Features
music
Amp Fiddler
Creative Control
"That’s the beauty of being free. You get to take yourself in the direction that you feel." Amp Fiddler
Joseph ‘Amp’ Fiddler’s impalpable cool and laid back feel transmits
even though the phone. After much success with soul/funk bands,
Enchantment and Parliament alongside George Clinton, Fiddler has since
been making headlines as a solo artist. With albums like, Waltz of the Ghetto Fly, Afro Strut, and his latest instalment, Inspiration Information,
Fiddler has sealed himself as a favourite amongst true Funk/R&B
fans. When ACCLAIM catch up with him, he’s at his Detroit home
anticipating his tour of Australia, which sees him play in both the
Pyramid Festival and Days Like This. In the interview, we get to know
the man, chat about his future projects, and discover whether there is
indeed, something musical in Detroit’s water.
When did you first fall in love with music? Was there a first album, artist or thing that inspired you to pursue a music career?
That’s a good question because I wasn’t really in love with music at first. I was in like of it a lot because as a kid, I was listening to it a lot with my brothers. We were always watching television shows and I watched that whole Motown era when I was a kid - Jackson 5, Gilbert. But when I started playing piano that’s when I first started loving music. I was 17. There were a lot of records in my house. I’m the youngest of five kids so my oldest sister had a ton of Motown records, and my sister up under her, was a wild kind of hippy and had all the rock ‘n’ roll, blues, psychedelic music. Then my brother up under her was a jazz junky, and he had all the best - Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, all of that stuff - but it was really piano that got me into music.
What are you currently listening to?
Today I was listening to Elizabeth and the Catapult, Esperanza Spalding, Herbie Hancock, Martin Glover, The Shining. I got a new record by this woman, it’s called Kim Burrell: Live in Concert, and Laura Izibur, Lupe Fiasco, Marvin Gaye, Nas… I could go further.
Detroit has been a birthplace for so many extraordinary musicians, what is it about the place that has made it so? Do you find that the city inspires a lot of your music?
Like is there’s something in the water? (laughs). On Monday we opened for a band that we never played for, Saul Williams closed a show for another band called the American Fangs - they opened it [the show] up - so we were right in the middle. It just let us know that there are a lot of great bands that come from the great music scene of Detroit. Even when people come from out of town they really have to recognise that we got game here (laughs). They find out when they come here. So it is really a beautiful thing being from Detroit.
I read a little blurb about your latest album, Information Inspiration, that it is a first in a series of collaborations for Strut Records.
Not for me, but for that label. It’s the first in that series of collaborations for that label. They are putting people together, a collaboratory stint for people who’ve never made records together before.
Do you think you would do another one?
Not for that label but I reckon I will.
Your music is constantly evolving - Waltz of the Ghetto Fly had a dance-funk feel, and now with this one, with Sly and Robbie, has a great reggae-flavour. So musically, what’s getting you excited at the moment?
I’m doing four different projects that are getting me excited. I like a challenge and it’s a good challenge. So one is a song called Pop Agility, and it’s the kind of song that put me in a direction that I had been wanting to go in but hadn’t been in. That song has taken me into writing things that are more in an alternative mode. That’s one of the projects that I’m doing. Another project is an electronic kind of ‘Amp Fiddler-space-project’. And then I’m doing a funk record with my son, and I’m doing a record with Saul [Williams], like a Return of The Ghetto Fly kind of thing.
What made you decide to go the reggae route this time round?
I’ve been a big fan of reggae music for years. I’ve been in a reggae band - a calypso band - with my dad who’s from the island - from St. Kitts - and my aunts are in Trinidad right now. We’ve been listening to the island music for years so it was a great opportunity to do something that’s in my blood. I mean, who better to do it with than Sly & Robbie if you’re going to do it at all.
You’ve only been a solo artist for a short while, since 2004, it must be great being able to do whatever you feel and where you want to take your music.
It’s beautiful. That’s the beauty of being free. You get to take yourself in the direction that you feel. Complete control of your creativity - it has always been like with every situation that I’ve been with and every label I’ve been a part of.
So you’re going to be in Australia soon, as part of the Pyramid Festival and Days Like This - great line up - Roots Manuva, Mayer Hawthorne, Redman and Method Man.
That’s crazy - it’s going to be a lot of fun. I haven’t seen them [Redman and Methodman] in a while so that’s going to be cool. It’s going to make me rehearse harder!
You’ve done a lot of collaborations in the past, do you have a dream collaboration?
Probably Andre 2000, I would like to do a collaboration with him. I think we have some things in common and I think we’d make some really fun music together.
What’s a normal day for you?
I get up and let Leo [his dog] out early in the morning, probably 7 o’clock. He’s a Lab mixed with Chow, and he likes to get out early so he comes and wakes me up. I let him outside and I can’t go back to sleep, so I get up and go to the gym, work out, sit in the sauna. Come back home, make a smoothie, go straight to the basement and start writing. And if not, then I go do whatever it is that I do when I go out. I might practice a little bit on the piano and pick up some books that I’m reading now.
What can we expect from you next?
4 albums. Couple of them will be projects with bands and different people. I’m doing 4 different records; one of them will be my normal soul record. One is alternative, one is electronic, one is soul and one is funk. And each one is a different album.
Your music seems really influenced by different genres of music.
Yeah I think so. Sometimes I repeat and do similar things I’ve done before but for the most part, I’m always looking for something new to visit and be creative. I think that’s a great thing.
Well, I think our time is almost up – anything you want to say to your Aussie fans?
Yeah, thank you for having me back! Get me out of this snow - you know I love you! (laughs). I have to invite you guys to Detroit for the wintertime, for Christmas next year.
