7” Survey: JFM

Every edition of this season’s Long Winter, the first 350 guests through the doors at The Great Hall have received a free split seven-inch from Scion Sessions, each side featuring a song from one of the night’s featured artists. To compliment the releases, we’ve issued a seven-part questionnaire to each of the artists involved, giving the subjects an inch (about 85 words) of space to answer each of our questions.

The March instalment of the Scion Sessions Split 7” Series features a track each from Cancer Bats and JFM. In this questionnaire with JFM, Jesse Frank Matthews explains how the solo electronic project is the byproduct of a remix he did for RatTail (he used to drum in the band). Read the full questionnaire below.

Long Winter: Who are you and how did this project come to be?

Jesse Frank Matthews: In 2010 I was asked to put a remix on the digital version of a Rattail seven-inch on Unfamiliar Records, and since I was playing drums in the band, I wanted to have a small distinction from that. So I simply used my initials. JFM, nothing fancy. Still just me and the same old sampler I had back then.

LW: How about “101 Dimensions (hypnomix)” – what inspired that?

JFM: Excitement for the unknown and embracing change and new possibilities while not locking the door behind you.

LW: For some of Long Winter's audiences, this will be their first point of access to your music. Where does this song fit into the rest of your catalogue?

JFM: This song has similar feel and energy as some of my other material; voices thieved and abstracted from the ether, blown out booty bass, stunted synthesizer phrases, all wrangled into a crispy and crunchy frequency sprawl. This track will appear on an eight-song compact disc from Concrete Records (Rome). In that context it will have a more defined shape in the rest of my catalogue.

LW: Once they’re turned on to this, what releases (songs, EPs, albums, or otherwise) should people pursue as logical next steps to getting to know your music?

JFM: Darcy [Spidle] from Divorce Records has been a huge source of inspiration and support since this project began. Initially releasing a free digital download of my first collection of tracks entitled Compost' (http://divorcerecords.ca/mainpages/freewave.html), last May Divorce kindly released my self-titled debut LP (http://divorcerecords.bandcamp.com/album/jfm). Long Winter will also be the release of a new cassette (entitled Squat) I've got coming out on Toronto's amazing Pleasence Records. My recordings are always made live, and likely always will be. In an attempt to keep the music as physical as possible, I like the raw edges and the room for variation each time I play.

LW: When you think of winter, what’s a memory that stands out for you?

JFM: Over a decade ago I was leaving Ontario for the West Coast, [and] on the way the car I was a passenger in lost control due to weather. I remember seeing the sign out the broken window for “Black Sturgeon Bridge” from where we were positioned in the snow bank. Anytime I'm driving or a passenger in slick, tricky winter conditions I find it hard to not think about this accident. No one was harmed, but the Pontiac Sunfire was a write off, and my collection of dub and dancehall CDs were also never seen again.

LW: How do you survive winters in Toronto?

JFM: Onesie long johns with the special flap in the back. Quality dark roast coffee. Richard D James. Lots of water. Fresh green. Good conversation. Bad jokes.

LW: What are you most looking forward to for the March edition of Long Winter?

JFM: You'll Never Get To Heaven, S.H.I.T.... taking in the atmosphere and hanging out with my friends.

Interview by Tom Beedham