Words With: Autechre, Vol. 1 (2015)

Recently, I republished a story I wrote about Autechre for SF Weekly: Look Back: A Ghost in the Machine (an Autechre feature from 2015).

Though my interview was ostensibly intended to promote their October 2015 San Francisco show—which, as of this writing, is the last time they toured the U.S.—I spoke with the pair (Sean Booth and Rob Brown) for nearly two and a half hours, touching on a full gamut of topics: influential musicians and artistry (Jeff Mills, Chuck D, Coil, Nine Inch Nails, Meat Beat Manifesto, Laurel Halo, more), studio and composition practices, collaboration and working process, writing music and algorithms with Cycling '74's Max, their personal relationship, the history of U.K. hardcore and so-called "IDM," and beyond.

Only a few minutes' worth of quotes made it into that SF Weekly piece. For the first time, I'm publishing the complete transcript, all 8,200 words, split into two parts—with permission from Rob and Sean.

This interview was definitely "for the fans, by a fan"—so I'm keeping this for paid subscribers only. Enjoy!

Chris Zaldua
I’ve been a huge fan of your music since I was a young teenager.

Sean Booth
Whenever I meet any of these people I feel that same way about, I’m instantly nervous. It’s weird, there’s no reason for it—just the age thing magnifies everything.

Rob Brown
I think I get like that a bit with artists that have had a deeper influence on me … Graham Massey was one, in the middle of Manchester back in the '80s. Somebody like Mantronix, Just-Ice, guys like Jeff Mills—I was in a car with him and just turned to stone.

We feel like we’ve got a right to tell people what effect they've had on us. Then when we do it—even if I can say it in the perfect way—it would still do their heads in, or annoy them, maybe.

Sean
It’s like if someone starts saying—what you did changed my life … It’s like, Oh god.

CZ
I got to meet Jeff Mills recently. I interviewed him for an event in San Francisco, where he performed his movie score. I got to chat with him backstage and he was the most incredible, down to earth, thoughtful guy.

Sean
He’s so nice. He’s the opposite of what you’d expect from someone in his position. Massively humble. His mixes from the '80s were really similar to shit that we used to do. It was weird, discovering that he used to do mixes. When we first met him I just assumed he was a German guy—in his aesthetic and name—I thought, there’s no way this is a guy from Detroit. 

He’s a nice guy. He’s not like most people with an ego.

CZ
He’s like a superhuman being.

Rob
I like how he’s quiet. Keeps it fairly under the hood. I’d like to be like that a bit more. If you connect with someone, you just become friends, don’t you? We managed to do that with Jeff and a few others. 

We spent time with Juan Atkins in Japan, which was incredible. I have the Polaroid to prove it, but I can’t recall anything I ever said to him of any value, and that really does my head in. (laughs)

CZ
Did you guys ever work with Coil?

Sean
We tried. We knew them through [???] in about ‘94. 

When we were coming up, there wasn't really anyone in our scene who was into Coil. It was really separate from anything we'd been supposed to be into. When we mentioned them, we’d get blank looks, or people would be surprised. 

I think Steve Beckett met one of them in Thailand. He was on holiday somewhere, and they were there. He mentioned we were fans, and they weren’t aware of what we were doing yet, but they got in touch immediately. I met Geoff [aka John Balance] and Sleazy [aka Peter Christopherson] and Drew [McDowall] in about ‘94 at the ICA. We just had a coffee and a chat, and I was just asking tons of questions.