BYTET

Where did the name 'Bytet' come from?

I had 3 years of Latin in school after getting a sample of it from church. The noun endings are often just "et". Because the music was closely tied to a certain computer program I use that has a very cool random algorithm, I thought of BYTE, also it reflects the condition that the project is sort of a duo, me and my machine. (A foursome is a quartet, two would be a bytet?) Finally, I often joked that if your think poorly of my sound, then the name is pronounce "Bite-it", other wise pronounce it "By-Tet".

You reference both Atari STs and Amigas on your web-page. Do you still use either of these machines for your music? If so, what software do you use? Also, do they still meet your needs after all these years or are you thinking of upgrading?

Yes, the Atari is still my work station of choice, and I take one on stage for my "live" sets. The Amiga on the other hand was my sampling work station, and then I re-sample to my stage sampler, an old rack mounted Ensoniq Mirage. I also recently began to do my own digital mixing using a decent pentium 90 and a four track mixer by Hohner, "Samplitude". Nothing fancy, just the tools I need to get the job done.

Looking at your discography, Bytet has only released one full-length CD, back in '93. Do you have plans for another in the near future?

Being an independent, money is always a big factor. I've been able to average two new releases a year for the last 5 years. All but two of these CD's were co-ompulation projects. I've found this a good strategy for releasing new material and remixed tunes from the debut CD. I also enjoy the fact that I'm helping other bands get their music on CD. I've made a lot friends too. I think I counted all the bands I've appeared with on CD, and it's over 100. So this has matched my musical output perfectly.

You mentioned appearing on a compilation CD soon. Please give details re: the album and your contribution.

DSBP is finishing up Futronik Structures Vol. II which should be released this spring. I was happy to appear on Vol I, and look forward to this CD as it contains material from several Brazilian bands. So, a good number of copies should get distributed in South America. Over the years I have only made a half dozen contacts in 3 or 4 countries from that continent. A Brazilian band to watch is Biopsy! Well, I had this very Tribal/World/Psychedelic tune "Modern Ritual" featuring the words and vocals of Sommer Moselle and while it took several years to get it on CD, I think it will finally happen this spring!

Have you played any live shows lately?

Yea, last summer. The last several years show a pattern. By summer, if I'm going to have a new release (usually a compilation) it will be out and so I've tried to do a mini tour to promote new releases. There is one road basically that goes north-south through the middle of the state, so I drive north the 500 miles to Fairbanks for a show there, return to Anchorage for a mid week show at the local under age club Gigs, and a show the following weekend at the best bar in town, the world famous ChillKoot Charlies. I often get a gig at Halloween time.

What is your live setup generally like for a concert? Has it changed much over the years?

I started playing shows with the release of the debut CD, and back then I had a tier of three keyboards I hid behind. For the first couple of years Kristian Rosentrator played drums and during that time I traded in the big keyboards for compact "black-box" synths for my rack which is 18 spaces. Three 6 space boxes, stacked on top of one another with the Atari, modified to sit on top along with another sequencer. I started using a small Novation Keyboard as a controller. I can quickly reprogram it to address a particular synth/voice. It's very small 2 octaves. I use a shoulder strap and it hangs from my neck. I also use a headset microphone. Together I have a lot of mobility, and I enjoy moving about, dancing along, getting closer to the audience. Last couple of years I felt the loss of my drummer, so I now have a ultimate support stand I've made up which holds a couple of electronic drum pads as well as the novation. I pound on them adding additional beats to the programmed sequences, but still for certain tunes, I can strap on the keyboard and move out-front. I really have not been able to afford to replace my equipment, so it hasn't changed much over the years except for a new drum synth module. I have always purchased equipment with an eye for performing. Listening to other local bands back when I started playing I was determined to have a clear sound and to that end I use a de-esser and compressor for the microphone, and a decent processor that allows me to do some cool, echo and phase effects on stage. A stereo EQ and Stereo Power Amp finishes off the set-up, but for a small club the stereo is a lost cause. Because the debut was recorded in a single take, what you hear on the CD is almost identical to what I do on stage.

How did you meet up with Sommer? Will we be hearing more contributions from her in the future?

Sommer came up to the stage after a show at the local college and asked about singing with the band. I gave her an instrumental I was working on, and by the end of the day she had written words! The next week I had her over to the house and she recorded the vocal track. That tune was "Modern Ritual". Well, we (Kristian and myself) planned to have her join the band but the week of our first show, she checked herself into the state mental Institute for 2 weeks for exhaustion. She comes and goes, right now I think she's living in the Portland area.

