Kurt Harland (2014)

What vintage instruments or gear do you guys still play in modern live performances that you used back in the 80's and 90's?

Hi Kurt,

Longtime fan, IILF member, one-time Command and Conquer victim of yours via modem. Loved seeing you guys in-person at DNA Lounge a few years back.

My Question:
What are the proper, in your opinion, condiments for a Hotdog?

Long time fan and Bay Area resident.

two questions

1> Do you still have the car, and if not, what became of it? I remember seeing it around SF years ago.

2> Are you guys going to do any gigs in the states when you're done with the south american tour? (San Francisco mayber?)

Who do you think shot Doc down over Marrakech?

Xavoc

I'm even still fighting the good fight: http://virtual-adept.com/iilf/

Whenever I sing Are Friends Electric for karaoke, I always use the DBA melody instead of the Numan speaking part. It is the best.

Hello! I am a comparatively new fan of you guys - I'm a video game music junkie and your contribution to the Soul Reaver soundtrack is actually what introduced me to InSoc (Ozar Midrashim) - I have all of your major albums and I purchased the Limited Edition release of Hello World and it's been playing on non-stop loop in my car since release.

My question -- What happened to insoc.org? It's showing as not having been updated since 2008 and I know your current website is at informationsociety.us but the old domain name is really killer.

Who have been your biggest influences in the music world? Also, will you be composing any more soundtracks for video games in the future?

Edit: What is your favorite area of science to study and work in?

My 2 and 4 year olds can't get enough of the Hello World (they laugh hysterically every time the hear the word Daddy in 'Where Were You?'). Have you introduced your kid to any musical instruments yet so that there could be an Next Generation?

Do you like Dr. Pepper, and do you need one now?

What are your thoughts on the album "Peace and Love, Inc."? I'm quite fond of it and just started listening to it again.

On the topic of science, what's a project with a big potential impact you want more people to know about?

Perhaps the greatest question ever asked. I think Kurt always needs a Dr Pepper.

You're a non-concept

Do you know the old URL to it? I read it just a few months ago and I'm sure it's on archive.org. Was it on the insoc site?

EDIT: BOOM MOTHERFUCKER! https://web.archive.org/web/20110721025131/http://

I found it. Never lose it again. That blue on black should never be lost to time.

I just wanna say I'm a huge fan, and you guys influence me as a musician and producer immensely.

Have you guys ever used "trackers" to produce your music? (A technique of strictly programming music, and not actually playing it, a real world example today would be OpenMPT.) I've been using Trackers since the 90's, and still do, as opposed to "Reason" and other "EDM standard" stuff. Your thoughts on music software? Favorites?

Why InSoc and not Neo-Bolshevism or Death Worship?

Do you think one day warp drive and transporting of objects (including people) will be possible?

What were your inspirations for Don't Be Afraid? That album got me into InSoc (Thanks, Soul Reaver) and it's been the soundtrack of my university life so far.

(Also: How did you get your hair like that during the 80's/90's?)

Seriously, what exactly happened between you and Paul and James after P&L, Inc? I assume it wasn't the issue with Amanda because her struggles were a few years before?

I met Kurt back in 1992/1993, been listening to them for a long time. What I want to know is, what happened that caused the riff in the InSoc time continuum, and how was it rectified to produce the masterpiece of _hello world. It's been a long wait!

>mucopolysaccharides

Magic, got it.

Hello Kurt! Don't Be Afraid... is one of my all time favourite albums. It makes me sad to see that it is so underrated and even frowned upon by some fans of earlier InSoc material. That album has been a great influence for my own work (I am working as a sound designer, ). Here's hoping that you and Steven will continue your work on Larson Seibold Project.

In the liner notes of the remastered reissue of Don't Be Afraid... you wrote that the album has been remastered by "someone who knows what they're doing" instead of you, but the name of the mastering engineer is not credited in the booklet. Who was it? This has been bugging me for years...

Greetings. I've been an InSoc fan since the early 80's, and had the good fortune to see you guys play at Grad Night at Disneyland in 1989.

I've recently started playing live shows (after 20! years) with a small group of friends and I'm trying to incorporate more of my electronic influences with the live sets. I was wondering if you could comment on the types of systems you use on tour to help keep the band in sync with the various sequenced elements, tempo-based effects, and re-configuring the gear as the set progresses?

Bonus edit question: Are you guys going to do a wider tour in the US?

She what? Oh I'm so going to give her crap about that.

Why do/did you dislike singing Running?

