Mark McGee is the catalyst behind a number of projects including Father You See Queen (To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie), the supergroup Votel. (formerly H.U.N.X.), his solo project Makr, and the Riley Bushman label. A formidable producer, programmer and bandleader, Mark has quickly established himself in the Twin Cities and abroad. Mr. McGee was kind enough to answer some questions about his activities, share the exclusive track "Preirerer" and solve an age old mystery for The Somethin' Else. Twin Cities folks can hear Makr perform tomorrow night at Club Med. Father You See Queen performs Thursday at Club Jager.
Since the release of To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie's album Marlone, you've parted ways with longtime partner Jehna Wilhelm, gone through several line-up changes, donned the Father You See Queen monicker and started a couple of side projects. After all this hustle and bustle, you're behind the eightball again musically and communally. What has the last year or so been like for you, what are you working on and what are you looking forward to?
Last year was definitely a busy year for me. I seemed to double my performances and collaborations ten fold, not to mention recording tons of music. It was a year of finding myself musically and trying new things that I really never did with To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie. I am really excited about this year. I look forward to touring more abroad and I hope to further the Father You See Queen imprint. I want to push my solo MAKR project and get some new recordings out there. I am also very excited to work with new people, mainly a new project with Jason Power of Slapping Purses. We are calling it Blood Death. Be sure to look for that in the upcoming months! H.U.N.X is now Votel and is growing and focusing more on song writing, while still keeping it fresh with improvisation. Everyone in that project is so fucking talented. DREADBAG! I'm going to Italy!
Beyond personnel, how does Father You See Queen differ from To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie?
I am so honored to work with Nicole "MONA" Tollefson, and Father You See Queen is a perfect balance of her songwriting and my sound. I guess the difference between the two bands, is the focus on "pop music" in general. The way FUCQ approaches pop is completely different than TKAPB, in the sense that FUCQ starts with a very pretty song and then slowly changing it into a song that borders the line of avant and familiarity. While the other project, TKAPB, started with a general story, may it be weird or completely absurd, and try to make that story just pleasing enough to the public for a little listen. There was a lot of fat in TKAPB, which I loved and still love, but FUCQ is more direct, cutting the fat a little, trimming the foreplay and getting right into the penetration. Also, this new project has more of a focus on minimalism, which I am a huge fan of. A lot of the recordings have no extra instruments, usually involving just vocals and noise. This makes me very happy.
Your performances as Makr are somewhat supramusical in that, beyond mood, they evoke an atmosphere or environment. What is your philosophy about your solo music?
I am very interested in the occult. That being said, MAKR, is a personal ritual, musically and that ritual is written in every performance as MAKR. The idea is to transcend a sort of environment that is very personal to the listener, a space that only that one person can hold in that moment of time and space within their head. MAKR is a mantra through sound and a study of repetition. I love how a sound can change in your own head while not being effected at all by the performer. The cracks between the loop of music, the tiny songs that are created with each passing drone. Helge Sten talks about all the little songs inside one single sample, and extracting that information. I hold that as a reminder every time I start a new composition.
Your overall production style seems to be a marriage of drone and hip hop, mellow yet uppity. Who are some of your favorite producers and musical influences?
Funny you should ask. Hip Hop, and I know it may sound somewhat cliche, was my first Love. My production style is heavily influenced by this music, although, I guess at times, to the common listener, it doesn't always come through. I am very interested in the production style of hip hop. This style can be found in many of my favorite artist's recordings. I can only describe this style as the "oh shit factor" in the sense of timing and dropping certain things in and out, creating what I call "the oh shit! factor". It is that sense of a power surge within a cadence and it is all timing, maybe a heartbeat thing? I am influenced by noise and the musicians that can capture that. Many of my favorite producers happen to be hip hop producers, and I am not sure if they should actually be considered producers. I mean, in the sense of what rock has given the term "producer". I consider them composers, and not to sound cheesy or hippie about it, but I consider hip hop producers not just sound crafters, but in charge of 50% if not more of the musical content on a recording. I love the sounds of Pete Rock, DJ Premier, the RZA, EL-P, Eric B, Merzbow, Prince Paul, Mannie Fresh, Dan the Automator, King Tubby, Mark Bell, Alec Empire, Timbaland, The Neptunes to name a few. I admire Deathprod and Muslim Gauze. I am also into a lot of soul, mostly things my father listened to when I was growing up. Artists such as, Archie Bell and the Drills, Chuck Jackson, James Brown, Wendy Rene, Gladys Knight, and so on.
Could you discuss your relationship with Richmond Virginia's 804noise collective?
