Someone Else is Philadelphia's Sean O'Neal, co-founder of the Tuning Spork and Fuzzy Box record labels. These days he is better known as co-running the brilliant Foundsound record label & Unfoundsound netlabel while releasing avant-garde house & techno on labels such as Alphahouse, Microcosm, Roman, Photo & Nummer, in addition to wonderful remixes on Hello? Repeat, Mule Electronic, Revolver Recordings, Goosehound, Phlegmatek plus a host of other quality labels.
With the release of his first long player, ‘Pen Caps & Colored Pencils’, Someone Else dishes up trademark organic sounds meticulously cut up & delivered with both funk & panache on tracks such as ‘Hedroom Eyes’, ‘Curly Mouth’ & ‘Peaches & Steam’’. With an extensive tour in support of the album we thought it might be a good time to catch up with Someone Else…
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First up, how the bloody hell are you? What’s news?
I am OK thus far. But I am not bloody yet. News? Well, I just released an album on Foundsound Records. Aside from that, I have been touring and playing non-stop around the world. And this is the way it will continue to be for many months to come.
Once you get to Australia, we can get you bloodied. Don’t worry about that.
Gross!
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You’ve released a host of EP’s & remixes to this point, what was the thinking behind an album for the ‘Pen Caps & Colored Pencils’ LP?
My intention behind the album was not really for it to be something ultra-special or groundbreaking. In a way, it's like another single added to my laundry list of singles -- only this time, the tracks are a bit more dry, stripped-down, more DJ-friendly, and at the same time a bit suitable for home-listening.
Are you happy with how it’s turned out?
I suppose I am, yes. I basically did what I wanted to do with it. The dryness and simplicity sort of add a sense of timelessness to it. I've already heard many people say that they did not get much out of it during their first listen. But then after two or three listens, it would grow on them immensely. So I take that as a good sign.
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You’ve been touring quite heavily recently in support of the album; what have been some of the highlights thus far?
Well, the actual touring for the album has just begun. I have been touring non-stop for the past few years anyway. So it does not feel like much has changed regarding the gigs that I have been playing more recently. The responses continue to be quite positive wherever I go. So that's encouraging.
Soon you will be playing Australia, is this your first time here?
Yes, this is indeed my first time in Australia and New Zealand. That in itself if really exciting to me. I always wanted to go to both countries. Woo-hoo!
Who is bringing you out to Australia?
A variety of people there have been helping set up gigs there. But I have been dealing mostly with the Stock AP Bookings.
Are you performing live, DJ sets or both?
Mostly live. But I think I will be DJ’ing a bit as well.
What does your live set consist of?
It's a laptop with a pallet of samples and a controller.
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Do you still reside in Philadelphia or have you made the move to Europe like so many house/techno artists in recent years?
I am currently in Philadelphia as I answer this interview in June 2007. But at the end of July, Miskate and I will relocate to Berlin. But we are not sure for how long.
Other than the fact Foundsound is a record label & Unfoundsound a netlabel, what are the main differences & philosophies between the two projects?
Foundsound is a vinyl label. It's our main focus. And the music on Foundsound is based around quirky minimal dance music constructed, at least in part, out of field recordings and found sounds. Unfoundsound is more open and diverse with the sound, but still falls into the minimal techno category. It's also a good testing ground to try out new and emerging artists to see how people react to the releases and to see if the artist might be a good candidate for a Foundsound release.
Who is Flowchart?
Flowchart was my musical project before I was dedicated to producing as Someone Else. Flowchart began around 1994, and we released a lot of albums and singles on a variety of labels around the world. Different people came and went in Flowchart. Sometimes, Flowchart was me alone. Much of the time, Unfoundsound's Fidget was one-half of Flowchart. And there were others involved earlier on. Flowchart's sound was indie rock for the most part -- comparable to My Bloody Valentine and Stereolab. By the late '90s, the sound became more and more electronic. By 2000, it was almost minimal techno-ish.
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What other releases & projects can we expect to see from you this year?
As usual, I have a variety of remixes forthcoming. There will be a remix single of my album tracks featuring remixes by Barem, Easy Changes, and one more. I will also be working on another album which will probably take me another year to finish. This album will not be like the last -- maybe a bit more leftfield and somewhat song-oriented. And Miskate and I will continue to collaborate on tracks.
Your tips for this year:
Artist: Easy Changes
Label: Esperanza
Net Label: Igloo
Anything else you would like mnml.nl to know?
I love visiting mnml.nl and reading about how tired some people are getting of my sound. For me, it's actually complementary when I read people complain about me in this kind of way. And it seems like it's only about the same 30 people always reacting to stuff on the website. I would love to continue to hear more criticism from people. My feelings will never be hurt. I like pooping. It's an amazing way to pass the time. But I hate popping at clubs. club-pooping can often turn into a horrible nightmare.
When’s a good time to poop then?
Well, I suppose at home. But honestly, Argentina is the best place to poop. They have bidets.
Related Links:
http://www.foundsoundrecords.com/
http://fuzzybox.com
http://www.myspace.com/47584071
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Interview conducted exclusively for mnml.nl by Daniel Filipovic