Jobe: I'm watching Soylent Green

Adrift: Lol, great movie

Jobe: Never seen it... so when did you want to do the interview?

Adrift: Now if that's not a problem

Jobe: OK that's cool fire away

Adrift: Ok first question. Can you tell Enclave how mayfairgrin came about?

Jobe: I've been creating music for several years but, the concept for mayfairgrin had been gestating for, well, ever since i can remember. The actual name came to me on a 'prodigal son' sort of drive back from a very bad place i was living for a short time. I was not a Christian at the time but still conversed with what i thought was G_d at the time. I hope that answers your question.

Adrift: Actually that leads me into my next question, what exactly does the name mayfairgrin mean?

Jobe: Heheh... i... don't know.

Adrift: Lol.

Jobe: It's weird. The word just popped into my head on that fateful drive back to my family (and eventually my Saviour). I guess you could call that quiet conversation I had w/ G_d a sort of 'prayer'... anyway, it just stuck.

Adrift: Ok, next, can you tell us your main influences?

Jobe: Musical or literary?

Adrift: Both. In the direction of your music though.

Jobe: As far as literary goes: Kahlil Gibran, C.S. Lewis, The Nag Hammadi... I place a heavy influence on the literary. (Musically) alot of 4AD artists primarily THIS MORTAL COIL and others like COCTEAU TWINS. Unfortunantly, mayfairgrin's been classified as ambient. There *is* alot of ambiance in the music itself. Heh... anyway... i think the ambient aspects (in) the music come from the 4AD and Projekt influences, however, I love artists like APOPTYGMA BERZERK and MOBY. APB is a tremendous influence even though I sound nothing like APB.
Ummmm... I could go on and on.

Adrift: Hehe, ok well actually again this leads me to my next question. If you could, how would you label your own music?

Jobe: Well after much thought, prayer, & meditation... I'd have to say... swing.

Adrift: Lol

Jobe: I've been asked that before on several occasions, and I honestly don't know how to answer that. I've gone with "artwave". mayfairgrin has been described by others as 'industrial post-rock' or 'progressive darkwave'. I think those fit rather well.

Adrift: As far as I can tell, your music style has changed quite a bit from when you first began. It seems to me that it was more of an electronic gothic thing to start off with and now it seems more experimental ambient, do you agree with this and can you give us more imput on where you are going right now?

Jobe: You're right on the money there. It was very much electric-gothic, it has changed as I expected it would. 'Experimental' and 'ambient' might be good musical descriptions but those words hold some negative connotations which I try to avoid. As far as the directional change, I'm comfortable with my own style now. Most artists begin, either intentional or not, by mimicking what appeals to their taste. I think I started there as well. I began writing folkish type songs way back in highschool, just me and my guitar. When i discovered electronic music production, a whole new world was opened up to me. I'm doing what I want to do now. This is the difference. I've also allowed myself to grow as an artist and feel comfortable with that title... as where before I didn't even like to call myself a musician, more imput on where I'm going right now? Hmmm... I foresee the music heading a more vocal and live-oriented direction. It will be more progressive than ever before. I'm currently writing for the next album called 'Delicate'. I have alot of acoustic material that I plan on releasing as well that will be under the 'Damn Damp Laminate' album title (EP). The ambient and experimental elements will surface when I finally get around to releasing another album called 'Spider & The Moon', which will include some guitar work by Eric Kesner of TCOB on most of the recording. So, I have been rather busy as of late. I don't know why i feel so unproductive though...

Jobe: Very simply put, the flexability. I have loved world and tribal music for as long as I can remember, electronic music was just an extension of that. I love rhythm, I also love dissonance. Both the world and electronic musics I've been attracted to share these elements. Electronic music also has a very mystical element about it. It's composition that's literally borne out of electricity. I know I'm stating the obvious... but... it's as if spirits played instruments. Is that odd to say that?

Adrift: No, I think I can relate to that. Can you tell well, those in the know, what kind of tools and instruments you use to compose your music?

Jobe: Sure. A large and complicated array of... yard trimmings... and young gnomes.

Adrift: Lol

Jobe: You don't believe me? OK, other than my cheap-o synths (read: not a Kerzweil), I (currently) use acoustic/electric guitars, djembe drum and scrap metal (for add. perc.), a 303, enviromental recordings (found sounds), and various music software.

Adrift: From my past conversations with you I know that you are very critical about your music, can you tell us a bit how you you percieve your own music?

Jobe: That's a tough one... I am very critical. I recognize my own shortcomings and lack of skills in certain areas. I'm usually pretty shocked when someone sends me an e-mail expressing their appreciation for what I do. I started creating for myself originally, it took me a whole year just to gather the nerve to make mayfairgrin more than a friend-to-friend affair. As in- placing mayfairgrin on-line for all to hear, I never thought this music would ever be played on radio in another state, much less over seas! Which it has... and it is all so surreal. I create what I like to listen to. I admit to not being a crowd pleaser.

Adrift: Can you tell Enclave about your other projects? Both musically and on the internet?

Jobe: Both musically and on the internet? I'm sorry... expound for me there would ya?

Adrift: Im referring to the DDC and Mannequin Oddio and how you are helping folks out in those directions.

