“You see these young greenhorns pop up now and then, and they want everything like NOW. Like this, buy this, follow me... and more often than not, people are actually turned away by that kind of attitude.”
Maintaining our focus on the UK music scene we next travel to the Yorkshire Market Town of Huddersfield to meet with David Hughes, AKA Cousin Silas.
A highly respected figure in the online Ambient underground for nearly 20 years, his fantastical progressive and highly captivating guitar ambient soundscapes have appeared on such netlabels as Cerebral Audio, Petroglyph Music, Studio 4632 and We Are All Ghosts.
A dedicated practitioner of what he describes as ‘Sound Alchemy’ David has been the name behind an absolutely spellbinding number of albums and an ever expanding amount of collaborations and compilations.
Most notably the charity record ‘Silas and Friends’ which has now reached it’s 6th instalment features over 10 hours of music and sees Hughes sharing the soundstage with Michael Brückner, Øystein Jørgensen and Kevin Lyons (but these names only scratch the surface!)
Also a big science fiction fan, between 1990 and 2000 David contributed articles and short stories to such renowned publications as Back Brain Recluse and Nerve Gardens to name but a few.
I caught up with David to take a look back on his illustrious career, his beginnings as a musician and to rack his brains for thoughts on the current state of the music industry…
DMD: Growing up, what kind of music was regularly played in your household, and what did you tend to gravitate towards?
CS: Not having any brothers or sisters, I was never influenced in that way. I know lots of friends credit their older siblings. My Mother had the usual Carpenters, lounge music, a touch of classical maybe, and in and amongst those were the odd K-Tel compilation albums. My grandma knew someone who got singles from the old jukeboxes, so I got a handful of those once a week.
I was totally ignorant of genres and styles until I was maybe 12, 13. I remember making a conscious effort to find out what this rock music thing was. I'd started at secondary school, so I was aware of these new bands and artists whose albums I saw being carried proudly under the arms of older pupils.
One weekend I bought a music paper and there was a free gift. A flexi disc with one exclusive track, and a long edit of highlights from the album, and that album was Brain Salad Surgery by Emerson Lake & Palmer. I loved it, it was like nothing else I'd ever heard before. So dutifully, after saving up my pocket money, I headed into Town and bought the LP.
That was my first tentative steps into the world of prog. Of course, being young and somewhat naive I stuck with ELP and bought all their albums. It was about a year later I started expanding, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Oldfield, The Nice, again, the usual suspects. I wasn't overly keen on heavier bands such as Zep or Sabbath, that came later. Strangely, though, I did enjoy jazz and classical music as well.
DMD: Whom or what exactly made you decide to pick up a guitar in the first place?
CS: I actually began saving up for a synth. The influence of ELP, y'see. I wanted to be a Keith Emerson! I'd seen one in the local music shop (a synth, that is, not a Keith Emerson). I have no idea now what the hell it was. I used to go in on a Saturday and mess around on it.
I eventually got myself about £15 and gave up the idea of being a synth player. I moved sideways and decided it would be cheaper being a Greg Lake. So I bought my first guitar from Woolworths, lol.
A really awful Kaye cheap shit thing, more of a cheesecutter really. I eventually got a fairly decent guitar and just basically messed around on it, no lessons (as many will testify!).
DMD: Tell us about your early musical career - What was the Yorkshire / Midlands scene like back in the days and what kind of bands did you play in?
CS: My first ever band played rock ’n' roll covers (we were all still at school). We called ourselves Bruno, no idea why. Anyway, we jammed together best we could, I was learning chords and all the usual stuff. We entered a local talent competition and came third. I really should add that there were actually only three bands that entered! I was frightened shitless, spent most of my time with my back to the audience.
Fast forward to where I'm now like in my first year of working for a living, still a kid, and punk comes along. Despite the fact that I was essentially a prog type, I embraced punk as incredibly refreshing and just exciting. So, needless to say, a punk band was formed (The Generators) with some old school pals, and off we went. My initial shyness from the rock ’n’ roll band had totally gone. I was acting more like Pete Townsend and loving it.
The scene back then was pretty much like it is now, locally, most of the audiences are what we used to call Working Men's Club types. Anything that went beyond middle of the road, standard songs were viewed with suspicion and devil worship.
