Show Us Your Junk! Ep. 16 - MATMOS | EarthQuaker Devices

Learn more: eqd.rocks/Matm...
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“Our new album is entirely made out of plastic.” -Martin Schmidt, MATMOS
In a dingy, low-ceilinged basement somewhere near Baltimore two men huddle over a human brainpan. Bits of fragmented goat vertebrae rattle inside. One listens intently while the other scrapes it with a bow. A disembodied bovine uterus is inflated with air then squeezed. The pair become giddy with perverse joy as it emits a flatulent “pffffffft.”
What’s happening here? Are we on the set of a horror movie? Are these men serial killers?
No, they’re not. They are Martin Schmidt and Drew Daniel of the experimental group MATMOS and they make music out of everything. And that human brainpan and goat skeleton? They’re musical instruments heard on the soundtrack of a NASCAR television commercial.
Since 1997, MATMOS have pushed the boundaries of what would soon be called “intelligent dance music” beyond the natural limits of self-contained software and circuitry by using found objects (a semi-complete list is on their website) to produce music at once alien and familiar, and dare I say, pleasant.
Once plucked from the scrap heap, these objects are manipulated, recorded, and processed by effects pedals, synthesizers, and software to construct new instruments to be used in their dense compositions which combine the intellectual curiosity of musique concrete with the dopamine rush of four-on-the-floor techno dancefloor bangers.
In 2001, the pair’s fearless approach to sampling caught the ear of Björk who approached MATMOS to collaborate on her album Verpertine, which sold two million copies by the end of the year, earning them a place in her backing band. That same year, they released A Chance to Cut is a Chance to Cure, an album composed primarily of field recordings of surgical sounds that needs to be heard to believed, and proves yet again that to MATMOS, there are no “unusable” sounds.
More recently, MATMOS released an album composed entirely on a washing machine titled Ultimate Care II (2016) and have completed (with Nico Muhly) a film score for John Cameron Mitchell’s How To Talk to Girls at Parties, which stars Nicole Kidman and was released May 2018. They are currently finishing an album made out of plastic.
While MATMOS has the uncanny ability to find inspiration in anything that vibrates, Drew Daniel considers his first lightbulb-moment with an effects pedal to be an instance of musical discovery. “I wouldn’t have a lot of the desires that I have now to [eff] with audio if I hadn’t had that pedal at the right age,” he says. “The fun is in the making.”
Video: Chris Tran
Audio: Jeff "Fej" France
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[@thekidkrow]

They're adorable together and it fills me with joy seeing them be bitchy about everything together. Their modesty is also fascinating to me because of the sheer intelligence and ingenuity and just raw nerve of their music and methids. Their approach is like half-Japanese got high on qualuudes and picked up an eurorack instead of a guitar.

[@RayZappa]

For anyone who doesn't know Half Japanese (shame on you!): Immortal Jad Fair (Half Japanese) quote... "The only chord you need to play guitar is the one you plug in with". And from his brother David "there's an infinite variety of notes on the fretboard so why limit yourself by tuning".

[@drphiI]

Industrial Music: 1. Roaring Noise 2. Scary Tapes

[@gonebymidnight2881]

Haha they are brutally honest about their creative process, love that. Very interesting guys.

[@connorzittrauer3306]

These guys are the final boss of sound design

[@goatmilkofficial]

Autechre has entered the room

[@raingirlcat2245]

Include them with Stimming, Former, Mefjus, Noisia, AG Cook, Gupi, Forest Swords, Lustmord, Arca, Eprom, Amon Tobin, Prurient, Ivy Lab, Koan Sound, and Autechre. ( like goat milk6327 said. )

[@compucorder64]

I imagine MATMOS having some kind of 1am Japanese gameshow called 'WTF'. In which the duo perform a few ditties. And some poor hapless blind-folded, half-tortured contestants have to guess the sound-source. To try to win terrifying handcrafted objects and pedals they never even wanted. 'Congratulations. You've won a circuit-bent Old Blood Noise Endevours Beam Splitter, a hatchet covered in ox-blood, and a Wooly Mammoth Skull, called Nick Caved'

[@davidhubbell1622]

These folks probably loved the sound of popping bubble wrap as kids a little too much. I still love that sound to this day haha. This was wonderful!

[@EarthQuakerDevices]

popping bubble wrap is the best!

[@johnalbert2102]

@@EarthQuakerDevices sounds like a new pedal idea.

[@strelokknoize]

I've made several sample kits with bubble wrap. :D The 1st with GRM tools back then, the others with Max For Live.

[@shalfii]

This episode of 'Show Us Your Junk' is surprisingly literal

[@DanielPerryMusic]

I've been enjoying Matmos for around 18 years. Absolutely love them, thanks for this one EQD!

