100 Musicians Answer the Same 10 Questions

Part Sixty-Two: Sweet Trip

instigated by dave heaton

Back in 1998 Sweet Trip's first album Halica - part of Darla's Bliss Out series, was a brillant, otherworldly trip through shoegazer territory that also resembled future-oriented electronic music, with an epic feeling to it. Four years later they released their second album Velocity:Design:Comfort and it was an entirely different voyage in a similar but at the same time new direction: colorful, fresh pop hybrids with many sides to them. This San Francisco-based trio -- Roby Burgos, Valerie Cooper, Aaron Porter -- is on an adventurous path through the exciting cross-regions of pop and electronic music; you should join them for it. Check out their website.

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What aspect of making music excites you the most right now?

Roby: What I like about making music, well speaking from a computer music stand point, is that I'm able to take this music beyond the guitar-bass-drum format. It's like you upgrade yourself from writing songs to composing songs. I like how I can make whatever I want and the only restrictions are all in my head.

Aaron: like Roby, I really love working with a computer for composition…but I am also really enjoying sweet trip's more' back to basic' approach with the live set…we've tried to strip down and minimize computer and focus more on guitars and vocals…we've even added a human drummer for some tracks…and for me…that's been very exciting.

Valerie: I appreciate collaborative music-writing for the reason that one has an opportunity to develop relationships with awesome musical minded people. Also, it is interesting to see how a song starts and what it ends up becoming post production.

What aspect of making music gets you the most discouraged?

Roby: Nothing. The only thing that stops me from making music is life, and stress, and lack of sleep.

Aaron: Yeah, again I'd agree with Roby…it's hard to find enough time…and it's particularly frustrating when you wake up with inspiration or an idea…and you've gotta get going to work or have other obligations…sweet trip is fortunate however…Roby works independently of us and can squeeze his songwriting in whenever it's convenient for him…so I think we're lucky as a band, to have that kind of independence.

Valerie: Time restrictions, lack of discipline and focus, sometimes lack of skill to play a certain instrument, lack of confidence that a song is "done" and is actually good enough.

Roby: Yeah, lack of discipline is a major factor for me as of late...

What are you up to right now, music-wise? (Current or upcoming recordings, tours, extravaganzas, experiments, top-secret projects, etc).

Roby: Right we are just trying to play more shows and start exposing people more to Sweet Trip than before. We took a long and fruitless break, so we're trying to get the buzz back. I'm also trying to make music and finish stuff that I've started but can't seem to focus enough to finish. Life's been tough. There's a possibility of a few remix in the future, so that's exciting.

Aaron: Roby is very secretive J…Valerie and I hardly know what he's up to…but he's mentioned something about a new EP …he's always working on new material (or re-working old material)…some of which might make it into the live set…Roby?

What's the most unusual place you've ever played a show or made a recording? How did the qualities of that place affect the show/recording?

Roby: On our very first gig in LA, we played at a weekly Goth night in a very small club. The whole place was decorated with spider webs I believe (I may be making this up, but I remember seen spider webs) and other "goth" decos. Everyone was dressed up except for us, so we felt so out of place. One of the bands that played had the ghoulish make up and black garments and blood and stuff. The singer came out of a coffin right on stage! We were schedule to play last and by then all the goths had left the club and only our friends who helped book the show stayed. It was pretty interesting. Maybe they left because we took about 45 minutes to set and sound check... I remember things weren't going well. We had a lot of gear then; our stage looked like a ghetto version of an Orbital live set, LOL!

Valerie: Yes, they did have spider webs. Sadly everyone left after the goth show. Since we weren't goth, we had no audience. From there, we learned to be more selective when booking our events. One must survey the overall prospects first before marking off that calendar.

In what ways does the place where you live (or places where you have lived), affect the music you create, or your taste in music?

Roby: Being born and raised in Panama exposed me to rhythms because Panama has a large Caribbean/African influence. I never appreciated it when I was growing up though; I was into metal. Living in San Francisco exposed me to look for other types of music other than metal. My cousins exposed me to modern rock and soon I fell in love with The Stone Roses and Sonic Youth. I'm not sure how living in SF affects me now. I would love a change of scene.

Aaron: I'm from the east bay…Oakland…which probably has almost nothing to do with my musical preferences…probably has more influence on visual sense of the world than anything…I grew up listening to metal too… but my taste in music now is probably more euro or whatever… I think the internet has the most profound influence on my choices in music…I used to think SF had a great scene…but I guess I'm getting old 'cause I'm kinda disappointed with it now…

Valerie: The place I live in is very diverse and urban. Because it is a metropolis, there is always variety and exposure to new ideas, new styles, varied musical attitudes etc, so for that we feel blessed with even more ideas or resources to draw from and it also makes us very open-minded. But on the other hand, I think despite where one lives or what time period, it is the extent of one's curiosity which can bring one's musical knowledge into that cosmopolitan sort of realm---with internet especially, there are no limits to musical exploration or discovery.

