Pedro - Instrumental as Anything
James Rutledge, AKA Pedro has just released You, Me and Everyone. Here is what he had to say in this very frank and humble exchange with The Dwarf.
J.R.:I’m a great believer in the importance of factoring ‘balance’ into everything in my life. What do you consciously factor into your musical creativity knowing that without that ‘factor’, it just wouldn’t be a true reflection of yourself.
Trying to ignore reviews/ musical fashion/ trends whilst working on stuff. Of course that’s difficult. Trying to make music that I want to listen to - I’m constantly amazed at how many people do it as a career and make the kind of music they think will sell. I’m trying to do exactly what I want to do, talent permitting.
The Dwarf: Music journalism is something that you yourself have had involvement with. The agenda in an email interview is somewhat contrived – however there is no fear of an ambush. What is the one thing you hope to accomplish with Australian readers from this interview today?
J.R.:I don’t really have anything to hide, so I’m not bothered about ambush! I suppose press just exists so people can hear about the record you have out. So I hope they read this, buy it and tell people it’s good.
The Dwarf: Tell me what are your earliest musical memories and did this early music have an influence on making music your vocation of choice?
J.R.:The earliest thing that I can remember is my Dad getting me a Boots tape recorder and me taping themes off TV with it and then listening back. I also rememberHot Rats by Frank Zappa somewhere. I always really like hearing a congregation or choir sing together from going to church. I don’t think anything that I heard very early on had much influence on me. Maybe the tape recordings and interest in sound is in there.
The Dwarf: As an accomplished guitarist yourself, do you ever feel that guitar based bands are becoming increasingly anachronistic or is there another undiscovered ‘Smoke on the Water’ style riff yet to be discovered?
J.R.:I’m not very good. I haven’t played for ages. You can never see what’s just round the corner. People like Fennesz and Jim O’Rourke do good things with the guitar. I’m sure someone will do it. Maybe even me! Have you heard Lightning Bolt? They’re amazing but that’s bass guitar. Hella – they’re great also.
The Dwarf: Traditional popular music leans heavily on the mixture of vocals, melodies and the message those two combined send to the listener. Obviously your music finds alternate ways to communicate to the listener. How do you entice the mass mainstream market population over to your music?
J.R.:I don’t try to, but I hope if they were enticed then they would hear various touchstones in the music that I make. I listen to “traditional popular music”, and that informs everything that I do. Plus everyone always forgets that instrumental music has been around for ages. So I always imagine that people might hear bits of the music that they already like and then some.
The Dwarf:You collaborate with numerous luminaries in the music business, some contemporaries are quite legendary. Is there ever an awestruck fan lurking in the back of your psyche when dealing with the Wayne Coynes and Brian Enos of this world and do you consciously alter your behaviour when dealing with these icons?
J.R.:I couldn’t comment on those two people, but whenever I’ve come across other people in those circumstances I always think that they’ve made a mistake if they like my music. On the whole, most people that I’ve dealt with don’t have an inflated opinion of themselves, so it makes dealing with them easy.
The Dwarf: For those reading this that are hoping to break into the scene one day and get their recordings out to the world, what knowledge can you share with people whom create their own computer based music? In other words, what are the big hairy dealings that new comers should be aware of before negotiating with people who tell them, “I can make you a star”?
J.R.:So much stuff. I’ve made a cock up of it so far, so I can’t offer much advice. Take everything people promise with a pinch of salt. Don’t get too disheartened. Do what you want, otherwise you’ll regret it. You, Me & Everyone got rejected from loads of labels for not being “marketable” enough. Most successful people have had lots of knock backs. Don’t worry about being ‘cool’. If someone steals your ideas, try and look at it as a compliment. Have fun.
The Dwarf: If you were living in a Utopian world where there was no need to produce music to live a lifestyle, obtain money and/or fame etc, what style of musical album would you record next?
J.R.:I would be doing what I’m doing next and/ or at the moment in all honesty. I’ve got so many different things coming out in the near future. When you hear them, maybe that’ll make my answer sound more genuine.The Dwarf: Conundrum…You have to choose a dinner date with a person and all you know of them is their favourite music artist. Armed with the knowledge of what the dinner conversation will no doubt gravitate towards, whom do you have dinner with and why?
a) The Frank Zappa fan
b) The John Lennon fan
c) The Brian Wilson fan
J.R.:Do you mean a date with a girl? Well, I think the Frank Zappa fan would possibly be a bore (even though I love Zappa). So many people are John Lennon fans. I reckon the nicer and more interesting girl would be the Brian Wilson fan, as long as she wasn’t nuts.
The Dwarf: You, Me and Everyone has just been released worldwide (10 Feb 2007). Are you a savage self-critic and does hindsight give you the urge to want to change aspects of the finished product?
J.R.:It’s actually only released in Australia on that date due to a scheduling error. It’s out in the rest of the world in June. I wouldn’t change anything. I spent a lot of time trying to get it right.
Thanks,
James
So there you have it. James is quite open and forth coming with his philosophy towards his success and his contribution to the music scene. It's always nice to know that no matter where you get in life, it's important that even those whom have 'made it' still place importance on having fun. Take note all those out there in Dwarfland; fun is fun no matter how rich or how poor you think you are. Pedro is having fun so take his advice and have some yourself too.
