In an interview with The Sherp, Bonobo a.k.a Simon Green answers questions we’ve all wanted to ask him about his production technique, how he chooses his vocalists, his fascination with the Sitar and why exactly he calls himself Bonobo

Hi Simon, we’re excited to have you here in India! Will this be your first time to the country?

Yes it will be.

You’re currently on your The North Borders tour. How has that been for you so far?

We’ve been going non-stop with the live show since last April. We’ve pretty much gone twice around the world. But the shows have been going really good. The set is growing and evolving; I feel like it’s getting to a higher level each time we do it.

simon green facebook(Image courtesy :Β Dan Medhurst/ Bonobo Facebook)

Your production techniques are more sample driven than anything else, and that’s fairly unique considering other artistes today. Could you tell us how you came about to using this technique?

For me, I’ve always loved the idea of breaking the track apart again and seeing how things work. It’s a really exciting process to explore the track. I am always scouring the instrumentals of tracks, and there are all these little moments that happen within it, especially hip-hop which are never really up front. Hiding in the background are all these beautiful instrumental breaks and I am really into exploring that. When I started out I didn’t really know how to record things. I didn’t know about microphone placement. And then I got into working with samplers and it was whole thing.Β  Because I’d been in bands, but I’d never really recorded. So when I started working with a sampler that was my first way of recording stuff. It was taking snippets of soundsβ€”I mean I was playing little bits on the earlier stuff, but just more so now because I feel like I’m sort of better at doing it.Β 

 


Why the moniker, Bonobo?

I was going to try to find a name from Rudyard Kipling–I didn’t have a name for myself. I was just reading about Bonobos literally that day: Great Apes [by Will Self]–a fiction novel. And then 10 years later, it’s stuck.

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Your live band replays what you’ve composed in the studio and not the other way around… Tell us more about this process.

The idea of not being in a band, of just making music by playing things in layers, is when all these other ideas suddenly opened up to me. I think there’s a misconception that it is a band because of the live shows, people think that what they see onstage is how the music is made which isn’t the case. I work autonomously, A lot of the time is if I’m having to get musicians on the record I’m getting them to replay what I’ve already done or replay the sample. That part happens in three hours in the studio, it’s me on my own in a room for two years before that.

Β bonobo band(Image courtesy :Β Dan Medhurst/ Bonobo Facebook)

 

Personally, what is the one track on The North Borders that resonates with you the most?

Probably, Cirrus. It was the first thing I did in my studio in New York, it was beautiful cause I didn’t have to think much when making it and of course it was enjoyable.

 

The album features some fantastic vocalists like Eryka Badu, Grey Revernd and Cornelia, in future who would you like to work with?

It really depends, cause honestly Β I like to make my music very personal – especially with vocals. That’s the most upfront thing. That’s the most immediate instrument, is the voice. So it’s got to be just right. It’s got to relate to somebody somehow. There’s got to be a sentiment that I feel as well because it’s also my record. It’s interesting because I’m not a lyricist. I’m just kind of fairly impressed with songwriting. It’s something that I can’t do. I find it a really inspiring thing.

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While you’re in India are you interested in checking out some contemporary Indian artistes or maybe collaborating with them?

Definitely, I’ve heard Indian artistes in bits and pieces. In fact I have played the sitar before. it’s crazy because I have loved India all my life, I wanted to take a year off from college and travel to India. So India was on the top of my list, somewhere I always wanted to go.

 

 

Festive Four

 

1)Β Β  If you had to get married at a festival, which one would it be and why?

That’s tough. I don’t know, but I do know the Glastonbury (Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts) was ridiculous. I had deejayed once or twice, but the live the show and the vibe was intense.

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2)Β Β  Who/what is your favorite festival buddy? Tell us why.

It’s people. The main thing that keeps it together is just having good people around. Especially when I bring people in, like the musicians for this tour. It’s important to make sure everybody is super cool because you’re only on stage for two hours a night, but it’s the other 22 hours of the day that matters.

 

3) If you could take only 3 things to a festival, what would they be and why?

Phone and sampler are what come to mind.

 

4) Your favourite city to perform in. Tell us why.

I love Montreal, there is a strong connection with the crowd. There used to be a Ninja Tune office based there back in the day, so it’s always felt like a second home. Tours always start and end there. I’ve spent a lot of time in Montreal, it’s one of my favorite cities in the world.

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