I believe that you’ve been in music a very long time. Tell us a bit about you’re early experiences then So you were classically trained but your music now – “Aria” is very modern, very un-classical,
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Some of “Aria” seems quite intense for a chill-out album. Is there any reason for that? I don’t make the assumption that if someone wants to chill out that they want their mind or their emotions to stop working. This was always my major gripe with the whole new-age music scene when I was involved in it. The company that asked me to write my third album “Goddess” told me it was the best thing they’d ever heard from any new age composer but felt they couldn’t put it out because of the power and the intensity of the last track – they reckoned they would have complaints. I want to take people on a bit of a rollercoaster, on a journey. Without any tension the resolution is never going to be so sweet. Your music brings to mind Eastern religions, are you a religious man? That’s a difficult question that would want a very long-winded answer, but I think the fact that the music reminds you of eastern religions may be because these are cultures where spirituality is far more part of daily life so the music we hear often has more spiritual associations. Do you think your music reflects anything of the modern times? I hope not! Is your music an escape from reality then? I think I could answer just as happily, yes, it’s an escape from reality or get deep and say no, it’s an escape into reality. It’s just a different reality. I believe also that some people have used your music in lovemaking and things Well - the same goes for Barry White and countless others. I’m sure my music’s been used for a lot of things. I know of people who’ve been born with it playing, who’ve been married to it - my father died with a piece of mine playing and yes, I have been told it’s good for shagging too! When you DJ you mostly just play your own music – isn’t that more like a gig? If it was I’d be going out there playing a fixed set like I’ve always done with a band. No, when I DJ I do it like any other DJ – I read the mood in the room, I listen to what’s being played beforehand, and I play what seems right at the time. I play my own tunes, partly because that’s what I’ve usually been asked to do, and partly because most of my favourite tunes right now are my own. I’m not saying they’re better, nor that my music would be the way it is without all the other music I’ve listened to and loved but I write for me, I love what I do and I play what I love. I do play collaborations as well so there’s still plenty of variety Is writing a slow process for you. Not right now it seems. My record from starting writing a track to DJing the final mastered album version was 8 ½ hours including getting to the venue. Your music is very visual, have you ever thought of writing for film? I’m working at the moment on a soundtrack for an animated short. It is something I’d like to do more of although there’s far more discipline involved. So what are the future plans for Pete Ardron then? Are you going to tour “Aria”? I’m not quite sure what I’ll be doing, watch the peteardron.com or the pinkhampster.com websites. Taking “Aria” out as a live thing would be incredibly difficult because of the processes that went into it. I’m looking maybe at doing more of a multimedia show. For now I’ve just been loving going out and playing the tunes in chill-out rooms, usually without people knowing it’s my own stuff. I’m also already about two thirds of the way through writing the next album on which I’ve got plans to work with some of my all-time favourite vocalists but I’m not mentioning any names right now |
