S15 E8: Deb Googe

Way back when, maybe 8-9 years ago, I had been researching what sort of skills humans would need for the future, given that we were experiencing big changes in technology, demographics, stuff like that, the sort of things that would affect the world of work. One skill or attribute, whatever you want to call it, was adaptability. Workers were, and still are, being asked to do many different things in their jobs and also do those things differently. So the ability to adapt to quickly changing environment struck me as something that was quite important.

I do believe that this absolutely applies to musicians, who have long been very used to a volatile, uncertain world, but now playing with multiple bands, becoming familiar with audio production technology, having to become social media experts, streaming experts and the like have become a “normal” part of “the job”. 

I didn’t fully appreciate the importance of improvisation as part of adaptability in creating music until I started playing the cello again after *coughs* thirty five years. Just a straightforward example of this – now bear in mind that I come from a very structured, classical learning and playing background – is putting my own harmonies into a piece and being comfortable that they might change depending on how I feel when I’m playing.. 

Sounds kinda obvious right? 

But I assure you, for me, this has required a lot of unlearning and training myself to believe in myself and to trust my instinct. Honestly, I feel so great when that happens.

So…..finally it’s time to introduce Deb Googe and I promise you there is a link to what I have just been wibbling on about. Earlier this year, she released an album under the name da Googie with Cara Tivey called The Golden Thread that essentially featured a heavy dose of improvisation in its genesis and I’m really looking forward to how this compares with the other work she has done with My Bloody Valentine, Snowpony, Primal Scream, Thurston Moore and, of course, where it all began (I think) the legendary Bikini Mutants.

She’s hugely influential not just as a bass player who can create sonic masterpieces, but for pushing musical boundaries

https://www.iwannajumplikedeedee.com


I Wanna Jump Like Dee Dee is the music podcast that does music interviews differently.

Giles Sibbald talks to musicians, DJ’s and producers about how they use an experimental mindset in every part of their lives.

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