I have totally wanted to chat with BT ever since I started writing EQ. BT's incredibly detailed and beautiful electronic music and ethos are things that I have always admired about him and his work – calling him one of my "electronica gods" probably would be a huge huge understatement.
Last week I got to catch up with iPad loving BT on the phone to talk about all sorts of fun things like his new album "These Hopeful Machines" and what it meant to him in overcoming the challenges that were laid before him when making this amazing record. We also got to chat about his personal feelings about the EP versus album debate, his feelings about that Twitter story where he was thrown out of a Sony exec's office after being told he'd "never be a musician" and what it's like to work with Christian Burns – another one of our favorite artists. Of course, you know I had to ask about his seminal classic with Tori Amos – "Blue Skies" and finally, for those of you who were wondering, the "chrome pony" will be making a return on the upcoming tour…enjoy.
Note – there is a bit of phone interference near the beginning of the recording for a few seconds, but I've put the written text for you after the jump! Technology eh?! To make up for it, there is a nice new picture there for you too.
So it's been a long ride ever since you busted onto the music scene in the early 90s. Are you surprised at how long you've been able to sustain a career as a musician for so long?
The thing is I have been affiliated with the electronic music community since the beginning of my career because it's the closest pile to put me in. There are lots of parts to it that you have to shave off though otherwise it gets quickly confusing. The fact that I score movies and produce other artists and sing – they kind of don't fit that studio artist type of thing. My peer group kinda did the same thing over and over again and have gotten rich and are miserable or they did the same thing over and over again and they didn't particularly care. Taking the safe route for me just wasn't my life arch – you know? So really from the beginning, I've just been experimenting and trying to grow as a person and an artist and that's all reflected in what I do. I think the thing that's made what I do relevant for 20 years is that I'd rather experiment and fail then regurgitate the same sort of thing. The people who are supportive of what I do have taken that journey with me and I feel really lucky for that – I really do.