(crepsculum) - It would appear that you have been active for quite some ammount ov time.. with releases under your various monikers: Gaya, ANTIchildLEAGUE, She:ACL, Hagshadow.. dating back as far as 97; yet you have released fairly few releases for someone who has been at your sort ov pursuit for all this time.. is there any particular reason for your choice to have layed dormant with your output for stretches ov time??
[Gaya] - Hi Thanks for inviting me, and sorry if it took me so long!
I have been interested in music since my teens, but became more active in the late 80s. I was mainly a concert organizer, then slowly started to explore experimental noise myself. When I first came to London I had great fun playing in a post punk band and organizing events with a collective of people who were all in the post punk movement. It is true that I have been slow making my own releases. The reason being that in the last 10/12 years I have been organizing gigs, and focusing on promoting bands. Not so long ago I realized that ‘I’ also existed, and therefore reduced my time and energies spent on gig promotion and gave some time to myself for my own experiments.
(crepsculum) - Yours tis a unique approach to sound: utilising "analogue and digital technologies, machines/software, field recordings and any object that can produce some kind of interesting sound".. tis fascinating thee freedom that not limiting oneself to analogue/digital, modular/software, pure elektroniks/field recordings allows.. As a sort ov gear-fetishist personally; wondered if you cared to tell us what some ov your particular pieces ov gear were which you have utilised?? [tis fine as well should you wish for this info to remain private..]
[Gaya] - The interesting thing is that you can change sounds and make a complete mess, like infants do when they play with paints. There is a lot of fun in discovering what analogue machines and digital software can do. My first cassette ‘Hellworm’ was recorded with a 4 track machine, later I bought a Korg 16 digital multitrack which has now become an obsolete machine as well. I used the multitrack with normal recordings and also used it as a live mixer on stage. I experiment with a variety of machines and effects such as minikorg, yamaha fx, use of field recording with dat or minidisk, boss sampler sp202, kaos pad, fx pedals and softwares such as cubase, sound forge, native instruments, stand alone synths like moog and ms1 and 2 synth anything that can produce noise really. I tend to polish the sound a lot more now than I did in the past, and the approach to how I construct tracks is improving. I recycle and create sound from anything incorporating noise sounds to melodies and structured dark ambient lines. ACL latest single ‘Big Fat Arse- Shit Baby’ is a mixture of harsh noises with a more Whitehouse type sound punk approach.
In fact I work exactly like everyone else.
(crepsculum) - Your aesthetic focus tis extremely intriguing; with emphasis on "exploration into the world of the dysfunctional family, society control, over population, relationships, religion, and physiological trauma"!! Has thee exploration ov these subjekts found you wishing to dig deeper into these interests, or perhaps created a sort ov an aversion towards them?? [asking this in part because your approach to dealing with them both seems to draw one in; as well as leave one with a scathing and caustic sensation ov relation with these subjekts]
[Gaya] - Political correctness has gone far beyond humanity’s perception of what is real or not. People are just people, I cannot be theatrical or behave in such ways to only be liked as a person. It is an open theatre with actors who feel they are worth it and do it better than others. It does not really matter what religious background someone comes from. The fact remains that having kids is a global religion, and women who don’t breed are seen as lacking of humanity, not complete as a person, and in many cultures as evil.
(I love it.!) I tell you what, this is all bull shit. Non-breeders keep a healthy balance to the planet, and pay more taxes than anyone else! I didn’t want to become an Easter egg not knowing what surprise comes out. No, no thanks!
Imagine if every single woman on the planet would breed 3 to 5 kids. Oh dear.
The planet’s resources are getting lower and lower due to it to being overpopulated.
I think we shouldn’t evolve any further, and stop breeding monsters or better to say: Vampires.
Generally breeders think their kids will be smarter than them; more gifted, more intelligent, prettier, much wiser than they are, superhuman, and so on… They think they have the right to anything that moves, to own all the space available, and don’t care at all about anyone but their little family. Why should I give up my seat while I’m on the bus? (I will, but of my own initiative). Why when I drive, should I allow a 4 by 4 vampire carrier to pass before me at junctions when they never do it for me? Why should I have a clown face each time I see a mother pushing that chair? Why everyone acts like a mongoloid when they see a child? It has become such an unnatural behaviour, people are fake, and clearly forced into it because is the absolute political correctness only to be looked at as a nice person, to be liked, and not because they feel it at heart. With regards to the paedophilia, and the recent events in society; the Pope and all the Christian Institutions! Didn’t we know already that many priests like little boys and girls?
