MAKIS

Born in Australia in 1978, I lived my first character defining years in Geelong (VIC). Melbourne was the big city at the time and I have only good memories from being driven around those streets – the anticipation of the big city lights was well imprinted in me.

My parents he had to flee back to their country of origin (Greece) in 1985 and I had to go with them and live in Sindos (Thessaloniki) till 1996. Boring environment – troubled teens.

My only goal coming out of puberty was to be accepted in a university away from home – the bigger the city the better. And I succeeded in with great struggle but in my first attempt: I went to university of Athens to study Mathematics.

I saw this as my chance to form myself the way I wanted, independent from external lobotomizing. Academic studies was way down on my priority list as I felt I had more important things to investigate. Electronic music was one of them.

Making music since 1997, I started experimenting with sounds and produced my first simple songs. I had the curiosity to learn how the electro masters managed to built so complicated beats and fx.

At first my songs got nothing more than a sympathy vote by my friends. Then a few DJs became loyal supporters including my songs in their sets.

Had the pleasure of working with other talented musicians…

The first round of music creation ended in 2006 when I wanted to focus in more technical / career building activities. I returned back to Australia and lived in Sydney.

2010 will be the year I return to the scene…

Bet you’ve heard that one a million times. Well let me give you my perception on this…

To be frank, it’s not commercialism that bothers me. It’s that the music created with the prospect of being commercial (or mainstream or pop if you prefer those terms) just doesn’t work for me – it simply isn’t entertaining. It’s most of the times annoying and of poor quality.

And this bothers me because it’s meant for the masses. I mean, it’s OK to make music that sucks but why does the majority of the people on this planet only get to hear this music? Is this in fact what they deserve?

And then there’s the whole star system that sits on top of this music which is at least ridiculous. Mass media encourage people to worship stars for no apparent reason. They just say something like: “This is our star and he/she has just released their album and it’s already a big success – Buy it now”.

The quality of the music isn’t up for discussion, it’s not even relevant. The ideology of the songs is non-existent and the charisma of the “artist” is limited to his/her good looks. Someone else composes the songs, someone else produces the songs, someone else designs the artwork. Most of the times they don’t even perform the song satisfyingly.

So what is this, if not just another industrial product?

Making money through music isn’t bad – but making music just to create money seems just wrong. Music should have an essence – even pop music. If not then you have a by-product, background music in a soft porn video clip.

People always focus on the simple, everyday concerns. Commercialism is just another expression of this basic function of society. But there where always those free spirits that wanted to raise from the present. Most of them are probably already forgotten but others are still known as great innovators: artists, scientists, constructors.

Those people ALWAYS had to face the disbelief of the many, and the nonsupport of the community they lived in. Those people fought for their right to dream of a better tomorrow, and in part have succeeded. Those people I’d like to think as role models and truly feel I can relate to…

I want to create music that’s really me. Music out of my heart, my own ideas, programs, combinations, effects, building-ups etc. I like to create something that no one ever heard of! Music you can’t say what kind of it is…

Label hunting, PR building, contracts, sale reports, collabs.

I must admit, somewhere I lost the meaning of it all.

I thought more about commercializing my music and present something that would be appreciated than concentrating on the basic principals of the music production, the one’s I had from the start.

I really do music for my entertainment, and through that to identify the unique taste that defines me.

With that state of mind, it didn’t matter what others have say, if I get good feedback or not.

I want to create the music I WANT, period.

Alternative music got burned in the fight between alternative rock and underground electronic music on what is the best genre. And from their ashes RAP raised once again, a genre all thought was gonna die in the 90’s, and like a phoenix* regenerated itself and is now more powerful (and mainstream) than ever.

The rockers couldn’t possibly unite with the clubbers and that’s how rap became mainstream with all the artists supporting each other and all making money.

Also, the people got tired of “depressing” songs and wanted something more light, and rap was there to give them the glamor, the girls and the coolness (in a superficial kinda way) they wanted to see.

Of course it helps that the first rappers of the 80’s are now executives of labels, pulling the strings for new rap artists to emerge and prevail.

One last reason for the success of rap is Eminem. I don’t think much about his music but what he is is what Elvis was back in the 60’s – a marriage between the white and black culture. It’s a proven succesful method. You take a “white” person with a “black” talent and you have both white and black appealing to it…

—-NOTES:—-
* In Mythology: A bird in Egyptian mythology that lived in the desert for 500 years and then consumed itself by fire, later to rise renewed from its ashes.

This must be my corniest post ever…

Yeah yeah yeah, we hear it all the time on the radio, we go out and buy CDs and watch interviews of the so-called musicians. Everyone says that music is so wonderful BUT what exactly is it? How do you distinguish it from sound and speech and what is that special signal that makes you “trance” into someone else’s feelings just by absorbing audio waves?

Here are a few thoughts, what I feel music is to me:

* Music is a magic waveform. In a world built for your eyes, music invades the 3 dimensions and fills our surrounding space. It’s funny how despite the fact that we can only hear it, it can penetrate our mind and fill us with feelings.

* Songs are the ghosts among us. They are those that poses a person and make him feel as they want. It’s presence is undenied although no one has proof they are in the air.

* Music is influential. Music is an experience. Music is not a spectacle, it’s personal.

Please feel free to leave your interpretation of what music is to you…

August 2003 – Sent Makis Demo CD (2X-TRIM 4U)
FREEZE magazine (BUBBLE Publications)
Μusic City
Marc Kordelos
ANO KATO RECORDS
Planet Works
Avopolis Music Network

September 2003 – Gave Makis Demo CD (2X-TRIM 4U)
Μάνος Νομικός

3/10/2003 – Sent Makis Demo CD (2X-TRIM 4U)
DJ sir round
DJpagio
rock n roll magazine
S7records
Drum ‘n’ Bass Arena
Dysgenic Records
MOBY – DEF Management

12 November 2003 – Sent Makis Demo CD (2X-TRIM 4U)
Warp
rephlex
sonig
Klangkrieg Produktionen
Resonant Recordings
crank!
No Room For Talent Records
Underground Music
Tigerbeat 6
Third Ear
Outward Music Company
Vision Publishing

…

by the mid 2005 I wanted to make something more meaningful with my music skills… so the “Alternate the mind” project emerged again as a priority to me…

On the side I continued to work on the Robot Archives as well as started on the virtual version of Mental Vein….

Now I feel ready to layout the unique patterns that where built inside me all this time…
….