Some time ago Miss Gardiner interviewed me about Lose a Life nano rock Opera by Beggars Opera RGS 9485. The compositional experience was electrifying as it was based on a true story.

1/ How did the journey to this album begin?

The journey to Beggars Opera Lose a Life began when I started to invent words or sets of words to describe states of being connected with the condition Electro Sensitivity.

2/ How did you arrive at the sounds you used?

I arrived at my sound palette by choosing sounds from plug ins available in my computer software (Logic Pro) and Mike Pinder mellotron samples. This selection of sounds became the ‘wash’ for the entire set.

3/ How did you create those sounds?

Working with the laptop and digital piano, rhythms emerged which made the backdrop for the my chord chains.
These chains were derived from my invented words ie: Electrofire, by means of allocating each letter of my chosen word to a note in the scale, using a method composer Robert Schumann advocated.

4/ How long did it take to make?

Round trip 2 years, perhaps a little more if you count gestation.

5/ Where was it made?
The keyboard and vocal tracks were recorded in the Virginia Scott / Xdefinite Inhibition Pod, the Live drums at Red Kite Studios / Martin Levan and the Guitars and Mix in the Ricky Gardiner Songs Pod.

6/ Some of it echo’s the ideas of the Rock Opera of Diana Demon..was that intentional to reference that?

The Beggars Opera / Diana Demon project was present to some extent in my mind when I embarked on the the BO Lose a Life project, in that they are both CONCEPT.
This time however the lady figurine is not speculatively gazing into fictional Azimovian futures, but she is inhabiting a terrifying real life Ballardian present.

7/ Are there any influences that got you thinking about what you would do on this album?

The Beggars Opera Song environmental song ‘Suddenly Ahead Ahead‘ the title song to Beggars Opera album RGS 9483, prepared the ground for the thinking behind Lose a Life Nano Opera both lyrically and musically.
From there Beggars Opera ‘s UNSTAGED Lose a Life Nano Opera just grew and I hope it will deliver a global warNing message to many.

8/ How does it differ from the others old and new Beggars in it’s conception?

The conception of this Beggars Opera album is different form the other previous albums in that it was realised completely from the keyboard by Virginia Scott.
Previous Beggars Opera albums were based on collaborations.

9/ How did you record it?

It was recorded in stages due to the Electro Sensitivity constraints.
The backtracks and vocals were recorded in the Xdefinite Inhibition keyboard pod, the guitar, bass and mix in the Ricky Gardiner Songs pod.

Drums by Tom Gardiner were recorded live at Red Kite Studios/ Martin Levan.

10/ The record is about Electro Sensitivity, is the record about living with it?

Yes, and the story of the challenge that an ES sufferer meets in a world, which is fast being polluted by the emissions from technological devices.

11/ Is the record also to raise awareness of it?

Yes…apart from a heart felt need to describe the unusual life experience of the Electro Sensitive, it rapidly became a necessity to make others aware of the intrinsic dangers of these emissions.
As I see it our destinies are literally being modified.

12/ What about the record is most important to you?

The fact that the narrative is true.

13 /Who is Doctor Carlo.

Dr George Carlo is an American environmental health researcher. He is known for his research into cell-phone radiation. http://www.healthfuladaptation.net/

Miss Gardiner 2011