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Artist Interviews
Q&A: The Crystal Method
By CMU Editorial | Published on Thursday 24 September 2009
Formed in 1993 by producer Ken Jordan and DJ Scott Kirkland, who met at a club in their home town of Las Vegas, The Crystal Method’s debut album, ‘Vegas’, was released by Outpost Recordings in 1997. Although they’ve always stuck to dance music, subsequent albums have all featured guests from the world of rock, including Rage Against The Machine’ Tom Morello, Stone Temple Pilots’ Scott Weiland and Limp Bizkit’s Wes Borland. Their latest album, ‘Divided By Night’, was released in the UK earlier this month and features guests like New Order man Peter Hook and Metric’s Emily Haines. We spoke to Ken Jordan to ask our Same Six Questions.
Q1 How did you start out making music?
I started out in Las Vegas, on my own. I was working with a singer trying to make Euro-house music. Then I met Scott, my partner, and we combined all our gear and talents. A few years later The Crystal Method was born.
Q2 What inspired your latest album?
We have been waiting so long to make this album. Getting into our new studio, the Crystalwerks, took much longer than expected, so when we finally got going the songs just poured out.
Q3 What process do you go through in creating a track?
We try to start with a musical idea first, a vocal hook, a melody, a chord progression. We try not to start with drums.
Q4 Which artists influence your work?
Led Zeppelin, 70s Stevie Wonder, disco, Radiohead, Public Enemy, Leftfield.
Q5 What would you say to someone experiencing your music for the first time?
This ain’t no techno.
Q6 What are your ambitions for your latest album, and for the future?
We will continue to tour and promote ‘Divided By Night’ probably through to February 2010. We will also be working on a new remix for The Doors. Then we’ll go back in to the studio to make a new album.
MORE>> www.thecrystalmethod.com
