by Dave Miller

In one way or another since I was in the 8th grade? I used to make tapes on my dad’s cassette recorder using my Casio keyboard and my guitar. I used to hand make each cover. But I’d only make one and no one ever would hear it except for my sisters.

Hmm… I’d like to say it has… but it most likely hasn’t, maybe I’m getting better at playing guitar … slightly. Or maybe I’m not as self conscious about my mistakes. I feel that I go about making a song the same way as I did when I was 12. It’s a compulsive thing that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to stop doing.

One time when I was a toddler I drew a picture of a tree with a snake wrapped around it in a field of grass. Someone maybe my teacher told me that it was good and I remember thinking at that moment that I’d like to draw pictures all the time. As far as music goes I remember I had this old tape recorder and I used to tape myself singing songs when I was really young. One time the tape was cheap or worn thin and you could hear stuff backwards and forwards at the same time. I remember being really fascinated with that and the way it sounded. These were all really solitary moments. My sister was dating an artist when we were in high school. He gave me a book about the abstract expressionists and an artist Gerhard Richter. That was the first time I realized that I could make really personal statements and that they could still resonate with other people. Like connecting with people through secrets. I loved that idea.

The focus is to keep it unfocused. Music is always kinda like an Ouija board for me. I’m always figuring out after the song is written what it’s about. Sometimes years later. Sometimes it seems like they tell the future. I’ll go back and listen to stuff and get the chills.

I guess I’m really trying to capture a certain emotional state of mind in each song as true as possible. I really want the listener to feel that and be there with me. It’s a way to communicate things that can’t be done easily with just words. Abstract feelings. I also want to communicate intimacy. I want the listener to feel like they are listening to a secret.

“Here’s a breaking sound” is special to me because I made it alone in my basement in my spare time without the expectation that anyone else would listen to it. So I feel that it’s the most honest and free from second guesses of anything I’ve ever recorded. I also let the atmosphere of the room and how I was feeling at the time drive the tone of the songs. It was a really cathartic recording. I am really surprised still that it’s gotten this much attention.

I think it’s different because I let the limitations of my recording set up guide the tone of the album. I didn’t try to make it sound good. Instead I made it more of a documentary of the sounds that were happening at the time in my basement. So I guess it’s more like a field recording…

Yeah I think it really adds to the personal feel of the recording. It just feels right to do it this way. And yes it takes me a long time to make them. But it’s a good feeling. I like knowing that each copy is an original and that the listener knows that I considered their copy. At some point I think ill have to stop doing it this way. It takes me a day to do 5 copies more or less. I have no problem with doing printed covers on other releases. It seemed wrong for this one for some reason.

Yeah I am a visual artist. I went to art school in Philadelphia in the 90s. I’ve been showing my art in galleries since 98. You can see some of my stuff here over the last 5 years or so I have been trying to find ways to meld the 2 together. This CD-R has been really great in that way.

I don’t think you heard that… but I’d love to! I love vinyl and I think “Here’s a Breaking Sound” would be really great on vinyl. It’s so much money. And I’m always broke. Maybe if someone out there wants to put it out on vinyl!!!

Aquarius Records has helped me out a lot! I’m really inspired by the fog and hills around the bay area. As far as exposure goes it’s really hard to book shows in SF … but getting easier

Well I’d like to plug my new band “Tied to the Branches” which is me and my partner Brad DerManouelian. It’s similar in tone to “Here’s a Breaking Sound” only with drums and slightly more up-tempo. I’m currently in Oregon on a short tour to show off our new EP.