Interview : Cliff Martinez

1. Your first musical memories?
When I was 10 years old my parents took me to the Museum of Modern Art to see an exhibit entitled Structures for sound. It was a collection of "musical sculptures" created by Francois and Bernard Baschet and it permanently reupholstered my brain. From that moment on, I knew that I not only wanted to be a musician, but a weird musician.

2. The best record you received as a present? / The worse one?
That would be my first two albums....best and worst respectively: Meet the Beatles / Barbra Streisand - Color me barbra

3. The first record that you lost?
Barbra Streisand - Color me barbra

4. The name of your imaginary band?
Two Balls and a Bat

5. In which environment do you like to record music?
In my house. And unfortunately, the best sounding room is the (former) living room. Consequently, all my living room furniture is now in storage.

6. What will music sound like in 50 years /5000 years?
I predict that as early as 2025, the so-called "professional musician" will cease to exist. There will only be remixes and computer generated musical hybrids created from the genius' of a bygone era. From a pull-down menu, you will be able to select "Beethoven", "The Rolling Stones" and "Justin Beiber" and create new works by the hybrid, virtual-artist "Ludwig Van Rollingbeiber".

In 5000 years, computer technology will have evolved to the point where the software will permit you the extract the genius of non-musicians and funnel it into musical endeavor. You will be able to assemble your all-time dream band: Jimi Hendrix on guitar, lyrics and vocals by Steven Hawking, Michael Jordan - bass and Winston Churchill on drums.

7. Which underrated album will start a new musical genre?
Lick my decals off by Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band.

8. Which album should never have been made?
Neil Diamond's Greatest Hits

9. Your favourite album to have a drink?
The Ramones - Rocket to Russia

10. Your dream collaboration?
Me and Sade….and I don't mean the band.

11. The record that freaks you out?
Anything country.

12. The record you would like to listen to right now?
Louis Armstrong - The Hots Fives and Sevens

13. The film that tickles your creativity?
I suppose one would be Nosferatu. I have a weakness for silent horror films.

14. The little-known track that everyone should have heard of?
Old fart at Play from Trout Mask Republica by Captain Beefheart…finest album in the solar system.

15. An album or an artist you wouldn’t want to be?
Michael Jackson

16. The cover version you would love to do?
The theme from "The Twilght Zone".

17. The mashup you would love to do?
I don't know what that is…it sounds British.

18. The text you would like to produce a soundtrack for?
Any spoken word recordings by Lord Buckley.

19. Have you ever had auditory hallucinations?
Yes, as a matter of fact I woke up from a dream this morning and the "audio portion" of the dream continued to play for several seconds after I opened my eyes.

20. How would you like to die?
Quickly, silently and inexpensively.

Cliff Martinez has just completed the score for THE LINCOLN LAWER which is scheduled to come out on March the 18th, 2011. The CD soundtrack should be out at about the same time.

He also has just started work on Steven Soderberghs' next film CONTAGION.

A Lebron James' Nike commercial is using one of his piece from SOLARIS, "First Sleep".


Learn more about Cliff Martinez, go to his website, his myspace and listen to his work on spotify.