STEVE BUCHANAN: My first music project was named after an alleged high priest of Atlantis

Who are You? Reading Your webpage (http://stevebuchanan.net) one can see You have many talents: a musican, a dancer, a writer for Italian music magazine Just Baked (https://www.justbaked.it)... Let's begin from the beginning. Your background, please - where are You from, when and how did You begin to create?

I was born in Philadelphia on the spring solstice with one eye open and one eye closed , I guess pretty indicative of my view point on existence . My parents were both 16. which  for me entailed both disadvantage and advantage. ! in any event much of my childhood I was raised by my grandparents who were « semi-professional «  musicians so i was surrounded by music from the first day really. As well my father worked in record distribution so he had thousands of records and he loved jazz ; lucky for me drums,so there was not really a thought of « I should play » it just kind of happened !the same with dance. Philadelphia was known for its dancers both pro and street level I mean we just kinda did it. The draw back was it took me awhile to seriously study! Especially guitar as I had been playing ukelele,and then guitar since very young. so just took it for granted. Dancing for me was more explosive because even though I did it lot's as a kid there was a period in my teens of inhibition, but once I started again I never stopped and still feel it to be the greatest of freedoms.I suppose my beGinnings to create were like so many other kid's of my time, playing jumping jack flash, stairway to heaven, sympathy for the devil, down by the river and endless blues progressions night after night.

Could You please remember Your first project/band and maybe You could name all Your discography with all bands that You've created and/or played in?

The first band I organized was called Iltar. We made one vinyl which was pressed very badly , however it is a collectors item ha-ha.
http://mutant-sounds.blogspot.ch/2007/03/iltar-stlp1977usa.html

Which album of Yours do You value the most?

Hmmm,for me it's always individual piece's and like duke ellington said « always the new baby » this presently being (IMO) http://www.anothertimbre.com/IMO.html) I would say my first solo album « Those Who Say » https://soundcloud.com/hanan555/euro-shit-dont-stank  but close second is « Tiny Grimes » https://soundcloud.com/hanan555/01-breath-you-give
dedicated to my grandparents and which are aLL compositions for 4 string guitar. and I still find Bushwac w/Paed Conca quite valuable https://bushwac.bandcamp.com/releases.

What about Your plans?

There are several things in the works , a tour of S.E. Asia and china 2018, a tour of poland russia , and determinedly your country. There's a july 2018 recording af a quartet in Zurich for silent films which will become a blue ray dvd. also working on remote glove controller SOFTWARE for my digital danz floor 2nd line. http://stevebuchanan.net/second-line

I've heard You plan a new album. When it will be released and what will it be like?

There are several planned actually ,, one for extreme noise duo « Friendly Fire, https://soundcloud.com/hanan555/friendly-fire  one for improv duo/trio « KRK »....one for « ES » which is a project with pipe organ and improvisation.( the recordings were done in 64 tracks ) https://soundcloud.com/hanan555/onde then finally a audio release for my digital danz floor 2nd line which will have many collaborators mostly percussionist and electro composers.

You are also a writer. What do You write about?

I don't consider myself a writer really , I do have good control of my language and know what I want to say.  But mainly I only write if something specific prompts me to.Mostly so far i've written essays about improvisation https://www.dissonance.ch/de/rubriken/6/258  and posited a question here and there  song lyrics,and interviews a medium which I love really! I think  writing really sharpens the mind . And sometimes I find it fun ..BUT  !!Give me the dance floor any day ha-ha

Do You believe Atlantis existed?

A good question!, at this point I think the word Atlantis is a simile for several places and states of consciousness. certainly I spent my whole childhood reading everything I could find about it. In fact my first music project was named after an alleged high priest of Atlantis who went to Yucatan. Personally I was always more intrigued by Veliskovsky's theories which have only recently been proven true, they always seemed so plausible. In the end my conclusion is that even if true it matters little since obviously we have not really learned anything as of yet.! I do certainly believe we are not the first technological society that has walked this earth, however the way we are going we may WELL be the last!

What inspires You? 

Ohhh so ,so many things.

What do You know about Lithuania? Maybe You plan to come here as a musician?

I don't know much except thats its physically beautiful , and I have been drawn to it for years (not knowing why really ) but never quite made it  yes I have definite intention of coming  .!

What musicians/bands/artists/... do You value most?

Thats very difficult since it infers several epochs at once, and of course states of consciousness ,I would say the single most important musicianfor me was surely Cecil Taylor , then certainly Jimi Hendrix, Pat Martino,John Lee Hooker, Sun Ra, Milford Graves ...but naturally this can go on   and on  Kraftwerk, Charles Ives ,Ravel, Charlie Christian.

Thank You.