Zoku Metsu | Interview | “Taking all of these concepts and changing them, redoing them and destroying them to make something different”
In Zoku Metsu it’s all about experimental electronics, guitars through effects and drum machine rhythms. Materializing from the Brooklyn, New York improv scene, Zoku Metsu is a duet of experimental electronic musician Robert L. Pepper (Pas Musique, The Jazzfakers) and avant guitarist Ron Anderson (PAK, The Molecules, Ronruins).
Points of inspiration are seventies German experimental bands such as Neu! and Faust. Pepper and Anderson first combined their efforts joining Philippe Petit and David Tamura, on the 2010 ‘Closed Encounters Of The 4 Minds’ CD released on Public Eyesore Records. Now they have joined again to form 7 new concentrated compositions on the Alrealon Musique label. Zoku Metsu derives their name from the Japanese word Zokumetsu meaning “destroy the whole family”. The name invokes ideas of reinventing/reorganizing studio techniques as applied to experimental electronics, guitars and drum machines.
“Taking all of these concepts and changing them, redoing them and destroying them to make something different”
How are you guys doing?
Robert L. Pepper: We are doing good. We are currently trying to get through this pandemic sane and still be creative. We will be returning to the studio soon but currently Ron and I go on walks to experiment with street photography. Ron turned me onto Daido Moriyama and I have been hooked.
The lockdown resulted in many musicians being able to create projects that have been on a hold. I believe you found the isolation to be very creative, didn’t you?
During this isolation Ron and I put our efforts in a lot of studio material. We successfully put the final touches on our ‘Zoku Metsu’ vinyl release. We tried to use our time productively. So we are always thinking on ways to continue our creative outlets even with not being able to do shows.
You first combined your efforts joining Philippe Petit and David Tamura, on the 2010 improv session ‘Closed Encounters of the 4 Minds’. How was that?
That was an amazing session. Philippe Petit was in town. My other project, Pas Musique, teamed up with him for a three week tour in the states. We had an afternoon free and we decided to check and see if Martin Bisi had time for a recording session. He did. Philippe and I invited Ron and Dave to record an improvisational session. We all just clicked. That was the first time I got closer to Ron. We played on a bill a year before the recording session but this session gave us a chance to get to know each other better. I knew Dave for years in our other project, The Jazzfakers, so we already had a great click. But when the four of us got together it was a true pleasure. That release is on Public Eyesore.
What led to the formation of this duo?
Well, the scene in New York is pretty incestuous. We all have our projects. Ron has his PAK project and I have my Pas Musique project among others. But there are a bunch of experimental nights in town that pair musicians. My series, Ambient Chaos, hosted at the Spectrum venue is one of those series. Ron and I have played in different duos and trios throughout the years. In 2013, Ron had a residency at John Zorn’s space, The Stone. We played in a quartet with Al Margolis, Amber Brien, and Chuck Bettis. Ron and I started to talk afterwards about developing a theme/project of minimal “krautrock” style like Neu!. That took years in the making but in 2018 we started to develop the concept and then Zoku Metsu was born. I guess the first gig that started this was at Spectrum in August 2018. The name didn’t come until a bit afterwards.
“50% improvisation and 50% planned”
Can you elaborate on the ideas behind the release or was it strictly improvised?
I think like all of my projects, Zoku Metsu, is 50% improvisation and 50% planned. It starts with some ideas like sequences and then we start rehearsing with the patterns/sequences. Through this, when playing live the audience can be familiar with a certain composition but the music can go in any direction. That’s what makes playing this type of music exciting. You are not playing the same things over and over. You are remixing the music every time to fit the mood and have some fun. That’s the thrill of improvisation.
So how did you approach it…
Well, the technique is pretty simple. We both come together with some ideas and just play. We edit sequences or patterns or instrumentation and the music develops over time. I think we took about a year before the ‘Zoku Metsu’ album felt like it should.
Where did you record it and what was the recording process like? Did you experience a lot of obstacles during the process?
We recorded/mixed the Zoku Metsu release at my home studio in Brooklyn, New York. Ron mastered the release in his home studio not so far from me. We live in the same neighborhood which makes it easy. There weren’t any notable obstacles. But it’s always a tedious process to get the right mix or mastering, especially for vinyl. We had a lot of listens and edits to get the right feel. That’s the fun of it. It’s also a great social thing. We have become pretty great friends through all of this.
What would you say is the dynamic between you two?