[@EarthQuakerDevices]

It's our pleasure. Thanks for watching, Daniel!

[@lizardwizard195]

Best quote ever...." I mean does it really matter?...no..what matters is reeekgkfkewwekfjekwk(spinning knobs)" amen

[@EarthQuakerDevices]

exactly

[@Ascsoms]

One of the most entertaining shows I ever went to was watching these guys at the Barbican in London in the 00's.They opened with a video projection but the sound wasn't working so Drew got Martin to pull his pants down and put him over his knee and played his arse cheeks. Fantastic, mischievous musicians. Love all their work. TY for a great episode.

[@peterland2824]

their humility belies the depth of their creativity. Really interesting vid!

[@kalikotronix]

Best moment and quote: “We make whatever out of anything!” Then laughs. Big fan here from Manila, Philippines

[@EarthQuakerDevices]

Thanks for your support

[@mikeroadblock]

I saw you guys playing with Bjork in SF like 10 years ago. Good show you guys kicked ass. The rocks in a box sound was a great texture. Keep on rocking.

[@EarthQuakerDevices]

thanks for watching, Mike!

[@seescojo844]

Hey EarthQuaker, please PLEASE make more pedals for us experimental/noise folk. I’d love to use a pedal that’s a contact microphone w/ effects (modulation, octaver, gate, compression) -so if you put the pedal on top of something it picked up the signal, processed/mangled w/ then quarter inch out... thumbs up folks if agree.

[@redapplefour6223]

their thought process is one that just came to me naturally whilst playing around with just objects laying around in stores while i was shopping with my parents, how everything has its own sound really interests me. even though my music right now is just really boring glitch music that wouldn't even pass on the most crazy side of bandcamp, i have a few objects (notably a curtain holder, some beat up drum sticks and some dominoes) which i could mess around sampling with. right now i've heard only two matmos albums in full, but their sound really really intrigues me because of how fun it really is, despite the odd sampling. a new album on the way is an interesting discovery anyway!

[@EarthQuakerDevices]

thanks for watching!

[@OVXX666]

this is everything ive ever wanted from a youtube video thank you so much

[@RobFlaxMusic]

I friggin' love this, so much. This resonates deep with where I'm at with pedals right now.

[@noisejockey]

Total, absolute heroes.

[@EarthQuakerDevices]

totally agree

[@raycordmusic]

Love the Show Us Your Junk! Thanks!

[@kellymerrill5294]

Best of the series! More!

[@colinrussell2017]

I can't believe these guys are from San Francisco!😂 Love Matmos

[@Becausing]

The self-awareness in their process is arresting and annoying and admirable.

[@fredkennedy8435]

Love you guys. Beautiful sounds. This video was an awesome insight into your process. Thank you!

[@vanyagorkov8438]

These guys have a very cool approach to music, I dig it.

[@Ak3r0n]

It's fascinating how for these guys, musicality has (almost) nothing to do with the performance and everything to do about the processing afterwards

[@skriptico]

They're fantastic!

[@myyoutube1978]

Weird as hell.. I love it

[@doranstewartstewart6521]

Been a fan for 15 yrs love them.

[@EarthQuakerDevices]

thanks for watching!

[@EstevanOsorio]

Watching at 6:00 am, that "incoming high pitched squeal" scared my cat.

[@mikew5th]

my dog too

[@EarthQuakerDevices]

we warned ya

[@mindbodylightsound10]

my pomeranians were quite compelled

[@marknorris3769]

holy mother of jesus that was awesome

[@EarthQuakerDevices]

thanks, Mark!

[@acodike]

My dog just jumped off his bed with that squeaky shit

[@williamgatesenson]

i've never seen an intewrview with them before. they are really funny

[@moodmusik]

The opening sequence on this episode is on 100000!

[@EarthQuakerDevices]

thanks!

[@awol.oper8r]

Oh hell yeah, MATMOS is sick

[@sprthhfk]

Fucking props to Martin for mentioning SPK when discussing industrial music, nobody ever does...

[@EarthQuakerDevices]

dude knows his stuff!

[@pnoplyr14]

Asmr gone wrong with Matmos.

[@stuartchapman5171]

Glad I discovered you guys. This is my approach to sound design. Take a sound any sound, process in real time with pedals. Parallel and/or series. Industrial before the beats. Create music as an outsider artist. Unhindered by talent. 21st century musique concrete with a healthy irreverent sense of humour.

[@seazenbones6945]

One side of my brain loves Molly Miller. The other side loves this.

[@lepistanuda]

for sure sound artists

[@HumanMotives]

Hugely inspiring!

[@OVXX666]

wtf i love them

[@NainUsar]

"Hey what's that? Incoming high pitched sqAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

[@MrDonc78]

I wonder how many bodies are buried in their backyard.

