a chance to chat with you Dave. How have you been? I’ve been good, just super busy. No time for sleep these days it seems. Just working on new material, and traveling quite a bit this year. All is well, really. Where does the name Carbon Community come from? The name actually came from a book I was reading about 7 or 8 years ago. The author was referring to cyberspace…ya know, internet, cell phones, etc. The term Carbon Community was how he described everything that was completely opposite of that. The very basics of life…. the most natural, organic things possible. Actually, the author also used the term “meatspace”. I just didn’t think it had the same “ring” as Carbon Community. You recently played a show in New York City. How did things go for you at that event? The gig was super fun. Sean Infinitee was kind enough to bring me up, and we had a blast. That place had a ridiculous sound system for the size of the room. Mad bass. That was my first gig up there, and it’s always fun to play somewhere for the first time, so yeah, a lot of fun. Yeah, speaking of… where were you at? I see how it is. Ha ha, errr, so moving right along. Tell us about your all time favorite gig. I think my favorite gig thus far would be the shows I just played a couple months back in San Francisco for the Love Parade. The crowds in San Francisco have always been good, but this thing was over the top. Literally people as far as the eye could see. Our float and the after party was a blast. Future Funk Squad, High 8, Myagi, J Break, Aaron Jae, and a bunch of other killer locals they have out there. Yeah, it was dope. Got to catch up with a lot of guys I haven’t seen in a few months. Looking forward to next year! The Carbon Community is a LIVE PA correct? What are you currently using for your shows? Yeah, I DJ a bit, but 99% of the shows are a Live PA. That’s kind of how I’ve always envisioned doing things I guess. I come from a background of live music, so it was really the natural thing for me. Since day one I’ve been doing it like this. Really, every show is going to vary a bit. It just depends on what songs I’m going to be doing and what kind of space I’m going to be in. Obviously some clubs I play in have a rather small DJ booth, so it doesn’t necessarily cater to having live drums and a bunch of synths in there. So really, it has been everything from just me on a laptop and a controller, to having 4-5 synths on stage, live drums, and live vocals. It’s all a good time. What's the most important piece of equipment you work with? Definitely the computer. It’s the centerpiece of my studio. The brains. But honestly, I use a ton of hardware. I’ve got a bad synth addiction. I just can’t stop buying ‘em! I just picked up the Analogue Solutions Red Square. It’s a modular synth. Pretty wicked. Doesn’t sound like anything else I have. Just got one of those Dave Smith Evolvers as well. Good stuff. I’ve had the Access Virus for the last few years, and I continually go to that as well. It’s so easy to dial in the sounds I’m hearing in my head on that thing. And it seems like my SH101 always finds it way into a track one way or another. A friend of mine has been building one of those Serge Modulars…that thing is insane. I think I am about to embark on a whole new addiction….I think I need a 12 step program to help me. What have you been up to in the studio? Tell us about your new projects. As far as studio work is concerned, I’ve been working on a full-length album the last few months, and just recently wrapped it up. Just finding someone that believes in it now, and trying to get it out there to be honest. I’d love to see it come out as a full CD release, as opposed to just vinyl, so we’ll see. Chris Carter and I started a track earlier in the year together, and I have just put the finishing touches on my version, so hopefully that release won’t be too far down the road as well. As for remixes, DJ Love from Stellar Music has just asked me to do something up for his label. And a house artist “Grey” from Harmonious Discord just tossed me some files for a remix, so that looks like it’s up next. The original material is wicked! Can’t wait to get on that one. Also got some stuff lined up with my side project “loBudg”, which is Son of the Electric Ghost and myself. We did a remix about a year and a half ago, which I think is finally coming out on Play recordings before the year is up. That original is completely insane. It was a track that Starfire and Stefan Anion did…forget our remix; you guys aren’t ready for their original! And actually, SOTEG and myself have just started working on a loBudg full-length album. So yeah, just business as usual, trying to find as much time as possible to work. Are there any DJs or producers out there that you look up to for inspiration? I think that inspiration comes in many different flavors, and there are constantly things going on around me that inspire me. Really, one thing that helps drive me is hearing what my peers are doing. If I hear something that a friend has done that is dope, it just makes me what to work that much harder to come up with new, fresh sounding stuff. The music that gets me excited is the stuff that ventures out from the norm a bit. Guys like the Lawgiverz and SOTEG….but I don’t know….I like a lot of different stuff…I still find myself listening to a lot of older records. I’m a huge Meat Beat Manifesto fan, Orbital, the Smiths, Radiohead. I just stumbled across a track by Ochre called “REM Sleep Research”. Completely blows my mind. I think that there is a lot of great music that will never see a proper release just do to the current state of the music business. It’s a shame. What are your feelings about the new “Digital Revolution” that seems to be taking over? It is indeed taking over, isn’t it! On one hand, I think it is great. It is a way to get music to people that never would have heard it. You know, having tracks just on vinyl kind of isolates a lot of potential fans of the music. DJ’s are going to be the only ones that buy the stuff, so having an outlet that is available to everyone is great. There is also no delay in when the track is finished, and when it is released. It can happen immediately, which is exciting. At the same time, I love vinyl. It’s just not quite the same launching a track on a download site as it is actually holding a record in your hand. There is something that seems more final to me if it is pressed up. So really, I think a marriage of the two would be ideal. Vinyl and digital download. But it’s been tough…I don’t think anyone is particularly moving loads of vinyl at the moment. At least the guys I’m in contact with aren’t blowing the doors off or anything. It’s exciting times…there is not much overhead for a download site, so it allows people to put out whatever music they want. Wonderful tracks that would have never seen the light of day on a vinyl release are now available for everyone to hear. Lovely. How do you feel about the current state of breaks? Honestly, I wish people would take some more chances. There has not been a ton of new stuff coming out that I am going crazy for. We are at a point where technology has made it possible to do just about anything you want with music. Really, the only thing you are really limited by is your imagination. If you can think of it, there is some gadget that can make it happen for you. And the technology is only going to improve. So, yeah, I think at the moment there are a lot of people taking the “safe” route, and they end up sounding somewhat similar. Saying that though, there are some great tunes that have come out in the last year or so. I just think the possibilities are endless. I think we’re all just touching the tip of the iceberg at the moment. It just seems like it’s been a while since I left a club and felt changed, and I miss that. I want to hear something kicks my ass. The moment we’ve all been waiting for (No he’s not going to strip for you ladies. Sorry). Give us your Top 10 records of all time. Well, hey….if that’s what the ladies want, I don’t want to disappoint. Here ya go. My top ten favorite albums. In fairly random order: 1. Orbital – “Insides” 2. Plaid – “Rest Proof Clockwork” 3. u-Ziq – “Lunatic Harness” 4. Depeche Mode – “Black Celebration” 5. Aphex Twin – “I Care Because You Do” 6. Massive Attack – “100th Window” 7. Orbital – “The Middle Of Nowhere” 8. Underworld – “Dubnobasswithmyheadman” 9. Meat Beat Manifesto – “Satyricon” 10. Portishead – “Dummy” It was great chatting with you Dave. I wish you the best of luck with all of your new projects and I hope you make a million dollars doing it!! Thank you again for asking me to do this. As for the millions, I’ll keep ya posted. Much respect to everyone that has been coming to the shows this year, sending in emails, and buying the records. I can’t thank you enough. For anyone that is interested, I start a weekly radio show on www.ibreaks.co.uk on the 7th of November, and continue every Monday after that. Hope everyone is well. :: November 2005 :: Send any love letters, death threats, poetry or revealing photographs to Dave Cannon at carboncommunity@yahoo.com

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