We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to sit down with award-winning composer, guitarist, visual artist, and filmmaker RoB sBaR, as he unveils his latest project. Known for his multidisciplinary approach and boundary-pushing creativity, RoB is featured on Progotronics XLV with “Zeitgeist Novocaine Dump Truck,” the second single and music video from his new multimedia album, Ideological Explosions of the Absurd Hero.
“Zeitgeist Novocaine Dump Truck” is a bold exploration of dystopian themes like psychological manipulation and Pavlovian behavioral modification, set against a backdrop of intense guitar work, spoken word, and explosive orchestral arrangements. Featuring an impressive lineup of musicians, including Mariko Muranka on cello and Alessandro Bertoni on keyboards, the single offers a glimpse into the larger, two-part multimedia epic that blends sound, visual art, poetry, film, and performance.
Join us as we dive into the mind of this avant-garde artist to discuss his creative process, the themes behind his latest release, and what to expect from this ambitious new project.
Your upcoming album, Ideological Explosions of the Absurd Hero, is described as a multimedia project. What inspired you as to combine sound, visual art, poetry, and spoken word into a single artistic vision?
I began my formal education studying visual art, music composition and guitar, focusing on both jazz and classical disciplines, contemporary American and European literature of the modernist and postmodernist eras, as well as contemporary Western philosophy and earned both a bachelor’s degree in jazz composition/arranging and guitar and a Master of Arts degree in music composition, studying with world-renowned, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Charles Wuorinen. While the basis of my entire artistic and creative foundation for my entire life thus far has been as a multimedia, multi-disciplinary artist, my background has been in the visual arts, music, literature, and philosophy in equal parts. It has been my intention to combine these forms of expression into a single vision. This project has enabled me to do so to a greater degree than I have thus far, including the incorporation of short film/music videos, which have been produced and released for the first two tracks, Zeitgeist Novocaine Dump Truck and Brothel Slaughterhouse Soup. I am currently working on the third video for Paranoiac Mondays. They are all connected and will be seen as if it’s one long, continuous film divided into multiple parts to represent each track.
Film has always been a medium that is practical as a multimedia format. It allows the artist to express themselves in visual, storytelling, philosophical, psychological as well as in musical realms. The music videos are enabling me to incorporate all these elements together.
Music composition, and the use of my guitar are the focus and nucleus of my multimedia output, however, I see a democratization of disciplines in that each element from the visual art, filmmaking, performance art/theatrical elements, poetry, and philosophical aspects all play equal role in expressing my psychological, philosophical and ideological perspectives and my form of creative output. It’s to be seen as if surrounded by multiple multifaceted mirrors from every direction, reflecting one’s inner self-analysis.
My concept is to unify the musical elements of contemporary progressive rock guitar music with modern and avant-garde classical, fully orchestrated film score and elements of jazz and fusion, along with the visual art component inspired by Expressionism, Abstract Expressionism, Surrealism, Futurism, Nuclear Mysticism and Pop Art, along with philosophical and literary concepts based on Existentialism, Post-Existentialism, Modernism and Postmodernism.
My intention is to elevate instrumental rock guitar music to a higher, sophisticated art form, using elements of advanced forms of composition, harmony and orchestration and spoken word, within a multimedia, visual, aural, and psychological/philosophical experience.
As a multimedia conceptual artist I see the creative process as an entity that can manifest through multiple outputs. A creative artist has the means to take the conceptual and choose their paintbrush. I have certain tools at my disposal. In this project the paint brushes I have chosen are music composition/performance with visual art and poetry to illustrate a single philosophical and ideological vision of an individual’s role in a postmodern society, facing the dichotomy between one’s metaphysical and existential presence.
With Ideological Explosions of the Absurd Hero being Part 1 of a two-part project, how do you envision the progression or continuation of the themes explored in this album into Part 2?
This first album, Ideological Explosions of the Absurd Hero is Part 1 of a two-part multimedia project that combines sound, visual art/illustration, poetry/written and spoken word, as well as film and performance art, functioning as a single creative vision. This entire project presents an internal philosophical, psychological and ideological exploration into themes of 21st century paranoia, obsession and the duality of human nature, balancing metaphysical versus epistemological principles regarding both rationalism and relativism in the collective conscious of a postmodern society.
