Seven questions... with Michael Triggs

1. Who are you and what do you do?
   I'm Michael Triggs, and I (attempt to) compose electronic music. I've been attempting to compose electronic music for a long time now, with varied results. I think one day, I might actually succeed at composing electronic music, but it hasn't happened yet. My other hobbies include playing too many video games, race-walking, and fracturing random limbs due to the aforementioned race-walking.
2. What are you working on at the moment?
   I've been working on an Alternate Modes Of Underwater Consciousness album titled Piecemeal for several years now. At the rate I'm going, I predict it will be completed by the time of the next global ice age.
   The three tracks that have been completed can be found here: http://www.last.fm/music/AMUC/Piecemeal
3. Who inspires you?

1. Name an artist who has inspired you.
   I'm actually a big fan of progressive metal. Ayreon in particular is pretty awesome—it shows how you can make music that is more than just a bunch of independent songs. You can tell a story with it.
2. Name a place that has inspired you.
   Worcester, Massachusetts inspires me, with its completely random architecture and mass assortment of potholes. (If you walk five blocks in any given direction, the entire landscape will change several times. You'll also likely trip on the potholes the same number of times.)
3. Name some "thing" that has inspired you.
   Most of my ideas comes from the backs of cereal boxes. I find the cereals that are high in fiber typically yield the best creative results.

4. What drives you to do what you do?
   Boredom. I get bored easily, and composing music helps me pass the time. There may also be an obsessive-compulsive element to it. If a track doesn't come out right, it becomes like that old car that you're driven to work on—you can't help but tinker with it.
5. What values do you wish your creativity to express?I think the value I try and express is that music doesn't have to be this canned verse-chorus-verse thing that runs for the single-friendly two to three minutes. I find the best results are when you let the music take the shape that it wants to take. It has to develop organically.
6. What role does community play in what you do?
   While I'm largely a loner when I'm composing music, I find community is good for feedback. They'll often offer ideas and suggestions to fine-tune the work. I also find it's good encouragement. I may have given up on a track, and then you'll get that one comment from somebody who likes it. This keeps me motivated to pursue it further.
7. What is next for what you do?
   I'm going to continue working on my Piecemeal album. (I have a tight schedule to keep after all.) I also want to write a rock opera about an ice cream truck that sells demon-possessed ice cream cones. While global domination may seem imminent from such a threat, a lactose-intolerant hero will rise and thwart their evil plans. But before I can write a rock opera, I need to learn to play guitar. (Guitars would be much easier to play without all these strings getting in the way.)

My thanks go to Michael for completing my wee blog interview. For more on Foreshadows... go here > http://foreshadows.net/index.html