Get ready to embark on an interstellar musical journey with 'Population of Mars'. From a fascination with space exploration to a deep-rooted love for 60s and 70s artists like Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd, this artist's influences are as wide-ranging as they are intriguing. Harnessing the spirit of improvisation and the power of technology, 'Population of Mars' experiments with sound to create a sonic tapestry that is uniquely his own. In this candid interview, we explore his early influences, the reasoning behind his otherworldly stage name, and his perspective on the music industry, along with his hopes for the future of Web3, Metaverse, and his musical career. Tune in and prepare for lift-off!
▷ Thanks for the opportunity to answer a few questions and share some info about myself. There are many reasons why the name ‘Population of Mars’ seemed like a good idea… but mainly, it’s because I’ve always had an interest in space, cosmology and exploration. The music I had been making on the iPad was very improvised, experimental and other worldly. It's like 'music from Mars.' I would love to travel to other worlds - but I suppose I should really explore more of the Earth first!
▷ My mother was a big influence in my early years. Unfortunately, she passed away 6 months ago. She played guitar and always had music playing. She started the Jose Feliciano Fan Club in Australia back in the late 60s, early 70’s. I even got to meet Jose a few times over the years when he came to town on tour. While growing up I listened to all kinds of music, but it was the 60’s and 70’s artists such as Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, etc. that really inspired me to make music.
▷ The community. It’s great to be able to connect with people who discover my music. I really appreciate any feedback or interactions with the people of Earth. Also, the potential for Audius as a platform is huge! We need platforms like Audius to champion the idea of supporting up and coming artists! Spotify and other platforms make it really difficult for indie artists to get heard or discovered from my experience. 5 years on Spotify and I have 43 followers… Just over a year on Audius and I have 236 followers. Artist discovery is so much better on Audius!
▷ "Music for Intelligent Machines" was my second album produced entirely on the iPad. I didn’t have a laptop at the time, and GarageBand on iPad was all I had. It’s a collection of instrumental experiments inspired by technology and how it will impact humanity as we progress towards the singularity.
EP 01 of 05: "Physics" is about reality. We are all made of matter which originally formed in the Big Bang and the expansion of the universe. Or are we all just in a simulation? All the songs on this release were initially created on the iPad, but I later added guitars, bass and did the final mix recording and production on a MacBook Pro. I have about 25 unfinished songs originally produced on the iPad that I intend to finish to form the next 4 EPs. I also have many years of written music which I am yet to record. My best music is yet to come!
▷ My favourite thing about the creative process is improvising! Playing real (and virtual) instruments to explore different sounds. Creating original music to express original ideas. I’d like to see Web3 empower groups and individual artists to be able to fund projects with full creative freedom. Technological advances that help create opportunities for new types of creative output. More human connection, education, understanding and progress via new platforms. Web3 has the potential to bring positive change to the world. As for Population of Mars, I have a few NFTs on Opensea and Fanfare, so please feel free to support my music! I have a private ‘COMMs channel’ on Telegram for my supporters where you pick up an NFT or tip me on Audius to get access. I have also been asked to perform live in a couple of different Metaverse venues - stay tuned! Thank you to Team Audius for this opportunity. I hope you all tune in and enjoy my music - you are all welcome on Mars.
▷ My dream for Population of Mars is for it to become an inclusive and collaborative project where it creates opportunities for others to improvise, experiment, and contribute music and art. I don’t want to be alone on Mars forever ⭕️ My immediate goal though is to find somewhere to live and work. When I’m in a better situation, I’ll be able to do much more!
I’d like to get to the point over the next few years where I can earn enough to survive purely from my creative output. I have no real desire for wealth and fame. I just need enough for a roof over my head and the tools to create art and make music! All I really want to do is make music and travel 🎶 There’s a lot of places on Earth I’d love to visit! 📡 Hopefully one day I’ll be able to tour and play live. Thank you to team Audius and everyone in the community! It’s been really nice to share some information about Population of Mars and my music! I appreciate all your support more than you can imagine ❤️🔥⭕️.