[@OngoingBox]

this is my favorite one

[@richardmills5326]

The old one is a hard core top

[@jaundong3692]

I feel like these guys are trolling me

[@djcj]

Right! 😂

[@mattpaul5389]

"its time to die" LOL!

[@kellymerrill5294]

My dog looked at me funny @6:27

[@KrisCadwell]

Nice quote to start the video with. I'm giving that some thought.

[@EarthQuakerDevices]

Thanks! I've been thinking about that a lot, too.

[@leightoro5500]

Wonderful .

[@RegularDude00]

these guys are hilarious

[@strelokknoize]

So Skinny Puppy was just a weird EBM band, huh? Not even THAT weird. Well, for me they've been the entry drug.

[@SCWood]

"Now it's time to... you know.... die"

[@MrRaulMaster]

Of Drew has a Coil tatoo

[@martydurlam]

Love Matmos

[@EarthQuakerDevices]

thanks for watching!

[@williamscerbo458]

the GOATS

[@EarthQuakerDevices]

🐐🐐

[@dannyho6786]

Very rad !! I'm in the city also Y'all .

[@JimmyJammy97]

oh so thats the bell sound from the soft pink truth record

[@MisterConscio]

Incoming High Pitched Squeal (my dog faced me with open ears)

[@stefan1024]

Very smart people!

[@That1Guy]

Hahaha I’m kinda like the blue man group too. Nice to meet ya

[@michaels8088]

they stay in my crates...for their sheer versatility..

[@Ayircan]

Does anybody know what the little blue synth with the patchkabels is, between the effect pedals and in the thumbnail at the end of the video?

[@kshhhhhhk]

lorre mill double knot

[@stepitupandgo67]

hard to argue with Kim Gordon about art...

[@bozosaurus666]

awesome possum

[@amuletsmusic]

come see my junk!

[@michaeldesmond5790]

Landshark..!

[@rulindachatt]

Fuck yes

[@felipesigne901]

what would be that synth at 7:41?

[@MrMcess]

Roland V-Synth (second version) a great bizarre machine...NOT for taking on tour though...broken in two tours (and I have good cases!).

[@commerceserverservercommerce]

what are the songs at 0:19 and 7:31?

[@EarthQuakerDevices]

Its the guys in the video. The music credits are at the end of the film, including a web link you can use to check out more info about them and their music. This is all at 11:30. Thanks for watching!

[@commerceserverservercommerce]

EarthQuakerDevices oh my bad i didnt see the credits at the end! sorry

[@EarthQuakerDevices]

No biggie, thats what I'm here for! Have a great weekend!

[@simonsays374]

To each their own, but not for me.

[@richgraff5957]

Whoa. what's up with the HARD panning on some parts of the interview? Yikes!

[@TooStonedToBobsled]

Whyyyy did I have the volume so high!? That fn giant capsule...it's worse than kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpS5nYebfqaHeNU

[@hevvyserve]

you're gonna do what with a cow?

[@maxmatson1578]

I wonder if these guys like coil¿?🎹🎧💫😵💀💩🙊🙉🙈😲

[@andrzejhercun6157]

1:29 ;

[@TOPDOPPLER]

They have a delightful cover of Disco Hospital on their California Rhinoplasty EP

[@NickHchaos]

They've made some albums that are just terrible to listen to, to be honest, but at least they're funny and honest. Saw them live in SF around the Bjork-collab era. I remember them saying some really cringe worthy things in another interview, like how they didn't really think there was anything special about analogue, and they just had their own Arp 2600 lying around that they treated like another any one of their items that they found in a trash bin, or something to that effect. I guess it makes sense sampling comes before music to them, but painful to talk about such a beautiful instrument like that. Also, is there a reason parts of this interview are hard panned to either L or R side? Kind of unpleasant to listen to.

[@maxsync183]

i mean there really isnt anything special about analog. ultimately it doesnt really matter, its just a way of doing things but it totally depends on what you want out of it. analog systems will never have the potential and variety that digital ones do and the idea that analog is "richer, smoother, warmer, whatever buzzwords you want" is just silly. its like insisting that red is the best color.

[@CONCEPT_RXCH]

@@maxsync183 right!

[@ITheFight]

I feel like I lost brain cells watching this..

[@JakeG]

I would like to hear the breast implant.

[@johnloughner6572]

These cards have no talent

[@CountryFriedChocobo]

These two backed Björk in one of the greatest live performances at The Royal Opera House. Whether you like them or not, they're more musically inclined than what what they give off in this interview and have helped back sounds and influenced so many with their continuous strive to innovative sound. Don't be so ignorant.

[@cranklabexplosion-labcentr8245]

“Don’t mistake lack of talent for genius”

[@stagnatic]

That was excellent.

[@EarthQuakerDevices]

thank you!