Mark Denardo

Written by Boban Ristevski Sunday, 07 September 2003 06:26

Mark DeNardo is an unusual dude. He calls other dudes "cats" and plays acoustic guitar while singing, sometimes along with his Gameboy. I saw him play at a party for Select Magazine. I was like, "Who is this guy?" Then Mark gave me a copy of his self released CD called "Fight Geometry." It's a nice collection of understated, folky, 8-bit pop tunes. We e-mailed back and forth over several weeks.

What's your background in music, specifically electronic music?

I started working with electronic music back in 1990-92. One of my friends was really into prog-rock and experimental music at the time...he was about 10 years older than me, so he grew up in the late 70s and early 80s actually seeing some of these cats, like Kraftwerk, Sonic Youth and some early Hip-Hop. He was really into Throbbing Gristle back when industrial music was true experimental music, played with industrial construction equipment [arc welders, jack hammers, metal drums]. A lot of that shit had this primordial quality, and it didn't seem to require a lot of classical music training. John and I used to run around and record things, people, thoughts, passages from novels via William Burroughs cut-up method, and just string them along as tracks.

Then I started programming with Fruity Loops and cutting wave files with my computer at my last job. All the studio work I've done in the last few years has been on computer, except for when I'm tracking at home. I always just jump right into the interface and start using it, like we would if we were taking apart a piano and rigging it with contact mics, or learning a new instrument...the interface changed, but the technique I learned never did.

Learning more about tracking and sequencing programs has come recently, with using Little Sound DJ and other Game Boy tracking programs. I've only been using LSDJ for a year! It's dope that you can apply any of your training to any of your music. I mean, I use the ear and theory training I had for violin, guitar and bass guitar all the time when I'm writing shit on LSDJ. I don't think it's separate.

How did the idea of playing acoustic guitar with the Gameboy come about?

I had some experience in programming. I was taken by bands like Bjork and Gastr Del Sol integrating acoustic/electronic elements. It suited me to try a project like that, 'cause at times I feel I'm a cultural synthesis...not really from one or another.

I've played guitar for 6-7 years and the music I was writing on guitar was always limited...I could only play two or three melodies at a time...and they were in a fixed mid-range. By incorporating a four-channel sequencer with that it allows more possibilities that if I did just Gameboy or guitar.

I think that it was an idea I had before I even bought the thing. I wasn't sure if it would work at first. Machine's the first one I did that had guitar and vocals. I was listening to a lot of Kraftwerk and digging their electro-simplicity.

I remember a few months ago when my buddy Graham said you should change your name to Mark DeCarlo, like the host of the game show Studs? That was funny but glad you didn't beat him up! Yeah, people are always fucking up my name...Denerdo, Retardo...the N almost never gets capitalized, and actually my last name is De Nardo. Most people actually call me my whole name or last name...it think it has some kind of iambic rhythm that works well in English. I don't know...it's all narcissm anyways--being a musician and getting all hyped up.

I was in Puerto Rico two weeks ago and there's these tiny treefrogs everywhere called Coquis, they make this cool chirp, it sounds like that Gameboy blip that comes in every 8 measures of Onomatopaoea. Maybe I'm reading into this, but I bet that blip is in your song because of the Puerto Rican half of your heritage. Coquis were my favorite when I was a kid. I had a Puerto Rico t-shirt with one on it...my grandmother used to imitate the sound for fun.

So, why is the EP called "Fight Geometry"?

I used to like geometry class in high school, you wanna fight me? Fight Geometry is a euphemism for video games. In traditional Western literature the classic conflicts depicted don't include the man vs. machine scenario, but it still is a valid conflict in modern fiction.

When you think about what a video game is, it's really man vs. machine, or man vs. man via machine...and it's all about figuring out the angles, either literally or through metaphor...so I guess its just that.

How do you remain inspired?

That's a good question...I'm not sure really how I continue to write, but I can say that I do a lot in the city to stay busy. I've got a job, and I see movies, I play video games and read comics and see gigs and parties and events where I get to talk with people. Chicago really is an easy city to work in, because there are so many people doing so much for the scene. I think collaborations musically and otherwise keep me movin' in a direction and workin' on new trax. As long as I'm in motion creatively, I can keep doin' it.

Sometimes I need to see that what we do is important for our culture. I mean, I think that there's a really vital electronic underground in Chicago, but normal life is total bullshit. It definitely makes for good art. It seems I only really work well on projects when I'm doing work I don't wanna do.

Do you think it's necessary to hold a day job in order to remain productive?

The format of music I work in allows me to say fuck it, basically all the tools I need are readily available at work. Ninety percent of artists in this situation do the same thing. I write music on hackerware and pull the volts from the man. We're the real cyberpunks, yo.

What's in the future for Mark DeNardo?

Well, I've got some tracks I sent to France for a Gameboy compilation. That shit'll be on vinyl and released in the Spring. I'll be talking on a panel and giving a presentation at the next Version [at the MCA], the electronic arts fest put on in the Spring. I'm workin' on an album, and it'll have some remixes [by Douggpound, Jaime Pickup, and Miles Tilmann] of Fight Geometry on it with new material.

I'm collaborating with Miles Tilmann, playing guitar for some of his tracks and Gameboy on Saturdays at Jinx cafe in Wicker Park with Douggpound and Jaime Pickup on turntables.

Sounds like you've got a full plate of activity... Are you an audio peasant? Yeah, or a techno luddite.

People can check out Mark at http://www.markdenardo.com

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