What a surprise! They think that nature should only be nice. Well done you parents to trust your religious institutions! So; in reality: all is not as nice as what is preached is it? They are just waking up in a very bad world they never knew existed! How strange. So many changes have taken place, and how people behave; mothers becoming suspicious at everyone in the streets that don't look like them. Children are losing their innocence, and becoming adults, and adults are becoming children. There is no freedom to be your self anymore in either adults or children. Society has become so unnatural that I wonder why there are so many fuck ups in deprived areas like mine where children/kids have the right to spit on you – vandalize your car, knife you or shoot you? Nature… I find it hard to agree that even 2 legged elephant women want to breed for the sake of it. Some tribes in London only breed to have the welfare benefits. Do we need more vampires? NO.
Many have asked me why I call myself ANTIchildLEAGUE as if I hate children.
You have to know that I brought up two kids within my family while my mother was attending hospital every day. I have a great sense of caring and understanding, so the answer is NO I don’t hate children. I hate children, yes, (as well as feminists, stupid males, religions, animals) if they have to control my life and intellectual integrity, but then it is most likely to be the adults fault, and not theirs. Let’s face it: the world is in chaos, and not as beautiful as it could be; therefore I wouldn’t want another creature to be part of this inferno, but this of course is my very pessimistic view about the world that can clash with many people’s views. Children are the most exploited species on the planet from the media to politicians-. Do we really need any more television programs points and aims to make you feel guilty for something you have not done?
I saw a documentary about a very orthodox sect of Jews; each of the women having 9 children because they want to take over the planet. The same scenario happens with other cultures around the globe. I think we have gotten to a point where everything has become much more extreme than we see it; there are divisions of religion – classes, but breeding is the only one sacrosanct god gift religion that embraces them all.
As a non-breeder I respect individuals all, and hope they do the same with me by allowing me to express my feelings. In respect to all I have said, I honestly have to admit that part of me cares. but equally doesn’t give a damm about the world. Fuck the World. I live my life as I’m pleased to, and try to get as much freedom and fun that I can. The world can fall apart. I Don’t Care. I have learned to live life as it comes and face it. The older you get the better it becomes!
(crepsculum) - You have collaborated for recordings with Kirlian Camera, Allerseelen, Grunt, and as well with Patrick Leagas [Sixth Comm, Death In June, ..] Are there any other artists with which you have worked with which you may wish to mention? or particular points about these collaborations which you may wish to elaborate upon??
[Gaya] - No. I have never been part of Kirlian Camera, I only appeared once on stage with them in London at a show organized by myself, aiding them by pushing some keys on the keyboard when one of their band members was ill. Yes I have also appeared on other releases
In the past for example Condom- Paul Taylor from SJ and so on…
(crepsculum) - Are there any other artists/anti-artists living or dead which have been ov influence to yourself, and that you may wish to collaborate with?? [or who you would have desired to have collaborated with whilst they were living??]
[Gaya] - I have always been very open minded with music, and really like stage adventures, but I never felt like I belonged to any infra sections on the post industrial scene. I like experimental nights were there is total freedom in terms of sound presentation, and a non preconceived idea to what can happen. I don’t like to perform with obvious people – people who think they have made it or they are special. I like honest people who do what they do with honesty. In my younger days many artists such as Nina Hagen influenced me, but not really by noise artists as such-I suppose the obvious would be Whitehouse and Sutcliffe, they were fantastic! Other than that, early Death In June up to Nada period, punk and post punk bands, a lot of 80’s music.
I’d love to play with Monte Cazazza… and a few others from that generation!
(crepsculum) - Along with self-releasing your recordings via your label/ distro Hagshadow; you have worked with numerous labels for releases: EE Tapes, Susan Lawly, Aorta/Ahnstern, Open Wound, Freak Animal Records, Species 23, Discorporeality, Shinto Records, Homewrecker Foundation.. Are there any other labels out there that you pay particular attention to, and/or would wish to collaborate with perchance in thee future?
[Gaya] - Yes, people asked me to collaborate, and I did so. There are no labels I had wanted to work with. I really don’t plan. When things come along I may or may not do it. I got a few offers from quite good labels, but I still prefer to do things under my own Hagshadow label, but I’m very open to any offers, and to take part in releases and compilations.
I’m not really paying any particular attention to any label right now. I’m very busy doing what I do. The only label I’m involved with is Patrick Leagas’s Kenaz and his other releases as we help each other in production and organising shows and releases.
