John Foxx on the changing

face of music production

The synth pop legend dis-
cusses past vs present
Founder of British new wave band Ultravox, John Foxx rode
the electro pop bandwagon with much acclaim for his classic
1980 album 'Metamatic'. This was followed by romanticised
musings on a series of under-appreciated
acoustic/electronic releases throughout the eighties.
Today, Foxx is busier than ever. Having made notable record-
ings with Benge and Harold Budd, his latest union with
Steve D'Agostino marks a stunning return to form on the
album Evidence of Time Travel, motivating us to politely
request that Foxx compare and contrast the two eras.
Are imagery and the use of video as important today as they
were in the 80s?
"In the 70s I seem to remember Marc Bolan being asked
how much of his success was due to image and how much
was down to music. He replied 'about 80% image'. Of
course, proportions vary, but in his case I think that was
about right.
"All artists - of every kind - need a proper story to set their
work in context and connect it to the rest of the world. That's
the audience gateway. The story needs to be as true as
possible to really connect. Imagine Van Gough without the
ear being cut off and no Starry Night - he wouldn't be any-
where near as popular."
Where does that desire to create an image derive from?
"Artists invent stories according to what media is available to
them. It's their job. Modern music characters are actually
evolved versions of Music Hall characters. You wear interest-
ing clothes and do something odd to attract attention; then
you sing a song to illustrate the world of the character you
invented.
"Everyone from Ziggy to Johnny Rotten to Burial does this -
consciously or not. Usually, it's gloriously and laughably
instinctive - at first. Then, if you survive the first few years,
you might begin to glimpse a little of what you're actually
doing to yourself and everyone else."
Has that aspect evolved at all? How do you see it operating
in modern music?
"The most recent strategy seems to be 'Anonymous Man of
Mystery' - Banksy, Aphex Twin, Burial, The Knife etc. It's a
good one - mainly propagated by Banksy, who certainly
wouldn't have achieved what he has without the invisibility
cloak. It's a great inverse use of ubiquitous media; the oppo-
site of the weary celeb 'expose everything' riff, but using
identical means."
How has the affordability of gear altered how you operate
over the years?
"I always hold to the principle that cheap gear is what alters
things. High-end, expensive gear is impotent until it gets
cheap enough to fall into the hands of the instinctive,
untrained, feral bandit. Cheap guitars made the sixties possi-
ble. Cheap synths made Detroit Techno and Acid House
possible.
"Now you've got cheap digital and cheap retro analogue,
plus video, app writing, instantaneous worldwide networks
and territory, and income-grabbing opportunists like Apple
and various Cloud formations etc. interposing themselves.
Things are sure changing form."
How has the writing process change for you?
"It hasn't changed one jot. All I ever need is a strange sound
that makes some emotional connection and I'm away. A song
will occur."
Has sequencing/sampling changed much since its mid-
eighties conception?
"I've never done much sampling; it always felt like a wrong
turn to me. Sequencing can be a good start, but I always like
someone else to set it up, or I lose the song to mathematics
and connectors. The song is the thing."
The hardware vs. software/analogue vs. digital debate rages
on. Where do you stand?
"They all have their own inherent qualities. Limiting your
palette is an essential discipline, no matter what road you
choose. Analogue vs digital is all fashion, I'm afraid. It was
deeply satisfying to discover Benge's generation - who
realised that analogue had been discarded too early for
digital, and there was still a massive amount to explore there.
Out of the skip and into the studio was Benge's motto. He
rescued an entire sonic universe. Truth is you need both -
digital to stabilise content and analogue to provide it."
Outboard vs. mixing in the box?
"Depends what sort of sound/song you want. I don't have a
preference for either, they both have their own advantages
and disadvantages and inherent qualities. My advice is, use
where appropriate."
How has the industry changed? Do you feel it's for the better
or worse?
"It has totally changed. Apple has made a vast land-grab
without so much as a whimper from the electorate - so that's
it for this generation. Before you were dealing with the whims
of record companies, but there was enough money in the
system to support the marginal - who were always the most
promising.
"There was a massive infrastructure, all geared towards
making this wild stuff financially viable - even wildly lucrative.
That's all gone. Then Simon Cowell slipped into the pilot's
seat like a rat up a drainpipe."
Is it the end of an era?
"Since the advent of Apple and MP3, an era has ended - as
sure as the demise of Hollywood, Music Hall or any other
'Golden Era'. The entire form, motivation, distribution and
promotional and financial infrastructure have been rapidly
dispersed. It's unlikely you'll become rich anymore, so it's
back to a marginal folk art. Maybe that's a good thing. We'll
see. As for me, I'm firmly post-digital now."
Are you playing live much these days? Has the technology
made it easier?
"Yes, it's easier - unless you choose to carry analogue gear,
in which case it sounds wonderful but is genetically inclined
to destroy humans."
What projects are you working on at present?
"I'm rehearsing with Karborn and Steve D'Agostino for the
BFI screening of 'Evidence of Time Travel'. I'm also recording
some deliciously slow, domestic piano music and working on
a peculiar album called 'Electricity and Ghosts'. In terms of
collaborations, I'm currently conversing with Rob Simon, Clint
Mansell, Macoto Tezka, and Soft Moon."