Dean Garcia - Less Is More by Revista The 13th

The13th AÑO: 3

NÚMERO 25

UNA R E VISTA IMA GINARIA

[ Interview with Dean García (SPC ECO) by Diego Centurión Translation: Gabo Rojo y Lily Moonster ]

LESS IS MORE

Before starting I’d like to thank you for the opportunity of interviewing you. It is an honor for me to be able to contact one of the musicians who, through Curve, mainly provided the soundtrack for most of my life in the 90s, and still does so through SPC ECO. Though we’ll focus mostly on SPC ECO, I would like to briefly recapitulate your past before we jump into that. You had worked with several bands before arriving at Eurythmics, which in a way was the step previous to Curve. Tell us briefly about your beginnings in the music industry and your projects before Curve. Thanks and no problem. I started to play drums at school with a friend, around the time of T Rex, then moved onto the guitar before finally settling with the bass as it's like a combination of the two. I Stuck with the bass and acquired a Music Man Sting Ray Bass that was bought by Jules for £300 in Charing Cross Road in the late 70's I'm still with Jules and still have the bass that I use on everything including all the Curve tours and albums. I'm self taught and learnt a lot by playing with friends in bands for pub gigs or in someones garage. I also decided to learn about engineering and recording, I've always been interested in recording techniques and studios from a very young age (13) so I just taught myself how to use the machines, four track reel to reel recorders and Orange desks and onwards as things have developed and changed over the years. I played in friend bands for about four years (and worked in various re-

cord shops for money). During that time I was noticed by a manager and was invited to an audition with Dave n Annie at the church in Crouch End. That was in 1982/3 I spent a good while with Dave n Annie which was as much a life lesson as anything. I have very fond memories of that time. From there I went on to work and tour with a lot of very well known and established artists and was introduced to Toni by Dave. To anyone that is starting out my advice would be to hang n play with your mates in noisy bands and learn to listen to others. Embrace the after gig journey down the motorway and be as fearless as possible, oh and most important, never get off the tour bus alone... Just to touch briefly on Curve, which practically hypnotized me during the 90s, what are your main recollections, both positive and negative, of your time with the band? With all the reunion tours that have been going on, have you been tempted to come back as Curve? Have you ever discussed it with Toni? It hypnotised me too, an amazing blur of time, we made some great records, had a brilliant time playing them out, a flurry of emotions both good bad and previously un explored. It was intense and we have no regrets. I speak with Toni quite a lot still, we will always be there for one another regardless but we give each other space as what we went through with Curve demands that you have to have space from each other. Re going out again we've been thinking more seriously about it and rather than just dismissing it instantly with a simple and decisive NO recently we've had other thoughts which have turned into a never say never feeling for both of us so… yeah…Shuts mouth. Now on to SPC ECO. Where does the name come from? The name came from an instant message convo I was having with Joey, he liked the Primal Scream shortened words thing and suggested we shorten the Roland Space Echo. I agreed thinking it'll do for now. So much has happened since then and we're just kind of stuck with it now. Neither of us likes anything about it but that's the way things go I suppose. We tried to change it to B O F C which we love but it just confused everyone so yeah I think

we'll always be S E now, it's not a bad name as such it just feels wrong for us now like we've outgrown it and it's become something in the past rather than the now. January marks the 7th anniversary of your debut album 3D. How do you feel about the album after all this time? 7 years blimey. I still think it has some great songs on it, and has faired well. For All Time is still one of my favourite songs we've ever recorded, I see it as the glue that forms the musical bond between Rose and I. The other songs are good too, it’s a solid record full of promise, it’s like a portal for everything that has followed. Since then, SPC ECO has released several EPS, singles and albums. Does the Internet make it easier for a band to release so much material? Without doubt, you can now write and record something releasable via a phone app, labels are still important but now it's the artist that leads the way, now is the time for the artist to shine and do whatever the fuck you wanna do regardless of other people or linen suited tastemakers, or those 'in the know' pointy shoe media types that do nothing but stifle and dilute creativity. That shit will always be there for the Simon 'what fucking evs' Cowell drivel droids but you now have the choice to do your own thing whenever you want, whatever that may be, that can only be a good thing. Do you believe it is possible for musicians to self-release everything by themselves, independent from record companies, which seem to be losing ground? Yes but it depends on what it is you're going for, labels can and do help artists achieve their goals but you have to take it back to the base level and ask yourself why it is that you make music, I make it because I want to and have to, it keeps me sane, I have something to say that I can’t express any other way, it will always be there and that is it for me. Yes it would be nice to sell a zillion records and go on tour with Rose but it's not the reason we do it. What’s it like to work with your daughter Rose Berlin? How did the collaboration start?

Working with Rose has and always will be a joy, for both of us, we learn, create, inspire and ultimately have great fun making these records, it's just something we like to do and always will, Rose has the need as I do, she's a very talented person at whatever she puts her mind to, Rose has the ability to make something better than it was before, whatever that is. She's a naturally gifted and talented singer, what makes it amazing is the fact that she constantly surprises herself, she doesn't know where these things come from she just taps into them and there they are, we're both bemused as to where these things come from. It seems to me you just tap into them when you need to, don't over think just do. It's not in us all which is good but if it is and you know how to dial it up then it will always be very special to you and be with you for all time. What is SPC ECO like in a live setting? Do you employ other musicians? We used to but decided less is more, the early shows we had Harry, (son) Monti and Debbie Smith. Then we whittled it down to just a 3 piece with Harry then just the two of us. We haven't played live in a long while simply because the venues and type of shows on offer to us were more trouble and stress than what they are worth. We know we can play very well live if we want to but it's just something we're not interested in at this time. Your new track “Think Twice” is dedicated to three “Barrys.” Who are them? Barry MaGuire (deceased dear dear friend) Barry

Kamen (recently deceased dear friend) and Barry our new kitten / Cat. Could you tell us briefly about your further projects for 2016? Just finished the new S E record entitled Anomalies which I think will be released on vinyl and CD in June 2016 (possibly sooner) Currently working with Preston Maddox from Bloody Knives (Austin Texas band) on a full album as yet untitled for both band name and record. We have 8 songs so far gonna keep going till it's done. It sounds like something that needs to tour and blast out of your very alternative radio. About to release a project with Monti called M.A.D. which is a very dark and moody drop into the abyss of sub tones n dubbed out tripatronica, perfect for chilling the fuck out to while your eyes are rolling in your head. Rose and I are about to embark on a conceptual set of recordings that will be more sound based and art, something new and bewildering that will fascinate us if no-one else but that's just the way we like it. Thanks again Dean for this opportunity, and we’d like to contact you again once your new album is released. Kind regards, Diego You're very welcome and BIG thanks for the support and cheer. Dean :) x

The13th U NA R EVISTA IMA GINA RIA