SEAN DERRICK COOPER MARQUARDT from Chicago, USA, now based in Berlin is the founder of the accidental guitar method. His works can be described as mixture of ambient, drone and noise. He publish his releases on several labels world wide and plays live shows, too! We’re proud that SEAN DERRICK COOPER MARQUARDT is a part of our interview serie “13 questions to…“!
kulturterrorismus: Hello from Germany! We hope all fine with you? Where are you? Please, tell us your story!
SEAN DERRICK COOPER MARQUARDT: Hello from Berlin Germany, i was actually born in Chicago usa, but i have been traversing though europe for some years now with Berlin becoming my homebase.
kulturterrorismus: When did you start composing music? What or who were your early passions and influences?
SEAN DERRICK COOPER MARQUARDT: I started composing music with my families house band when i was about 6 years old, i made text and melodies, around my teenage years i was heavy into house music and this is when i begin to dj, it was when i began to live in europe that my loved for metal music grew, after years of singing and playing guitar in metal bands, i returned to electronic music, with the desire to balance both passions.
kulturterrorismus: What are currently your main production-challenges? Give us an example! Do you work mostly alone or with other musician?
SEAN DERRICK COOPER MARQUARDT: I mostly work alone these days, but sometimes i am ask to join for a split or on rare ocassions to remix a follow artist track, my main challenge to production is my equipment, its all oldschool mixers and effect pieces that i collected though the years.
kulturterrorismus: What do you usually start with when working on a new piece?
SEAN DERRICK COOPER MARQUARDT: Often the themes flow to me though whatever i am feeling passionate about in certain moments of reflections on todays and yesterdays stories.
kulturterrorimus: Do you strictly separate improvising and composing? What is better free jazz or classical style?
SEAN DERRICK COOPER MARQUARDT: I dont separate improvising and composing , i feel it depends on the temperment of the artists to speak in the way it feels right to them. And i see beauty in both free jazz and classical music, again for me it all comes though personal choice.
kulturterrorismus: Is any relationship between sound and live or working day? Please tell us your opinion!
SEAN DERRICK COOPER MARQUARDT: For me its always a 24 hour experience, some sound is always being echoed, boncing off corners into the pockets of my awareness.
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?
SEAN DERRICK COOPER MARQUARDT: All of my tracks are based on a conception first,based upon whatever emotional issues effects me, dealing with my inner and outside world ,when it has my full attention is the point for me that i begin the process of visualizing the piece, then i basicly collect field recordings mostly spontaneous depending on my movement and involvement in the everyday world. Somehow it feels to me that every moment is magical, and i never try to capture it , its just there hanging in the air like moon beams.
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?
SEAN DERRICK COOPER MARQUARDT: My feeling is that this is a individual process, kind of like a Shamanic transformation where you receive the keys to the doors of perception, learning the creative ability to filter out the real messages and meanings of our collective society, and at this point i like mention by name all the artist i have collaboraters who i feel carry this spirit: Elizabeth Veldon, Somália , Richard Ramirez,Christine A. Tarantino , Cameron Thomson (Swin Deorin) , Ars Sonor, implicit order , Jhones Silva, Koobaatoo Asparagus, Antialias , Isabelle Künstler, Dishdawash (AKA Consistency Nature), Airborne Drumz, Bird Paradigma, Andrés G. Jankowski, GOD PUSSY, Michael Breitenbach, Violence Cotton Drone, Califax, Paul Gloom, Matthias Grossmann, Vinzenz Wieg, Fabian Niermann, Gor Ski, Markus Schwill, Eric D. Clark, Pollux, Buttercup Insurgent, Dairyola, Elbee Bad, Guido MÖBIUS, Jared Christopher Balogh , Jonathan Toby Burdon, Paul Hines, Problem Anderer Leute , TROJ , To-Bo , Bubu Lalala, Ian Simpson, Jason Kavanagh, Playing with nuns, Corpse Candle, Martin Briggs, Massimo, Amy Weinraush, Cece Chapman, Jaime Rodríguez López, Tolga Imam, Lind Bohm, Lee-Ann Joy, Sonia Laura Armaniaco, Suse Kipp, Birgit Anna Schumacher, Manuel Bonik, Michaela Caspar, Chris Chroma, Till von Heiseler, Mic Mikina, Micha Schrötter.
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?
SEAN DERRICK COOPER MARQUARDT: I am in total love with both ways of digital files and the ideals of music, artwork, packaging and physical presentation. I have about 150 digital releases at various labels like Black Circle Records headed by Elizabeth Veldon and Sirona Records headed by Arnaud Barbe just to name a few, and i have had a beautifuly created cd released by AVACHORDA Records http://www.avachorda.de/
headed by Lind Bohm that would surely fit in the concept of close union between music, artwork, packaging and physical presentation.
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?
SEAN DERRICK COOPER MARQUARDT: My value of todays music is a tough question because the word value connects in my mind instantly anything traditional, whether its environment, family, tribes, religion, music, if values in music where to be believed in, then i would listen to the artist that expresses passion and compassion.
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?
SEAN DERRICK COOPER MARQUARDT: I am aware that there are many issues with facebook, especially with some of there policies, but as a tool for connecting with other liked minded fans and artist, to share ideals, music and social issues its been a great benefit.
kulturterrorimus: Is money the only thing to be recognized artist? Or could non-mainstream music same successfull as mainstream?
SEAN DERRICK COOPER MARQUARDT: I see myself as a grassroots artist connected with sometimes small or large formations of other like minded fans and artist, the size is no importantance to me, actually i have had some of my most memorable performances at small venues at what you would could call a non profit gig. I see sucess as a artist being able to express true emotions in a composition live or recorded.
kulturterrorismus: The last words are yours!
SEAN DERRICK COOPER MARQUARDT: I like to thank kulturterrorismus for giving me this space to share my thoughts, and i really hope that 2013 will be above average for us all.
