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Toni
Levin
by Guillermo Cides |
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Tony
Levin has been (and it is) for many bassists and stickists,
an inevitable reference. Possibly, his charisma like musician
is leaned on the way he sees and lives his own music. This
musical " energy " that comes off of him is, to
my way of seeing, so permeable towards out, that arrives to
the audience in a simple and direct way. If you have had the
luck to see this musician in action (I had it, in the first
concert that King Crimson offered in Buenos Aires in its return),
you find Levin absolutely concentrated in his task, precise
and sure in its action.
It is difficult to imagine Tony with another instrument. However,
as the he tells us in our chat, their beginnings were with
the piano: Guillermo
Cides: With regard to your musical intention, what
was what you really wished at the beginning, when you began
to discover your first instrument? Tony
Levin: When I was young I played piano (my parents
insisted on it.) After a few years they asked if I might prefer
another instrument - I chose the bass,
for no reason I know of except that I liked it. A lucky choice
because now, after so many years, I still enjoy just playing
the bass.
As for the Stick, when it came out in the '70's, I heard about
it from a lot of musicians who thought it would be right for
me (since I had been playing with a tapping technique on the
bass.) So I got one, and started playing it
on the first Peter Gabriel tour, and some records soon after
.
I especially liked the sound of the bass end, and the different
tuning, which helped inspire me to come up with unusual bass
parts.
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Mr. Levin has
explored the music through diverse roads. Both his way of
investigate and his adaptation to the musical styles, began
very early and from the origin, as he tell us:
G.C.: Did the inspiration
arrive before than the technique or did the technique allow
you to arrive to the inspiration? T.
L.: Again going back to my youth as a bass player,
I took lessons and practiced Classical music for many years
before joining any bands or playing any other kind of music. |
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His musical
curiosity has carried him to play with musicians so diverse
as Paul Simon, James Taylor, Peter Frampton, Paula Cole, Peter
Gabriel, Jhon Lennon, King Crimson, among others. Their list
impresses at first sight. Possibly we are speaking of one
of the key bassists of this time. G.C.:
You are playing with the biggest artists of this time. I wonder:
Have you discovered some point in common in all of them,
something that is a necessary constant? T.
L.: There are differences in most of the great players
and artists I work with. Some work very hard at their craft
- others just rely on their talent. With some the talent comes
from intelligence, direction, and work - with others it's
just natural. I've been inspired by many of these musicians
and artist, and try to let some of that special aspect of
theirs rub off on me. Whether that's happened or not, it's
a great thrill to be onstage with Peter Gabriel
when he's doing his performance, or Robert Fripp when he's
solo-ing, or Paul Simon in the studio creating a song. Regarding
his attitude towards the music, Toni says:
G.C.: Today I see Tony Levin
like a musician that enjoys the music without concerns, with
a simple and happy attitude toward it. Is this attitude the
result of your reflections about the music or the result of
your years of experience? T.
L.: I think that my attitude toward playing comes
from my love of music.
After so many years playing, I'm quite clear about myself
- I love good music and being a part of it. What my function
is in that music isn't too important -
so I try to fashion a bass part that best helps the music,
whether it's a
simple song or a complex King Crimson composition. Then, the
best part, playing live. I especially enjoy the energy and
appreciation that comes from audiences, so touring, even though
it can be gruelling, is quite rewarding each night when we
finally play our music. It's no wonder I'm enjoying myself
when playing - I think anyone who is able to make a lifetime
of playing music is lucky indeed. |
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Tony Levin
has diverse published albums. From some years ago to this
time, he has been recording and editing a series of works
that, year after year, have been seeing the light. His last
work is "Pieces of the sun", with Jerry Marotta
on drums (and vocals, percussion, some sax, and a little
Omnichord), Jesse Gress on electric and acoustic guitars
(and some vocals), Larry Fast on synthesizer, The California
Guitar Trio on acoustic guitars, and Tony Levin on basses
and Stick.
Levin has created a "small record company", like
he likes to call to his Papabear Records. (This name arose
of its daughter. She calls in this way to her father...).
From there, he dedicates time to bringing up to date his
web site, always renovating his newspaper of tours (The
Road Diary).
G.C.: The musicians
are fighting immersed in a difficult system of production.
Which is your advice for those that try to survive in this
environment without sacrificing its own music?
T. L.: I don't have any
advice about how to deal with the music industry - it's
a hard time for that and I have no particular insight into
what works.
I do think, though, that sticking to ones own ideas about
what music you want to play is usually better, in the long
run, than trying to change your music to suit the business
or audience.
I've often seen it happen that a singer changes course when
making an album, to try to sell more records - then if they
don't sell many records, they've got nothing - not even
having made the music of their heart.
Better to try to keep to what makes you unique, and if it
fails commercially at least you'll always have that special
music that you made.
G.C.: Thank you Toni. |
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Toni
Levin
por Guillermo Cides
Version en castellano |
Tony
Levin ha sido (y es) para muchos bajistas y stickistas, una
referencia inevitable. Posiblemente, su carisma como musico
este apoyada en una manera de ver y vivir su propia musica.
Este "energia" musical que de el se desprende es,
a mi manera de ver, tan permeable hacia afuera, que llega
a la audiencia de una manera simple y directa. Si has tenido
la suerte de ver a este musico en accion (yo la tuve, en el
primer concierto que ofrecio King Crimson en Buenos Aires
en su regreso), encuentras a un Levin absolutamente concentrado
en su tarea, preciso y seguro en su accion.
