Norwegian
prog-rockers Professor Tiptop are back in the spotlight again
with their early 2019 CD called Hybrid Hymns. In
the spirit of the bands 2017 album, Life Is No Matter, their
2019 album Hybrid Hymns contains a well done mix of progressive
rock that spans both vocal and instrumental music genres. The four
piece band features the music and guitars of Sam Fossbakk,
Svein Magnar Hansen (vocals), Stein Høgseth (bass)
and Charles Wise (drums). For the fifth Professor Tiptop album,
the winning formula of Sams electric guitars and melodic ideas
combine with Sveins lyrics and vocals to create another modern
day progressive rock masterpiece by this acclaimed Norwegian rock
band. Speaking about the concept of Hybrid Hymns, Sam tells
mwe3.com "The title reflects an idea about how technology
and biology will melt together in the future. With AI, DNA-modification,
medical progress, nanotechnology and what not, a future hybrid mankind,
or robots will probably have some kind of free will in a Kantian sense;
what shall I do, ethics and self reflecting questions
which leads to existential and religious beliefs. What churches will
the robots go to? Which Gods do they believe in? If they shall be
like humans, spirituality and irrationality must be part of the gear."
Music
fans have compared Professor Tiptop to progressive music icons like
Camel and Alan Parsons Project with other influences from the early
1970s Canturbury, England school of music and even 70s Pink
Floyd. Professor Tiptop's finest album yet, Hybrid Hymns is
one of the most intriguing European prog-rock albums of 2019. www.facebook.com
/ www.apollonrecords.no
mwe3.com presents an interview with
SAM FOSSBAKK of Professor TipTop
The Hybrid Hymns interview
mwe3:
Tell us why you call the new Professor Tip Top album Hybrid Hymns.
Seems like that title has a dual meaning. Of course Hybrid means
a variety of and Hymns is a kind of religious connotation. Its
not easy to make sense of religion in these dogmatic times! Is mankind
on the precipice of something bigger and is there something spiritual
about the title?
Sam Fossbakk: The title reflects an idea about how technology
and biology will melt together in the future. With AI, DNA-modification,
medical progress, nanotechnology and what not, a future hybrid mankind,
or robots will probably have some kind of free will in a Kantian sense;
what shall I do, ethics and self reflecting questions
which leads to existential and religious beliefs. What churches will
the robots go to? Which Gods do they believe in? If they shall be
like humans spirituality and irrationality must be part of the gear.
mwe3: Is Hybrid Hymns a continuation of the ideas explored
on the Life Is No Matter album? Even the cover art is
kind of continuous looking. I forgot to ask about the cool cover art
for Life Is No Matter. But it seems you combined some of the
ideas from that album on Hybrid Hymns. Although, one difference
is there is a religious symbol of church on the cover for Hybrid
Hymns.
Sam Fossbakk: Yes it is a continuation. On the Life
Is No Matter cover, the futuristic being
the octopus is
flying high over its habitat. On Hybrid Hymns it is down on
the sea level sorting out earthly matters, like the new church for
robot fishes. Both covers are made by graphic designer Øyvind
Lothe.
mwe3: What do the two Black Holes Pt. 1 and 2 tracks
signify. Do you have the lyrics and can you provide some background
on them? It sounds very futuristic and scientific, but in a scientific
way of course. Is there a message in this track and who is doing the
narration?
Sam Fossbakk: The idea was to put a university like lecture
about black holes which could be a radio program you listen to and
sort of fall into slumber and free associations and wake up during
part 2, the end of the record. Charles Wise, the drummer is the voice
talking. The lyrics is just facts about black holes and gravitational
waves
interesting indeed.
mwe3:
An Awkward Choice brings us back to Earth so to speak.
The world will not contain us all
is a sobering
thought but alas of course youre right. Every day all we hear
about are these incredibly tragic storms, floods, murders
what
is the breaking point? Scary times indeed.
Sam Fossbakk: Yes, too much. I think honestly the media is
to blame for much of the global angst. Of course we have challenges,
the environment issues, the plastic, the pollution, poverty, digital
dictatorship and more. But there are many facts and statistics that
show that the world is a much better place than it ever was. We have
to believe and have hope in humanity and reason. I highly recommend,
as a relief from daily dooms day news, Enlightenment Now- The Case
for Reason, Science, Humanism and Progress by Steven Pinker.
mwe3: The other side is explored in Machine Emotions.
Man cant handle the load or the work and trusts the machines
to act and think like him. Im thinking of Hal 9000 from 2001:
A Space Odyssey. I guess that was the first time we were warned
about computers taking over.
Sam Fossbakk: This is a very important question about AI, will
they outdo us? Reproduce themselves, kill us, or enslave us? Will
there be a futuristic horror state led by computers?
mwe3: The instrumentals on Hybrid Hymns are very cool
sounding. What can you tell us about The Dogs Are Coming
and is it a play on words? Was it kind of inspired by the Pink Floyd
Animals era?
Sam Fossbakk: It is the dogs in Boston Dynamics,
there are some demo videos where they open doors and walk around.
