Until now some of us offlinepeople associated Australia with Aboriginal Art, dot paintings representing the cosmos and other magic rituals, and also with Walkabout, Nicholas Roeg’s film from 1971. The excellent soundtrack written by John Barry mixes classical music and choir hymns, and has the particularity to include Stockhausen’s Hymnen. Of course we are ashamed to admit that we also learnt a lot about Australia from who we don’t dare mention, the man who defeats crocodiles with its bear hands.
So, Preservation is an Australian label. After a prolonged listening of its soundcloud page we were in awe of Andrew Khedoori’s flair for curating exciting new projects (founder and head of the label, Andrew also works as Music Director for radio 2SER, a station which started broadcasting in the 70s as and educational radio): The electronic ambient of Padna and Pimmon, the ethereal violins of Greg Haines, the minimal folk of Singing Skies, and Olan Mills - read our interview here.
On the label’s latest releases, we heard something akin to Stars of the Lid’s And Their Refinement of the Decline. A slow, expansive stream of reverb swallowing in its bed delicate acoustic instruments. Maybe we’re not entirely wrong, maybe we’re too fancy. Andrew heard it differently. This is his interview.
1. Your first musical memories?
Probably a Disney seven-inch of Wille the Whale. I loved that record.
2. The best record you received as a present? / The worse one?
The Beatles Rock ‘n Roll Music Volumes 1 & 2 was the first album ever given to me (by my aunt and uncle) and I treasured it. All the pop hits! I still have it too.
3. The first record that you lost?
Hmm, I don’t really know. One day I’ll go looking for something and it won’t be there so I can give you an answer then!
4. The name of your imaginary band?
Cheese Wallet
5. Describe the space where you work for Preservation.
I’m often on the couch at home with the laptop with music on in the living room, but there’s also a room with a lovely old wooden desk that faces a view to the Sydney city skyline. I make some things in that space, sort various orders and so on.
6. What will music sound like in 50 years / 5000 years?
The same as it does today – good or bad.
7. Who changed your life?
I did. I had to.
8. You have a live programme on Radio 2SER and own the record label Preservation. Do you see the two as a necessary balance between something inviting spontaneity and something controlled?
I actually no longer do a weekly show at 2SER – I’m the Music Director there fulltime and broadcast sporadically. I think though both scenarios allow for a measure of creativity where organisation is key but being ready for things that come up unexpectedly is a good thing to be.
9. The perfect record to listen to when having a drink?
Any number of Blue Note 60s-era albums will likely do the trick for me.
10. Your dream guest(s) on the Preservation Contrasts series?
I was absolutely thrilled to have the artists on there take part. For example, to be sitting on my couch early one morning and have an email for Loren Conors writing to say he’d send me a piece knowing he really longer records was fantastic. But really, to get a ‘yes’ from everyone who took part and deliver wonderful pieces of such extended lengths was wonderful.
11. The record that freaks you out?
The scariest you mean?
12. Has the music of Stars of the Lid had an influence on the aural aesthetic of Preservation?
Stars of the Lid are great but it was more Labradford, especially their ‘E Luxo So’ record , that was one of the big springboards for me into a particular kind of listening.
13. The film that tickles your creativity?
Breathless by Godard has always really excited me with each viewing.
14. The little-known track that everyone should have heard of?
Anything by Grand Salvo.
15. An album you wouldn’t want to be?
One with terrible cover art.
16. For Sydney’s 2008 Biennale, Pierre Huyghe installed a temporary (24 hours) forest populated by a thousand real trees inside the concert hall at the Sydney Opera House. The audience was invited to walk through this space filled with mist, in the dark, only guided by a voice singing directions for the exit.
Pierre Huyghe described the spectator being “[…] above a valley obscured by clouds. There is a state of calm and confusion at the same time. This blurry image is made of a maze of paths. As you come down the paths, through the maze of trees, you enter the mist and you start to get lost in the forest that seems to have grown over night and still growing …”
His piece seems to revolve around the themes of, amongst others: reclamation, wonder and introspection. Are they themes you are interested in approaching with your label?
I see where you’re coming from to those thematic ends but there has never been any grand or overriding theme for Preservation. The main thread is realising a release for music that we hopefully can make some contribution to and give a good home. Perhaps we’ve developed a particular sensibility that way.
17. “Imagine waking up tomorrow morning and all music has disappeared. All musical instruments and all forms of recorded music, gone. A world without music.”. What will you do ?
Read more.
18. The text you would like to produce a soundtrack for?
Well, I can’t say I’ve ever thought about it, but maybe a Michael Haneke script.
19. Have you ever had auditory hallucinations?
Maybe when I’ve fallen asleep to late night radio.
20. How would you like to die?
Content.
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