C. Diab

In my music list for July, I introduced to you, C. Diab. With his songs the musician from Canada wants to inspire people to dream.

His album "White Whale", which was released recently, is the fifth since his debut in 2013. I have now arranged an interview with him. We talked about "White Whale" and his affection for playing acoustic guitars with the help of a cello bow. And also a bit about politics nowadays.

Anne: Hi! Thank you very much for taking the time for this interview! How are you doing today?

C. Diab: I'm doing well. I've just gone for a walk in the pouring rain for far too long, so I'm soaked.

Anne: How did you get the idea to play an acoustic guitar with a cello bow?

"I found a cello bow"

C. Diab: When I was a teenager, I performed in a kind of psych-folk band with two other guitarists. None of us had any effects pedals or many variations in our tonality, so we were often stuck for sonic space. One day I found an old cello bow lying around the house. While using it on the guitar I found it opened up some new space for the guitar section and created some interesting sonic separation between lines. Eventually, the band broke up and everyone moved on. It wasn't until many years later, while I was stuck in a musical rut, that once again I found an old bow in my apartment and immediately felt that through the technique physically and emotionally, the result was a truer form than anything I'd made previously, and the floodgates opened.

Anne: You are also playing the trumpet. I like the special atmosphere this instrument creates pretty much. What makes it so special?

C. Diab: I think the sound of a trumpet is evocative for people, it's such a singular instrument in that most people tend to have a specific idea of what the trumpet should be used for, or a specific memory of trumpet which ties together all other trumpets focused music they hear into a sort of color.

Anne: What inspires you most when you are writing new songs or working on your amazing sounds?

"Words can be frustrating"

C. Diab: Words can be very frustrating, attempts at communication through conversation can often only reveal an iceberg tip, missing nuance, people often have a difficult time holding eye contact. When writing music, it is foremost for me an attempt at a deeper communication beyond language, sort of trying to put my heartbeat to music. Then I hope it can help listeners recollect, hopefully, forgotten moments can bubble to the surface for them again. In a perfect world, it would be healing, I suppose.

Anne: Did the COVID-crisis affect you and your work as a musician? Were you planning on going on tour to promote your current album "White Whale"?

C. Diab: It did affect me. I was ready to travel to Stockholm in April for a residency at EMS studio, as well as tentative plans in Europe for multiple shows revolving around the release of the record. Obviously, there were the album release performances and summer gigs closer to home as well. Everything was canceled.

Anne: Speaking about "White Whale" - I like the record a lot! Are you satisfied with the output of your work?

"Making 'The White Whale' was a good experience"

C. Diab: In the end, once the record is finished and ready to be heard and pressed and sent out, I can go back and listen to it again with fresh ears, and get to know it from the other side. The making of this record was a good experience, and the engineer I worked with is a wonderful person. I think we made something in the end that I'm proud of and happy to have released into the world. But, I will say, that if I were totally satisfied with one of my records, then I wouldn't have to do it anymore. There's always so much left to say.

Anne: Who played with you on "White Whale"?

C. Diab: I performed all of the instruments on White Whale. My engineer, Paul Stewart, during the mixing process, had a lot of input and also added some great sounds by doing things such as capturing samples of takes and pitch-shifting them through filters and adding them in again as ambient sound. Actually, I think he also may have played the arpeggiated synth on Infernal District, I'll have to ask him.

Anne: Why is it called "White Whale"?

"What is this world?"

C. Diab: I named the album after the general feeling of disenfranchisement I feel has seeped into the water supply of my generation, things seem to only become bleaker now, some times slowly and other times at an incredible pace. The White Whale refers to the dreams people hold, for things that should be simple, like contentment and security in a material sense, etc, but also for responsible government and trust in yr neighbor. The world is run by racist blood-sucking oligarchs and oftentimes because we vote for them. What is this world?

Anne: Is there anything you would say politicians can learn from creative people?

C. Diab: All people are creative people, most people just need to awaken it in themselves, trick up their sleeve. Politicians could benefit by trying to learn from past mistakes, but unfortunately, that seems to be too much to ask for the political class.

Anne: Your music is very creative. I like the way you are picking elements from different music styles and putting them together in your own personal way. It's quite intense and emotional. The outcome is a collection of fascinating worlds of exciting sounds. What puts you into a state of creativity? What helps you to stay focused?

"Doing something I like helps me staying focused"

C. Diab: I'm not exactly sure if I so much enter a state of creativity when making music as much as just doing it, it's what I want to do, I want very much to communicate and spend time making it, it gives me shivers in the moment, to make something well and to feel it flowing and happening. To stay focused, though, I've got to be making something I enjoy. I can easily get frustrated and turn everything off and become pathetically grumpy for the rest of the day.

Anne: When did you start making music? "White Whale" is your third album on this label, am I right? Did you always want to make ambient/electronic music? Where are your roots? Are there any other genres you like in particular?

"Music has fascinated me since my childhood"

C. Diab: White Whale is my third album to be released with Injazero Records, but there were two self-released records beforehand as well, digital releases. I started making music at about the age of 14 when I got my first guitar, a red acoustic Walden. My main musical influence at that age, and going back even farther, was a close friend who was older than myself and played instrumental acoustic guitar music in a sort of unique style mix of American primitive and Spanish style and Atahualpa Yupanqui inspired picking. I knew from a young age that I was interested mostly in the making of instrumental music, but I loved listening to vocal music as well. I have a broad love for many kinds of music really, my all-time favorites range from Huun-Huur-Tu to Fever Ray to Talk Talk to Songs of the Humpback Whale

Anne: The ambient and post-rock scene seems to be quite petite. Which in a way is nice and familiar when it comes to concerts and festivals. But I can imagine for musicians it can also be challenging. What do you think: Should more people listen to this kind of music?

"If people listen to instrumental bowed guitar music, I'm fine with that"

C. Diab: Music has splintered off in many different directions, something like "post-rock” or "ambient” can mean so many things now, genres are blurred and sometimes I think that's a good thing. Often yr just as likely to hear a piece of total genius written and recorded in a kitchen and released on bandcamp by an unknown musician then you are an established musician. I do know, by nature of how I compose and perform, that what I do is particular and won't appeal to all people all the time. I certainly can't say what people should or shouldn't listen to, but if they do happen to listen to instrumental bowed guitar music, I'm certainly fine with that.

Anne: Your album became "Album of the day" at Bandcamp on June, 8th. Congrats on that! Do you like the platform? Is it good to share your music there? Is it beneficial?

"I am currently working on some new projects"

C. Diab: Thanks! Bandcamp had done well for musicians comparatively, certainly, the benefits of Bandcamp's model are far more financially beneficial than many of the platforms like it, and unbelievably more creator-focused than streaming services such as Spotify, which essentially exists as an advertising platform.

Anne: What are your future plans? Are you working on new pieces? Planning on going on tour in 2021?

C. Diab: I am very much hoping to be in Europe by the end of the year or 2021 at the latest, to perform, but currently everything is up in the air, so I'm at home in Vancouver, doing some recording on small projects. I think I want to record a cassette made for people to read to. Maybe I'll start that tonight.

Anne: Thank you very much for the interview! All the best to you!

C. Diab: And to you! Until then.

C. Diab released his album "White Whale" on June, 5th 2020. You can buy the vinyl or listen to it online.