A Chat with teh end (23.05.23)
Experimental, eclectic and intriguing – these are only three words to describe US-based singer-songwriter teh end. With his knowledge of orchestral conducting and composition, and love for all flavours of rock, teh end is a kaleidoscopic symphony of sound. We speak with this artist about his new album Kumbaya In A Minor, future plans, social media and more.
OSR: What drew you to music? What made you decide to become teh end?
teh end: I was a KISS fan as a kid. I was a Level 42 fan as a teen. I was a Count Basie and Tom Ze fan as a young adult. I’ve listened to Horace Silver while cooking for two years now. My ideal day would be listening to every Shostakovich symphony, from 1-15. I’ve seen Nine Inch Nails concerts and will possibly never see a better live show. I can listen to guilty pleasure ‘80s hair band Helix and Penderecki’s ‘Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima’ back-to-back and derive as much satisfaction from both.
What drew me is what draws any musician…something speaks to you. Then it speaks to you differently. It can be stuff that makes you think or doesn’t. You might just like the way it sounds. You might like the way it makes you feel. I like that one can listen to Earth, Wind, and Fire and get adrenalized happiness. And I like that one can listen to Berg’s Wozzeck and be utterly chilled to the bone.
OSR: What does music mean to you?
teh end: Music means listening. One of my pet peeves is the relentless shovelling of background music in restaurants and public spaces. I think it deadens our senses and isn’t great for our nervous systems in general. Music is sacred to me, and that sacredness demands active listening. It demands attention. It’s not supposed to be easy, which may seem a bit snobby and exclusive; but, for me, music means engagement and challenge and discovery and evolution. It’s a discussion with the past, present, and future.
Aside from that, I discovered the hard way that music has always been a critical factor in my mental health. I spent a good ten years in misery…a period empty of music, performing, listening, nothing. Kumbaya represents my return to music and it feels great to write, listen, and perform again.
OSR: What can you tell us about your album Kumbaya In A Minor? Is it a conceptual album or is there a story to it?
teh end: Though it didn’t begin that way, there is definitely a tone and a concept for the album. Kumbaya in A Minor is rebel rock with a twist. It takes on themes of megalomania, vanity, greed, oppression, hubris, and apathy, and encases them in a musical wrapper that is subtle, cohesive, and hard-hitting.
The album is meant to be listened to as a whole. Themes and lyrics in one track return in other tracks. It’s not an album of singles. Form is of huge importance in music, and I’ve tried to use that to structure the overall flow.
OSR: What was the most challenging aspect of creating the album?
teh end: I was a novice with regard to using a DAW (digital audio workstation) when I started recording. By far, the biggest challenge was tackling the learning curve involved in just getting the shit out of my head and into the software.
OSR: What was the most enjoyable part of creating the album?
teh end: Definitely the convergence of inspiration and revisiting a lot of my musical training. I’ve found it interesting that a track like ‘Two Strips’ has received such a wide range of divergent response from too dynamic to not dynamic enough…not commercial enough…all over the place. I think to the untrained ear, a lot gets missed.
OSR: If you could change one thing about Kumbaya In A Minor, what would it be?
teh end: I would have collaborated more. Aside from the solo guitar on ‘Realize’ (Josh Zee), I wrote and performed everything. I DID try to use some studio musicians on a few different occasions but just wasn’t able to get what I was looking for. I’d love to have collaborated with some great multi-instrumentalists.
OSR: Now for those random questions: what is your opinion on social media?
teh end: It’s a mixed bag. While it’s a boon for connectivity, I think it was a mistake to roll out Facebook, for example, untested, to millions of a generation not yet educated or equipped to parse through its content. You can already see the fallout of this, both in the sheer quantity of bad information and in many of the unsavoury cultural and societal shifts. It’s made us dangerously lazy.
OSR: If you could lock someone up and throw away the key, would you if so, who would that be?
teh end: Donald Trump
OSR: What is your greatest life achievement?
teh end: Surviving. Hell, what’s the alternative?
OSR: Do you have future plans for teh end?
teh end: Yes. Now that I’ve gone through the process of creating a whole album, I anticipate it being easier to exploit the technology tools that provided the greatest challenge initially. It may seem strange, but I’ve already moved on to my next projects. I’m excited to keep blending styles and sounds and providing a challenge, both for myself and for my listeners.
Many thanks to teh end for speaking with us. For more from teh end, check out his official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Bandcamp.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup. #sustainablecurator
