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Markus Reuter

Interviewed by Gary Hill
Interview with Markus Reuter from 2012
MSJ:

Looking at your website, it says that you are a composer, musician and psychologist. Is that last part in the traditional sense or in regard to using music to change the mood of people?

I guess I originally meant it in the traditional sense, but practically that's not true. Yes, I guess it's mostly through the music that I make contact with people. More and more people come visit me after having been affected by my music and only then can things go beyond the mere musical, but then in the end it's all music anyway.

MSJ:

How do you balance your work as a psychologist and music?

I don't practice that much anymore. And I don't advertise. It's word-of-mouth or the music, as explained above.

MSJ:

How do you see music as a tool towards understanding people and healing them emotionally?

Understanding people? Probably not, but the musical world is a pretty detailed blueprint of how people and "the world" work. Even the music business offers quite a bit of insight into how things work, but mostly on a discouraging level.

And yes, music heals.

MSJ:

Do you see other connections between music and psychology?

Both can take on the form of science and art.

MSJ:

You've been involved in a lot of different projects and each of them seems dramatically different to my ears. What do you see as the connection between all of them, the similarities?

The connection is me and my endless love for music of all kinds.

MSJ:

How do you approach each of them to bring something different to the table?

Each collaboration, band, production work, etc. does suggest an approach, a concept, and a feeling. I can then commit to that and go along with what is happening. The fact that I love exploring new sounds might explain why the projects seem so different.

MSJ:

You seem to be sort of a "musician's musician" in that your name is fairly instantly recognizable amongst musicians and fans inside the progressive rock (for lack of a better term) genre. Outside of that, though (and even with more casual fans) you are probably someone who people say, "who?" when they hear the name. How do you feel about that? Is that where you want to be or would you rather have a higher level of name recognition in addition to the intense respect you get from those in the know now?

I really have no idea if I'm even recognized by anybody. And certainly not by whom. Even after so many years of work feedback is extremely rare. It's not that I'm complaining, just telling the facts.

On second thought, there is more feedback from fans now that I have played live extensively for a couple of years. So feedback from colleagues is more rare.

MSJ:

Who would you see as your musical influences?

Mike Oldfield, Robert Fripp, Olivier Messiaen, my teachers, music itself, and life.

MSJ:

What's ahead for you?

I need to find a way to get back into a position where I can do what I really need to do. That means: Emancipation from the circles I've been involved with for years, forming my own band.

MSJ:

I know artists hate to have their music pigeonholed or labeled, but how would you describe your music?

If my music could look into a mirror, it would not recognize itself.

MSJ:

Are there musicians with whom you would like to play with in the future?

I would like to play with the musicians that would like to play with me.

MSJ: This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2012  Volume 6 at lulu.com/strangesound.
 
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