A bit unheimlich. The instruments are a basic loop on
EMS synth with bass and drums. Then adding different colors/sounds
and barking on EMS synth. On top theres the guitar;
Stratocaster, tonebender, Klon overdrive, Binsonechorec and Vox AC
15. Theres also layers of Mellotron female choir.
mwe3:
Data Mining gets back to the problems kind of expressed
in Machine Emotions, in that we gain our technology but
lose our control over our own lives. Is it all part of the loss of
control over our own lives? I like the YES like guitar solo ending.
Sam Fossbakk: Exactly! The technology is developing faster
than politicians or lawmakers can hold on to, but we are still in
the beginning of the digital age. People will be sick and tired of
the digital surveillance. There will be reactions and rebellions.
The YES-like mood smoothes things out
there is always a better
solution.
mwe3: Light Generator is kind of an experimental
track? Its only 1:14 time-wise so its kind of an interlude?
Any insights on the track title?
Sam Fossbakk: Yes, it is an interlude, turn of the page, at
the same time the ultimate machine, not by any other energy, to create
photons/light.
mwe3: I had not known of Allan Turing before. Who brought Turing
Machines to the table and what is his significance as it applies
to the PTT track? Theres the recurring question of machines
controlling man or serving man to the utmost capacity.
Sam Fossbakk: Svein wrote the lyrics. Allan Turing is the Biblical
Moses of digital technology/computers, the Ur-father so to speak.
He worked for MI5 during the world war, managing to crack the unbreakable
enigma code system used by the Germans. He was a genius mathematician.
This year there are several lectures celebrating his birth 150 years
ago.
mwe3:
Being an old-time fusion fan I just have to single out track 8, Passion.
Its great to hear a well-done rock instrumental with a very
Euro-flavored beat and rhythm. I was thinking Jan Akkerman would like
this track and its also got a kind of Hank Marvin influence
in the sound and style. Tell us the guitars, amps and effects you
used in that track? Does Svein play keys on stage? I know you play
all the keyboards as well as guitars on the Hybrid Hymns album.
Sam Fossbakk: Yes, long way back Hank is an influence. I think
Hank is in the DNA of all guitar players from my generation. The guitar
on the main theme is a 1966 Stratocaster, a Binson Echorec II, Klon
overdrive and a Norwegian amp, quite popular in the 60s, from
Telrad. In the middle part where the guitar and bass plays alone,
there is a Rickenbacker, a Rose Morris reissue. The Rickenbacker also
doubles the mellotron/cello theme. I play all the keyboard/synths
and guitar parts on the records. Svein uses the mellotron on stage.
mwe3: Is Hybrid Minds related to the album title?
Its a track in the Canterbury style. Are you saying that some
people have chips implanted in their brain? I know animals sometimes
have some chips implants but is that possible for humans?
Sam Fossbakk: Yes it is possible very soon. That can be a fast
development.
mwe3: Another instrumental
Closer doesnt
actually close the album and it too has a kind of Caravan like vibe
to its complexity. It has an interesting chord pattern. Can you say
something about the chord pattern in that track? Would you consider
an all-instrumental Professor TipTop album at some point?
Sam
Fossbakk: The title ...Closer is connected to The
Dogs Are Coming It is in the same vein as the dogs, like a rolling
snowball, something that is growing and goes on for itself. The rhythm
is 7/4 so the chords follow the beats, 3+4. The chord patterns are
ascending; one step, one and a half step, one and a half step, one
step, one and half step, one step, ending in IV. Easier said; E7-F#7-A7-C7-D7-F7-G7-A7.
Minor sevenths all the way. I used an old Telecaster and a MXR phase
90 to get a 1970s low-fi sound for the riff. Then there are Mellotron
flutes, English horn, male choir and cello. No plans for an all-instrumental
album. That would be a solo project. We like to put a couple of instrumentals
on the records.
mwe3: How about The Final Night? It sounds pretty
final to me
Is it a love song or a kind of epitaph?
Sam Fossbakk: It is both a love song and an epitaph. We like
melodic songs.
mwe3: The Apollon label is doing amazing things for music these
days. What are some of the artists on Apollon you enjoy?
Sam Fossbakk: Apollon is doing great things and they have been
major in revitalizing the prog scene. Robin Mortensen, the manager
of the company, is very dedicated, I like all the artists on the label
in some way or another.
mwe3: How about on the world stage? Do you travel sometimes
to other European countries, like Sweden, Finland or England? Have
you had some exposure for Professor Tip Top in other countries too?
Sam Fossbakk: We get exposure through radio, streaming and
record sales all over Europe. We havent traveled, but we hope
to do so.
mwe3: What else do you like to do for fun and relaxation? Do
you have hobbies or outside interests or is it music 24/7?
Sam
Fossbakk: Its mostly music related, but I like to read and
I often walk in the mountains surrounding our city. There is beautiful
nature nearly just outside my door.
mwe3: How many albums has Professor Tip Top done so far and
are planning any live DVD in the future? How about writing, recording
new music and possible live concerts in 2019?
Sam Fossbakk: We have done five albums so far. There are no
concrete plans for a live DVD, but we have just now started cooperating
with a very good live sound/film maker. We are writing new material,
and will probably start recording in October. There will be a couple
of concerts planned in August and September.