The concept of an ideological explosion is that of synaptic realizations within one’s own self-analysis of their ideology, psychological and philosophical principles. The explosions and nuclear imagery, as featured in the Zeitgeist Novocaine Dump Truckmusic video, are intended to be provocative, invoking 20th century themes of paranoia, focusing around the development of nuclear armament.
The entire project presents the duality of mankind, as represented in the visual images of the cover art, as well as throughout the videos and artwork within the album itself. The videos present multiple versions of me, often together representing duality, and an even greater multifaceted or multi-personality exploration.
Part 2 of this project, titled Zen and the Absurd, continues to develop these themes and explores them in a more extreme fashion. It has already been fully recorded, the art has been produced, and it is essentially ready for release as well, however instead of releasing this project as a double album I am releasing them as two individual albums to be considered as one larger project in two parts. Thematically they are evolving from the same source material, yet, Zen and the Absurd will move in a somewhat deviated, extreme direction whereas Ideological Explosions of the Absurd Hero features a single-minded continuous vision, Zen and the Absurdexpresses itself from more disparate, creative and ideological viewpoints, presenting a further depth into the avant-guard and greater explorations into experimentalism, as well as presenting the opposite perspective with much more accessible music on the other side, leaving a hole in the middle filled by Ideological Explosions…
You’ve collaborated with a remarkable group of musicians like Stu Hamm, Will Calhoun, and Mariko Maranka for this project. How did these collaborations shape the sound and direction of the album?
As a highly meticulous individual that practices a methodical approach to art and life in general, most of the aspects of this project have been planned for many years, from the aesthetics and sonic environments to my detailed contemplations and conceptions, along with detailed music charts and orchestrations. Often in literature we refer to creative individuals as either architects or gardeners. An architect is one who plans every aspect ahead of time in disciplined detail, while a gardener sees where the project is going and follows it as it grows. I tend to be more of an architect. The project represents this practice. Having been able to access such high level musicians to execute my vision flawlessly has been a gift. Working with great musicians like Will Calhoun, Stu Hamm, Derek Sherinian and Mariko Maranka, among others, has enabled me to pursue and realize my vision without the boundaries of performers limitations. These are fine musicians who are able to execute my music accurately and effectively with technique and sensitivity. It is wonderful to be able to work with players who can help realize my vision accurately.
The album features a mix of intense instrumental guitar music, acoustic pieces, and large orchestrations. How do you approach composing for such diverse musical forms within one album?
My musical background is highly diverse, beginning my musical life focused on various forms of rock music, then discovering the need to expand my musical tapestry to fulfill my creative vision. I began to develop more complex forms of rock, leading into jazz and classical music. I studied jazz composition/arranging and guitar, and classical composition with many of the world’s great composers, working within the scope of contemporary and post total music. I also studied scoring and orchestration with many renowned Hollywood orchestrators. My vision has always been musically diverse, fusing together an amalgam of multiple styles and incorporating elements of rock, jazz, fusion, contemporary chromatic/avant-guard and post-tonal solo, chamber and orchestral pieces, and large-scale orchestral film scores within the context of contemporary instrumental guitar music. Having a broad pallet to draw from has enabled me to create my own musical tapestry to draw from many years of refining and self-discipline. My hope is that with this release and a listeners patient ear, they will explore all of these avenues with me and take the ride through my musical, visual, philosophical and conceptual journey, and that my musical perspective will be clear, as disparate musical genres converge.
Your music draws influences from various genres and movements, including jazz, contemporary classical, and rock. How do you fuse these seemingly contrasting styles while maintaining a cohesive artistic identity?
It has been my intention throughout my musical existence to draw from diverse elements and various forms of music, fusing them together into my own amalgamated form of musical alchemy. Having a background in contemporary classical music, I have been inspired to incorporate elements of post-tonal chromaticism and other and other forms of contemporary classical music, along with contemporary jazz harmony, and large-scale film orchestration within the context of contemporary instrumental rock guitar music.
The dense harmonic language of jazz has been a great passion of mine. In order to incorporate these within rock guitar-based music has been my intention. I have a busy mind that thrives within complex, intense, cerebral creative environments. The art, music and creative expression that appeal to me are those that are highly detailed and complex and demand thoughtful observation. Fusing sophisticated forms of composition in context fulfills my need to express a more complex, thoughtful and cerebral philosophical, ideological and conceptual point of view.
