In-depth interview with creative visionary Rob Levit/Ableton

[sqook]

If someone has a "high opinion" of themself does that make them automatically a jerk, egotistical, or a wanker? Dig deeper -- explore my site www.roblevit.com and decide if I am FOS. If that's what you decide, that's cool. At least it was an informed position.

Yeah, creative visionary, a bit extreme? Perhaps. But WHY dream small? Making electronic music can be a lonely pursuit, I think we can all relate to that -- I like music for its own sake up to a point -- then I want to share it.

We're not knocking your dream or your music; I don't doubt that you're a good musician... it's just that the way that you come off makes people question that.

Let's put it this way... Albert Einstein didn't refer to himself as a "revolutionary genius", nor did he use public appearances to push sales for his papers or books. His work and visions speak for themselves, and he wisely (and modestly) chose to let the critics and historians assign the titles to him and just focus on physics instead.

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"We're not knocking your dream or your music; I don't doubt that you're a good musician... it's just that the way that you come off makes people question that."

http://www.1340mag.com/review_theroblev ... inpath.htm

http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews ... nt&id=1688

Let them question who I am and what I do, I want them to!

Saying something risky and controversial promotes thought and discussion. I want people to have an opinion even if if they think I suck or am a poser then not know about who I am and what I do. I'm a big boy -- I would love to know people's ideas and thoughts as I appreciate what you have just said. Obviously, I haven't crawled under a rat hole and died out of lack of confidence. Hey, if I am fool enough to call myself a creative visionary, then I am more than prepared to take the heat. In fact, I enjoy it. You are really helping me work out my ideas, and it beats payin' a shrink! I think it was my shrink who said I was a creative visionary while I was under hypnosis. Look at all the grief it's caused.

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With the proliferation of mass media of every type there may be hundreds of Einsteins out there who are quashed by the powers that be. The argumement of if your work is really good, it will get out there doesn't apply anymore. How is it that many people simply accept that Coke is The Real Thing, that Paris Hilton is a star, and have millions if not billions of $$ spent on their promotional campaigns, yet as soon as the little guy who comes along is shot down. Well, OK, I'll just wait to be noticed. OK, not! Hey, take a risk -- I noticed lots of folks on this board are anonymous -- quick to post and criticize but as soon as you try and check em out, can't find em! BTW yoiu have a nice website:) Is calling oneself a creative visionary worse than Coke calling itself The Real Thing or big tobacco still marketing to kids? In a day and age where it is getting harder to find individuals who really take a stand and put their work out there, why shoot them down? Why not say right on, man, you GO? What's the difference? When was the last time you saw jazz or electronic music on the Grammy's? Wonder why?! The internet has changed things and made a level playing field. Shall we all sit around all day and post about what equipment and software are you using and then wonder why nothing happens and nobody listens? Proof in the pudding -- since this original post I have had 400 unique hits to my site and sold 13 discs. Einstein was a goal-driven and very focused man. Have you read about him? He was a dreamer who engaged in "thought experiments" and then actualized them. That's what i'm doing, pushing the limits of my dream and see when it bursts -- well, it hasn't -- it just keeps getting bigger and more successful. I don't drive a sports car, live in a big house, sleep with a dozen chicks, use drugs. I'm an artist amd music maker -- so stand behind me. If I think I am a creative visionary then stand behind me. This world is so so so full of naysayers always saying you can't or you won't. F-that! Einstein wasn't too good at math (read the bios) so he had his young assts. do the heavy equations! We live in a huge world physically and virtually, so do you want to see the person who calls himself a creative visionary who is all hype attain the day or the guy that has something to show for their. We'll all nail the little guy but run to the mall and buy stuff without even a second thought on its quality a lot of the time. Who is winning the PR war? The gas you buy, the foods you eat, thhe clothes you wear, the drinks you drink -- think about all the billions of marketing $$ that went into that. I would hardly call that modest.

Would anyone have read my post if I said "Hi, I'm good" Gee, I wonder if
Lance Armstrong thinks he's average. I wonder if Aphex Twin thinks he is average. Did they get their confoidence after they accomplished? Do they I wonder if Einstein thought "my experiments are average" -- he got his work out there and FYI it wasn't accepted overnight -- but, he got it out there. Hey, Einstein I'm not, creative visoionary?? Hell yes!

[toneroll]

if you are a creative visionary, your music will speak for itself.

[[email protected]]

I think it does speak for itself. But if ALL music spoke for otself, than why do DMB, Britney, Coldplay, etc. have HUGE mega-million $$ promo machines that churn out reviews and press on their music. Remember the IPOD U2 commercial -- how much did that one cost? Just a thought, not a fact.

[LOFA]

I don't find it is very difficult to view one's self as a creative visionary. As an American citizen, I am growing quite weary of the submissive tendency to not transcend banal mediocrity of the norm. So many of us are such self-hating, unchallenged, supine sheep that it almost takes an act of brilliance to transcend all of the normalcy and pursue ones individuality.