(crepsculum) - Have seen that you have shared thee stage with some greats from amongst thee international industrial scene: 6Comm, Sutcliffe Jugend, Con-Dom, The Grey Wolves, Slogun, Sickness, .. Have there been any personal favorites as far as thee artists you have played with, or places that you have performed?? Are there any artists that you would look forward to sharing thee stage with in the future, or particular places where you would still like to be able to perform??
[Gaya] - No preferences. They were all great in their own way and style, and I felt honoured to have had the chance to play.
I’m quite open minded, and it is interesting to play with different bands/projects; you learn a lot!
I recently performed with Mike Dando/Con-Dom where Klaus /Genocide Organ was also a stage guest in Birmingham, and really enjoyed the experience. It is very difficult when you are a one person band, and have to do vocals, play music live, etc. It does help a lot having someone else on stage with you especially if it is someone you like, and share common interest with in music. I hate doing karaoke, but it is equally hard to play all music live unless it is a plain wall of noise generated; so I have to balance how I do live sets. I very much enjoyed performing recently in Finland with Tina from Bizarre Uproar. She is one of my favourite female stage performers; who for once made me feel that there are hopes to meet females in the scene to work with. She will be featured on my next releases. The wonderful gig in Spain with 6comm and Sutcliffe Jugend we all did really good sets, and had great fun on stage. I like to perform in small venues and not on a huge stage; I think my performances work much better this way.
(crepsculum) - Speaking ov sharing thee stage: you have been very active in providing venues and organising gigs for many years now with your events for Hinoeuma, Level X, and Confession!! Are there many fond memories you may wish to elaborate upon from your many years ov promoting so many amazing post-industrial, neo folk, experimental, and power elektronikx artists??
[Gaya] - Yes, many! Peter Sotos, Whitehouse, the glasses thrown on stage, and the amp blown on stage creating a thick cloud of smoke that we managed to repair, and continue the show in a much stronger and powerful way than planned! Costes at the 121 – a feminist group complained after just seeing some images on a video sleeve; then later after seeing the show they understood that it was stupid to stereotype people by just looking at an image or reading words – the show was great consisting of a woman beating up, and simulating a penetration to a man: Costes himself!, MK9 – someone who came to see the show freaked out asking what was this kind of music, and that it was wrong! Then he wanted to punch us all, and had to be removed from the venue, Morphogenesis, 6comm, Death in June, Colin Potter, Genocide Organ, Atax Morgue, MSBR, Merzbow, Grunt, Extreme Music from Woman, Putrefier, Solanas Solanas, Grey Wolves, Sutcliffe Jugend, The New Blockaders and many many more.
Hinoeuma and LevelX now becoming Confession! Has been a very interesting and intense episode of my musical activities. Most events provided to a hungry audience, and have been quite unique in their own way; opening the door to a new generation of audience who became interested once exposed to it. I have booked bands that never played in UK before, and for the joy of many who started new networks, labels, artists. and consumers. As a gig organizer I have worked by myself most times with occasional collaborations. At the moment there are so many new bands/projects doing music and experimenting that I find it really amazing. There is so much happening each day that really makes me think how good and bad it is to have technology available in such an easy way.
I think that some bands do far too many bad releases for the sake of it. Less is more.
(crepsculum) - We attempt to share here with this blog some fairly esoterric ritual elektronikx, and are extremely honored to be sharing your Hellworm cassette!! are there any artists you feel we should be drawing more ov our attentions towards?? Also are there any artists who you personally seek to obtain more releases from or information regarding to them?? What are your plans for thee future days ahead??
[Gaya] - Regarding Confession events – I really have not had much time to organise for a while, but I will be doing one event later this year in London.
For myself I am currently working on a few little releases on CD and vinyl. You will know more news soon.
In my spare time I listen a lot of other music, which have nothing to do with the experimental music scene. I listen a lot of new electro and other styles of projects that my best friend Guglielmo collects. I drive every day so; I listen to a lot of diverse music. I did mention some bands worth a listen on Resonance FM radio program. Please check, the radio program is on air here under the Gaya Donadio name: http://southwarknoise.blogspot.com
(crepsculum) - Is there anything else at all which you may care to adress here??
[Gaya] - Don’t Trust Anyone – Discipline Yourself Through Yourself!
(crepsculum) - Appreciate your astonishing talents here tremendously, and am honored you have chosen to take thee time to allow us to attempt to learn more about your projekts!! Hope to be hearing more ov your creative pursuits in thee very near future!!
also wished to share with others here thee link for your great set for illfm.net which was posted here!!