For more on Amp Fiddler visit ampfiddler.com. Amp Fiddler will be in Australia early next year for both Days Like This and Pyramid Rock Festival.
Back
That’s a good question because I wasn’t really in love with music at first. I was in like of it a lot because as a kid, I was listening to it a lot with my brothers. We were always watching television shows and I watched that whole Motown era when I was a kid - Jackson 5, Gilbert. But when I started playing piano that’s when I first started loving music. I was 17. There were a lot of records in my house. I’m the youngest of five kids so my oldest sister had a ton of Motown records, and my sister up under her, was a wild kind of hippy and had all the rock ‘n’ roll, blues, psychedelic music. Then my brother up under her was a jazz junky, and he had all the best - Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, all of that stuff - but it was really piano that got me into music.
What are you currently listening to?
Today I was listening to Elizabeth and the Catapult, Esperanza Spalding, Herbie Hancock, Martin Glover, The Shining. I got a new record by this woman, it’s called Kim Burrell: Live in Concert, and Laura Izibur, Lupe Fiasco, Marvin Gaye, Nas… I could go further.
Detroit has been a birthplace for so many extraordinary musicians, what is it about the place that has made it so? Do you find that the city inspires a lot of your music?
Like is there’s something in the water? (laughs). On Monday we opened for a band that we never played for, Saul Williams closed a show for another band called the American Fangs - they opened it [the show] up - so we were right in the middle. It just let us know that there are a lot of great bands that come from the great music scene of Detroit. Even when people come from out of town they really have to recognise that we got game here (laughs). They find out when they come here. So it is really a beautiful thing being from Detroit.
I read a little blurb about your latest album, Information Inspiration, that it is a first in a series of collaborations for Strut Records.
Not for me, but for that label. It’s the first in that series of collaborations for that label. They are putting people together, a collaboratory stint for people who’ve never made records together before.
Do you think you would do another one?
Not for that label but I reckon I will.
Your music is constantly evolving - Waltz of the Ghetto Fly had a dance-funk feel, and now with this one, with Sly and Robbie, has a great reggae-flavour. So musically, what’s getting you excited at the moment?
I’m doing four different projects that are getting me excited. I like a challenge and it’s a good challenge. So one is a song called Pop Agility, and it’s the kind of song that put me in a direction that I had been wanting to go in but hadn’t been in. That song has taken me into writing things that are more in an alternative mode. That’s one of the projects that I’m doing. Another project is an electronic kind of ‘Amp Fiddler-space-project’. And then I’m doing a funk record with my son, and I’m doing a record with Saul [Williams], like a Return of The Ghetto Fly kind of thing.
What made you decide to go the reggae route this time round?
I’ve been a big fan of reggae music for years. I’ve been in a reggae band - a calypso band - with my dad who’s from the island - from St. Kitts - and my aunts are in Trinidad right now. We’ve been listening to the island music for years so it was a great opportunity to do something that’s in my blood. I mean, who better to do it with than Sly & Robbie if you’re going to do it at all.
You’ve only been a solo artist for a short while, since 2004, it must be great being able to do whatever you feel and where you want to take your music.
It’s beautiful. That’s the beauty of being free. You get to take yourself in the direction that you feel. Complete control of your creativity - it has always been like with every situation that I’ve been with and every label I’ve been a part of.
So you’re going to be in Australia soon, as part of the Pyramid Festival and Days Like This - great line up - Roots Manuva, Mayer Hawthorne, Redman and Method Man.
That’s crazy - it’s going to be a lot of fun. I haven’t seen them [Redman and Methodman] in a while so that’s going to be cool. It’s going to make me rehearse harder!
You’ve done a lot of collaborations in the past, do you have a dream collaboration?
Probably Andre 2000, I would like to do a collaboration with him. I think we have some things in common and I think we’d make some really fun music together.
What’s a normal day for you?
I get up and let Leo [his dog] out early in the morning, probably 7 o’clock. He’s a Lab mixed with Chow, and he likes to get out early so he comes and wakes me up. I let him outside and I can’t go back to sleep, so I get up and go to the gym, work out, sit in the sauna. Come back home, make a smoothie, go straight to the basement and start writing. And if not, then I go do whatever it is that I do when I go out. I might practice a little bit on the piano and pick up some books that I’m reading now.
What can we expect from you next?
4 albums. Couple of them will be projects with bands and different people. I’m doing 4 different records; one of them will be my normal soul record. One is alternative, one is electronic, one is soul and one is funk. And each one is a different album.
Your music seems really influenced by different genres of music.
Yeah I think so. Sometimes I repeat and do similar things I’ve done before but for the most part, I’m always looking for something new to visit and be creative. I think that’s a great thing.
Well, I think our time is almost up – anything you want to say to your Aussie fans?
Yeah, thank you for having me back! Get me out of this snow - you know I love you! (laughs). I have to invite you guys to Detroit for the wintertime, for Christmas next year.
For more on Amp Fiddler visit ampfiddler.com. Amp Fiddler will be in Australia early next year for both Days Like This and Pyramid Rock Festival.
Back
Related Articles
Del Tha Funkee Homosapien
Del Tha Funkee Homosapien was at the top of the pop charts when I was a teenager, propelled to celebrity status through his unconventional first single Mr Dobalina. He’s continued to pop up on the...
Wavves
In February last year Nathan Williams quit his job managing a record store in San Diego, dropped out of college and moved into a shed in his parents’ backyard. Now he’s better known as the...
A Tribe Called Quest
One of the most influential hip-hop groups of all time are making history again by visiting Australian shores for the first time ever. We say we’re glad the wait is up. It’s been a good two...
