Interview: Glen Porter0
Posted by - In Interview, Music
Ryan Stephenson, better known as Glen Porter (dropping an “n” from his grandpa’s name, Glenn Porter), is a beat maker from California. Initially inspired by close friends, he became interested in producing music in his late teens or early 20s. And before then, he was breaking and spinning.
I was put onto Glen Porter‘s music by DJ Bizkid, who suggested that I listen to his 2009 release, “Falling Down” (on Project: Mooncircle). The whole album grabbed me with its gloomy, downtempo vibes. Glen Porter lays down the backdrop and makes it easy for the listener to draw out storylines and pictures to each song. One of his first albums was “Blessed By A Young Death“, which was dropped in 2008 with Inner Current Recordings. This year, he released his 7″ single, “Smile Now, Cry Later” (which was limited to 300 copies).
Glen Porter is getting busy, as he has a collaborative project with Dday One set to release late September. It’s a 4-track 10″ titled, “Wavelengths“, where both producers interpret the four brainwave patterns – Beta, Alpha, Delta, and Theta. Glen is also working on another album set for release in 2011. Check out the interview below, listen to his music, and become familiar with this man if you’re not!
Tiffology: Good evening, Ryan. How’s your week been?
Glen Porter: Decent enough.
Tiffology: For those that don’t know, give a brief introduction to yourself.
Glen Porter: I’m a California based beat maker/producer, I make music under the name “Glen Porter”. I like gettin weird and upping my creep factor, and more recently, making beats I would like to hear in movie versions of 60′s adventure novels and other old west related, science fiction, time traveling, mind warping madness.
Tiffology: What kind of musical background do you come from and how does that reflect in the music you create?
Glen Porter: I played piano, trombone, and guitar when I was a kid, but I think what had the biggest effect on my choice of style was my mom always playing the 94.7 the wave (smooth jazz), my dad bumping White Zombie, and watching tons of science fiction movies when I was a kid. Science Fiction movies still occupy most of my time in front of the flashy box.
Tiffology: Go back to when it all started for you… what drew you in to wanting to make music?
Glen Porter: I’ve always loved music, but what really got me into producing was my group of friends I had at the time, making it possible for me to produce (hooking me up with programs, showing me how to use hardware, etc..) and having sort of a “Wait till I show you what I made last night” environment really kind of got us all into a creative and inspired first few years. It has definitely evolved a lot since then, we all found our own styles and niches and sort of drifted away musically.
Tiffology: What equipment or software did you first start out with?
Glen Porter: I can’t really remember exactly what I started out with these days, but I can tell you it was pretty much turntables and a laptop with probably Reason 1 or 2 at the core of it.
Tiffology: RANDOM – What do you like to do that doesn’t involve music?
Glen Porter: Surfing, traveling, and causin ruckus till the wee hours of the mornin.
Tiffology: Does your family know you make music? Do they listen to it?
Glen Porter: Haha, yes they know I make music. No, they don’t really listen to it.
Tiffology: Do you enjoy doing the other elements of hip hop?
Glen Porter: Yeah, but I mostly enjoy the energy in it, the culture it promotes, and the variety of moods it can capture. Seems like “hip hop” has become kind of a bad word these days. I don’t mind, as long as you don’t say “real hip hop”.
Tiffology: I know you like to breakdance, or used to. What style of breakdancing are you best at (Uprock, toprock, etc), or what’s your favorite move?
Glen Porter: Haha, this is a good one. I would like to lie and say I had all kinds of style, but I totally didn’t. I was a power move whore.
Tiffology: RANDOM – Describe a date with you.
Glen Porter: Well, we could take the time traveling giraffes out for a spin or go in search for some random fun.
Tiffology: Weapons of choice (equipment)?
Glen Porter: Guitar, Bass, Cello, Drums, MPD32, Laptop, Logic, Ableton, MicroKorg, Keystation39 (hopefully update this piece next, no knobs)
Tiffology: What’s your creative process like?
Glen Porter: I don’t have a set in stone order of things, but you just kinda know when it’s right and just keep building from there.
Tiffology: “Falling Down”, as a whole, has this melancholy vibe to it. And it’s not just that album, but some other works of yours (like some tracks from “Blessed By A Young Death”). Do you prefer to make your music when you’re feeling down or going through rough times, or does it just happen to come out like that?
Glen Porter: It just came out like that for a long time. It’s a mood/feeling that rings with me. I don’t really mean to make melancholy music, but on the other hand if something is too “happy” or “powerful”, I usually hate it immediately. Most of my main influences lean towards the dark side as well.
Tiffology: What can you tell us about your “Smile Now, Cry Later” release?
Glen Porter: “Smile Now, Cry Later” was kind of an experiment. I did some things and worked with some sounds and styles I had not done before. Both of the songs are signs of things to come. It was printed on white vinyl, each one was hand screen printed by myself and Shawn (Ooothatsheavy) in my garage and Eric Gordon from “Of Our Own” magazine (OfOurOwn) designed the print for us.
Tiffology: I read that your music has been used in the tv show, “Departures”. How did you get involved with that?
Glen Porter: A few of my friends/other producers that I have met over the years ended up starting licensing libraries and they asked me in the beginning to contribute to help build their libraries up, so I gave them some stuff. Over the years, they have done a good job and built decent libraries and thats how “Departures” happened.
Tiffology: Not that it’s a bad thing, but I read that you don’t usually like to sample. Why’s that?
Glen Porter: I just would rather not be put n a box. I have nothing against creative use of sampling, but I find my productions flow better for me when I have complete control. Most of the drums are/were samples chopped, layered, and screwed to my liking.
Tiffology: RANDOM – Top 3 favorite food places.
Glen Porter: Not in any particular order:
Mongolian BBQ (not the mall crap, the one in Fullerton, on commonwealth that I grew up eating at)
Anywhere that serves plate lunch (what I usually eat)
Justin and Jessica’s House
Tiffology: Which instruments can you play? Did you get lessons for them, or are you self-taught?
Glen Porter: I play lots of instruments, but I play like a producer. If you asked me to play a whole song on drums, bass or guitar, I wouldn’t be able to. It’s more about knowing what you want from the instrument and figuring out how to do it. Brass and woodwinds I have no clue though.
Tiffology: As far as music today, who’s inspiring you? Or what’s on heavy rotation?
Glen Porter: Lots of 60′s psych, garage, Bonobo, Four Tet (mostly his earlier stuff), Dead Brothers, the Cowboys from Sweden mixtapes, Spindrift
Tiffology: Any releases that you have in the works that we should know about and look out for?
Glen Porter: Myself and DDAY1 have a split 10″ picture disc coming out most likely sometime in October on Content Label and Ooothatsheavy! It will be available both digitally and on a 10″ picture disc, artwork designed by DDAY1.
I am also in the process of finishing up an album called “Silver Spurs and Summer Wine” that should be released early 2011
Tiffology: RANDOM – Let me get a little political for a moment. Being that my state’s (AZ) Immigration Law is a hot topic… what are your thoughts on it? Just curious.
Glen Porter: I don’t have TV and have not read enough about it to really go into it.
Tiffology: Any last words? Advice? Shoutouts?
Glen Porter: Thanks for havin me! visit glenporter.org for more info.
* Big thanks to Glen for letting me interview him!
** If you’re interested in listening to more of his music, you can always key in “Glen Porter” on youtube.
PURCHASE:
“Blessed By A Young Death” [iTunes]
“Falling Down” [HHV | iTunes]
“Smile Now, Cry Later” [HHV | Access Hip Hop]
“Wavelengths” with Dday One [Access Hip Hop]
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