Scion of Mars

Here is an interview with my psy friend Scion of Mars. On his website http://scion-of-mars.de/ you can download his track "Gaya" for free.

Tell us a bit about yourself. Where were you born and where do you live?

Hi there, my name is Martin. I live and work in Bonn, Germany, with my family. Electronic music has been with me almost all my life. But when the melody of a psytrance track burrowed into my brain in 1995, that was it for me (lol).

What is the name of your project, and why and how did you start it?

The actual start of my psytrance project goes back some years. At the beginning of the new millennium I got completely hooked on the progressive sound (the Headcleaner album by Atmos was a revelation to me). Six weeks before a friends' party I was lucky enough to have nothing else to do. So I hauled all my equipment into an old brickworks and, surrounded by lots of psychedelic paintings by an artist who was working there at the time, I put together my first live act. Then for years I had a lot on my plate: starting a family (becoming and being a father), finishing my studies in musicology, psychology and music therapy, and getting back into working life. I turned the jog wheels here and there with friends at parties, but didn't produce anything myself. In the end it was the peace and security of my family that made me start creating again. My first EP as Scion of Mars came out last year in March.

What fascinates you about psytrance culture?

I'm a passionate dancer. When I come to a party and the sound is right, I go onto the dance floor and only come off again when I can just about slide on my knees. The only place I find an environment where I can celebrate like that is psytrance culture. I love the atmosphere of the blacklight decoration and the wicked string art, and the peaceful gathering of colourful people around me. The greatest thing for me is experiencing the sunrise at an open air with heartbreakingly beautiful sounds.

What are your musical influences?

They're really quite broad. I was born in the seventies, and my parents listened to pop music by the Bee Gees, Abba, Boney M., Rod Stewart and so on. As a child I played in an accordion orchestra, so folk music left its mark too. From the day my uncle played me Jean-Michel Jarre, I wanted to get rid of the accordion as quickly as possible and play the synthesizer. During my school years and beyond, I took a detour of several years into hard rock and heavy metal and was singer and keyboard player in several bands. While studying I naturally got deep into all sorts of things: classical music, jazz and above all new music. What really captivated me, again, was American minimal music of the seventies and electroacoustic music.

As artists we have a responsibility towards our audience. What is the key idea you want to pass on to your listeners, what is your message?

Preserve this planet with all its beauty. We don't have another one. Don't wait for politicians to pass laws telling you how to act, take action yourself. Reduce your ecological footprint wherever you can and cut your consumption down to what you need. Live your life with joy, appreciation and respect for all living things.

Name one piece of your production gear you like and tell us why.

My Ultrasone Signature Studio headphones in combination with Sonarworks. I pre-produce my music in the evenings, sitting in the living room. After that I go down to the cellar, where I have a small self-built studio booth with an additional pair of monitor speakers. Most of the time only small corrections to the sound are needed there. It works very well for me.