The
musical entity known as Liquid Mind is the creation of keyboardist
and composer Chuck Wild. After releasing ten albums, Liquid
Mind arrives at yet another sonic destination with Liquid Mind
XI: Deep Sleep. As the stress of life keeps piling
up, fans of New Age and electronica are constantly on the lookout
for new and interesting ways to tone down the background noise.
Created to enhance the art of sleeping, Deep Sleep is much
more than that. In fact, its a kind of mini symphonic album
of deep electronica that just happens to be of a very relaxing nature.
Being that Chuck was greatly influenced by progressive rock music
in general, one cant help but compare some of his soaring orchestrated
keyboard
imagery to that of Moody Blues founder and mellotron pioneer Mike
Pinder, who was the main sonic innovator of progressive rock back
in the mid 1960s. Some of Chucks keyboards do echo Pinders
tron like sonic web but theres also a very unique musical
slant on the slow moving sonic glaciers that make up Deep Sleep.
So, sominex addicts beware: this album will not put you to sleep.
Its not boring or soporific in any way, shape or form. What
it will do is inspire your muse and bring you to a place of sublime
peace or bliss that will help to lull you into a space or place where
sleep might be the thing that you need most. That said, its
also a great album to play during the day to help you concentrate
or to tone down unwanted thoughts. One of the finest instrumental
New Age albums of 2016, Liquid Mind XI: Deep Sleep is an orchestral
masterpiece of keyboard electronica from legendary music maker Chuck
Wild. If
youre looking for a way to kick stress in the butt, then tune
into Deep
Sleep, the
2016 CD release from Chuck Wild and Liquid Mind.
www.RealMusic.com
/ www.LiquidMindMusic.com
mwe3.com presents an interview with
CHUCK WILD of Liquid Mind
mwe3:
Deep Sleep is the 14th Liquid Mind album so why did you choose
to call it Liquid Mind XI? You had earlier released a Liquid
Mind CD called Sleep, which was subtitled Liquid Mind VIII
so is Deep Sleep a follow up and did you bring in any new directions
or new ideas regarding the aspect of deep sleep?
Chuck Wild: There are 14 Liquid Mind albums, 11 of which are
what I call "studio" albums, i.e., albums of completely
new material. There are also 3 collections - Relax, Dream, and
Ocean And Rain Mixes - in the series, but they mostly consist
of material that was previously released. I'm releasing Liquid
Mind XI: Deep Sleep on the 10th anniversary of the most popular
Liquid Mind album, which was the 2006 release of Liquid Mind VIII:
Sleep. Both of these albums honor in us the need for deeply restful
and regenerative sleep. A good night's sleep is a miraculous elixir
for the soul and body, but for many of us, living in an information-overload
e-world, a peaceful rest is hard to come by. Liquid Mind is designed
specifically with musical characteristics that enhance deep relaxation.
You can read about those characteristics and how and where Liquid
Mind is used at this link:
87 year old William Dement, MD, known as the "father of sleep
medicine", and founder of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
and the famed Stanford University Sleep Research Program, recommended
Liquid Mind VIII: Sleep as part of a pre-sleep program to enhance
one's nightly rest. I've posted some sleep tips based on research
and suggestions from healthcare providers at this link:
mwe3: What is music therapy in your estimation and why
isnt it being paid more attention to?
Chuck Wild: Music therapy is defined by the American
Music Therapy Association as "an established healthcare
profession that uses music to address physical, emotional, cognitive,
and social needs of individuals of all ages. It improves the quality
of life for persons who are well, and meets the needs of children
and adults with disabilities or illnesses."
I compose music for music therapists, but am not one myself. Most
music therapists have masters or doctorate degrees and work with hospitals
and health professionals, using music that is proven in evidence-based
research to:
Promote wellness
Manage stress
Alleviate pain
Express feelings
Enhance memory
Improve communication
Promote physical rehabilitation (e.g. from stroke or injury)
For those interested in Music Therapy, there is a lot of information
at my site at this link:
...but the best resource is the AMTA
site where one can connect with a music therapist and learn
more about what they do. MT's (Music Therapists) are truly angels...
many of them play live music, or use recorded music in hospital, critical
care, cancer, pediatric wards and hospice visits, and the use of music
therapy has been proven to reduce reliance on pharmaceuticals in many
cases.
mwe3:
Do you find it interesting that most people spend one third of their
lives asleep yet conversely, with all the pressures in the world are
people sleeping as well as they did ten or even fifty years ago and
what is your concept of sleep as it applies to the human psyche?
