soundcultmusiczine

from the upcoming issue of

letters from readers interview

lett ers from readersby joaquin

How long has Letters From Readers been together, and what made you want to start this project?

Letters From Readers started a while ago in 2006 right before my previous band split up, I was recording pieces of music that were no more than 40 seconds long, you couldn’t really call it a complete idea but those seconds sounded like I wanted them to… So I guess that’s the start… In 2010 I got a couple of tracks re-corded in a 2 week period; tracks that I liked a lot but weren’t ma-ture enough, so I decided to send it to mastering and call it WARM UP SESSIONS EP.. This release was just personal. I was not plan-ning to go out and perform it, because it was only me making all those noises with real instru-ments… Then, my friend Ruben Tamayo talked me into putting up a website and making it an of-ficial project, “a one man band” or “studio project” however you want to call it… And I went for it… A few months later in 2011 at the FAX zig zag CD release show, I had the nerves to grab his laptop and play the tracks I had recorded for the EP and some other unreleased work… At the end of my set a local promoter asked me to play a show he was

setting up, but honestly…playing with a computer just felt wrong to me… So I asked my friends Rodo, Valentin and Ruben if they could help me to play the warm up session tracks live and they all said yes… And here we are, even though the show that got us to-gether never happened… We set one up.

You have played in bands in the past. What past bands did you play in, and what experiences have you taken from your past bands and applied them to Let-ters From Readers?

Yes I have… I’ve been playing since I was 8 or 9 years old in a school band here in Mexicali, but in the music scene I played with 2 unknown projects that were ex-tremely fun to be part of… One was kind of surf rock music, and the other band was poprock (my old band mates thought we played alternative rock, but it was cheesy as hell). I have learned that it’s really important to focus on making music without want-ing something to come out of it. It’s all about having fun doing what you love.

What genre of music do you consider LFR to be? Who or what are your major influences?

As a producer, I consider LFR to be whatever I feel like. As a listener, I want to say “abstract instrumental”, but…honestly, I don’t know…

Major influences in my life are 1. My brother when he was in the 80’s punk rock scene. 2. My cousins in the early 90’s play-ing punk influenced by Rancid, Operation Ivy, The Ramones, The Clash, etc… 3. Late 90’s hip hop… … I also like a shit load of music like any other music lover, so… Everything is an influence, I guess.

Because Letters From Readers is a band that is mostly instru-mental, is it easier to experi-ment more with the noise, visu-als and electronics aspect of the band?

I think, as soon as you get vocals and lyrics in a musical piece you are attached to a theme and its complicated to get out of it. But I wouldn’t say that you are limited to try new things, you can always make music with whatever comes to mind. …Instrumental music itself, makes you imagine some things that others might not think of… So, when our visual artist steps in, and creates something for the show, he creates based on

I had the pleasure recently of catching Letters From Readers live when my band shared the bill with them in Mexicali, Mexico which Letters From Readers and it’s slew of multi- tal-ented members call home. Letters From Readers is Gerardo Montoya’s music project which mixes electronics, samples, beats, synth, guitar, bass, ambient noise, video projections, and live drums to produce a sonic wall of abstract, chaotic noise and visuals that seem fall into place like clockwork. Gerardo along with the help of friends Ruben Tamayo, Valentin Torres & Rodo Ibarra just finished recording their new album “Dot Dash” and will be releasing it on the Tijuana based label At At Records.

what the music told him, so it always fits…I think its easier for others to re-late to the music.

Every member in the band has their own band/project that differs from the sound of Letters From Readers. What inspired you guys to play to-gether?

Friendship, There’s no other reason.

Does having members that all have their own respective bands/projects ever make it difficult to get things done as a band?

Not at all. They’re always willing to make time for the project, so I can rely on them to record some sound ideas or maybe adding the final touches to a track.

Who writes the songs: is it just you or is it a collaboration between the whole band?

I write everything for the most part... Valentin always sends tracks for me to work with. I have to chop everything up and make it work. Then Ruben can add guitar later or Rodo, some bass.. And sometimes I just make every-thing myself; guitars, bass, drums, etc… I also get help from friends who are not in the band.

You guys just finished recording a new album “Dot Dash”. How long did it take to write and record it? Did you have an idea of the way you wanted the album to sound before the recording, and did it come out as planned?

It took less then a year to finish it.. But

it took more time than I wanted it to. Luckily for me, I was working with other bands in the meantime.

I never know what the next track is going to sound like. I had a basic idea of the overall sound, I was aiming to get that sound the whole time, so yeah, I’m pretty happy with the sound of this album.

What is your favorite track off the new album and why?

All of them… because it’s LETTERS FROM READERS. Wink!

When you’re not playing in Letters From Readers you help run Em-prise SoundLab Recording Studio in Mexicali. How has this helped with Letters From Readers, and how and when did you begin work-ing at the Studio?

Everything I learn while working on new stuff with other musicians or in sound design for videos is applied to Letters From Readers, also giving me the opportunity to take risky steps in order to get different sounds.

I have cassette recordings from way back in the day… I was the weirdo behind the music trying to record every time my band was practicing… Later in life, I took some recording technique classes in college, I also worked as an assistant at Different Fur Studios in San Francisco Ca., and more recently at Skyline Studios NYC, thanks to Rick Perez who is a long distance team member of Em-prise SoundLab and currently works at various studios in NYC.

Live band photos: Hector Banda. • All other photos: Marco Cueto.

How and when did I begin working at the Studio? Basically I got kicked out of a band along with the bass player because, and I quote, “Lack of Talent” (the guy who kicked me out of the band is still my friend, I’m not hating, this is actually how it happened.) So that being said, my love for making and record-ing music was not going to vanish because of that.. I decided to start a recording studio with my friend Manuel Viramontes, and I invited Ruben to be part of the team since we share the same love for the art of sound. I think it was the end of 2007 when the idea popped into my head (creating the studio) and a few months later I recorded Maniqui Lazer’s “Magical Medicine” LP, with literately no real recording gear at home… The studio has been fully functional since 2010, but is still a work in progress, there is always something new to add or to improve.

When I told people my band was playing a show in Mexicali with you guys, most of them didn’t even know that Mexicali had a “scene.” How would you describe the music scene in Mexicali and how has it influenced you?

The music scene in Mexicali at this moment I would describe it as ambiguous… I don’t know if it has an influence on me.

Now that Letters From Readers has finished recording the new album what’s next, more new music, touring, etc…?

More music for sure! Hopefully some shows outside Mexicali. www.lettersfromreaders.comwww.facebook.com/lettersfromreaderswww.soundcloud.com/lettersfromreaderswww.emprisesoundlab.comwww.atat-records.com