But we revelled in that kind of notoriety, the essence of punk. It was only years later when we reformed for a giggle, that audiences were singing along to Pretty Vacant and Holidays In The Sun.... how times change eh?
I have good memories of great gigs, though, from both periods. I remember one especially, in the earlier version of The Generators, where we played, of all places, at a feckin' Parents / Teacher Association dance! There they were in all their finery, trying to actually dance, ala ballroom style, to Anarchy In The UK and White Riot. Precious!
DMD: What lead you into becoming a writer for various publications?
CS: Because I was well into science fiction, I joined the British Science Fiction Association. It gave you access to news on SF, writing workshops, reviews, etc etc. So I began to become aware of a small circle of publications, amateur, although well produced. It was coincidental that around that time I'd started writing poetry, prose and fiction.
I began submitting short stories, etc and some got accepted and published. In some respects, it's a bit like nowadays with the Netlabel scene. Same bollox is attached to the netlabels as was the small press in many eyes, you know, not the real thing, playing at it, etc etc.
I even began my own magazine. It was a great time. I reckon the reason why I started was pretty much the same reason why I do Silas, it was basically a captivating hobby, therapy, if you will.
DMD: How did Cousin Silas get started?
CS: I'd tinkered around with various ideas and recordings long before I went the way of Silas. But what really gave me the true incentive was I used to do a music review magazine. I wrote to a few indie labels asking if I could review any of their stuff. I remember one label in particular, Fflint Central Recordings.
They lovingly sent me everything they'd produced, all on CDR, artwork, the lot. Now whilst I'd being plundering the more stranger (to my peers anyway) music scene such as Henry Cow, Faust, Tangerine Dream, Captain Beefheart etc etc, I'd never heard ANYTHING like what Fflint sent me. I was both captivated and yes, inspired, to create my own experimental stuff.
I had a PC, so I acquired a bunch of software, and basically began using found sounds, and quite a lot of self created sounds, although I couldn't use my guitar for the first year or two due to the price and limitations of the technology at the time.
I used to use Soundforge a lot, initially manipulating the sounds, layering them, mixing in all kinds of stuff. It was a fun time, like stepping into a new world.
I was actually quite proud of my first steps into this new world, so I sent two CD’s worth of material to Fflint, basically wanting to know what they thought. To cut a long story short, they eventually mixed and released them.
My first two albums are on Fflint; Lilliput, and Portraits & Peelings. Technically it's not just me, though. My original sounds were remixed and manipulated by the team at Flint. Either way, I was happy as feck, as you can imagine!
It wasn't long after I then began to hear (due to my music magazine) about Netlabels. The first was Earth Monkey who sent me an email detailing what the label was all about so I thought I'd send them something. That's really how it all started.
DMD: How did you end up venturing into Dronescape territory? Also, when did you first hear about Ambient and Drone music?
CS: I am sure my first introduction to the term ambient was via a Brian Eno album.. I 'think' it may have been Airports, and to be honest, initially, it annoyed me. Here I was, just starting out, and this album just seemed like, well, it didn't go anywhere.
It was just a steady hardly developing long ramble. I've since learnt the error of my ways, because I did hear other Eno, and Harold Budd albums that I thought, wow, this is really conducive to drifting off somewhere nice and cosy. A kind of aide memoir to relaxation. I then began checking out and actively looking for ambient.
Drone was something that obviously came around when I was checking out Ambient. I'd seen the term used on a few netlabel releases. And again, true drone annoyed me, and yes, it still does. Each to their own, I have no real reason not to like it other than the fact that that's all a drone is, a drone.
Half an hour of listening to a non developing drone is no different to being stuck in traffic. I like to think that the 'drones' I do have more development in them, I throw things in there to make it slightly more livelier. So I guess, technically, I don't produce drones in the strictest sense of the word.
My first drone was actually done as a bet. I can't remember the exact conversation, but it was with Thomas Mathie at We Are All Ghosts. I basically said that a true drone requires selotape on a few keys, press record and feck off for an hour until it's recorded.
Or even cut and paste five minutes until you have an hour. I was asked if I could do one and I said sure, but not like that.
