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| Moog Featured Artist Chris Kilmore |
| Chris Kilmore Brings it Home |
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Chris Kilmore is a driving force in the band Incubus. From his amazing DJ skills to his synth and keyboard savvy, Kilmore has wowed audiences all over the world. He recently took some time during his tour with Incubus (in support of their new greatest hits album that hit the streets in July) to answer some questions for Moog Music...
When were you first turned on to Moog synthesizers?
That's a great question, because it takes my mind to a specific person and place that I haven't thought about in a while. When I first moved to LA in October of '95, I met a friend named Danny. He was the boyfriend of a girl I knew and was in LA to attend Cal Arts film school. We hit it off because we were both into music and film. I had just graduated from the George Washington University with a radio/tv/film degree. I moved to LA to get into foley work or some kind of film related job. I used to go up to Danny's place in Valencia. It was like E.T. meets blacksploitation. I wish I had a pic of his place. It was black lights, lava lamps, b-rated film posters, zodiac signs, Star Wars sheets and Parliament records... oh and Minimoogs!!! It was like the ultimate clash of pop cultures. I would bring my decks and samplers, and we'd just sit around and dissect funk records looking for cool samples. We would smoke a lot of weed, and he would go off about Bernie Worrell and his sounds. And in no time we'd have the Minimoog hooked up to the decks. It was sci-fi heaven after that. I was into the sounds we were making. We would sample ourselves, make our own songs (some better than others) and have a lot of fun just experimenting with the sounds. I spent a lot of time on his Minimoog. It definitely was like learning a new language. I had no clue what I was doing, sometimes I would turn the thing on and couldn't get any sound out of it (what I now know wasn't only my problem). I eventually figured it out and started making my own scratch records that were heavily Moog influenced. Those records played a big part in my early years with Incubus.
At what age did you start playing/performing music?
I’m not exactly sure. I'm gonna have to call my mom about this. I think it was first grade. You know the whole piano lesson thing. I also played the trumpet at an early age. I think my parents knew I was into music. How? I'm not sure, but they definitely guided me in the direction they saw fit. So I'm guessing my first performance was either a recital or some band concert at school... not too exciting and definitely a little embarrassing.
Do you use your Moog gear with software programs?
You know...I don't use too many different software programs. I use a program called Serato Scratch Live for my turntables and Protools for recording. The rest of my gear is a mix between rack units and the real thing.
How have you incorporated the MP-201 Multi-Pedal into your rig?
I just recently started messing around with the Multi-Pedal not too long ago, and I love it!!! I incorporated it into my rig as I was rehearsing for our summer tour, and it opened up all new sonic possibilities for me. I'll send you a pic of my rig so you can see what I've got going on. When you see my set up, you'll see why I'm always wishing for more arms or legs. Well, the Multi-Pedal sort of does that for me. It takes what I can only do with at least four hands and puts the control at my feet via a gas pedal. The Moog gear in my live rig is all set up in a chain...out of the Voyager and through the Moogerfoogers. I use the four outs of the Multi-Pedal sort of like a patch bay. I have a four channel snake that runs from the Multi-Pedal to my Voyager or any one of my Moogerfoogers. I try not to limit myself, especially while I'm getting familiar with new gear. I love the mobility that pedal gives me, especially when coupled with the CP-251.
Do you use the same setup in the studio as you do live?
The answer to that would be no... at home or in the studio, I'm always experimenting with different set ups. When we're on a tour, my time with my rig is pretty much limited to soundcheck and the show. That doesn't leave me too much time to switch things up. Setting the Multi-Pedal up the way I do gives me a lot of freedom to change parameters on the fly, but my gear is pretty much set up the same everyday on tour.
Do you run your turntables through Moogerfoogers?
No..,although I've dabbled with that at home and it sounds great...especially scratching through the Analog Delay. I'm sure I'll figure that piece of the puzzle out soon.
What aspects of music inspire you the most these days?
I'm always inspired when I hear music that resonates inside of me, but I would say that right now what most inspires me is playing music and developing as a musician. On tour and at home, I am surrounded by all kinds of insane musicians. I love picking their brains and trying to understand how they approach music. I could be totally off on this one, but in my experience most DJ's have a different perspective than players. There's a lot of thinking and planning ahead involved when DJing. Whereas players tend to focus that energy into the now. Of course, the two worlds overlap, but combining both of these into one seamless entity is something that definitely inspires me.
What has been the biggest challenge for you in the music world?
Besides keeping up with my band members, I would say that telling people I'm a DJ and getting respect as a musician is my biggest challenge. Most people don't give us the respect we deserve. If i say that I play keys, there's no questioning of musicianship. I can't tell you how many times people have said to me, "Oh, you're a DJ? That's not a real musician.". Yeah right…I just want to put my DJ rig in front of them, cross my arms, stand back and say...have at it. It's definitely frustrating.
Do you remember your first concert?
Barely…it was in the early 80s. I was probably around 10 years old when my parents took me to a Pink Floyd concert. My dad was a big fan. We used to listen to a lot of Pink Floyd together, but I remember the light show most vividly. At that age, I thought lasers were so cool. Just say the word laser and I would get all excited. In fact, I still do. Growing up in central Pennsylvania, you don't get the privilege of seeing too many concerts...only the big ones. I also remember seeing Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince at an early age. It wasn't until I got to college that I started going to concerts on my own.
How has Moog changed the way that you approach music?
I don't know if I would say Moog has changed the way I approach music, but they have definitely been an enabler. I based most of my early scratch records off of Moog sounds. I would create (for lack of better words) a Moog soundscape and then press that to vinyl. I would then later figure out how to incorporate that into whatever I was working on. Nowadays, I try to play all my Moog gear as much as possible. Whether I’m sampling some cool sound or playing the gear live, it has been a key element in my music making process.
Did you find yourself using more of the Voyager on “Light Grenades” than on the previous albums?
Actually, I don't think so... I think I used the Voyager most on the album before that one...”A Crow Left of the Murder”. I put a lot of Rhodes and B3 on Light Grenades. The Voyager is still in there a lot, but I was crazy with it on Crow. I really explored the sonic qualities of the Voyager on that one. Although the opening track on “Light Grenades” called ‘Quicksand’ has the Voyager all over it. It’s a track that is slow, moody, has a weird time signature, and layers of Voyager synthesis. The Voyager has become a mainstay in my rig and plays a huge role in Incubus.
To learn more about Chris and Incubus, Click Here.
You can view more pics of Chris's rig in our Photo Gallery. |
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