What does Erik Blood think about when he wakes up in the morning? When did he feel most satisfied? The music producer - who seemingly has worked with everyone in Seattle - tells KEXP the answers to these questions and more during a few free moments between working with more world class musicians.
You are one of the hardest workers in Seattle in terms of producing music and working with a number of different artists. What pray tell are you working on now and what's the most inspiring aspect of it?
Happy to say that I'm working on my music right now. Finished up new THEESatisfaction album and a Nightmare Fortress album, so I now have time for myself. Just completed mixes for some older stuff of mine I'll be releasing hopefully by the end of the month and then if all goes well, a new album by the end of the year.
How do you go about working on an album? Do you find a small thing to grow into a larger idea, or is there some other process you hold dear?
It comes in all shapes. My first record (The Way we Live) was just a collection of songs that I shaped into a storyline of sorts. Touch Screens was a crazy process that I can't remember or have blocked out. This one I'm just trying to let it dictate itself. I don't pay much mind to process.What DO you pay much mind to, then?
Sound. Certain feelings that arise. The obvious technical shit. I try to stay out of my own way as much as I can, but I listen to my instincts and try not to question them too much.
What’s your favorite memory making an album?
There are moments when a song reveals itself in a really strong way and they're always really special. And others when I find out that I've been looking at a song in the wrong way the entire time I'm making it. Little eurekas, really.
When the song’s done, that's my favorite moment. And then two or three months later when I can listen to it with new, or any, perspective.
My mind erases the specifics once they're done. The only things coming to mind right now are from recent works that no one's heard yet. Won't make much sense but I'll just say when I figured out that a piece I was troubled with forever was supposed to be backwards, everything fell into place.
What’s generally the first thing you think about when you wake up in the morning?
"How late am I?"
When was the last time you were really nervous?
Crossing the US/Canada border with an expired passport.
And when was the last time you felt totally satisfied?
The night Ish and I finished Lese Majesty, Nep and Maikoiyo showed up and we listened to it together. It was a moment.
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