Last summer Carolyn ZS (Zaldivar Snow), or as you may know her on synthagram, @tangent_universes reached out and asked if she could interview me for her delightful digital zine Wow and Flutter, on IG at @wowandflutterzine, where she interviews musicians who love, collect, record onto and manipulate cassette tapes. Along with being an accomplished musician, she's an OG of the synth community as a contributing writer at Tape Op, as well as small label Mystery Circles, and performs live at DIY shows all over the Eastern Seaboard. She also helps organize Sound Scene Audio Arts Festival in Washington DC, which showcases immersive sonic experiences and public art.
Carolyn was one of the first synth gals I found on IG who also lives a life of the great outdoors. We both live near natural delights like bogs, marshes, rivers and bayous, and can often be found hiking around with our field recorders in hand. I'm always humbled with appreciation when someone who has already lived a few lives in the scene offers to extend their platform to the new kid. She made me feel really special getting press for my very first EP, which is not usually the norm. So here's to wishing Carolyn a Happy Thankyoutine's Day for making the debut of my first hand pressed cassette feel grandiose and important, it certainly was to me and it was a real treat to bring the synth club into the fold with this interview. This was also the first time I was interviewed as House of Egregious, which felt really cool to be seen and cemented as a musician in interviews instead of only a puppeteer. That's not talking smack about puppets lol really, and yes they will eventually find their way back into my work - esp after seeing Oneohtrix Point Never puppet the mini puppet he had built of himself with Control Voltage, which is definitely something I've been doodling schematics for ever since I picked up KOMA Elektronik's CV motors, light sensors, etc in the summer of 2022 and took my synth building class in fall of 2023. For now, I'm working on my second EP which I hope to have ready by August to take on tour with me when I hit a few locations in MI and Chicago - dates coming soon. In the meantime, please enjoy this lovely conversation Carolyn and I had about tape. Interview: The Itch that Follows the Scratch So I finally checked a big life goal off and successfully grew my own mushrooms at home, and oh wow were they beyond delicious! I've spent over 4 months researching, book collecting about cultivation and experimenting - finally we saw success. Could I do this at a larger scale, to feed my community? The horror that comes from failure pales in comparison to the disaster that comes with never trying. I love learning about things I have no reference point to fall back on, it's incredibly terrifying and liberating to go from not knowing to understanding to the point of being able to accurately explain it to someone else. I'm going to keep pushing to see how far I can go! Next is to try outdoor beds to see if I make that work to produce higher yields. If I could learn synths after have 0 musical background or experience, surely I can make this work. Recently I read that "it's about what you're willing to do, not what you're capable of doing" and that really got to me. I totally agree, but that puts a hell of a lot more accountability on your shoulders than something shrugging off as "not for me" upon immediate failure - and boy have I failed at mushrooms. Laughably so. And this is all while figuring out how to hydroponically grow 36 different lettuces, herbs and vegetables organically at the same time. This year has been wildly expansive, I never saw the life of a gardener for myself but I'm here and I'm queer so get used to it.
Everyday I keep on trying to hit the books harder, watch more PBS, cram as many "things to avoid as a first year gardener" tips into my tired brain as I can, and after four months of intensive study - I can proudly say that I'm to the point where I'm growing enough mushrooms for four people to enjoy for breakfast. So that's why I've been quiet on the music and blogging front, but I promise some fun things are coming down the pipeline in both MI and Chicago this spring so stay tuned! My holiday gift to you, a free printable zine with instructions to fold and cut below!! These make great stocking stuffers, companions to your holiday cards or just something you keep in your top drawer for when you need a little emotional pick me up : ) This year has flown by in a blur, I hope to write a few blogs recapping the highlights in preparation of my Top 10 album list, that will be published later this month. Keep an eye on my IG stories for countdowns to these drops! Wishing you and yours a very happy holidaze <3 Save this image and follow these print instructions for the best results:
Visit HOUSEOFEGREGIOUS.BANDCAMP.COM/ to download my first Ep, the itch that follows the scratch! while you're there grab a special edition cassette that's slowed down and recorded at half speed, it's so fun!!
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¿Como se dice "Un Blog?"Here is where I share announcements of all shapes and sizes, and deep dive into my art and music making practices. I aim to demystify the creative process for BIPOC women & NBs. Archives
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