Tired Device was, at its inception, a drone music duo comprised of myself and Anthony Cantor. The project name came from Tony’s brilliant bemusement at the clichéness of much electronic drone music, referring to the style as a “tired device”, in the sense of film criticism - a device or trope that was past its best-by date, hence being considered “tired”. To me, the name seemed to speak more poetically of the instruments and equipment themselves - this was music that came from tired devices, those with shot nerves, exhausted after lives spent in more active musical contexts, living out their golden years making long, sustained notes and quiet crackles.

I made this album after Tony moved back to Colorado, using as my source material an archive of solo guitar improvisations he’d given me, with his blessing to do with them as I saw fit. I sculpted them into different shapes, then added my own parts, mostly played on Tim Clark’s Juno-6, my Fender Strat and a mess of Boss pedals. There might be some modular on here, but I’m unsure, and I no longer have the session files to be able to check.

After my departure from “experimental music”,  I would, with Tony’s permission, go on to use the Tired Device name for the instrumental rock band I formed with Sam Jones, James Lake and David Paha (assisted at times by Matthew Hettich and Andrew Clinco). I think it’s a fantastic name, and this album ain’t half bad either. There’s certainly not much like it in my discography.

The cover is, as should surprise no one, a photograph by Michael Keusch.