Tamu Massif EP – first release for Chiverin

One of our favourite local promoters, Chiverin, has branched out into the world of record labels and this month releases its first offering on the world – an EP by Weston-super-Mare-based Tamu Massif. We caught up with Dave Dixon a.k.a Tamu Massif for a quick chat on the day of the release and ahead of his gig at The Louisiana.

How did Tamu Massif come about?

It’s just me. S/o’s ma and pops… but some of my friends perform with me when I take it live.???

What’s behind the name?

Tamu Massif is a now-dead volcano the size of the UK under the Pacific Ocean. I came across it whilst browsing the world wide web late one night and made a note of it because I thought it sounded like a gang and it’s worth having a decent collection of gang names in case one doesn’t work out. My former housemate also informed me that Tamu means ‘sweet’ in Swahili and that’s pretty cool.

What other musicians inspire you?

There are too many to list really. I know that’s an annoying answer but I try and listen to a pretty wide variety of music; different moods suit different genres of music and each dictates the other for me. I grew up on guitar music but these days I’m into all sorts and I think there’s something to take from almost all music. I like combining different elements of different genres. I’m also inspired by the creative people I’m friends with; I’m lucky to count The Japanese House and The Naturals among my best friends and their work ethic and output definitely inspires me through a combination of admiration and jealousy.

What does Bristol mean to you?

I love this city. There’s something unique about Bristol. It’s diverse, with strong identities in the different areas but it’s not too big. There’s tonnes going on creatively here at the moment and there’s a real sense of community. I was born here and I grew up here and maybe some day I’ll die here.

How was Dot to Dot Festival this year? 

It was the best. My friends Fenne Lily (who is a real talented folk singer) and Justin (of Bella Figura) came down a couple of days before to join me on a few of the songs so I had a nice build up to it playing in my garage and hanging out in the sun. The venue was one of the most beautiful I’ve played in – there was a huge stained glass window behind me. I was also lucky because most of the bands I wanted to see were playing in Trinity. That and the fact that you could chill in the garden between acts was great.

What’s your preferred method for sharing music? 

I really enjoy going to shows – there’s something in the simple fact that you won’t ever hear that song in exactly the same form again. Though equally there are some songs which work best with a good set of headphones. For my music I’m often restricted in what I can do live. I layer things heavily in the studio and there’s something nice in that freedom to add effects and layer as I please that recording gives you. It’s an integral part of my creative process. That said, I do love playing live and it can be real nice playing with other musicians when you’re on the same page.  When it’s great, it’s great.

I probably listen to music via youtube more than any other platform partly due to the fact my laptop doesn’t like running iTunes these days, but also because visuals are a great way of adding another dimension to the music. I’m planning on getting videos together for each of the tracks on “Alba”.

Where do you stand on Record Store Day?

Right at the front. Kidding – I was sitting at the back. It was a lot of fun this year though – there were some great acts playing. It’s a good excuse to hang in Rise with friends listening to good music. Although this year I had to leave the venue to hold “clear the air talks” with a girl I was seeing and later stormed out of a restaurant because I had a fight with my best friend -that wasn’t as fun. With regards to the recent grievances aired by smaller labels about it, I can definitely understand them feeling cheated, after having played such a part in the resurgence of vinyl, to ultimately suffer as a consequence of its success. It’s depressing but as with most things, with success and popularity come bigger business with more money looking to reap the rewards and capitalise on someone else’s hard work.

Your new release is out on Chiverin – excited much?

Very. Much. So. Chiverin kingpin Aled has been a real help to me. I recorded the EP at home over a couple of months last Winter and we’ve worked closely to get everything together in terms of artwork, mastering, distribution, etc. Aled has brought together a nice contingent of acts from around Bristol with quite different but complimentary sounds. I’m hoping that we get to collaborate some in the future.   

See Tamu Massif live at The Louisiana on June 19. Tickets, priced £6, available at: www.thelouisiana.net/events/19-jun-15-tamu-massif-the-louisiana/

Read our earlier interview with Chiverin here.