When was the last time you wrote a song? What can you tell us about it?

Roby: Last week. A very simple acoustic song dedicated to someone special, but mainly a song about hope.

Aaron: I put down about 16 bars of beats…does that count? Just checking out some new software.

Valerie: Several years ago. Song with bass parts sounding very Motown/soul. Unfortunately, The DAT was erased accidentally.The entire production vanished just like that. poof! gone. Never re-recorded as the people I collaborated with moved to foreign lands.

As you create more music, do you find yourself getting more or less interested in seeking out and listening to new music made by other people...and why do you think that is?

Roby: I don't think my interest in new music has changed through the years. I love finding new music, and I'm always looking for something new to listen to. I get tired of stuff quickly, unless I really, really like it. The other day I was thinking that maybe my taste has just been refined and narrowed down a bit, but I don't think that's really true because I listen to more stuff than I did maybe ten years ago.

Aaron: Roby really should just answer all these questions…it's the same for me…I listen to new stuff almost every day…I love checking out new music…but yeah, unless I really like it…I won't listen to it more than once…that's probably because I have become more expecting of what I get out of it…and I suppose I am more critical than I used to be…which is kind of a shame because I think I pass on lots of good stuff just because I don't like some small part of it…

Valerie: Usually I feel even more like creating my own music when I tire or am bored stiff of all the crap that is played on the radio etc. On the flipside, if I am in a rut making music, I rely on other good music/bands on good record labels to find some sort of inspiration or just to find out what the latest in technology has to offer equipment or software-wise etc.

Lately what musical periods or styles do you find yourself most drawn to as a listener? (Old or new music? Music like yours or different from yours?)

Roby: I've been following the bandwagon a bit listening to '80s stuff, but not exclusively. There's a Spanish singer named Jeanette that I've recently rediscovered, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, and specially Julie London, The Misfits, Diamond Head, The Congos, and a bunch of other stuff from the 50's to 80's, but not one era in particular.

Aaron: I tend to go through phases or these brief obsessions…with styles…right now things are different though…I feel I'm listening to a wide range of stuff…all over the place…but I am particularly drawn to anything that has a mesmerizing quality…

Valerie: I am drawn to any period or style, depends on my mood or what I feel like listening so my music selection jumps randomly. Chopin one week then Warp records i.e. (Chris) Clark the next, and then maybe Tommy Tutone the next week. This week, I have Ray Conniff, Ennio Morricone and Percy Faith's music on the disc-changer.

Name a band or musician, past or present, who you flat-out LOVE and think more people should be listening to. What's one of your all-time favorite recordings by this band/musician?

Roby: Man, there's too many to mention. Slowdive is the one that comes to mind, although they are not necessarily my ultimate favorite band. I think "Alison" is my all-time favorite recording by them though. I do wish people gave Pygmalion a chance. I found an old demo of them playing a song called 'Sleep' that's probably my second favorite.

Aaron: I really LOVE Fela Kuti…his energy is extremely engaging….but I think plenty of people are aware of his music and his plight…so I should probably also mention Vladislav Delay…I think he's brilliant…his mastery of production and intimate sound…the emotional yet subdued quality of his music is beautiful, I think…i guess I get why people find it hard to get into…but I definitely think he's worth giving an earnest listen [with headphones]…and I think he deserves more recognition for his music there are wonderful pieces to all of his releases…but probably the best is Entain.

Valerie: I really love Broadcast and I like the song "Unchanging Window/Chord Simple" off the Extended Play Two release.

What's the saddest song you've ever heard?

Roby: Again, too many to mention. There's an old japanese anime called Candy that I used to watch when I was a kid, and the theme song that played during the closing credits was always so sad, even though the words weren't that sad. I watch it on youtube.com once in a while and it still makes my eyes watery...

Aaron: Not sure why, but "Rocketman" just popped into my head…I'm not sure it's horribly sad (and not likely the saddest), but it always makes me feel something like that … and I think the My Morning Jacket cover of it…is probably equally lonesome…if not more so.

Valerie: There are many, but to mention one, it will be "Scene D'Amour" by Bernard Herrmann, which was a song used in Vertigo, the Alfred Hitchcock movie. The song itself isn't sad,but obviously within the context of the movie, it was very sad for me.

To check out the rest of the Q&As, click here.