How did the split-single on KSM come about?

Last year Sommer was around town and she agree to record a couple of tunes with me. I wanted to do a single CD but could not afford the whole project myself. I got some great feedback from several bands who were willing to split the CD's space & cost. I had recently appeared on a compilation CD by KSM called "Oracle Pool". I really wanted to do the single project with Noxious Emotion but it was cheaper to invested with the Canadian label KSM, cause it's cheaper to make it in Canada. Together we put out a CD, which featured a couple of BYTET songs and a song by Violet Black Orchid.

You seem to have put a lot of work into your web-page. How much time do you actually spend on it?

Too much! I really enjoy coding web pages, and I used the band to provide the content I need for a site. I learn by doing. Actually, I only put about 40 hours a year into the site. Once or twice a year I update the discography, and mirror reviews and interviews. I enjoy coding ad/links to labels and zines. They have helped me and if I can send some traffic towards their web sites, it all good!

My newest web project is a Pointcast channel I will begin to broadcast within a month I hope. Again I want to help the scene, so this project is a ezine news-letter digest, featuring a handful of links to and short excerpts from other cool zines. The current issue will always be a 50 sec animated article, that runs as a PointCast screen saver, or with the plug-in right in Netscape. So look for "Loop" if your into PointCast, and subscribe to an entertainment channel geared towards design, and gothic/ electro/ industrial music zines.

What kind of interests do you have outside of music?

I enjoy painting, and have studied with several local artists. I also enjoy coding and can hack in several languages including lingo, vrml, html, java script, basic, M and long ago 6800 machine language(comodore 64).

Have you done any remix work for other artists? If so, for whom?

Only once. I did some work with a then member of Kill Switch Klick. I have talked with several other artists, Tryolok, Manhole Vortex and Sabotage Q.C.Q.C. I am very demanding and require both the midi file, and isolated vocal tracks, so that I can remix on a event level.

Do you prefer to keep Bytet independent or are you looking to possibly sign to a label at some point?

I don't think a label exists that feels BYTET is worth signing. It is a young project (5 years old) and usually I show my age through the music. I would like to think I'm maturing. My newest releases are tighter less self indulgent, sonically better, but considering I record with the same equipment I perform with, is it any wonder I have a garague sound? Being independent is cool cause I can move at my own pace but I also know that if some one were pushing me things would get done quicker.

Your incorporation of guitar on the most recent single is quite unique. Is that a first for Bytet? Were you happy with the results?

Thank you. I was very happy with Cliff Livingston's guitar synth. he did two takes and I digitally cut and pasted the best for the final mix. Again, I'm new at this digital mixing thing plus being a keyboardist, well, I should of pumped up the guitar. It was a first and actually the low subdued "Fripp-like" guitar worked nicely, just...maybe could of been louder.

What is a typical song-writing session like for you?

It's quite cosmic. Kind of like rolling the dice. I pick a chord and using those notes and that program I mentioned I generate a dozen or so loops, giving emphasis to certain notes of the chord. often I have a drum loop which the random loops are played against. sometimes a simple bass loop too. Some days, the dice are against me and nothing sounds right. But some days, the muses are with me and seemingly random loops can be cut and pasted together for some exciting stuff. Minor edits may be done, dropping this note or that. Anyway, these loops enlist other overlapping melodies, and perhaps words will find their way to the surface. Some times I will take a contrary view of the arrangement, purposefully doing the unexpected. Eno apparently had a deck of cards which he would shuffle and pick from to get ideas for arrangements, sounds, structures. I just try to continue his experiments, following in his footsteps, though I could never begin to fit his shoes.

What do you hope to acheive in 1998 with Bytet?

More of the same. I'm waiting to hear if I have been selected for a second comp out of Texas. It's a synth-pop thing but I submitted perhaps my most "popy" song and think I got a chance. I'm also waiting on a European comp by Hugo Perfume for women. that I'm not as hopeful about, but who knows? If things settle down in my personal life (trying to change jobs, work on the house turning a car port into a 3 season pourch/entry, and getting my PointCast channel going) I hope to be able to do some new music. I don't rush. I started doing music late in life. My family has always had front seat and now I'm blessed with a grandson (Ivan 19 mo) who I'm able to take care of most mornings. Music is important, Art is important, but life and living it fully, that's the ticket.