Is the [Detroit jazz label] Tribe album you talked about finished?
“Yeah, with Wendell Harrison. It’s nearing completion. It’s been a long process. In a way, the recording of the instrumental parts was a straightforward process, it happened quite quickly. But my part as a producer, to put my touch on it as a sound-designer – that’s been more challenging, and taken more time than I expected.
“Hopefully the finished thing will combine the best of his Tribe legacy with my own in electronic music.”
Do you think you’ll return at any point to making a completely solo studio album, like Landcruising or More Songs About Food And Revolutionary Art?
“Well, it really has to do with the time it takes. More Songs was really a collection of tracks that had accumulated over time, a bit like Sessions, but something like Landcruising – where every song was written specifically for the purpose – well, that’s a different thing.
“But I will get around to it, I guess. But non-collaborative? I doubt it. Even if it’s “my” album, there are people I know who I’d really want to contribute – Wendell’s horn-playing, and John Arnold, who’s a great guitarist. And I’ve been talking to [Underground Resistance's] Mike Banks for a long time about doing something together, so maybe that will happen soon.”
I’m often surprised at how little audio-visual work you’re involved in. I mean, I know you’ve worked with visuals before, but it doesn’t seem to be something you’ve prioritized in recent years…
“Yeah, you’re right. It’s strange, because for me, the biggest influence on me growing up was TV – I just watched so much TV when I was a kid. So there’s a been a big visual influence on what I do all along, and maybe I should do some more video work. I think I will. One of the reasons I haven’t done it so much so far is because, in Detroit at least, there are no video people I particularly want to work with. There are some good people, but they’re not really right for me. So I guess I’m just waiting for the right collaborator to come through. Who knows, maybe it’ll be one of my kids? Maybe it’ll be my son…”
What’s your attitude to re-issue culture? How do you feel about re-packaging your past?
“We have the Planet E Classics series, so I evidently have no problem with re-issues. I understand the importance of keeping things available. But then I also understand the value of letting things go out of print for a while. If you let something go out of print for 10 years, there’s obviously going to be more interest when you do decide to bring it back. Anyway, this year we’ll be releasing a vinyl box set of the 69 releases, which should be really nice.”
More and more of your work seems to fall under the banner of Carl Craig these days; you seem less inclined to use the range of pseudonyms and alter egos you used to use…
“I guess the different name thing had to with me being younger, always moving around, jumping from one thing to the next thing. It wasn’t particularly conscious. And even now, I might just make a record and it’s a Tres Demented record, or I might do something else and I know it’s a Paperclip People record. I don’t really think too hard about it.
“But maybe one day I’ll do the Planet E Revue, you know?” [laughs]. I’ll perform in all my different guises. You know, Peace can open the show, 69 can close it!”
Kiran Sande
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