If you like Captain Beefheart or Zappa or the Minutemen you will love his work. Genius.
Another interesting conversation on improvisation from facebook:
Matt Stevens What inspires you when you improvise?
Tracy L. Chappell at 10:50am June 24
As a looper, I need an audience to truly improvise. I might draw upon music theory to get started, i.e. invent a phrase based upon a snippet of a mode or a scale delivered with a rhythmic phrasing that leaves spaces between some of the notes. Once the harmonic/rhythmic environment is established I listen and respond. The presence of people is the inspirational factor here. I don't worry about whether or not anyone will like what I'm doing; I just refuse to let there be any discernible lapse between the creation and presentation of the musical performance so that no one has any iffy spots to distract their mind from the flow of the performance. Alone in my studio, the biggest problem is beginning; once I get started I seem to always find ideas.
Tracy L. Chappell at 11:00am June 24
Another source of inspiration is to design imaginary scenarios to decorate with music. Imagine a hero and a villain in conflict; create the fight in your mind as you make music to accompany the action. Or imagine a person clambering up the side of a hill; begin the music with the beginning of the ascent, throw musical difficulties and complexities ... Read More
Ashley Smith at 12:07pm June 24
i agree totally. i aint no looper i play death metal but imagining a scenario and finding the notes and moods associated with it always ends up being a good basis for a song
Joel Levy at 12:17pm June 24
The human and yet impossible desire to express the infinite as something tangible. Go johnny go!
Neil Dobson at 1:17pm June 24
Having a love for many styles of music,combined with a love of rhythm ,makes for a broad pallet . Passion for music and melody fans the flame.
Rhythm is huge...
Philip Wain at 2:32pm June 24
1 other sounds/musicians
2 audience
3 prayer
4 what i've been practising
5 what i've been listening too... Read More
Jeff Duke at 5:45pm June 24
i am reading these in the hopes of learning the same thing. I not able to be able to be creative on demand. Alot of good stuff here.
Joel Levy at 7:02pm June 24
You are able already, but by thinking you're not then you won't be :-)
Jeff Duke at 7:05pm June 24
Sort of like a centipede trying to walk while thinking about how he does it? :)
Joel Levy at 7:26pm June 24
Yes something like that, thinking about how you're walking whilst you're walking will probably cause you to trip up!
Like Morpheus said, stop trying to hit me and hit me...
Philip Wain at 7:34pm June 24
The trick is to think as little as possible - though I catch myself thinking often - and when thinking to think about abstract ideas rather than specific
Joel Levy at 7:45pm June 24
Observing your own thoughts or catching your-self thinking seems to be a contradiction (using the mind to watch the mind) but what you've put is of great importance and a fundamental practice in meditation - to separate you from your self and so step into that true creative place.
Philip Wain at 8:16pm June 24
Indeed. Whether you believe the creativity then comes from yourself, or from a creator, the separation from the self is crucial then.
Matt Stevens at 8:21pm June 24
Cheers guys - thats tomorrows blog post sorted!
Tracy L. Chappell at 9:43pm June 24
One more thing about improv. Never stop striving to learn, whether it be music theory, astrophysics, Latin, wanking or, perhaps, knitting. Expand your mind frequently. Then, when it's time to jam, just play. Forget everything you've learned and let what you know play you. Like the centipede Jeff Duke mentioned, don't think much about finger placement or musical structure while improvising. All the secrets disappear when you're in the middle of a jam; until you step outside the flow to think about the flow. To quote Bruce Lee concerning another discipline, "be water, my friend".
Getting ready for tomorrows gig - keep an eye on www.mattstevensguitar.com if you want to to see the rehersal
Take it easyMatt
