PA ~Tell us about your Gongtopia project.
Gongtopia is something I've had in mind for a while and it grew out of
my solo percussion project, Percussion Chamber Music. About 5 years
ago I decided to work intensely on my own percussion music, instead of
playing other people's music in a band format. I put together a solo
project which used drums, percussion, and Gongs. It was about half composed
and half improvised music. Now this was sort of a crazy thing to do,
but I believed in the music and many of my musician friends were
encouraging. So I played some concerts, recorded a CD, STARS SHOW THE WAY, and
the response was fantastic!
The more I delved into this, the more the Gongs called out to me. I
also became more fascinated with their potential. Eventually, I decided to
work on a solo Gong project which became G O N G T O P I A. And it's
been amazing! On one hand, Gongs are energy portals. They are almost like
a lens which focuses sound vibrations. Just playing them affects me
intensely. I've also been able to tie together a lot of my interests, like
sacred geometry, labyrinths, and spirituality - they all are directly
connected to the Gongs. So it's been a journey of discovery as much as
anything.
PA ~ How are the gongs used as an intuitive healing art?
The Gongs have some amazing properties. They can actually affect us at
a cellular level. They also can open up the Chakras and energy centers
in the body, so that we can release a lot of blocked energy and feel
cleansed/healed.
PA ~ In what ways have some people been affected by the sound?
I have a very good drummer friend who I gave a copy of my Gong CD,
LABYRINTH, to and he called me the next day saying that he'd had a headache
and the music took it away. Other people have said that the music helps
them sleep. At Gong Baths, people have had many emotional experiences,
like crying. The vibrations just seem to reach inside us and release a
lot of things. People have also experienced being energized, inspired -
a sort of vibrational high. I always tell people to drink a lot of
water over the next day to help flush out the toxins that may be released
into their systems.
PA ~ What former bands did you work with?
So many over the years. The ones worth mentioning were back in the ?70s
& ?80s: REENG, X-570, Camera, Alshia - all more or less progressive
rock.
PA ~ What factors shaped your involvement in music?
I'm a very visual person and I remember being attracted to how the
drums looked. In fact, I've always thought all the variety of percussion
instruments are fantastic to look at. And there's just something primal
about the sound of percussion. There's almost like this deep connection
to the past when you play. Percussion has also always had this very
spiritual side, a sacred side. If we look at various societies around the
world, percussion is used for special occasions, like births, deaths,
weddings, etc. It's used in celebrations, healings, gatherings, and
sacred ceremonies. So once you really start investigating percussion, it
just gets deeper and deeper, drawing you in.
With Gongs, there's a very deep spirituality. Even just their visual
look is, to me, a lot like a Buddhist Mandala - they draw you in and
present this whole Universe of possibilities.
PA ~ Besides music, what are some of your other interests?
Writing is a big thing for me. I'm always writing. I've written for
magazines for the past 23 years. I've also written some books on
percussion, books of poetry, and I'm currently working on a couple of fiction
books. So that's a big interest to me.
On the opposite end, reading is big to me. I'm always reading. I'm sort
of an information junkie! I always have books with me because I have a
lot of downtime when traveling or playing. I always joke that I've read
more books between setting up and waiting to play. I like science
books, biographies, poetry, science fiction, new age & spiritual books -
lots of things.
I'm also interesting in things like photography, design (I design all
my own CD covers and promo) and film - again, visual media. I really
want to get into film making, which I see as the same thing as music, only
done with light instead of sound.
PA ~ What was your first concert?
The first real concert I went to? That would be Grand Funk Railroad and
Black Oak Arkansas. I was a teenager and it blew me away.
The first solo concert I played was maybe in Chicago. I had all my
Gongs, a huge drum set, and lots of small percussion. It was liberating to
play my music and not be in a band. There's a freedom to playing solo
that's energizing. I haven't looked back since.
PA ~ Thanks to?
Thanks to all the people I've met along the way who have listened to my
music. So many people have been encouraging about what I do, about
pursuing my own music. And thanks to the Gong makers like Paiste, Michael
Paiste, Steve Hubback - their instruments are what inspire me. Also, in
being a writer I've been able to interview most of the percussionists I
admire, and many of them are now very close friends, which I'm very
thankful for.
PA ~ Good stories?
When I was about 20, I was in a band playing a lot of original music
that was sort of progressive hard rock. I started adding Gongs, bells,
orchestra bells, and all sorts of percussion to my drum set. I was
exploring playing orchestrated music, not just beats. Another drummer, who
was sort of a rival, came to a show one night and remarked, "That's not a
drum set, that's an arsenal!" I knew I was on to something then and
should keep going.
PA ~ What events/zines should we know about ?
I think in everyone's own community they should look for drums circles.
Anyone can join in and shake a rattle or play a drum. It's a great
sense of community and breaks down barriers. Also look for local
dance/music/arts groups that are trying to do something different, something
creative. They're made up of people like myself, who are not making
millions of dollars like a big rock star, but really do it because they love
it.
On a wider scale, look for the film ?Touch The Sound? playing in small,
arty theaters. It's a documentary about Scottish percussionist Evelyn
Glennie. She's mostly deaf and is one of the best percussionists in the
world. Although she's known for playing concertos with symphonies, the
film is about her exploring sound, improvising. It really connected
with me because what she does in the film is so much like what I do. She's
amazing and has a wonderful spirit. It should be out on DVD in May.
There are also a lot of creative music festivals in many of the major
cities. They tend to feature musicians who are on the edge, not signed
to major labels. Check out Edgefest in Ann Arbor, Emptybottle Fest in
Chicago, High Mayhem in New Mexico, High Zero Fest in Baltimore, and many
others.
For zines, if you want to know about drumming, check out MODERN
DRUMMER. I've written for it since 1983, and it covers a lot of musical
ground. There's also a great one called GLOBAL RHYTHM. They cover what's
known as world music? and present a lot of interesting artists. On the
web, check out www.tokafi.com, www.somnius.com/amn/, www.onefinalnote.com,
and www.paristransatlantic.com.
Michael's website is: www.mac.com/mbettine
Michael plays Gongs by Paiste, Michael Paiste, & Steve Hubback, mallets
by Mike Balter, and uses King Kase Co. Cases.
