What made you go with actual instruments instead of just synth samples and MIDI [Musical Instrument Digital Interface]?
MA: I like to do a mix of both. I use computerized sounds and samples and keyboards, but I also like to use live musicians. I’ve always loved to use real strings and orchestras in the studio. Now, when I play live, I do use a lot of samples because it’s not always cost-effective to travel with as many different musicians as I use on my records. I really like to use exotic, strange instruments as well. I’m always looking for an unusual mixture of sounds. I’m interested in anything that can give my music an exotic color. GI: How do you think the music industry has been affected by the fact that just about anyone can now release a CD directly on the Internet? MA: I think it’s great that people have that freedom of choice. That’s what life now is all about, isn’t it? But to be honest, the whole thing doesn’t excite me. There’s nothing that I love more than wandering for hours around record shops, looking for records and looking for CDs and browsing and trying to discover new records and th