That's how the first dronescape was done. Sure, there is a 'drone' in there, but a lot of other things are going on as well. And I enjoyed it that much that I did a few more.
DMD: According to the Cousin Silas Wikipedia page you appeared on John Peel’s Radio show. Is this true? If so, what was John Peel like in person?
CS: I never played on John Peel, I only had a track played. Well, I say only, that was one of the biggest highlights to date of Silas. And sadly, I'd have genuinely liked to have met the guy as he 'introduced' me to several bands via his show.
Here's the link...
DMD: What are the 15 records that you can’t live without?
CS:
1. Brain Salad Surgery - ELP
2. In The Court Of The Crimson King - King Crimson
3. The Modern Dance - Pere Ubu
4. In The Wake Of Posiedon - King Crimson
5. The Faust Tapes - Faust
6. Guitar Solos - Fred Frith
7. Western Culture - Henry Cow
8. Trout Mask Replica - Captain Beefheart
9. Lizard - King Crimson
10. Islands - King Crimson
11. Ommadawn - Mike Oldfield
12. 6 Symphonies - Bohuslav Martinu
13. Sketches Of Spain - Miles Davis
14. The Pearl - Harold Budd/ Brian Eno
15. Sunburst Finish - BeBop Deluxe
The above are on the spur of the moment, and to be honest, I'm not a fan of being tied down to specific albums as I often go with the mood, and can go without playing any of them for months with others taking their place.
Most of them mean more to me in terms of aural bookmarks from when I first heard them, like photos from a certain time and place.
DMD: I know for a fact that you’re a big Sci-Fi fan, so are there any particular movies / novels / TV shows from the genre that really left a lasting impact on you? Are you a bit of a Whovian?
CS: Movies, yes, well, Bladerunner is definitely up there, and I did like many older b-type movies but revisiting them years later was slightly disappointing. I loved Outer Limits and, of course, Twilight Zone and thought rather highly of Sapphire & steel, a strange British TV series that featured Joanna Lumley and David Macallum. Very odd, but that was what was attractive about it (and Joanna Lumley), it was just so different.
As for Dr Who, I always enjoyed Tom Baker, but he was bonkers which added to the appeal. Some of the newer episodes starting with Eccleston were great.
I am more of a novel type SF fan really. I much prefer using my own imaginationary visuals rather than being shown them. I have always been a massive fan of JG Ballard, his short stories and the majority of his novels are, for me, peerless.
DMD: Why do you describe the music of CS as 'Sound Alchemy'?
CS: It was a phrase I actually nicked. Someone was using it and I thought yeah, I like that. Combining the idea of alchemy (transmutation) with sound, the manipulation of various samples and found sounds.
DMD: Any albums from the past few years that you’ve really enjoyed?
CS: I won't name specific people as I am bound to overlook or not mention some of them. But of course, almost all of my musical FB friends have released some great albums and I'd be lying if I didn't say that it's been a privilege to work with many of them when the Cousin Silas & Friends projects are ongoing.
Plus, I've done full albums with several artists who I admire and respect. As for the more commercial side of things, I just spend a lot of time on Youtube digging up old obscure albums, stuff I've never heard of, and listening to them. This really takes me back to the first years of my musical voyage, the thrill and excitement of finding new (to me) bands and artists.
DMD: Who are your top 10 favourite guitarists and why?
CS: Well, I'm not sure I could get to 10. I'll have a go at the ones who have inspired me, and who I still love to hear and watch. My first choice has to be Greg Lake, although not really that well known as a guitarist, as such, more a bass player. But the first 'real' guitarist, I suppose, was Robert Fripp…His sound and style was quite unlike anyone else for that period. Then again, those are the qualities that single out many guitarists.
Always enjoyed David Gilmour, Bill Nelson, and Peter Green from the old Fleetwood Mac days. I always liked Mark Knopfler as a guitarist, but oddly was never too keen on Dire Straits, work that out! And seeing as though I have mentioned a bass player, I have to mention Percy Jones. His work with Eno and Brand X is just stunning.
DMD: Seeing as you used to write a bit of poetry for publications, who are your favourite poets and why?
CS: I used to like Wilfred Owens, now whether that was because he was killed in the 1st world war and didn't live to his full potential I'm not sure what it was, added pathos of his circumstances I guess. And to be fair, I've actually not read much poetry, a bit of Malcolm Arnold maybe.
