Purveyor of: Ethereal, maze-like contemporary instrumental composition
File next to: Can, Slim Twig, Goblin, John Cage
Playing: Day three of WL14 Saturday, February 15th @ June Records (662 College St., 4:00PM start)

To list Carl Didur’s accomplishments would be a trial in patience for an unfamiliar reader. Well known and regarded in the Toronto underground, his output over the past 14 years has been steady and dense. I’ll mention some things of note: On top of performing solo, Carl has backed Slim Twig and U.S. Girls. He creates music with Michael McLean as Zacht Automaat whose first album on vinyl, released by Calico Corp, is a double album culled from 11 digitally released albums made over three years, making it a greatest hits of sorts. The music he creates is challenging, labyrinthine and beautiful. Brad Casey was able to speak with Carl through email, as he rushed between the studio and the classroom, about his work ethic, the idea of success and an artist’s individual history set against the history of music. Seemingly confrontational, more so Carl is a musician with a genuine love of capital-M Music, protective of its shimmering core.

Carl Didur holds a special place in the heart of Wavelength. He played the second-ever Wavelength show back in 2000 with his then-band, Cedrumatic. He will be performing for WL14 in conjunction with the Weird Canada distro launch for Wyrd Distro the afternoon of Feb. 15 at June Records.

When your name is mentioned, a lot of people focus on your extensive output, having done 11 albums in 3 years. How do you view your output and your craft? Not that it’s necessarily an either/or situation but in relation to creating music do you consider yourself a working man or an artist? Is it important to you that you're always working on something new?

Technological changes have made it possible to make good music without spending big money on studio time and cultural changes have smoothed the way for individual creative authority. Since we are not investing large sums to make these releases, we are not beholden to the capital. Not being forced to operate on a certain schedule in order to recoup costs means we can release a record as soon as it is finished. We can be more spontaneous and also have more interesting long-term goals as a band this way. When the money isn't in control it is amazing what you can get done... There is a possibility people assume our work has less value because there is a lot of it and we offer it for free, but that is a society problem and you all can work it out together eventually. The DIY paradigm has shifted again and we can collectively take advantage of these opportunities, as inspired by others before us. Weird Canada and their new distribution arm is a perfect example! Regarding worker/artist, I agree that it is not an either/or situation and I don't fully understand the question. Show me anyone who can make anything without working on it!

From what I’ve gathered, you’re very well respected and admired in a particular segment of the Toronto music scene. How do you feel about outside success? Is it something you strive for? Is success even something you consider? How would you define success?

What is "outside success"? Outside of Canada? Outside of the "underground scene"? I am making music that would have thrilled me 10 years ago, and by that measure everything is amazing! I try to make things that are interesting and varied. I am not being deliberately difficult. I would like to be able to create music that will appeal to all humans. Can that be accomplished? Who knows? When can that project be deemed a success or a failure? Why waste time measuring such things against some arbitrary set of standards? The Calico Corp double Zacht LP and the warm feelings it generated was a real success for me (thank you Calico!), but it is by no means the end of the story.

The Zacht Automaat website has a heavy focus on historical information about the band. I also came across a Weird Canada interview in which you put items from your studio into a historical, almost mythical, context. How important is it to you that these histories, of you and your musical output, are not just put to tape but recorded? You are markedly influenced by krautrock, but do you see yourself participating in the ongoing history of the genre?

I try to talk to other people a lot about what engages them when discovering new music. Some want mystery and obscure postures, others are drawn in by the human angle. As I see it at the moment, if you are interested in something already, more information is better. If not, Carl's-Story-Corner isn't going to hook you.

What doesn't interest me so much is the construction of arbitrary false historical narratives and attempting to stamp them on yourself or others. I am most definitely not a "krautrock" musician, have never defined myself as one. It seems so lazy and meaningless! It doesn't even make sense! The word itself is derogatory and vague. Why the shortcuts? I do feel an emotional drive to continue the work of prior generations and have explained myself in the past using words like "prog" or "Canterbury" or what-have-you, but these categories are destructive and limiting. A lot of great work was done all around the world in the last century, opening up new avenues of composition. You could say a lot of great work has been done in the last 10,000 years opening up new avenues of composition, even. I want to apply and synthesize ideas from this whole spectrum, as myself, whoever I am at this moment wherever I happen to be. Maybe through some incidental process I will create something that a later generation will find meaningful!

"Hallogallo" is fine, OK? What about Bach, Tommy James and the Shondells, Charles Ives, Magma, Joe Meek?? What about The Residents, Jaques Brel, Stravinsky, Debussy, Lard Free, Fad Gadget?? BATTIATTO! SOFT MACHINE! SYRINX! SCARLATTI! GAMELAN!! WASHING MACHINES! ... WIND!! What about those weird songs that come before news updates, requiems, chorales, car alarms, Art Garfunkle?? Harry Partch, EGG, Frederick Brown, William Onyeabor? The Turtles?? SUN RA!! POLYNESIAN CHRISTMAS CAROLS! GEESE!! What about "These are a few of my favourite things," as sung by my mother when I was a child? The sound of my own heart beating when I am afraid?? The melodies of birds, farts and a gasp of wonderment... I called Zacht Automaat a "Fortean Band" on myspace way back, meaning, in the stodgier original Charles Fort sense, anomalous. I don't think it ought to be anomalous — I think it is perfectly natural, everything I do — but the world is a pretty strange place.

Do you have anything special planned for the Wyrd Disto launch you’re playing?

Weird Canada and Wavelength deserve the best and they will get the best. My newest discoveries applied with aplomb and finesse. This solo set will feature two stereo 1/4 tape machines with interrelated loops, function generator, Suzuki organ and various devices, served with sound-activated light and wrapped in a golden cape.

Carl Didur plays #WL14 in-store event Saturday, February 15 @ June Records (662 College St. - 3:00pm start)

Photo credit: Matthew Dunn