steering clear of the mainstream
since 2001

june 2010

interview
blankred.jpg (4669 bytes)
blankred.jpg (4669 bytes)
blankred.jpg (4669 bytes)
josh console aka cry.on.my.console
Josh Console, the man behind cry.on.my.console, is one of the leading sound purveyors on today's mashup/bootleg scene.  An avid DJ and active contributor to McSleazy's Get Your Bootleg On forum, he is part of a wave of newly converted music makers, recycling songs old and new to create strangely original compositions.

I talked to him briefly over email to discuss his craft and the scene in general.

--

Let's start with the obvious - how did you get involved with mashups, and playing in general? When? What is your music background?

Well... music has always interested me. I first heard a load of "bastard pop" stuff from a CD that a friend of the family gave to me.  At the time i was a bit confused about my musical tastes; I could never quite listen to the right sounds, the kind of sounds that made my brain tingle. Listening to these bastard pop tracks felt like such a fresh and fun new experience. This was all when I was about 16. From there I stumbled across McSleazy's Get Your Bootleg On and dived deeper and deeper into the twisted, fun world of music manipulation. I have no musical training at all...it's a blessing and a curse.

Where does the name cry.on.my.console come from?

Started off as a pisstake really...I made some weirdo electro tracks and wanted a pretentious name that fitted well with them. I plucked the cry.on.my.console name out of mid air really...and now I'm stuck with it. Hehe...damn...

What is the process of making a mashup like? What programs do you use, and where do you cull your source material from? Do you make your own instrumentals/pellas?

The main programs I use are Adobe Audition and Renoise. Although, I really like to get sounds from non music programs...you can get some really interesting noises when you load a text document into a sound editor... Most of my source material comes from my CDs. I don't tend to make my own pellas and stuff...I like listening out for clean little bits in the original tunes that I can use. Sections where the beats drop out and little phrases are sung a capella or when the bassline is left exposed. That's when I strike. Rip em out and twist em up...

What are some of your favourite sound sources?

Has to be "normal" pop music...you can get some well interesting and difficult sounds when you run a pop song through a couple of phases of distortion... I really like old arcade game sounds too...anything with a low bitrate crunch really.

How long does it take to make each track? Obviously the long mixes take considerably longer, but do you think of the experience as a long and tiresome process or a relatively quick deal?

Dunno. A standard remix type thing would take me about a week. A few days to chop up some samples and stuff. A few more days to do some fumbling and twisting to get some nice sounds. The rest of the week is spent arranging and turning it into something that people might find amusing. Sometimes though, i can spend a few hours on a track. Mainly though, that's only when i'm doing a computer/punk glitch up of a track. It feels much better just chopping the damn track up and not worrying too much about the listeners ears...it's my little way of saying FUCK YOU!!111!!" to certain artists...

Who would you say are your biggest "idols" (for lack of a better word) on the boot scene?

At the moment I am loving Poj Masta, Joolsmf, Lionel Vinyl, Agent Lovelette, Shitmat, Soundhog, Dunproofin, McSleazy, Skkatter...probably left some names out...Type any of them into Google and get some quality tunes...

Could you describe a few of the best mashups you've ever heard? Furthermore (and this is bound to be tougher), what do you think is your own best track?

Right, my all time favourite standard bootleg is by Loo And Placido - My Favourite Name. It's a mash of Cardigans - My Favourite Game and Destinys Child - Say My Name. It's not really in keeping with my music tastes now but it was the first one I really really loved and it has a special place in my heart. Also, Dsico's glitch up of N'Sync - Girlfriend is a track I hold dear to my heart...

Favourite tracks of my own creation tend to change as a make new stuff...At the moment i am loving my remix/cover of Louie Louie as it took me a long time to make and is full of bassy goodness and 8-bit pleasure... I'm also enjoying my YAear!!Mix!! which is a good example of the kinda "punk" tracks I was talking about earlier as it only really took me about 7 - 8 hours to make...both are available on my website.

What is your favourite colour?

Blue...or pink...

What is it like DJing live? Do you play your own work, or mix in other people's mashups as well?

I play all sorts. I try to play my own stuff and for most gigs I like to make special little tracks and edits that I think will go down well on the night. I'll play anything as long as it has some dirty bass in it though...

Make sure to investigate the cry.on.my.console website, at http://josh-console.co.uk, for loads of free mp3s.

all content copyright 2004 indieville.com