Thanks to Jeramiah for answering these questions:
What can we expect to see from you over the next year?
A number of things hopefully, I really want to take module into more of a live band setup and mix in the electronics elements set up a number of shows. It really depends on the demand and finding a good selection of venues around NZ where I can expand and grow the show.
What advice would you like to give to other aspiring musicians?
Do what you love keep doing it. something will happen, and if it doesn't at least you know you tried to make something happen which means that by default you did it!
Who are your favourite NZ musicians/bands, and why?
Ladyhawke cause she's cool, Shapeshifter cause they are awesome, The Black Seeds cause they are lovely guys, love what The Phenoix Foundation do. Head Like a Hole.
What will your next release be?
Looking at my track record it could be anything, I have done downbeat, classical, electro rock, synth pop, country, ambient. I have some rough ideas on where I want to take Module as a whole but those are not solid yet I have set up a small record label and we are doing a number of different releases which is going really well. We have a lot planned.
How do you believe you fit into the NZ music industry?
I really don't fit into the "music industry" which is a great thing. I am just a guy making my own music doing my own thing which is where I am most happy.
I really believe there is no music industry apart from the one you create for yourself. There is the "standard old school music industry "of creating music that get played on TV and radio that generate income based on exposure and placement and creating a product that will sell along with putting together a live show to generate a performance & touring income and fanbase.
And then there is your own industry which you can run how ever you like taking bits from that old industry model and doing what you like... there are no rules. Just do whatever you can for the goal is to create something that people like and want to listen to and support and making it sustainable long term so you can keep doing that.
What can you never leave home without?
iPad, USB sticks, headphones I am part of the matrix.
How do you describe your music?
I try not to have any rules any more, when I started it was down-beaty, then went all electro dance cause I started playing in clubs alot, I left that behind and seem to have created a panoramic rich sounding collection of songs, I compose on the piano, I like playing the guitar, I love most forms of music, they are all expression to serve some kind of purpose so whatever that is then I'll just do that.... mostly electronically created, although the older I get I am enjoying doing simple things... hit record done... move on.
What is the best part of being a musician?
Geekin' out on computers, jamming with people, watching people react to something you create, the magical energy between friends, collecting instruments, buzzing out on sound.
What is in your CD collection at home?
Too much Pink Floyd and David Gilmour.
What is your favourite place in NZ to be?
Lyall Bay in my home studio over looking the ocean. I am a lucky ****.
What inspired you to become a musician?
I have always been one. I started making music when I was really young and had piano lessons which I did really well at and have been interested in it since.
It's crazy looking back through the vortex of time and seeing my younger self wandering around with a casino tone keyboard making music with a 4 track recorder.
How did you come up with the name Module?
In 2003 in Palmerston North my computer crashed thanks to a Windows "Module" Error I thought hey, that's a cool name.
8 years later ! :)
What is the Best/Worst gig you have ever performed at, and why?
Splore which I performed at a few times. I played straight after Shapeshifter to 6000 people but my computer crashed, rather than freak out, I just got the crowd to start clapping while I played sexy keyboard solos over top and restarted my computer with my foot (yes, I took a desktop to a gig, my laptop got stolen the night before so I had to improvise), anyway, It was magical, the whole crowd loved it and it became a highlight. My only complaint is that they then kicked me off stage because the DJ stage PA had blown up and they had a international DJ performing that they must have spent alot of money on who said to me personally as I was getting off stage much to the disappointment of the crowd. "Why are you stopping? This is awesome?". to which I said, "I have to mate, you're on next" he then took 45min to setup 2 CD DJ record players. .. which made me sad as I had spent the last bit of money I had to get up there to perform. Then I had to find a way to get home and my desktop got stolen from the car while I was catching up with a friend to borrow some money for the train home.
Ahhh touring.
How do you keep in contact with your fans?
Facebook mostly, I use to have a blog but they take too much time to maintain, Twitter is really good. Actually YouTube and Soundcloud are other great ways to build up a fanbase.
Module is a Musician / Producer / Composer with over 35+ years creating and performing music. Starting age 4 with Acoustic Piano he completed his music theory lessons around grade 7, about 6 years later when his music teacher told him he was better off doing his own thing!
This lead to finding a 4 track recorder at cash convertors in his late teens, then a Amiga 500 computer with basic tracker software and endless tape cassettes and floppy disks, during this time he used synths, drum machines, guitar, bass and drums multi tracked with home made 8 bit samples and vocals.
Jeramiah created Module in 2003 as a solo project using a Pentium 2, Midi Keyboards, and Acoustic Instruments instruments and the ‘new virtual studio technology’ and started working on a idea of mixing everything together into his own ‘new’ style based around classical, electronic and singer songwriter and a performance character called “Module” 2 years later Remarkable Engines was released in 2005 by LOOP recordings which lead on to a constant touring schedule, working with Rhian Sheehan and Paul Mclaney & many other Music / Visual Artists.