Here 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 where you born and where are you living?
Hi there, my name is Martin. I work and live in Bonn, Germany with my family. The electronic sound has accompanied me almost all my life. But when the melody of a psytrance track ate into my brain in 1995, it was all over me (lol).
What is the name of your project(s) and why and how did you start with it?
The actual start of my psytrance project was already some years ago. At the beginning of the new millenium I have been really infected by the progressive sound (The Headcleaner album from Atmos seemed like a revelation to me). Six weeks before the party of friends I had the lucky opportunity to have nothing to do. So I lugged all my equipment into an old brickyard and surrounded by a lot of psychedelic pictures of a painter who was painting there at that time, I assembled my first live act. For years I had a lot on my plate with the founding of my family (becoming and beeing a father), the completion of my studies in musicology, psychology and music therapy and the re-entry into professional life. I turned the jogwheels here and there with friends at parties but didn’t produce anything myself. But in the end it was the peace and security in my family that made me create again. My first EP as Scion of Mars came out last year in March.
What fascinates you about the psytrance culture?
I am a passionate dancer. When I come to a party and the sound is right I go on the dance floor and down again when I can only slide on my knees. An environment where I can celebrate like this I only find in the Psytrance culture. I love the atmosphere of black light decoration and the wicked string art and the peaceful gathering of the colorful people around me. The greatest thing for me is to experience the sunrise with heartbreaking sounds on an open air.
What are your musical influences?
This is really quite broad. I was born in the seventies and my parents listened to pop music by the Bee Gees, Abba, Bonney M., Rod Stewart a.s.o. As a child I played in an accordion orchestra, so folk music has also left its mark. From the day my uncle showed Jean-Michel Jarre to me , I wanted to get rid of the accordion as soon as possible to play the synthesizer. During my school time and beyond I made a detour of several years into the Hardrock and Heavy Metal camp and acted as singer and keyboarder in several bands. During my years of study I naturally dealt intensively with all sorts of things: classical music, jazz and above all new music. Again, what really captivated me was American minimal music of the seventies and electroacoustic music.
We as artists have a responsibility towards our audience. What is the keynote that you want to pass on to your listeners, what is your message?
Preserve this planet with all its beauty. We have no other. Don’t wait for any laws from the politicians to tell you how to act, but take action yourself. Reduce your ecological footprint where you can and reduce your consumption to what is necessary. Live your life with joy, appreciation and respect for all living things.
Please name one piece of your production gear you like and tell us why you like it.
My headphone Ultrasone Signature Studio in combination with Sonarworks. I preproduce my music while I´m sitting in the evening in the living-room. After that I go into the cellar where I have a little self-made studio cabin with an additional pair of monitor speakers. Most of the time there are just little sound corrections to be done. Works very well for me.
