Say what?
Perhaps it is time to clarify. There is a song, Animals at the Disco, by a really creative duo, known as Professor Small, and at the beginning of the song, some lady recites that Aztec mother-bit, followed by some rather clever loops and groovy electronic organs. If that sounds random, it actually is. Then again, the randomness of Professor Small is part of the capricious, yet highly organized, genius that emanates from their independent release, Go! Relying on loops, snippets, samples, rapping, spoken word, satire, tongue-in-cheek humor, keyboards, and computers, it has been agreed upon that “technology and science” are the primary artistic goals of Professor Small.
So who, or maybe what is behind this arbitrary brilliance? The union of two individuals, Professor Television, and Jughead Small birthed Professor Small. Professor Television recalls their early beginnings. “While I, Professor Television, was busy recording my washing machine with my new four-track recorder, Jughead Small was delving into the intricacies of his first analog synthesizer purchased from a friend for only $5. The union had not yet formed. Jughead requisitioned the use of my four track recorder to capture his "boogie woogie" synthesizer sounds. After a recording sesh, and by mistake, Jughead listened to the four-track tape in this car stereo which played backwards. It sounded strange and spooky. He loved it. He learned to play the odd backwards melody. This would later become our first song. The union still had not formed. A drum machine and an additional synthesizer later we decided to join forces and become what is known to many as ‘Professor Small.’”
Embracing a sound that has been described as lo-fi, and old-school, Professor Small is most undeniably categorized as some sort of electronic band, but from there the comparisons get a little sketchier. “We don't really mean to be lo-fi; it just happens that way. We like it because it sounds like your brother's band, or your friend's band, or the guys next door. It's just a little more personal that way. We've been trying to classify ourselves from the beginning. I think we've settled on new wave/electronic for now.”
The creative processes of Professor Small are not exactly divulged in great detail. “We try not to think about that too much. We usually just let things happen and give any creative glory to God.”
Their song topics are nearly as random as their music. “Topics range from hectic everyday life in the information age, to the trinity of God as represented in the triangle, to strange Bible stories, to the question of aliens, and . . . just what [would happen] if you found out months later that your girlfriend was a cyborg.”
Professor Television is confident that people are receiving their music with open arms and that they are just as avidly involved in their own music. “We joke sometimes that we are our best fans. I know that sounds kind of arrogant but if there was a band just like us, and we didn't have this band they would be our favorite. Like any favorite band we like all the songs, just some less than others.” The band has even jokingly, or maybe half-seriously, fooled around with the idea of recording an entire day of their life on a twenty-four disc box-set. “We'd call it “A Day in the Life of Professor Small.” I'm sure it would sell like hot cakes although the $499,999.99 retail price may deter some.”
Perhaps they could sell the aforementioned box-set along with their current album on mp3.com. Professor Small certainly has made use of the effective website in promoting their odd and strangely wonderful music to the masses. “Anybody around the world can listen to and buy our music. It's beautiful.” Further hailing the wonders of digital downloadable music, “The mp3 sound file format is not the wave of the future, it's the wave of now. The whole idea of being able to buy records by anyone at any time is wonderful. The mp3 community is not just open for main stream music but it is the new underground.”
(In fact, while you read this, you really should open up an extra browser window, and head to www.mp3.com/professorsmall and download a couple of their tunes. They’ll be done downloading by the time this article is finished, and you can decide for yourself.)
They emphatically reinforce that they are pleased to still be part of the indie community. “We would much rather be an underground band with a devoted cult following than make it super-big and have to deal with all the crap that comes with it.”
Whether mainstream, or indie, there are more and more electronic bands popping up like veritable little synth mushrooms, in their own little circles. Professor Television, with a resounding, “Yahoooooo!” showed his approval for the appearance of plastiq musiq records, and bands like Echoing Green, cloud2ground, and a host of others. “Electronic artists usually get along, as far as we've seen. Any unity is much more cerebral and unspoken.”
If you live anywhere near Illinois, you could probably catch at least one of their live shows at Cornerstone Festival in July. “We have a wacky stage show. We try to make it different every time. Lots of costumes and gadgets. We play and sing all that we can live. The rest is performed by a mini-disk recording.”
In the near future, Professor Small is considering doing a novelty concept. “ In the future we'll be doing a video tape to go along with a future album. The [video] tape will have no sound. You'll have to play the cd along with it.”
As far as long term goals, he adds, “We would like to take over the world and destroy all the . . . er . . . umm . . .”
While he considers the aims of their world conquests, we can probably rest assured that world dominion is not in the likely near future for Professor Small. That is not to say that a world dominated by Professor Small would not be fun to live in. Most Aztec mothers would agree.