How does IEHAC create its sonic landscapes?
We take a riff or a drum part and play the heck out of it. Usually we find something that sounds good, then work on it till it sounds great. If it doesn’t we scrap it and start again. We’d also toss things up a bit live, playing things slightly differently each time. It’s only for the recording of this album where we had to finally decide on what we’d set in stone forever as the final version.
You have often compared the band’s music to soundtracks if you had to score a film, what would it be about?
It would involve a flying pirate ship cruising through wormholes in outer space, traversing space, time and dimensions, and somehow entering into present day Singapore. Maybe they figure the food is heavenly here. That’s probably going to be a real crap movie the way I tell it, which is why I’m a musician, not a filmmaker.
What are some memorable incidents that happened during the production of A Universe Made of Strings?
Our previous bass player Kenny left the band when we just started recording so we had big shoes to fill with time ticking away, producer and guitarist Roland had a near meltdown on several occasions from the stress. While I was tracking guitars in Leonard Soosay’s Snakeweed Studios, the studio’s kitten Miss Fit tried to eat my effects pedals and cables during the recording. She was actually adjusting my delay pedal’s settings on the fly. We kept the part in.
What can a novice to an IEHAC gig expect?
Highly charged and stirring instrumental music with loads of sonic layers, played by five people rocking it up on stage like there’s no tomorrow. The best part is they’re not even going to notice that there isn’t a singer who would probably just ruin things anyway by warbling all over it.
If the band had to pick a legendary pirate as mascot, who would it be and why?
Jack Sparrow. How can you not love a foppish effete pirate who wears eyeliner?
Be part of the buccaneering on Jun 24, 9:30pm. Esplanade Recital Studio, 1 Esplanade Dr., 6828-8377. $25 from Sistic.
