KARLBARTOS.COM

29th August 2010



Karl Bartos - robotid vajavad, et nad sisse lülitataks
Interview for RADA7 conducted by Ester Faiman

rada7: How did you first decide to become a musician? You have said: ”All I wanted was to be a classical percussion player in an orchestra and maybe a professor for percussion instruments at the University of Music”. What happened?

Karl Bartos: I've heard the sound of the Beatles and that changed my life. Reality was unreal as opposed to their music which was real.

rada7: I ’m asking, of course, what gave you the strength and inspiration to step down from such a impressiv bandwagon? I believe that many would not dare to make such a decision. Has the decision justified itself?

Karl Bartos: I wanted to be responsible for my own life. Independence and self-determination was in favour of safety and certainty.

rada7: Have you ever given an interview, where you have not been asked about your time in Kraftwerk?

Karl Bartos: Haha – during my time at the Berlin University of the Arts the main topic was my curriculum: the convergance of image and sound.

rada7: The topic of your lecture, before the concert, is ”Musica ex Machina”. Could you reveal a bit more, what it's going to be about?

Karl Bartos: The topic of my film lecture is the development of sound recording ranged from the invention of phonograph to the current digital techniques of ”Visual Music”.

rada7: Could you briefly describe, what may the audience expect from ”LiveCinema”?

Karl Bartos: I'm gonna perform the greatest hits of my musical career in which I took part as co-author like ”Numbers”, ”Computer World”, ”Homecomputer”, ”Computer Love”, ”The Man Machine”, ”The Model”, ”The Robots” or ”Tour de France” as well as samples of my solo work ”Communication” – in an unique audio-visual dj/vj set. The classic songs of electronic music converge with visuals reminiscent the abstract ”Absolute Film” of the 1920s, narrative film and computer animations. You can dance to the music while you watch the screens. It’s all about rhythm: How the rhythm of the moving images and the rhythm of the music converge into an all-over audio-visual performance.

rada7: Do you usually have the time to look around in cities, where you perform? You haven’t been in Tallinn before?

Karl Bartos: No, I wasn't in Tallinn before. While I'm touring I'm working. I'm not a tourist on a holiday trip. But, of course, I do love my work! Anyway, there won't be too much time to see the landscape – but I'll give it a try.

rada7: You have said that you musical influences are bands mainly from the 60s and 70s; your visual side has been inspired by Bauhaus and Absolute Film. Could you name someone from nowadays, who maybe impressed you lately?

Karl Bartos: Leave alone the classical composers... Below you mention the German artist Blixa Bargeld. I like his work, especially his solo work. ”EUROPA KREUZWEISE” is a great book on touring, by the way.

rada7: Why is audio-visual or media art necessary? It's not really music nor film. For example I've noted that ”real” film directors really despise video art? Why is it necessary to experiment with different mediums?

Karl Bartos: Is it really necessary? I don't know. To me film and music – both time based media – are complete different but have so much in common and I'm taking advantage from the fact that for the first time in history we can process both layers in real time.

rada7: Artists creative processes are very individual – some improvise and see, what comes out of it, others work very systematically and they know exactly what they want to do and how they are going to achieve it. What kind is your method to create ?

Karl Bartos: An amateur waits for inspiration – a professional artist goes to work. I'm taking in the world and if I'm lucky and given my subconscious mind helps me I come up with an idea. When I have forgotten my return of tax, my next record deal, my isurance bill and all my obligations and sorrows I'm on. Basically I try to get into that state of ”flow” by zooming in my usual work flow like entering the studio, cup of tea etc.

rada7: Has it ever occured, that someone, who gets acquianted with your work for the first time, claims that you have borrowed from other bands, when in reality, it's actually the opposite?

Karl Bartos: Yes, ev'ry now and then – that's funny! After a performance somebody wrote in a forum: ”He tries to be modern and imitates Two Step”. That was a good one. Usually I'm playing the tracks in the original arrangement from the 70s or 80s.

rada7: ”Would you love a robot?” – is the main theme of Plektrum festival. Would you? What will be the relationship between humankind, technology and culture in the future?

Karl Bartos: If I would know that, I would be a billionair, I guess. I'm happy if I can manage my everyday life and download the latest update of my video software... I always have in mind that we're the electronic apemen and we're just realising that technology has got some unwanted, unpredictable side effects.

rada7: Are humans already finally and hopelessly depending on robots (in a wider meaning, may they be e.g. synthesizers or vacuum cleaners)?

Karl Bartos: In the western world we're depending on stable growth of our ecconomy. That has proven wrong and I wonder how long it's gonna take to understand that.

rada7: Do robots need humans in the future? Do robots need music and art?

Karl Bartos: Yes, robots need us badly to be switched on!

rada7: Which robot (in a wider meaning again) has impessed you most?

Karl Bartos: I can't answer that seriously because there are too many, really, but since I'm a musician... the invention of the phonograph was a big step. Telephone and radio liberated sound from it's original position in space.The phonograph was to emancipate it from it's position in time.

rada7: There is also another legendary band originating from Germany, who are experimenting a lot with modern art and music – Einstürzende Neubauten. Blixa Bargeld visited Estonia last year and perfomed his solo vocal performance ”Rede/Speech” here. (To the organizers amazement, it was totally sold out. For some reason they thought, that only a handful of people know EN.) What are you thinking about their experiments, their way to create and perform sounds, art, music?

Karl Bartos: Blixa I like!

rada7: What does the future hold for your creative plans? May the fans expect a new album or something completely unexpected? A dance act, perhaps?

Karl Bartos: Maybe I'm gonna try out some dance tricks? What about some tap-dancing? I'm gonna find out and let you know, okay?