In Conversation with

Octave Sounds

 

June 2005

 

A little background:

 

I first tried to get an interview with Octave Sounds way back when

Setting Sun first got going way back in 2003, and true to form with

Octave Sounds it has taken until now to actually happen.

 

Octave Sounds is basically a dance act of any number of forms (often

Depending on the mood) with usually all sorts of forms thrown

In sometimes to bewilder or confuse people sometimes even just

For a laugh.

 

Jeff, who is Octave Sounds comes from North Manchester and is

A busy bloke at the best of times nowadays

 

I first met Jeff some years before through a friend of a friend

And as soon as Setting Sun came to life, it made natural sense

To approach him for a interview.

 

However, as you can see from this date – it has taken quite a while

To get this interview up and running, but oh well…

 

A special thank you to Jeff for the interview which was

Conducted live in a local pub in the centre of Manchester

Recently.

 

Next pint’s on you, mate.

 

Octave Sounds can be contacted at: http://www.octave-sounds.co.uk

 

Thanks again

 

Andrew N x

 

 

Setting Sun:  How are things and what’s happening at the moment?

 

Octave Sounds:

 

Hi. I'm sat in the Crown and Anchor, a local pub in the centre of

Manchester at the moment.

 

I'm halfway through my second pint. I'm not working today.

Great!

 

Setting Sun: Can you tell us a little bit about Octave Sounds –?

the history, who fired the starting pistol basically where it all started

from etc, etc?

 

Octave Sounds:

 

Octave Sounds is basically just I, Jeff.

 

I first formed Octave Sounds in 2000/2001. A lot of my

musical background came from going to College some years

before (although I do remember playing around with musical

editing packages on the C64 as a kid!) - that I guess

you could say was the starting pistol that originally got

me going, you could say as well as the fact I started

to go to gigs / clubs more often.

 

It was here I first began to really learn how to play

the keyboard etc. This resulted in me playing in a variety

of college based bands, before I eventually joined the Indie

/ Rock band "Kotain" after leaving college.

 

After Kotain split a few years later, I was beginning

to get more and more interested in technology and

from that, Octave Sound was born, which allows me

more freedom to explore avenues, which I couldn't

perhaps do previously in music.

 

 

Setting Sun: Why Octave Sounds? Where does the name

come from? 

 

Octave Sounds:

 

The origin for the name Octave Sounds is actually a

musical term. To keep it simple, an Octave is a term

for going up or down on the scale of a Keyboard or

a Piano.

 

I decided on the name Octave Sounds simply because

this going up and down the scales is often a journey within

itself, no matter what progression you decide to use, and

that journey itself is a important aspect of my music.

 

 

Setting Sun: I know you have done a few gigs live as Octave Sounds

How does this compare to your otherwise more studio based

work?

 

Octave Sounds:

 

I've done a few gigs so far, and I've found them all

great fun.

 

I've played certainly more gigs as Kotain, but while that

was great fun - playing solo as Octave Sounds is even more

fun, as it gives me greater freedom and makes me less

reliance on others.

 

Setting Sun:  What are you listening to at the moment

(music wise) and what are your influences?

 

Octave Sounds:

 

Influences - certainly more dance based, but like I

listen to all sorts of things - Octave Sounds is

influenced by everything I see, hear or do as much

as I listen to.

 

Setting Sun: I know as you do most of your work using

the PC to a degree.... How does this compare for you with

so much changes in technology happening on almost a

weekly basics seemingly.

 

Octave Sounds:

 

I find it interesting nowadays as it is certainly obvious

that it is certainly easier to make / write music and

you don't even have to know the basics.

 

However, I find myself that having basic music skills

does help and allows you to use technology in a more

professional manner than others may use.

 

Setting Sun: Is the same approach also vital

nowadays do you feel with the use of your website etc?

 

Octave Sounds:

 

I believe nowadays it is just as important to promote

your music on the Internet as well as it going on general

release.

 

The difference between the Internet and the general

record industry is often down to releasing schedules.

 

Placing new tunes on my own website for example means

I can release them a lot quicker than perhaps spending

months waiting for them to come out and also over

the Internet, it gives me a much more wider coverage

Throughout the world.

 

Setting Sun: What are your future plans – does this

include any more gigs / any further updates on your website?

 

Octave Sounds:

 

I did a gig on 13th Sept at the Brighton Confidence Centre

last year like I said previously.

 

Future plans involve doing more tracks for downloads

and hopefully playing some more gigs later on this year.

 

Setting Sun:  What would you be your dream job if not a

rock star?

 

Octave Sounds:

 

Porn Star!

(Much laughter by Setting Sun and Octave Sounds - ED)

 

Seriously though, my dream job would involve me having

to retire at a very early age, would let me be

successful and happy and have a string of beautiful

babes on each arm, so perhaps Porn Star is probably

isn't that far away from the truth

 

(More laughter by Setting Sun and Octave Sounds - ED)