Hi! I really loved your release ‘I Look Through Your Window’ and find it absolutely brilliant. If someone hasn’t had the chance to listen to it yet, how would you best describe the track?
A: Thank you, and I wouldn’t hhahaaha. I would tell them to go to my website and listen to it. (www.temehk.com)
Describing music is like trying to describe food, or colours or something. Words never suffice to describe art in general. It’s a bit like trying to access prime numbers using even numbers.
Where was it recorded?
A: In my room.
Do you have plans to include it in a bigger release, like an EP or album?
A: No. It was initially going to be an E.P. with one other song on it. But the other song didn’t make the cut. There will be others though. More…much more.
I’m interested in how you began your musical journey. Did you always know that this was your true passion?
A: Always is such a broad stroke word. If anybody says “always” they’re full of [expletive]. I am referring to when people say “I always knew”. No, you didn’t.
From a very young age – we’re talking, maybe ten? There began to be certain things I was looking for. In the aether I mean. Some things ineffable.Music was around a lot when I was growing up and it always moved me. At some point the enjoyment of experiencing the music as a listener just wasn’t deep enough for me. I had to have more. To see what was behind the curtain. But I was always like that hahahhaa okay, okay maybe it’s not always hog wash.
Your music blends various styles and sounds in a captivating manner. If given the opportunity, who would be your ideal collaborator and what is the reason behind your choice?
A: I don’t know if I’m qualified to truly answer this question. My brother Mac Hill a.k.a. Disco Mechanic who’s a dear friend of mine, is a beautiful creator. There’s definitely something between us when we work. Kindred. So He’s my number one. I could name randoms off the top of my head, but the truth is any perception I might have of any particular person I have imagined would be a good collaboration is just confabulated. I really don’t know. You just don’t know until you jump in the water. I don’t seek out collaborations at all. Life itself is a collaboration between humanity. You could say I collaborate with the guys on my basketball team. For real. In a lot of ways we’re all just as humans trying to collaborate with each other. That’s America. You know? Hahahha. Life is a collaboration. Trying to force something between me and someone else to happen, then wanting that to specifically be something that happens musically is a lot. Like, that’s honestly out of my control.
What has been your favorite musical experience so far?
A: Too many to count. OK this is interesting actually. It isn’t really a musical experience but it is an experience brought upon me by music. Which is what this is really about broadly speaking, right? So I had bought this piece of equipment from, let’s say one of the top pro audio manufactures – API, Manley, Rupert Neve, you get it… I won’t say which one. So I got this piece of equipment and it arrived and there was kind of an issue with it, right out the box. Nothing major, but still a problem.
Anyway, this was during Covid, and so I reached out to my warranty contact to get it all taken care of. Long story short, because of Covid, and staffing, and who knows what else I honestly just ended up falling through the cracks of their customer service system, and so naturally, I became quite irritated with this, so I reached out to them via email. Polite, but also honest and sagacious. It was very long-winded kind of like an essay. So the CEO and founder of the company ended up actually reaching back out to me and in a more than satisfactory way resolved the issue at hand. Then through a serendipitous series of events that began with the home address on my warranty – we found out we are neighbors. We’re talking just a few blocks away. On the same street! Not only that, they actually live where a friend of mine from high school used to live. They bought the house from his family. Now we’re buddies and it’s all hunky-dory. But it’s just so, so, serendipitous. That’s what you really get into this sort of thing for; the community.
Definitely a mystical experience. Some things in life make it very difficult to believe in coincidences.
Where are you located? Can you describe how the local music scene has influenced your sound in any way?
A: I live in L.A. and believe me there is no music scene. There is nothing happening around here. Whatever it looks like from the outside I promise it’s not accurate. Don’t get me wrong there’s music. There is an over abundance of culture in Los Angeles. Probably more than anywhere in the world. But when it comes to music, specifically any particular “scene” that’s all gone. The labels usually step on the flowers before anything is allowed to grow. At least anything they can’t take advantage of.
I also feel that “scenes” in general, are less concentrated these days than they used to be. It’s all online now. If a “scene” does manage to crop up in L.A., it, unfortunately, tends to have an air of ‘exclusivity’ and pretentiousness about it. It’s also usually people who are trying to make a “scene” out of something and that’s not how it works.
The only thing I can say is generally speaking, there’s a divide in America. The West coast is more innovative while the East Coast is more traditional, right? I’m speaking in general terms. So typically you get a lot of east coasters who have chops and know their [expletive] really well. On the West Coast, guys (or gals) can’t play hahahha usually. But there’s this lineage from the 60’s LA/SF scene of “it’s not what you play it’s how to play it maaaaaannnnnn.” So if anything I definitely take a more open minded less theory based approach to music making. It’s about balance, so both approaches are important. But on the west coast it’s like man, if you can’t play you better play something good – and play it with [expletive] heart. In the east guys will be tearing it up and looking like “Bueller…….Bueller……Bueller”
Remember, broadly speaking.
If you had the opportunity to perform at any venue worldwide, which one would you choose and why?
A: Assuming this is under the ideal context: Anywhere where there’s good sound. There really doesn’t even have to be people there hahaha. I spend a lot of time making music alone having the time of my life so it can just be me to be honest. Anywhere I can bare my soul. Something special can happen in any room. More often than not when I daydream about playing a show the venue is pretty small. When I was younger I used to dream about bigger stages, and I still do occasionally. But there’s something about the smaller rooms.
What was the first album you remember owning?
A: Ooooo it was definitely Kids Bop.
Finally, do you have anything to share about upcoming gigs? Also, what are your plans for 2024?
A: Again, playing gigs in L.A. as an unsigned artist is not a thing. Don’t believe the Truman broadcast. It can be done, don’t get me wrong, but it’s so convoluted most of the time that it becomes a Pyrrhic victory.
As for 2024 – Lots of love, meditation,movement, and inner peace, and stretching. Lots of stretching. It is very important to stay limber out here in these streets. Oh and pancakes.