I'd definitely like to attend such a session. How would one find out when/where they are to be held?

Hi Kurt! When you said your record label dropped us. Do you think it is possible to have a good life (happiness) without having to belong to the system? like a big companies, banks, etc.? bet on a personal project?
Respect from Buenos Aires.

How did VH1 misrepresent your absence from Bands Reunited, and/or why didn't you go?

Who says that InSoc doesn't rock?

Hey, thanks! P&LI is a great album with some fantastic-feeling songs on it.

I agree with you completely regarding carbon, and that was floating around in my head when I asked the question. The project that I keep pulling for is http://terrapower.com/ of Bill Gates fame. I think that simple, passively safe fission reactors are a key part of any carbon-mitigation solution. The technology is here today, right now, to make gigawatts of carbon-free power. It's a confluence of science for me - global warming is very real and very dangerous, and modern fission reactors are well beyond the 60s era technology found in the vast majority of extant reactors. The science spells both out in very straightforward terms, so it's the path I advocate!

"difficult listening"?
I wouldn't really call it Easy Listening for The Hard of Hearing, either. IMNSHO

 
Still, I too am sad to hear it isn't held in such high esteem.. I spent a semester stuck on a farm waking up at the ass-crack of dawn waking up to On The Outside... "Still dark outside the window, fucking alarm clock start the day in fear" holds a special place in my memory

Let me know you point of view about the Insoc return with the new album? Is happening like you hoping?

A geeky question I've always been curious about: is that a real acoustic guitar being played in White Roses, or a sample?

So what ever became of that Hot Topic banner?

I've not yet been to Burning Man, I do different, weird shit in the desert but have been itching to go. I fear the closest I'll get was last year when Death Guild held that Thunderdome fund-raiser in a warehouse somewhere in Alemeda...
On the plus side I did get in the dome, on the minus, I was terrible at it BUT I broke a friend's mohawk.

Hi, Kurt. Long time fan (since the days of dialup). Just wanted to thank you and the band for all your hard work over the years. InSoc's music has gotten me through some pretty bad times in life... some awesome times in life, too.

ObQuestion: What's your professional opinion of audio effects in games these days, from a developmental perspective? I seem to recall a certain amount of friction due to weird sampling rates, bizarre CODECs, endian-ness shenanagains... has it gotten any better? Is it even crazier?

If you could be reborn as one of any species of fictional spacefaring alien, which would you choose?

Thank you for taking the time to answer my teasing 1984 reference. I appreciate you playing along :)

What are you doing playing pinball?

Thanks for doing an AMA, a long time fan. First what lead to the darker thematic tone of Don't Be Afraid and your work on Soul Reever? Secondly, is Chat-bot as much of a diva off stage as rumored?

I have been a HUGE fan of InfoSoc since I was in high school, and I've followed your work in video game soundtracks ever since. I am currently waiting anxiously for my copy of _hello world. Thanks so much for doing this AMA!

Do you play most of the games you write soundtracks for? And of the games you have done soundtrack work for, which one is your favorite?

I thought you might go with Organians.

How far is it to Neptune?

We've emailed back and for a few times over the years. First I'd like to say I'm very appreciative of how receptive you are to your fans. That being said, as an artist, do you like the more personal approach to fans regarding social media and direct sales these days compared to how the music industry was say..in the 80's.

As a follow up question....any possibility of some remix stems becoming available from the current album?

Amazing to think how far technology will advance in years to come! Its frightening now. Thanks for the reply.

What was your favorite of the ::CatCompilations::?

when and how did you first come up with the idea for 300bps N, 8, 1?

Hello, my question is: Why are you using again "Valaquen" on your nick name if you removed years ago? :)

Hi, Kurt! I meet you in Brazil when InSoc played in São Paulo 1 week ago and get the InSoc Banner, remember?
So, I remember to talked with Mithat Konar about A.K.A and he told me some details about the sampler in the songs "Cruel Lovin" and "All You Ever Told Were Lies".
Where did you get the samplers? From any episode of Star Trek too?
He told me that there's more 3 songs, but only 2 was added on the single. You have any copy this?

Been a fan since "What's On Your Mind?", and collected just about all the vinyl 12" remixes up through P&L, INC. Sadly, when I was away in the Army, my box of vinyl was destroyed at home, along with some kick ass comics and collectibles. (Goodbye Amazing Spider Man 129 and a loooong run of The Flash).

Is there any plans on re-releasing the 12" remixes for previous albums?

