Cristiano Deison – a experimental musican based in Udine, Italy involved in the noise electronic area since 1991, collaborate with several aartists like Lasse Marhaug, KK Null and more. He is the co-founder of the record label Final Muzik, too. At last Cristiano Deison work with Daniele Santagiuliana (Testing Vault) under the name Anatomy! A lot of things to speak with Cristiano Deison in our interview series “13 questions to…”:
kulturterrorismus: Hello from Germany! We hope all fine with you? Where are you? Please, tell us your story! When did you start composing music? What or who were your early passions and influences?
Cristiano Deison: I have not had training in classical music, I took some piano lessons as a child but I ‘ve never been interested in the study classical music. Meanwhile, I was listening the music on the radio, creating my own compilation tapes and playing a bit with a microphone and mixer. I’ve always been an avid consumer of music, starting from new wave, post punk listening to a lot of electronica, experimental music, noise rock and metal; I’ve always been interested in the dark side of this genres searching for obscure music and bands. I conducted a radio program for about 20 years during which time I began to experiment in the field of sound privately, in the 90s I took part in a noise-rock band electronica Meathead where I played sampler and sang. It ‘s been a good experience on several levels, both live and in studio. After that experience I continued to produce music, creating my own label (Loud!) and releasing several albums/tapes joining the noise- network, collaborating with different artists (Thurstone Moore, KKNull,Shee Retina Stimulants,Lasse Marhaug) and then I never stopped moving from the electronic noise of the beginning to a dirty-ambient electronica.
kulturterrorismus: What are currently your main production-challenges? Give us an example! Do you work mostly alone or with other musicians? What do you usually start with when working on a new piece?
Cristiano Deison: My compositions usually start from an atmosphere a mood in my mind or from just a 5 seconds-loop really evocative,I have very clearly in mind what I want to create so I begin to experiment to find the right starting point, from there ‘is a continuous experiment until the completion of the piece, often subtracting sound material, a kind of deconstruction in some case. From the beginning I made my compositions through the use of many different materials (tapes, contacts-mics, microphones, turntables) then I started to massively use software but recently I returned to my old style trying to get sounds from objects and using many field recordings, old tapes and less computer-software. In this perspective I work a lot alone but I like the idea of confronting, exchanging sounds and collaborate with other artists different from me, and that’s why often I work with other musicians that always brings me to explore new territories and some astonishing and unexpected results are often on the way. I love to see what’s happening when my sounds are manipulated by someone else and viceversa.
kulturterrorismus: Do you strictly separate improvising and composing? What is better free jazz or classical style?
Cristiano Deison: I prefer to improvise especially in live situations, while in the studio I prefer a classic approach where I can have the ultimate control of what I’m doing. But in reality, the environment in which I am comfortable is a mix of both. Composing is always improvise.
kulturterrorismus: Is any relationship between sound and live or working day? Please tell us your opinion!
Cristiano Deison: Every moment of the day my third ear is active listening sounds that surround me, and often I’m attracted by combinations that arise in certain environments and especially those hidden sounds that are often not heard. Music is a constant presence in my daily life, as a inspiration from and old record played or just from a discussion with a friend.
kulturterrorismus: Do you feel it important that your music spread a message? How conceptional is your music or only for hearing without thinking? What await your listeners?
Cristiano Deison: My music is only about the pleasure of listening, no hidden messages but at the same time for me it’s very conceptional for the way I’ve created it but I don’t like to focus or spread that aspect that I find quite boring. Listeners should create their own ideas about it, build their own mind-landscapes with my music. I like when people can evoke some strange thoughts or build their own story while listening to my albums, like a private, intimate experience!
kulturterrorismus: The role of an artist is always subject to change. What’s your view on the (e.g. political/social/creative) tasks of artists today and how do you try to meet these goals in your work?
Cristiano Deison: The role of an artist should always strive for creativity in all its social and political form. I look around and often feel a sense of sadness in seeing artists replicate their work each time,record after records or bands that copy the past. For myself I try to be more honest as possible!
kulturterrorismus: There seem to be two fundamental tendencies in music today: On the one hand, a move towards complete virtualisation, where tracks and albums are merely released as digital files. And, on the other, an even closer union between music, artwork, packaging and physical presentation. Where do you stand between these poles?
Cristano Deison: I’m born buying and collecting records, tapes and CDs and then so I’m a lover of the musical object, visuals and graphics I can tell you that a folder full of mp3 can not ever replace that feeling. So my idea it’s quite clear but I can understand the convenience to manage audio-files and present them for immediate release but don’t like the fact that nowadays the only way to release music and the listening of a record comes only from iPod, mobile phones and crappy pc audio-monitors.
kulturterrorismus: Music-sharing sites and -blogs as well as a flood of releases in general are presenting both listeners and artists with challenging questions. What’s your view on the value of music today?
Cristiano Deison: The effort of a musician is often underrated by poor quailty advanced- leaks and a lack of all those detailed informations part of the record; a positive aspect is that we can be always updated about every release in real time and this tool for me is cool to avoid what to buy. I prefer for my own releases to offer beside the digital side always the chance to buy the real physical release.
kulturterrorismus: Do you see Facebook as blessing or shit? Is it right, that musicans can not work without Facebook, if they want near by their fans, make cooperation with other artists and so on?
Cristiano Deison: I don’t care, Facebook,Twitter,etc, are just tools like others, I use them but not so much and I’m not too serious about this social network thing. Of course I do a little of self promotion and share some of my music. But At the end you are in contact with the people that already know in real life so I prefer to take a break and meet them, speak live or share a coffee with them instead of make funny comments about unknown persons on their photos or status. Anyway that’s the way the world is now and maybe tomorrow we’ll use another tool to communicate. Musicians that can’t work without Facebook have a lot of free time and for me it’s not possible to think to waste time on it (I already do it too much) and they should focus more on their “art” instead of posting the last demo recorded.
kulturterrorismus: Is money the only thing to be recognized artist? Or could non-mainstream music same successfull as mainstream?
Cristiano Deison: To me underground music is equal to passion and it’s quite an expensive hobby but I’ve noticed that when money issues are part of the game music is always set aside and everything is ruined. I can see a lot of musicians that live with their own music reaching some “success” without be mainstream and maintaining their integrity…and that’s a good thing.
kulturterrorismus: The last words are yours!
Cristiano Deison: Stop and listen the silence around you…you may be surprised!