Visual art plays a significant role in your work, with your influences ranging from Kandinsky to Basquiat. How do visual and sonic elements interact in your creative process, and how will this interplay manifest in Ideological Explosions of the Absurd Hero?
Visual art has been a significant part of my upbringing, creative process and output. I grew up around the visual art scene, having a mother who is a visual artist. I studied art since childhood and began my higher education studying visual art before proceeding to music school. It has been my plan to incorporate these elements together along with the other components of philosophy, poetry/literature and performance, presenting these together as a single-minded, unified vision.
It has always been my intention in composing music to do so with visuals and libretto or story components, whether it be philosophical, psychological or more traditional storytelling. My intention has always been to incorporate these elements into a single unified vision. That was my approach on Wagon Wheels and Atom Bombs, as well as the current project, Ideological Explosions of the Absurd Hero, leading into Zen and the Absurd. My main focus in the visual arts has been contemporary art from the 20th century to current. Much of my inspiration comes from Expressionism, Abstract Expressionism, Surrealism, Cubism, Futurism, Nuclear Mysticism and Pop Art, as well as philosophical and literary concepts found in Existentialism, Post-Existentialism, Modernism and Post-Modernism. Kandinsky, Picasso, Dalí, Jean-Michel Basquiat, among others.
Dealing with philosophical and psychological themes in my work, I generally perceive them both visually and aurally/musically with the intention blending along with the poetry/written word/spoken word and performance art elements that are featured in my music videos. Reflecting on movements like Surrealism and the Bauhaus, there was always a thread between the visual components and the work of contemporary composers. In the early part of the 20th century The Ballet Russe in Paris focused on a unified art form through the collaboration of artists Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse designing art for set backdrops, Sergei Diaghilev and Vaslav Nijinsky as the choreographers and Sergei Prokofiev, Erik Satie, Igor Stravinsky and others composing music, as like The Rite of Spring.
Composer Arnold Schoenberg worked with multiple visual artists through a group called the Der Blaue Reiter (Blue Riders) in the 1920s, incorporating art forms, including Franz Marc and Vasily Kandinsky, who painted multiple pieces that were titled Compositions, representing a visual exploration of music. When these artists and composers collaborated, the composers would use elements of pointillism and octave displacement to aurally represent the disjunct and experimental images of the artists with whom they were collaborating. You can hear this in the work of Anton Webern, Arnold Schoenberg, and Igor Stravinsky in relation to visual artists, like Vasily Kandinsky, Franz Marc, among others.
The German term, coined by composer Richard Wagner, Gesamtkunstwerk, loosely translates as a “total work of art” to describe an artwork, design, or creative process that combines different forms of art to create a single cohesive creative result. Ideological Explosions of the Absurd Hero as Part 1 of this two-part project combines sound, visual art/illustration, poetry/written word and spoken word, intended to function as a single creative vision. Additionally, with today’s developments in technology, an artist has access to greater independence and autonomy.
You’ve studied under a long list of legendary musicians and composers, including Greg Howe, Charles Wuorinen, and Pat Martino. How did those experiences shape your musical philosophy and compositional techniques?
I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to study and be mentored under many great musicians and artists. Having the opportunity to study guitar with such talents as Greg Howe and Pat Martino has influenced my way of understanding and visualizing the instrument itself in unique ways. The invaluable experience of being mentored by the universally renowned, legendary composer, Charles Wuorinen was a significant advancement in my musical upbringing. It was a great honor to be chosen by him to explore advanced concepts in contemporary post-tonal and experimental forms of classical composition. In the years that I spent with him, I was deeply embedded in that world.
The musical concepts that I bring to this project are largely derived from the same sources that I developed with Charles Wuorinen. Whether I compose music that is rock based, classical or jazz, I draw upon these same musical principles. I am grateful to have been able to develop with these talented people.
You’ve had extensive experience composing for film and television. How does the process of creating for visual media compare to creating standalone music, like on Ideological Explosions of the Absurd Hero?