Chuck Wild: I'm not a sleep professional, but I do have an
opinion, based upon my own experience.
I believe that life in our high pressure, high standards, social media
and information overload, constantly-connected world creates chronic
stress and raises the output of adrenaline and other hormones, which
in excess can be detrimental to one's health and sleep. My own psychological
state and cognitive functioning is noticeably affected by both the
quality and amount of sleep I receive. A daytime power nap can help,
provided it doesn't exceed 20 or 25 minutes, but the foundation-stone
for me is 6-7 or so hours of rest during the night. Interestingly,
since becoming a vegan about 5 years ago, I no longer sleep 8 hours,
usually more like 6 or 7. I supposed my body isn't as busy digesting!
mwe3: People listen to your music for meditation or as a pre-sleep
conditioning. What is the difference between sleep and meditation
in your view?
Chuck Wild: I think the process and effects of meditation are
distinct from those of sleep, both of which are necessary for good
health. I view meditation as a conditioning the mind... I get clarity,
a deeper life perspective, and equanimity of cognitive function from
meditation. I do a simple clearing meditation from 5 to 20 minutes
morning and evening when possible. I simply sit comfortably in a chair,
close my eyes, breathe in and count 1, breathe out and count 2, breathe
in count 3, etc. up to 10, then I start over. This is known as a clearing
meditation. I like using numbers, because there is no cognitive meaning
attached that would cause me to start thinking.
The gift of meditation is, for me, in the absence of thought. AFTER
the meditation, I see things more clearly, am better able to make
decisions in every area.
Sleep on the other hand is a necessary and recurring state of consciousness
that inhibits certain parts of our brain, and whose various stages
allow us to regenerate physically, mentally digest, and hopefully
awaken refreshed. Deep sleep is thought to happen during NREM3 or
slow-wave sleep, and represents about 1/4 of the night. This slow-wave
sleep is believed to be the most restorative part of sleep.
I personally think both sleep and meditation are essential for me
to live a well-balanced life.
mwe3:
What were the main keyboards and sounds that you played on Deep
Sleep? Have there been any new additions to your keyboard arsenal
or other computer applications or sound enhancers these past couple
years and what have you been listening to on CD these days?
Chuck Wild: I haven't added much to my studio setup, I still
use various legacy synths like Yamaha, Korg, Roland, Supernova, EMU,
Roland samplers, and about two dozen virtual synths - including Spectrasonics
entire suite. As I'm no longer working in pop and TV/Film music, I'm
less interested in the upgrade cycle, though I know great plugins
and effects are now available.
I still listen to and am inspired by 19th-20th century classical composers:
Brahms, Beethoven, Bartok, Fauré, Debussy, Tchaikovsky, Chopin,
Rachmaninoff...
mwe3: You have said that music is first heard by us during
our time in the womb and thats why you often include subliminal
vocal sounds to mimic voices that we hear during our time in the womb.
How do you feel music impacts us even while were in the womb
and also during our early formative years?
Chuck Wild: I don't pretend to be an expert in the effects of
music during embryo formation and early years, but experts like music
therapist Barbara
Crowe have done research that has shown that music with low
tones and other characteristics can be very relaxing, and it is assumed
that's because we carry a positive, comforting association with those
tones from early development in the womb. As far as early childhood
years, I think that's a complex subject that would be interesting
to research, but I have no knowledge in that area.
In my own case, music instruction, starting at age 4, gave me a sense
of fun and structure, which has been beneficial to me all my life.
mwe3: Do you feel that music therapy can be applied to cure
or lessen physical ailments and pain? I remember playing solo cello
music with natural bird sounds (two separate tapes on a dual cassette
deck) and seeing how it healed someone with a migraine headache. Do
you enjoy seeing your music helping people with stress disorders,
pain or sleeping problems?
Chuck
Wild: I do believe music therapy can lessen physical, mental,
and emotional ailments and pain. I've become friends with a trucker
who was in a head on collision, was resuscitated 11 times and underwent
a long and painful recovery. He underwent a long rehab, and has told
me that Liquid Mind was very helpful in managing his pain. I've had
emails from some folks unable to take pain medication who claim they
are able to tolerate pain better while my listening to my music. I
believe Liquid Mind is conducive to entering a meditative state, and
it's that effect that helps to lessen pain. I donated a series of
gait training music compositions to the AMTA which helps those with
strokes learn to walk. The human brain, even after stroke, will respond
to certain clicking sounds and attempt to synchronize muscle movement
with those sounds, even if the muscle/nerve connections are not functioning
normally. So gait-training music can jump start paralytic rehabilitation.