DMD: Please talk us through your current recording set up and your guitar collection
CS: I have two PCs, Windows 7. I use one for FB, internet, etc etc. The other PC is not on the internet and it's what I call the Silas Machine. I have an Akai Pro EIE that I use for the guitar to PC set up, and quite a few software synths such as Alchemy, Omnisphere, Hypersonic, Absynth and I still use Soundforge.
The DAW I use is Reaper. I use Guitar Rig 5, and have four stomp box/pedal things: A Morley volume/wah pedal, a Mooer compressor, Ditto II looper and a Strymon Big Sky.
I'm a bit uncomfortable talking too much about what guitars I have. It smacks a little of bragging, and aside from the fact that I have some Fenders, Gibsons, lots of Epiphones and a few in between.
DMD: You have released a truly staggering amount of records since CS began back in 2001, what is the official count? Do you have any favourites or any that you’d like to be remembered for?
CS: The official count as of right now is 214, which includes collaborations. As for tracks appearing on compilations I have no idea :). I have no specific albums as faves because they're all special to me, and as long as someone somewhere enjoys something I've done, even just one track, I'm happy with that.
DMD: What inspires you to create music?
CS: Many things. A memory, a photo, a sentence in a story or novel, where the novel is set, i.e beach resort (mainly with Ballard), a geographical location. Even some place names on Ordnance Survey Maps, such as Gallows Moss, conjure all manner of ideas and moods.
DMD: When you are not making music what can you normally be found doing?
CS: I tend to read a fair amount, enjoy wacky documentaries from conspiracy, hauntings, UFO’s, anything related to Forteana. I don't especially 'believe' in most of these unexplained and weird things, but I do find them compelling and they can (and have) created moods and atmospheres for the musical muse.
DMD: Can you tell us about your latest release?
CS: My latest release is Cousin Silas & Glove Of Bones - Spirits of Afrodubism on the Submarine Broadcasting company. It’s available now as a download and/or a limited edition cassette! Afrodubism is the fourth collab album I've done with Glove. This one is very much more dub, spacey dub. We just did the usual 'round robin' of collaborating and completed the tracks as and when we felt they were ‘ready.
DMD: Just to be clear, am I right in believing that you got the name Cousin Silas from the King Crimson song ‘Happy Family’?
CS: You certainly are, Sir. And it wasn't my idea either. I forget what the original non de plume that was suggested, all I do know is I wasn't too keen on it. But it was known that Lizard was one of my fave Crimson albums, so Cousin Silas just seemed a rather obvious choice.
DMD: What is your opinion on the current state of the music industry? Because having lived to see many changes are you happy to sell your music online or do you yearn for the days when physical music was the go to format?
CS: Strangely, I don't feel to be a part of the music 'industry' as such, not in the traditional sense. It has been a massive paradigm shift, totally, to what it used to be. I have had one or two albums for sale, but most of my stuff can be had for free. The whole debate about free or not to be free will rage on for as long as the sun does.
But at the end of the day, that choice is simply down to the musician. There's a real sense, generally, of community and mutual respect among the netlabel family. And if people are comfortable with not having superstardom and a fleet of Lear Jets at hand, then it will work out.
You see these young greenhorns pop up now and then, and they want everything like NOW. Like this, buy this, follow me... and more often than not, people are actually turned away by that kind of attitude. Maybe I'm in a small, a very small minority where everything I do is a hobby. That's what it is for me. I work full time.
DMD: Finally, does 2019 hold for you and your music?
CS: As for what 2019 holds.... who knows :) I just take the time and the ideas one step at a time.
Click here to read a review of the 2016 Cousin Silas record ‘Living in the Liminal Zone’ which appeared on the DMD best of 2016 list.
Hungry for more Ambient related readings?
Tuonela (Prog Ambient) interview link here
Michael Brückner (Ambient / Berlin School / Electronica) Interview link here
Also...Michael Brückner interviewing German Ambient /Drone Pioneer Mathias Grassow here
Graham Williams AKA LessThanOne (Dark Ambient / Drone / Experimental) Interview here
ealing. (Ambient / Hip Hop) Interview here