Is there any chance of another album similar to Don't Be Afraid? It's a lot darker than your other albums but definitely my favorite!

What do you like doing these days? Besides audio industry. Does art or anything else have a huge impact on the work you do? (Also, I've been an avid listener of yours for about 3 years, can't get enough of the music!)

What are your feelings about hardware synthesizers / samplers versus software synthesizers (and VSTs, etc) / samplers, and would your answer 15 years ago have been different from what it is now?

This has driven me nuts for YEARS. I remember TV trailer for the movie "Cool World", which came out the same year as Peace and Love, Inc. I seem to remember the TV spots featuring the titular song, but I've not been able to locate proof of this anywhere.

PLEASE put this issue to rest for me once and for all - was that P&L, Inc. my old brain recalls from those TV spots?

Info Society is one of my top 5 bands of all time. Would love to see you tour Denver. Do you plan on expanding your tour to our area?

true, but as a kid in the dark days of windows 3, i saw the title, knew exactly what it meant, and felt like it was some sort of secret handshake for computer nerds. i knew two people in my school into BBSs - all of that kind of stuff seemed like esoteric knowledge back then.

good stuff.

Hello Kurt, best wishes to you from the UK! Just wanted to ask if we'll be seeing any more new music from the Larson Seibold Project? That version of Witch of November has to be one of the most gorgeous sounding pieces of music I've heard for a long time. Would love to see a full LP. All the best, and thanks again for the Skype chat we had a few weeks ago as part of the Hello World Pledgemusic thang! You were super patient with my many Don't Be Afraid-themed questions and ramblings. As we Brits would say, you were an absolute top bloke. -- Elliott

Hey Kurt,

My question is: Have you noticed that your wordpress site at insoc.org appears to have been hacked and has a spam post promoting some scam?

Hi Kurt,

Are you done with doing video game music? What drove y'all to get the band back together now and are your various families enthusiastically supportive of it or are they all just along for the ride?

I also have a good friend of mine who's not so good with computers, if there's anywhere he could get a 45' rpm of running? Sorry it's a bit off the topic. Also, thanks for responding! I'd love to see a performance one of these days!

i had been totally uniformed of a new album. will check out.

Kurt, thanks for the AMA and great music. I've been hooked since childhood. So nice to see InSoc back at the wheel.

I loved your work with Steven Seibold and Don't Be Afraid, it was so atmospheric, but it was ephemeral. You made a brief comeback with Siebold in 2011 and released The Witch of November and I want to know if you have any plans to release anymore material? Thanks very much and best of luck.

*phantom edit wrong year

Hey Kurt, loved your officiating at Thunderdome btw.

Fair enough, thanks for the reply!

Bonus Question: Since you emphasized science, how do you feel about using autologous adult stem cell treatments on patients?

Yeah, made the trek back in 2004. Thought about introducing myself, but didn't get past the "Don't be that kind of fan." thoughts.

Broke-broke, as in the solder connections from the USB jack to the PC board seem to have broken, or "just" broke, implying an integrated circuit failure?

Hey Kurt, is there any chance that Insoc or yourself would make an instrumental album full of music like Seek 200, Hard Currency, Funky at 45, etc ?
Greetings from Norway !!!

Ok one last nerdy question from me, Kurt: where does the "with holly leaves and scanning skies" spoken word passage in Empty come from, and who says it? Did you write that yourself and get somebody else to narrate it?

Hi Kurt! Do you plan on adding any new videos to your youtube account? I really liked that last one.

Which chapter/book of The Silmarillion is your favorite, and why?

Hello Kurt
I'm a fan of Insoc from Mexico City since I was 15 years old, I'm intrigued:
have you ever had gay relationships?
who is your favorite gay musician?

Even with GPU acceleration?

That beautiful and poignant 'verse' has always been one of the highlights of DBA for me, right before the song builds into that huge crescendo. Thanks for answering my questions Kurt!

...are you sure you don't want to reply at length with an explanation of the 415 Sound Covenant show?

Hi Kurt, 
i am a Insoc's brazilian fan since the first time you came and i went to all the shows you made in Rio de Janeiro. I had the luck to meet you on the backstage in 2012 but unfortunately i was so shy and nervous that i couldn't say any single word, but i got at least a picture with you :).
I have two questions for you: 
1-  Do you feel uncomfortable when someone ask to take a picture with you?
2- Why don't you wear roller skates in the shows anymore? It was so nice!
I am very happy with this opportunity to talk to you, i am really a huge fan of yours.
Sorry for my english LOL

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