We both live to create and are pretty open to each other’s ideas. We are both pretty chill people so that makes it easy too. As mentioned above, we are pretty good friends. So doing a project like this comes naturally. Making art comes naturally. When we are making music or going on our street photography runs it’s the best of both worlds. You get to hang out and do something creative.
There must be an interesting story behind the project’s name. It’s derived from the Japanese word Zokumetsu meaning “destroy the whole family”.
Yes, “destroy the whole family” is what Zoku Metsu means. Ron is big into Japanese culture and was playing with some ideas. He proposed this concept and I liked it. To me it’s a metaphor for music. Taking all of these concepts and changing them, redoing them and destroying them to make something different. We have had a lot of different options on the music. Some say it’s dark, some say it’s happy, it makes me satisfied because the music has many things.
To what degree were you inspired by experimental bands from the seventies? What in particular did you find the most interesting to harvest and initiate your own ideas from it?
Well, the original idea for Zoku Metsu was the minimalism of things like Neu! and Cluster. That was the starting concept. But I think Zoku Metsu turned out a bit more complicated then the Nwu!/Cluster approach. But we weren’t trying to replicate that sound. That was just a starting point. When you get into the studio it develops and changes into something new.
You are also active in many other bands and have side-projects, not to mention being a painter. I would love it if you both can share some further words about the current state of the projects you’re part of and if there are any future plans that you would like to share with us.
Ron has his band PAK who is active in the studio coming up with new material. You can follow any of his works on his Bandcamp page. I have my Pas Musique project which is always cooking up something new. Currently, Pas Musique, has two special edition releases with Robin Storey from Rapoon/Zoviet France. As mentioned before, Ron and I have been shooting a lot of photography. You can view Ron’s photos on his Instagram page. I am also a painter. You can view all of my paintings and projects here.
Hopefully this year Zoku Metsu can tour. I know we have been talking about it but it’s hard with the pandemic. So stay tuned and hope for the best.
Let’s talk about Pas Musique. When did you decide that you wanted to start releasing music?
I decided to start recording sound around 1995 as Pas Musique. I heard about Zoviet France and then read about their approach to making sound recordings and I was blown away. I went out to buy a Tascam 4 track recorder, microphone, Yamaha CS-1, and Boss drum machine and started to do my own multilayering. I came from a punk/metal world so the concept of just layering sounds was amazing to me. That in itself could be music. I was hooked.
What about your label, Alrealon Musique? You’re covering a wide variety of releases. How do you select your artists?
It’s really just about friends and making a community of like minded people. We tend to go the electronics/experimental route and release material by people we know and like. It’s totally a labor of love.
Have you ideas that refuse to step through the door with you? And what do you do with those sketches?
When ideas don’t work at the time, I usually put them to the side. I think it’s a waste just to throw them away. Years later you might make more sense of those ideas that don’t work and then in the future you are able to elaborate on them. Sometimes it can be weeks, sometimes it can be years.
Is being a multi-instrumentalist an advantage when it comes to realization of ideas?
Absolutely, you have a bigger palette. You have many more options. However, these days I do prefer synths and samplers.
What currently occupies your life? Any future plans?
This interview! Haha, just kidding. Well, as mentioned, hopefully getting Zoku Metsu back in the studio. Maybe a Zoku Metsu and Pas Musique tour this year. More photography and art. Right now I am working on a series of intense, surreal portraits.
Let’s end this interview with some of your favorite albums. Have you found something new lately you would like to recommend to our readers?
Let’s go with the new gems I found in the past few years. You can find all of these on Bandcamp.
‘Ethernity’ by Simona Zamboli
‘dSCi/PARPAR’ split by dUASsEMIcOLCHEIASiNVERTIDAS/PARPAR
‘The Petrified Forest’ [6 track mini-album] by Biosphere
‘300 Earth Spins’ – Compilation (This Records) by Rapoon, Simon Crab, Ah Cama – Sotz, PMDS, Pop Ritual, Shhh… Sci-Fi Industries, etc
‘Texas Heat, Vol.’ by The Wizard
‘John 3:16’ (Alrealon Musique) by John 3:16
Ron’s picks:
‘Imperial Triumphant’ – Alphaville
‘Le Grand Sbam’ – Furvent
‘The Flying Luttenbachers’ – Negative Infinity
‘Krallice’ – Mass Cathexis
‘Moor Mother’ – Fetish Bones
Thank you for taking your time. Last word is yours.
Much love to you all! Thanks so much for this.
Klemen Breznikar
Zoku Metsu Facebook / Bandcamp
Alrealon Musique Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Bandcamp / YouTube / SoundCloud
