In 2010, Cologne-based space rocker Alan J. Bound released his third and last studio album "Cosmology", which is now officially re-released on the occasion of his 10th anniversary. It offers pure space rock, filled to the brim with guitars and off-world synthesizers. Bound, who lives in Cologne, also had a celebrity guest: CAN drummer Jaki Liebezeit. Opposite eclipsed, Bound remembers the album and gives a small glimpse into the future.
eclipsed: "Cosmology" is now celebrating its 10th anniversary. How did the new edition of the album come about?
Alan J. Bound: I got the chance to distribute the album through Edel. So you can order the CD at Saturn and Media Markt. Before that it was only possible to order it via mail order like JFK. It was also a good opportunity to remember the late Jaki.
eclipsed: With a ten-year gap: How do you judge the album now?
Bound: I think it's a very varied album with strong songs. The sound of the high-end studio is also rather rare for this kind of music. The extraordinary drum patterns of Jaki are unique. You can also just listen to Jaki if you want. The Jaki has made almost only jazz, his great love. That is of course also included here. A reduced drum set is also only available from Jaki and his band Drums Off Chaos. At the end Klaus the violinist recorded a super great solo. So the CD has a lot more to offer besides guitar melodies and space synths.
eclipsed: On this album you have succeeded in creating so many clear, concise guitar melodies. How do you think of these melodies?
Bound: I usually do the synth lines first. Then I take them to the rehearsal room and jam on the tracks. This creates hooks or melody lines that you keep. The songs keep improvisation parts, similar to jazz, which are always changing and varying. Often an ideal line is formed, which you just have to adapt or vary a little bit according to your mood. That is also the paradox of jazz. At first freely improvised parts. But when the song has been played 30 times, there is always a similar ideal line with fixed themes. Nevertheless you always add new phrases and change them. Miles Davis simply always did something completely different. For example "Sketches Of Spain" is not played at all anymore. Then it's not new anymore. Even Miles Davis didn't know what to do anymore
eclipsed: Even though you probably answered it many times before, still: How did you get in contact with Jaki Liebezeit back then? How did the cooperation with him develop? Which memories do you have of him?
Bound: I knew a friend of Jaki. She was of the opinion that I should record with the Jaki. She then dragged me into the basement of the Kunsthaus [note: Kunsthaus Rhenania in Cologne], where there was a big live party once a month - with Jaki. Often also together with art exhibitions. I had the impression that the public at the time was ready to immediately reoccupy and defend the Kunsthaus, and that's how it came about. At that time, things started off quite well with my CD "Moonglider" and the ZYX video sampler. So I made a demo and gave it to him. The demo was basically the CD without drums. Back and forth and the Jaki was completely overloaded. Then I found the big WDR studio practically around the corner of his rehearsal room in the Stollwerk. He liked that. To find a date was almost impossible. EMI came and booked the studio for three months. So you stand with a few days in the queue far behind and then Jaki has to have some time. Jaki recorded all the tracks live one after the other. Playing drums was the first thing for Jaki. He has always played wonderfully. There was a weekly drum session where I played rhythm guitar. Countless drum grooves, just like that, for hours. I would have loved to record everything.
You can find the complete interview as part of our online magazine https://epaper.eclipsed.de/
