7” Survey: JFM

​Every edition of this season’s Long Winter, the first 350 guests through the doors at The Great Hall have received a free split seven-inch from Scion Sessions, each side featuring a song from one of the night’s featured artists. To compliment the releases, we’ve issued a seven-part questionnaire to each of the artists involved, giving the subjects an inch (about 85 words) of space to answer each of our questions.​

The March instalment of the Scion Sessions Split 7” Series features a track each from Cancer Bats and JFM. In this questionnaire with JFM, Jesse Frank Matthews explains how the solo electronic project is the byproduct of a remix he did for RatTail (he used to drum in the band). Read the full questionnaire below.

​Long Winter: Who are you and how did this project come to be?​

Jesse Frank Matthews: In 2010 I was asked to put a remix on the digital version of a Rattail seven-inch on Unfamiliar Records, and since I was playing drums in the band, I wanted to have a small distinction from that. So I simply used my initials. JFM, nothing fancy. Still just me and the same old sampler I had back then.

​LW: How about “101 Dimensions (hypnomix)” – what inspired that?​

JFM: Excitement for the unknown and embracing change and new possibilities while not locking the door behind you.

​LW: For some of Long Winter’s audiences, this will be their first point of access to your music. Where does this song fit into the rest of your catalogue?​

JFM: This song has similar feel and energy as some of my other material; voices thieved and abstracted from the ether, blown out booty bass, stunted synthesizer phrases, all wrangled into a crispy and crunchy frequency sprawl. This track will appear on an eight-song compact disc from Concrete Records (Rome). In that context it will have a more defined shape in the rest of my catalogue.

​LW: Once they’re turned on to this, what releases (songs, EPs, albums, or otherwise) should people pursue as logical next steps to getting to know your music?​

JFM: Darcy [Spidle] from Divorce Records has been a huge source of inspiration and support since this project began. Initially releasing a free digital download of my first collection of tracks entitled ​Compost’​ (http://divorcerecords.ca/mainpages/freewave.html), last May Divorce kindly released my self-titled debut LP (http://divorcerecords.bandcamp.com/album/jfm). Long Winter will also be the release of a new cassette (entitled ​Squat​) I’ve got coming out on Toronto’s amazing Pleasence Records. My recordings are always made live, and likely always will be. In an attempt to keep the music as physical as possible, I like the raw edges and the room for variation each time I play.

​LW: When you think of winter, what’s a memory that stands out for you?​

JFM: Over a decade ago I was leaving Ontario for the West Coast, [and] on the way the car I was a passenger in lost control due to weather. I remember seeing the sign out the broken window for “Black Sturgeon Bridge” from where we were positioned in the snow bank. Anytime I’m driving or a passenger in slick, tricky winter conditions I find it hard to not think about this accident. No one was harmed, but the Pontiac Sunfire was a write off, and my collection of dub and dancehall CDs were also never seen again.

​LW: How do you survive winters in Toronto?​

JFM: Onesie long johns with the special flap in the back. Quality dark roast coffee. Richard D James. Lots of water. Fresh green. Good conversation. Bad jokes.

​LW: What are you most looking forward to for the March edition of Long Winter?​

JFM: You’ll Never Get To Heaven, S.H.I.T… taking in the atmosphere and hanging out with my friends.

​Interview by Tom Beedham​