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 Aidan Baker: I am 35, currently living in Toronto and working part-time at a bookstore. 2. Could you tell me few words about your musical childhood? What was thew moment when you decided to be not only a receiver but also a creator of music? Aidan Baker: My parents are both professional musicians, so music was always around me as a child. I first starting learning piano at the age of 6 and then flute, guitar, saxophone, drums. I am not exactly sure when I decided I would make music... perhaps the notion was always there. 3. Were your first musical creations already influenced by ambient/drone or shoegaze, or was it more "conventional" stuff? Aidan Baker: I suppose it was a bit of a combination... I did listen to pop music of course, but I also listened to and played classical and jazz, so my 'pop' songs always did have something of an atonality to them, even if the framework was relatively conventional. 4. As I read on your webpage you're classically trained multi-instrumentalist - in what degree your education helps you in the process of creation of your sounds? Aidan Baker: Well, like any education, it gives me a framework and levels of reference with which to work. In other words, I may not directly use things from my education, but it gives me a base from which to take reference/experience/ideas.  Aidan Baker: Inspiration comes from all around - other music, films, books, nature... I have a lot of sounds in my head. 6. After a 100 or so releases (under various monikers) don't you feel sometimes any kind of burning-out? Do you create music with the same enthusiasm as few years ago? Aidan Baker: Each release gives me ideas for another, it seems - something new or different that I want to try. I worry less about burning-out than being able to translate what I hear in my head to actual sound... that disconnect between the conception and the act... 7. The musical differences between your solo project, Nadja and ARC are quite easy to notice, although of course influences of one project sometimes could penetrate the other. But are there any, hmm... conceptual or "ideological" differences between all three projects? Aidan Baker: To a certain degree, yes, though they are perhaps more conceptual than ideological. ARC is much more about improvisation and the spontaneity we experience as we play together. Nadja is more specifically about exploring heavy and distorted sounds - and attempting to control them - within an ambient/drone context. With my solo work, I like to explore different sounds and styles, so perhaps there is less of unifying concept behind it - even if it is usuall of an ambient or drone nature.  Aidan Baker: To date, I think my collaboration with Tim Hecker ("Fantasma Parastasie" on Alien8 Recordings) was the most satisfying because we were able to take the time to both trade tracks over the internet and record/edit together in person. The majority of the collabs I have done so far have been strictly over the interner or through the mail - which can be interesting - but playing together in person is usually more satisfying. 9. In my review of "Thaumogenesis" I wrote that one excerpt (between 30 and 35 minute) could be the soundtrack for my final fade away. Listening to your music for me is almost kind of spiritual experience. I'd say that during listening your music my soul is much more engaged than my ears. My question is - is the process of creation is equally "mystical" for you as the process of perception by such listeners like me? Aidan Baker: When it works, yes. Certainly I find an element of transcendence available (if only fleetingly) through the act of creation. 10. You're also a poet and a writer... Do you have any favourite artists on this field? Aidan Baker: Oh yes - some of my favourite writers: Angela Carter, JG Ballard, Shelley Jackson, Kelly Link, Martin Millar, Stanislaw Lem, Italo Calvino, Richard Brautigan... the list could go on. 11. Your lyrics are a bit abstract, romantic in some weird, biological way, surreal... What would you like to express through them? Aidan Baker: Those are themes/imagery I often revisit - biology, romance, surrealism, communication - but there isn't really anything specific, necessarily, that I want to express with them. I would rather leave them open to interpretation. 12. In your opinion, does art always have to bring any message or statement? Aidan Baker: No. 13. Do you believe in existence of some king of Higher Intelligence which controls our (mankind) actions? Aidan Baker: No. 14. In my opinion Nadja, ARC and Aidan Baker's music has very dreamlike atmosphere. Does your dreams inspire you in any way? Aidan Baker: Not really... sometimes I will make use of an image or moment that I dreamed, but I wouldn't exactly call it inspiration. 15. Perhaps you'd tell me about the weirdest dream you ever had? Aidan Baker: ...I can't really think of one worth relating... 16. "Kriplyana", track from Nadja's split with Netherworld is perhaps the most radical composition of Nadja. Do you think you could create something even more extreme? Aidan Baker: I don't really think "Kriplyana" is that extreme, actually... challenging, maybe. So, yes, I would hope we could create something more extreme... somehow...  Aidan Baker: If that is their only purpose, I do not really like it. But I think the best noise artists are the best precisely because there is more to their work than just extremity of volume - some evidence of structure or forethought or melody or whatever it might be. 18. A couple of your albums were released by netlabels. What's your opinion about this kind of promoting music? Aidan Baker: I think it is a good means of promotion - so many people are downloading music anyway, offering something for free download is only going to increase one's listeners. 19. It seems you're in good relationships with polish Foreshadow label. Could you tell me few words about this cooperation? Will you release anything more for them in the future? Aidan Baker: We have been working together a few years now... I don't know when we will release another Nadja album with them, but conceivably they might do a solo album of mine in the future... 20. Do you have any signs of interest in your music from Poland? Any e-mails or something like that? Aidan Baker: Yes, we do sometimes get emails from people in Poland, so it seems we do have some fans there. I hope that we will be able to play there in the new year. 21. Any plans for the nearest future? Aidan Baker: We are hoping to do some shows in eastern Europe in 2009. And we, of course, have a number of new releases coming out in the next few months. 22. Thank you Aidan, I hope you don't felt bored or irritated by my questions. Last words are yours. Aidan Baker: And thank you!  Stark info: www.myspace.com/aidanbakermusic www.nadjaluv.ca www.myspace.com/nadjaluv www.myspace.com/arcolepsy Reviews:
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NADJA/NETHERWORLD "Magma to Ice" (Fario CD '2008)
NADJA "Thaumogenesis" (aRCHIVE CD '2008)
NADJA "Corrasion" (Foreshadow Productions CD '2007)