Last updated 15 Apr 2008

The Mystifying Oracle — An Interview

Having not written much about music since the mid-90's, after the over-saturation of the indie rock heyday, I wasn't sure I wanted to bother with an interview that wasn't really appropriate to be published in my fanzine, Scintillating Spelling Bee. But with the release of The Mystifying Oracle's new EP quintesscence being one of my current fave listens, not to mention being friends with one of the members, I consented to the offer figuring that at least they could publish it on their Web site.  When I contacted them about the interview, they were currently involved in some ritualistic camping thing way out the woods of eastern Oregon, and the cell phone connection was crap.  Oddly enough, when I asked if they wanted to edit the rough results, they insisted on leaving it as I'd typed it up, saying something about capturing the moment and even the feel of their music.  It was their call, and here it is as I originally took it down and tried to make it coherent.

Q: So let's see - you have some relation to the ambient/minimalist Portland group Austere?

A: A'yup, that's right.  You can consider it some kind of offshoot or side project or an entirely separate thing, whatever suits you.

Q: So who are the current members?

A: <static on line with small snippets of voice that I can't understand> – and of course, William Fuld.

Q: So just one member of Austere, right?  Why would you consider it a side project?

A: <more static> because it really does have a lot of things in common, and it doesn't mean the end of Austere, not by many means, although living on different coasts has put a wee bit of a damper on things.  Then there's– <static> – and since we wanted to explore the more, um, maximal side of things, so to speak, it seemed like a different enough project to warrant a name change, and we want to focus on the future of <garbled>.

Q: I'm having a hard time hearing you, the connection's not so good.  Where are you?

A: Yeah, sorry about that mate, but– <silence> – and I'm surprised that we get [any] kind of reception at all.  I think it's just the high altitude and using the [analog] phone.  We're preparing for a night of star watching, as the cosmic activity where we're at is supposed to be very high, very strong.  There's been a lot of sightings– <static>

Q: Sightings?  Of what?

A: <static continues> say again?  [I repeat.]  Oh yeah, well, it's not like they're really supposed to be UFOs or something like that, although William is pretty convinced they could be, but there's just a lot of activity here and we're hoping to make some kind of contact although <static for ten seconds> – spiritual thing.  And it's not like we have to worry about any sort of interference out here, although the cell problems make me wonder.

Q: Huh.  Sounds, uh, interesting.  So, you just released a new EP.  I got it and I like it.  I can definitely see the connection to the Austere stuff but it's pretty different too, a bit of a departure.  Still kinda trance music, though.

A: Well, yeah, that's still a major consideration, tracks that kind of lull you into a state of mind, something that makes your mind wander or pulls all sorts of weird thoughts into your head.  Or even moments where you just wonder ``what the hell is that?'' because it just sounds odd or doesn't make sense.  But we hope everything flows and when you look at it all together, it works as a whole.

Q: So what kind of mind states are you talking here?  Like, music for taking drugs or something?

A: Yeah, well– <static> can you come again on that mate?  [I repeat the question twice.]  Oh, so yeah, like I said, how people want to alter their states of consciousness is totally up to them, and the music can be a part of that, yeah, that's great, but it's also about the whole ambient ideal and <static> with Eno, and being pleasant but still a bit weird, eh?  And if it can put people's mind in a certain state they– <static, then silence>.

Q: Can you repeat that last bit?

A: Yeah, the question of whether microwaves can effect the mind, or you know, can be used to change it, or maybe influence it, well, that's just– <static> – but we don't rule out the idea of extraterrestrials, I mean, like they could be here, and people wonder why they'd come so far and not bother to contact people, but maybe they're just having a hard time figuring out how to communicate.  Or maybe like at a bad party they just don't feel like they relate to anyone, so they're just sitting in the corner staring– <silence>.

Q: Come again?

A: <more static, keep trying for two minutes> – so the battery is wearing out and so I'll just say it's really just music and we're happy with it, and if others like it that's just aces and all, and we hope some do, but we're not too worried either way. <silence, then the connection drops.>

So that ends one of the most useless interviews I've ever done, which is probably why I don't bother any more. — Wayne Dolman (Scintillating Spelling Bee)

Thanks For Listening.

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