Jobe: Oh OK. KAVA is the name of the mayfairgrin side-project. I'm finishing up the last details of that album this month actually. I think 'dark ambient' or, even better, 'sombient' may be a good description of KAVA. It's not musical in the traditional sense. The sound is much more reminiscent of artists like RAISON D'ETRE, TRUE COLOUR OF BLOOD, or perhaps even SANCTUM's more ambient moments. There's also another more minor side project that is basically IDM / experimental trance / techno. For now I'm calling that material THE BELL JAR PROJECT, until I conjure up something more clever. Both KAVA and THE BELL JAR PROJECT can be heard at Mannequin Oddio (http://ampcast.com/oddio). Speaking of the Mannequin, the label is going through a huge metamorphosis right now, the label is new and currently an internet-only entity. I'd expound further, but... I'd have to kill you. heh...

Adrift: Lol

Jobe: No really. Alot is happening to bring MO out into the real world. As it stands currently, MO is just a label for my projects and those of other artists I respect and trust. Most of these artists are active and contributing members of the Darker Day Collective.

Adrift: Ever think of playing live? Is that even possible with a project like mayfairgrin?

Jobe: Well yeah. We're playing Club-Industrial (http://clubindustrial.net) this summer. We may even do a few shows around the Seattle area. The older material is near impossible to recreate live, and I'm not into hitting the 'play' button and sing kereoke. I have two new contributers to help out live and with writing, recording, and production- an MC of sorts and a 2nd guitarist/vocalist. Let me note that both are fairly new and there won't be any material released from us for the next few months (until at least june). We're playing in july (near the cornerstone fest). Or at least will try to. It depends on how everything comes together.

Adrift: Tell us what you think about the scene, both the secular and the Christian (I know that's a broad question).

Jobe: I've been 'in' the gothic-industrial scene for about 10 years now. I discovered the Xian gothic scene a few years back, it was through Velvet Empire and the mighty Flaming Fish Music. What do i think of them? ummm... They both have their drawbacks and negative aspects. I think I was a bit naive when entering the Xian Goth subculture. It is not much different from what I had experienced prior. This scene was full of pitfalls and con-artists like Blacklight Records. It really does illuminate the human side of Xianity though. That is what made me fall in love with it so much. I saw and met these kids that really had nothing left; not even anything left to rebel against. They had no one to reach for except this possiblity that there is G_d. I met them on-line and at cornerstone. Some of their stories are... heartbreaking and painfully beautiful. Most of the mainstream gothics I had met were either too wrapped up in their own drama or too drugged up to care. They hadn't hit rock bottom yet. Alot of kids in the Xian Goth scene have... several times. The Faith that they eventually find, one way or another, is so much more genuine because they've lived through seriously tough crap. The Xian goth scene is very jaded and dejected yet find a very pure, unhindered, and unconditional love in the person of Jesus. Jaded and dejected are two things that I feel alot, so I can certainly relate

Adrift: How does your faith tie in with the mayfairgrin project?

Jobe: My Faith ties into all aspects of my life as do most of my convictions, so naturally it comes out through me musically.

Adrift: "Sorrow is Better" may be your biggest claim to underground fame so far (if i may say so). Can you tell us anything about that song and how it came about?

Jobe: Yeah i guess "Sorrow..." has recieved some noticeable attention. I don't know why. I have remixed the song a few times and I actually like those *better*. "Sorrow..." is based on Ecclesiastes 7, but it was more than that to me. I had just come out of a horrible, and manipulative relationship just months prior when I wrote that, I had come to terms with the fact that I could not live in Faith while letting myself be eaten alive like that... the song is about relationships ...in a vague sense. I write out of stream of consciousness, so alot of emotion and layered meanings come out that way. Ironically, I recorded the song at a (then) friends apartment studio. I was in a few problematic friendships as well. My former bandmate, ("tucker") whom helped produce the song, was living out several lies and it eventually divided us. The song also deals very much with honesty, which I hold in the highest esteem. That was where the irony lied. Overall, the intensity that was captured w/in that song was definately reflective of the unrest that occupied that period of my life.

Adrift: Awesome. You've already mentioned some of your near future projects. What can we expect in the near future with mayfairgrin and related projects?

Jobe: A label release or 3... I scrapped alot of the material that was going onto the 'Delicate' album. This put me back like six months. Expect the overall sound to be something like BOARDS OF CANADA meet THE RED HOUSE PAINTERS. Then again, it may sound totally different from that. If it sounds like I've abandoned the gothic scene, in some aspects I have. I'm in search of fresher, more alive and unique sounds. The first album release will be something called... well, I won't realease the name of the CD yet, but it's basically a compilation of my work (mayfairgrin, KAVA, Bell Jar, etc.) as well as some other projects I have a hand in... it will be a rather simple release through Ampcast. I realize that that *something* needs to be out there and this is a very good way to introduce and re-introduce folks to the music w/ in what we call the Crashed Satellite Conglomerate. Another artist featured on the compilation is Llona. I help produce her music, and it has a mayfairgrin vibe to it.

Adrift: In closing do you have any last words or thoughts to share with our readers?

Jobe: Don't eat dead things! And... feel free to visit the mp3 web sites-

mayfairgrin http://mp3.com/mayfairgrin

KAVA http://mp3.com/kava1

The Bell Jar Project http://mp3.com/mfg

Mannequin Oddio http://ampcast.com/oddio

Peace NX