I told myself I was a creative visionary when I was three or four. I wanted an
Atat Catwalker (spelling), as seen in Starwars but my parents wouldn't buy it for me. So, I made it out of wood. Sure it looked more like a dinosaur, but since that day I knew that the only thing standing in the way of having whatever I wanted was how I disciplined my own imagination (insert Dr. Evil laugh.)

IMO being a creative visionary can be seen more as a hobby, religion or ailment (in consideration to one's environment) than an inflation of one's self worth. And if I sound like a fucking martyr, I am only a martyr to my own asthetic (I cant remember if Ayn Rand would call that egotist or egoist...)

Props Rob, being self assertive can alienate you from people, but only when I started doubting myself (not questioning-there is a difference) have I been the most lonely.

And, If you don't want to encourage his behavior, be aware that any flippant one shot jabs only advertise his ego on this forum even more!

(as clever as the 20 second snippets of sound I have heared of his music)

[FaX-01]

if you are a creative visionary, your music will speak for itself.

You aren't speaking to anyone but yourself if no one is listening.

In Utopia that saying may hold true in the real world it simply does not.

All I have to say is look at the top 100 singles and Album charts in any country .... there's enough turds floatin' to build an effluent monument of biblical proportions too Brittney & Co.............

It would look soemthing like the Tower of Babel only made of excrement .

[toneroll]

how can you put coldplay next to britney spears?

and who says these people don't go round telling others they are creative visionaries?

other people are the judge as to who or what we are, just like a tree falling in the woods with no-one observing is nothing more than a bunch of atoms causing vibrations, (much like we are now)

just a thought not a fact.

just to add, in my opinion coldplay make some damn good music, and i think many many people would agree,

[[email protected]]

OK, now we are getting somewhere. I knew some folks out there would dig into this topic. I like a lot what you both have to say.

[[email protected]]

They are awesome -- a perfect combination of musicianship and accessibility.

If an MP3 plays in your basement, will anyone hear it?

Let's get our music out there, chaaaaarrrrrgggeeeee!!!

Putting Britney next to Coldplay was just for the effect, I know, heresy, but effective.

Thanks for writing,

ROB

[toneroll]

You aren't speaking to anyone but yourself if no one is listening. "


and whos going to listen to you if your music is shite but you are confident , or ambitious blowing your own trumpet etc???

[toneroll]

rob dont take offence mate , i havnt even heard your music, i was just giving my 2 cents on the old blowing your own trumpet in capital letters..

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The key is to have confidence and the music to back it up or to have the music and the confidence to back it up, two different things.

[conny]

Something strange with this thread. I don't get it...

I agree on this:

Today’s musicians often times use electronic music to create smooth and utterly pristine sounds. But I don’t like things to be perfect and pristine all the time... I think it’s OK not to have them perfect. Something that attracted me to Ableton was the ability to create things on the fly and live with them and be happy with them and create from that starting point, leaving some of the rawness in there.

- RL

I don't feel connected to being or calling yourself a "creative visionary" or having a

"high opinion" of themself

. There are lots of people doing wonderful things with a self confidence somewhere at their knees - but when they work, I guess, the work itself is confident and you have to obey [spelling..?] to its qualities and do it.

I have always had the feeling that much talk about your work is like commercials. OK, it often works, I admit that. And you have to live.
I know a couple of visual artist and I really don't want them to talk about the paintings in some ways that frames my meeting with the work itself. Funny enough, they often talk about the raw color, the paper, how much coffee thay had that night to finish something but very little about its visual qualities. And I like that. And they are very bad in doing commercials for themselves. Which makes me whant to buy their stuff, if I could afford it!

I try not to care about the attitude surrounding a work of art, to be able to meet the work as clear as I can. But there are times when the attitude gets in the way, and that almost everytime a high attitude. A low attitude is less deforming and attracts me more. But that's me.

Point of this post..? Hm.

// C

[polyslax]

I try not to care about the attitude surrounding a work of art, to be able to meet the work as clear as I can. But there are times when the attitude gets in the way, and that almost everytime a high attitude. A low attitude is less deforming and attracts me more. But that's me.

Point of this post..? Hm.

// C

Good point Conny.. in that I totally relate to it. I've always had an appreciation for artists who seem totally un-self conscious, who seem to have almost stumbled into the spotlight. I like faults and blemishes, I like quiet, unassuming, even bashful talent. But this, for me, goes beyond art as well. It just generally speaks to the kind of people I like, whether it's a colleague or a sales person or a neighbour. It may take a certain self assuredness and a belief in what you are doing just to do it, but it doesn't really require one to be obnoxious, even if it is just to provoke.

That being said, I wish you the best Rob and I honestly hope things continue to work out for you, even if I find your approach off-putting.

[Harris.Andrew]

no comment on the discussion.

post title made me think Rob Levit was employed by or professionally connected to Ableton, which doesn't seem to be the case. Am I the only one?