Es dificil imaginar a Tony en otro instrumento. Sin embargo,
como el nos dice en nuestra charla, sus inicios fueron con
el piano: Guillermo
Cides: En relacion a tu intencion musical, ¿que
fue lo que realmente deseaste cuando descubriste tu primer
instrumento? Tony Levin: Cuando
era joven tocaba el piano (mis padres insistieron en ello)
Luego de unos pocos años elos me preguntaron si yo
preferia algun otro instrumento. Yo elegi el bajo por ninguna
razon en especial excepto que me gustaba. Fue una eleccion
comn suerte, porque hoy despues de muchos años, aun
disfruto solo de tocar el bajo.
Con respecto al Stick, cuando entramos en la decada de los
'70, escuche acerca de el a muchos musicos quienes pensaban
que seria bueno para mi. (Habia estado tocando con la tecnica
Tapping sobre mi bajo). Entonces consegui uno, y lo comence
a tocar en la primer gira con Peter Gabriel; y posteriormente
en algunas grabaciones.
Especialmente a mi me gusta su sonido de bajo profundo, y
las diferentes afinaciones, que me ayudan a inspirarme con
inusuales partes de bajo. |
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Mr. Levin ha
explorado por caminos diversos de la musica. Su manera de
investigacion y adaptacion a los estilos musicales comenzaron
desde muy temprano y desde fuentes, como el nos cuenta:
G.C.: Arribo la inspiracion junto con la tecnica en
tu instrumento? T. L.:
Regresando otra vez a mi juventud como bajista, practique
y tome lecciones de musica Clasica por muchos años
sntes de formar alguna banda o tocar algun otro tipo de musica.
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Esta curiosidad
musical le ha llevado a tocar con musicos tan diversos como
Paul Simon, James Taylor, Peter Frampton, Paula Cole, Peter
Gabriel, Jhon Lennon, King Crimson, entre otros. Su lista
impresiona a primera vista. Posiblemente estemos hablando
de uno de los bajistas claves de esta epoca.
G.C.: Tu has tocado con los musicos mas grandes de
esta epoca. ¿Has descubierto algun punto en comun en
ellos, algo que sea una necesaria constante? T.
L.: Existen diferencias en muchos de los grandes artistas
con los que trabaje. Algunos trabajan muy duro con su propio
arte; otros apenas confian en su talento. En algunos el talento
viene de la inteligencia, de la dirección, y del trabajo;
en otros el talento es algo natural. Yo he sido inspirado
por muchos de estos musicos y artistas e intento que algo
del especial aspecto de estos musicos se quede en mi.
Y aunque esto suceda o no, es una gran emocion estar con Peter
Gabriel cuando el esta haciendo su performance, o con Robert
Fripp cuando el esta haciendo su solo, o con Paul Simon cuando
esta creando una cancion en el estudio.
Respecto a su actitud hacia la musica, Toni dice:
G.C.: Hoy veo a Tony Levin
como a un musico que disfruta de la musica sin preocupaciones,
con una simple y feliz acitud hacia ella. ¿Esta actitud
es el resultado de tu reflexion hacia esta o de tus años
de experiencia? T. L.:
Creo que mi actitud respecto a tocar proviene de mi amor a
la musica. Despues de muchos años tocando musica, tengo
claro acerca de mi mismo que amo a la musica y que soy parte
de ella. Que mi funcion en la musica no es demasiado importante,
por lo que intento armar una linea de bajo que ayude a la
musica sea esta una simple cancion o una compleja composicion
de King Crimson. Entonces la mejor parte es tocar en directo.
Especialmente, disfruto de la energia y el aprecio que viene
de la audiencia, de los tours, aun cuando estos pueden llegar
a ser cansadores, esta recompensado cada noche cuando nosotros
tocamos finalmente nuestra musica. No es ninguna maravilla
que esté disfrutando yo mismo al tocar - pienso que
cualquiera que puede hacer una vida de tocar música
es verdaderamente afortunado. Yo creo que cualquier persona
que puede tocar musica en su vida es afortunado de hacerlo. |
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Tony
Levin tiene diversos albumes editados. Desde hace unos años
a esta epoca, comenzo la grabacion y edicion de una serie
de grabaciones que año tras año van viendo
la luz. Su ultimo trabajo es "Pieces of the sun"
junto a JerryMarotta on drums (and vocals, percussion, some
sax, and a little Omnichord) Jesse Gress on electric and
acoustic guitars (and some vocals) Larry Fast on synthesizer
, The California Guitar Trio on acoustic guitars, and Tony
Levin on basses and Stick.
Levin a crado una "small record company" como
a el le gusta llamar a su Papabear Records. (Este nombre
surgio de su hija. Asi llama ella a su padre...). Desde
alli, dedica tiempo a la actualizacion de su pagina web
renovando siempre su diario de giras (The Road Diary).
G.C.: Muchos musicos estan inmersos en un sistema
de produccion musical dificil . ¿Cual es tu consejo
apara aquellos que intentan sobrevivir en ese medio sin
sacrificar su propia musica?
T. L.: No tengo ningun consejo
acerca de como insertarse en la industria de la musica.
Esto implica un tiempo duro y no tengo una determinada entrada
e este campo. De todas maneras, yo pienso que pegandote
a tus propias ideas acerca de que musica tu quieres tocar
es usualmente mejo, a largo plazo, que intentar cambiar
tu música para satisfacer al negocio o a las audiencias.
He visto suceder a menudo que un cantante cambia el curso
al hacer un álbum, para intentar vender más
discos. Ocurre entonces que si ellos no venden mas discos,
entonces no tienen nada y no estan haciendo la musica de
su corazon.
Mejor intentar mantener lo que te hace unico, y si falla
comercialmente, al menos siempre tendras la musica especial
que tu hiciste.
G.C.: Gracias Toni. |
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Toni Levin official Web Page
The Stick Center thanks Toni Levinl's collaboration
for this interview.
Traducción:Matias Betti.
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The Stick Center
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