UniMuta: Hi Geoff,
Let me start by saying that you’re the man behind Turbulator, a one-man musical project.
And that you’ve released the excellent “Delusions Of Grandeur” album in June 2024 on Bandcamp.
Geoff: I prefer people to get their first experience of the album from Bandcamp. The streamers just give you a list of named tracks and little or no information at all. On Bandcamp, you don't have to buy it, you can listen to it for free and it's not hard to set up an account there. It's important to me because there are some overarching album notes, and all the tracks have their own notes giving you a better idea of the album's concepts and my overall intent. It's a 47-minute movie for your ears.
UniMuta: Last time we spoke, you were moving from Australia to the U.K.? How did that go? And how did it affect you making music?
Geoff: The main part of that plan is not yet finished, but we are now quite comfortably settled in our new home in England. Basically, my full-time music thing has been significantly disrupted since the release of "Delusions Of Grandeur" on June 21st last year. We were in the UK/Europe visiting relatives, house hunting, going to Zappanale and so on for all of July and the first week of August. I had an acoustic guitar, my alto sax and a drum pad with me and managed to get some practice in but did no significant work on any projects.
We had found a house that we were happy with by the end of that trip, which was unexpected, and brought our plans forward significantly. We then arranged a full building inspection and after deciding it was viable, our first offer was accepted and nearly all our time, for the next three months, was spent selling our house in Adelaide, and all that is associated with making that happen. Again, squeezing in small amounts of instrument practice.
Our house was finally sold by November 19th, by which time all our flights and shipping plans were fully booked, only to find out at the last minute that our house purchase in the UK was delayed until January. So, we flew into Birmingham on November 23rd and caught a taxi to where we had remotely purchased our new motorhome and ended up living in that for three and a half months. We weren't able to move into our new place until March 14th.
Most of the important stuff has been done to make living in the house comfortable, so I'm now building my new studio, using the room within a room method. It's a brick shed and I've now finished building the stud-walled and ceilinged room inside. All the soundproofing materials have arrived and are now in position ready to be installed. We will start work on that in August, when we return from our eighteen-day holiday, taking in Zappanale, of course.
The studio is the final stage of our main plan to move here. Hopefully, it'll be finished by the end of August and I'll be able to return to my full-time music routine.
Once our plan to move here is complete, our plans for here will continue. My music is a significant part of that, but the "we" and the "our" includes my amazing wife Julie and she also has plans for things she wants to do. We also have plans for things we want to do together, mainly travelling. Have I said plans too many times?
UniMuta: You (TURBULATOR) will be performing in the Stage Tent at Zappanale festival ground.
On Thursday. At 11h30.
With most people arriving in Bad Doberan on Thursday, those who will be in time for your concert will be in for a treat. Can you tell us what to expect? And how you will be doing it (loops, backing track,…)? Will you be performing material from "Delusions Of Grandeur"?
Geoff: My live act will be different to my album in the key sense that I'll be performing solo live, with no overdubbing or loops. Mainly on guitar playing instrumentals and songs with singing and a little whistling. I will intersperse a few solo alto sax pieces and also some piano. I've only got a week to rehearse because I've been full-time building the studio up until the end of last week. I had done some significant preparation last year and have managed some practice on and off over the last few months, but I've gotten rusty during the studio build.
The set list - not yet finalised - will include one or two solo versions of pieces from "Delusions of Grandeur", also several pieces that are previews of my next album - which is some time away yet - and also some Zappa arrangements.
UniMuta: "Delusions of Grandeur" is an amazing album. Are you considering a second release?
Geoff: I have been studying and composing music since I was a teenager. My main concern during the first six years since I decided to do this full-time back in April 2018 had been skills building. On my four live instruments and with recording and production. That whole time I was also writing and arranging compositions. "Delusions of Grandeur" has compositions written both before and after April 2018. The title track was composed from scratch, except for the "Inanimate Obstinance" interlude, during the month or so leading up to the album's release.
When that album was finished, I had reached a point where I felt ready to continue with my main focus on producing albums. This has been delayed as explained above, but no complaints from me. This is a move I really needed to make and am very happy with how it's turning out. My second album is already quite a long way into planning and alongside that I'm working on a Zappa tribute album. There are already some clues about that on YouTube but I haven't had time to make a video for a long while. It probably won't be until September before Back Shed Studios is back into full swing.
UniMuta: Assuming that you’ll be at Zappanale for the entire duration, what are you most looking forward to? Are there any concerts you absolutely don't want to miss?
Geoff: I'm definitely looking forward to Don Preston's set and the three Banned From Utopia guys, and there is a lot of other interesting stuff on offer. Other than that, I'll keep it under my hat.
UniMuta: Thank you, Geoff. See you soon.
TURBULATOR will be performing on Thursday, at 11h30.
In the Stage Tent, on the festival grounds.
If you happen to arrive early on Thursday, you know where you'll need to be
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