This is a very exciting area of interface between neuroscience and
music therapy.
Regarding my sedative Liquid Mind music and its uses in music therapy,
I've received over 2,000 emails and messages about how Liquid Mind
helps folks, and it literally brings me to tears at times, so yes,
it's very fulfilling. My only vision since beginning Liquid Mind is
that all those who need my music will have access to it, regardless
of their ability to pay. That's why I allow my full catalog to be
used on Pandora and YouTube, in addition to the other streaming services.
mwe3: You said you were planning to go back to classical piano
music again at some point. I always felt that New Age or electronic
mediation music was the classical music of the 21st century or classical
music of the future. Whats your opinion of that and the artists
who are bringing classical music into the future as played by jazz,
rock and also New Age musicians? Do you think classical music is too
complex for peoples attention spans these days?
Chuck Wild: Very good questions, Robert, and ones I've given
some thought to... Yes, I am slowly changing my focus to what I call
"concert piano" music in the classical tradition. I believe
that classical music of today is what people value from the past,
and is not genre-specific in any way. It may be film score, jazz,
pop, R&B, hip-hop, New Age, African, Indian or many others. My
point is that it's not possible to know what will be considered "classical"
100 years from now.
As
to your question about the complexity of Neoclassical music. There
is a large vibrant community of young musicians melding traditional
classical music with electronic and pop. Nico Muhly and Mason Bates
come to mind. EDM dance music is quite complex and widely accepted,
so I think complexity doesn't enter into the equation. In my own case,
I may expand into traditional classical + electronic at some point,
but am more interested in writing music for solo piano at this point.
mwe3: You came from a rock music and soundtrack background
in the 1970s. Do you keep in touch with any of your band mates from
the original Missing Persons, such as Patrick OHearn or some
of the members of Frank Zappas band and also fabled producer
Ken and are all the Missing Persons albums still in print on CD?
Chuck Wild: Though I was for many years, I'm no longer in touch
with old band mates, our lives have gone separate ways, and I look
back with fondness on the good times we shared. There is one exception:
My longtime mentor and good friend and five-time Grammy winner, Bruce
Swedien and I are still in touch. I'm still in touch with Bruce, his
wonderful wife Bea and talented daughter (a classical pianist) Roberta.
Roberta
is coming to LA and will stay with me next weekend while on tour for
her series of Swedish music concerts.
mwe3: What are your thoughts on the passing of David Bowie?
He was such a musical giant and opened doors for so many musicians.
I was remembering his advocacy of electronic instrumental in the late
1970s, which was so influential for fans just tuning into that genre
back then. Will we ever see a musical giant of his stature again?
Its very interesting to see how much the prog-rockers loved
him, and the punk rockers and also the electronic musicians like Eno
were so influenced by his music.
Chuck Wild: David was a true free spirit, very rare in our
world. He was absolutely unaffected creatively by what others thought.
I had the good luck to perform with Missing Persons just before David's
show at the 1983 US-Festival in California, and always remember his
courtesy and professionalism. He crossed all boundaries, and I'm not
sure that the progression of music and culture will again intersect
to produce such an icon. I do believe there are wildly independent
thinkers in other areas of innovation and creation, but am not sure
music will soon see another Bowie.
mwe3: Im sure youll make a lot of fans happy with
Deep Sleep. Any final thoughts or words to say to your fans
regarding the Deep Sleep album, and what can we expect next
from you in 2016? Its shaping up to be quite a transitional
year indeed!
Chuck
Wild: My vision is and always has been to compose music that refreshes
the human spirit. Liquid Mind is one aspect of that, and my piano
music composition will, as time goes one, bring a different, perhaps
wider spectrum of emotional content to my music, music that, I hope,
will reflect the full range of who I am as a human being.
I did want to express my gratitude for the support that Terence Yallop
and Karen Kael, owners of Real Music, and their fine staff have given
me over the nearly 20 years we've worked together, first in distribution,
now as artist/label. It can be challenging for artists to navigate
the ever-changing business aspect of music, and I'm most appreciative
of their help and guidance, which has smoothed my way.
Thanks to Chuck Wild @ www.LiquidMindMusic.com
and to Real Music @ www.RealMusic.com