I met Kenneth Yates at a Harm Stryker show. He was playing with Marty McCavitt. It was a show in an old Pharmacy in Richmond. Now it's a nice restaurant. To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie played its first show with Harm Stryker and a deep friendship with Kenny ensued. He started 804noise and later AREA CODE noise, with the intent of a national noise scene, fueled by politics. During those early periods of 804noise, I lent some energy into design for the collective as well as organizing events along with Kenny. TKAPB also released a 7" on 804noise records and contributed music for their first compilation CD. Our first tour was with Harm Styker. On that first tour I visited Minneapolis for the first time and met Matt St Germain, which influenced my move here greatly.
How is your present work influenced by your noise roots?
My noise roots influence my work deeply. My ethics of music come from my noise roots. The idea of making something out of nothing and that fuck the world approach to music is still in me. It drives me. I feel as if I am not a musician, and that is not an insult to musicians, but I wouldn't do music if I thought I was. I am an outsider to this shit, and I want to keep it that way to an extent. Musicians intrigue me, but I can't do what they do, and in a way I don't want to.
You've been moonlighting with Marijuana Deathsquads as well as founding H.U.N.X., both large groups with a variety of artistic input. Does your approach change when working with larger ensembles?
Absolutely. Less is more when playing with large groups. You have to get to a sweet spot, especially in improv and then let it down again, build it up, get it to a awesome spot, then let it go. Restraint and timing is key. Ryan Olson is an inspiration to me. He is probably the hardest working man I know and it is an honor to play with that ensemble. I only hope to work with him more in the future. Votel (formerly H.U.N.X.) was an experiment when I first took on Wednesday nights at Nick and Eddie. It slowing formed into a solid crew. With Votel, everyone is on top of their game, it's like the pro bowl. You just have to let that body work it out, do your work outs and training, and then let it run. Soon, it has like a 5k on you. Bionic and shit.
Who are some of your favorite Twin Cities musicians and what do you like about the local scene?
So many...Off the top of my head, Andrew Broder, Adam Marx, Jon Davis, Ryan Olson, Dosh, Daughters of the Sun, Slapping Purses, Ryan Olcott, Humanda, Mother of Fire, Brute Heart, Robust Worlds, DREADBAG, Mike Miclan, Skoal Kodiak, Albert, Seth Ryan, Leisure Birds, Marijuana Deathsquad, and Seawhores.
You seem to have an affinity for the female voice. Is there any reason for this? Are there any vocalists whose voices you've fallen in love with?
I am a huge fan of female vocalists, from the Shangri-Las to Trish Keenan to Bjork to Kate Bush. To me it has much more depth and range than male vocals, with a touch of femininity. It has so much power and vulnerability in one phrase. A touch of fuck you and I love you. I'm looking for that Queen sound. I am not sure if I ever fell in love with a voice before, maybe my mother's.
You moved around a lot in your younger years. How has your nomadic youth influenced your music and do you find it difficult to stay in one place?
In a way yes, my steady moving as a youngin' has influenced my life and my music very much so. I am not sure if I can put in words the influence. I can probably start by saying that seeing the lowest poverty as a young child has had an impact on my music. I don't think many people get to see people living underneath a trash mountain, in a small tin hut with no running water as an eight year old. Virginia has a strong hold on me too. Being influenced by the Zulu Nation chapter there, being exposed to that element as a teen all ties into what I do now. I used to think that I would always be on the move, but coming and loving Minneapolis has made me want to stay here. We really have a wonderful city here.
Do you enjoy touring?
Yes. Very much so, but it is also great to stay home and make love and dinner with an amazing person.
Along with Kranky, you've released music on and are heavily involved with the Minneapolis label Riley Bushman. Could you discuss your relationship with the label?
Jehna and I met Riley Bushman in Richmond, VA around 1999. Mr. Bushman funded the first releases, we took it on after he left for France. We brought the label with us here to Minneapolis. We started working with Andy Heater and he quickly gave it new life. My relationship with the label is very personal and deep. Andy runs most operations. I'm usually in the cut. I think the next release will from Richmond VA's Cristal, a Labradford affiliate, maybe a Father You See Queen release too.
Being so involved with music locally, what do you you see as your role in relation to your community?
I'm not sure. My role is to provide good artist value to this community. I can do no other. I am just trying to express myself regardless if there is a community here or not. I am pleased that most of the time this scene allows me to do that and I hope that this community will grow and become more global.
How does the local scene relate to what's going on Globally?
I think we have the best local scene in the world. I think you are starting to see an influence from the Twin Cities infecting the globe.
What would your utopia be like?
To not exist, literally.
One last question. Who killed Tommy's Boy?
I did, with a Broadcast release.
Preirerer by MAKR