Since I approach all of my creative output from a multimedia perspective, considering the visual, aural and cerebral/philosophical elements, my approach to film scoring is quite similar, with the addition of other collaborators. Working on projects like Ideological Explosions of the Absurd Hero, I functioned autonomously, making all of the creative decisions myself; however with film, the composer must appeal to their collaborators, whether a director, producer or team of individuals. The creative process is essentially the same, drawing from a visceral, emotional canvas to invoke a mood and guide the listeners attention. I generally approach both processes in a similar fashion, considering how to invoke the appropriate mood and direction to influence appropriate reactions from the audience, hence creatively enhancing the visuals and storytelling elements and guiding the audience through their subconscious journey.
Your work spans modern classical composition, jazz, progressive rock, and film scoring. How do you balance these disciplines, and how does each genre inform your approach to others?
Whether I am composing contemporary classical, jazz, film scoring, or progressive rock/instrumental guitar music, I am drawing from the same aesthetic, origins and technical toolbox. I do not classify a distinction between genres. I use elements of all of them within each piece I compose. When I am composing progressive rock or jazz I still may use elements of classical counterpoint within the structure of the piece of music. While the lines become blurred, regardless of the settings being somewhat different, I still draw from the same palette, aesthetic and technical backdrop.
You’re also deeply influenced by literary and philosophical figures like Kafka, Nietzsche, and Sartre. Do any of their ideas explicitly inform the themes of Ideological Explosions of the Absurd Hero?
The entire concept behind how I approach my form of art and expression is based on the development of my philosophical, literary and psychological concepts. As an enthusiastic student of contemporary philosophy from the mid 19th century to current, with much of it based around the so-called Existentialist movement and beyond, it is my intention to use all the various disciplines and paintbrushes at my disposal to express my philosophical viewpoints and to ask questions of myself and an audience, musing over the possible answers, all along analyzing my own experience, psychologically, philosophically and ideologically.
Ideological Explosions of the Absurd Hero and Zen and the Absurd togetherpresent an internal philosophical, psychological and ideological exploration into themes of 21st century paranoia, obsession and the duality of human nature, through the balancing metaphysical versus epistemological principles for both rationalism and relativism as part of the collective conscious of a postmodern society.
Furthermore this project explores dystopian themes of psychological manipulation, mind-control and Pavlovian behavioral modification. The opening track of the album, ZeitgeistNovocaine Dump Truckfeatures abstract and Expressionist art and imagery, spoken word and explosive orchestral arrangements. The explosions and nuclear imagery are intended to invoke themes of paranoia, focusing around the development of nuclear armament. The concept of an ideological explosion is that of synaptic realizations within one’s own self-analysis of their ideology, psychological and philosophical principles.
Your previous album, Wagon Wheels and Atom Bombs, received significant acclaim for its fusion of experimental forms within a rock framework. How does Ideological Explosions of the Absurd Hero build on or differ from that earlier work?
Wagon Wheels and Atom Bombs was my first step in putting together a multimedia project involving the elements of music, visual art, written word and spoken word. I see it as a stepping-stone to getting where I am with this project, which is a more fully realized presentation of my concepts. Wagon Wheels…was a first step in my path, focusing on the same concepts, but in the process of developing them fully. I have now incorporated film and performance art elements that were not present when I released Wagon Wheels and Atom Bombs. Ideological Explosions of the Absurd Hero brings all elements together to express my creative output in a more concise and immediate format.
The avant-garde and experimental are key components of your compositional style. What draws you to these unconventional forms of expression, and how do you challenge both yourself and your listeners with your music?
Experimentation and the avant-garde have been a significant source of my creative content and output. I’ve always focused on ideas that are new and original, testing the boundaries of the status quo creatively and ideologically. Throughout the pursuit of my disciplines I have always been interested in new, contemporary and original ideas and often unusual visuals, sounds and philosophies. Having a unique voice and exploring the realms of innovative landscapes is my primary interest creatively and otherwise philosophically. It is my intention to find my own voice within the scope of my creative disciplines and exploit new, unique, profound ways that define me as an artist and as an entity. There is something inherently challenging within the structure of my thought process that encourages the unusual, focusing on new, original and provocative ideas.
Working within experimentation and untapped creative outlets musically and otherwise encourages me to find my own individual voice and express that to an audience in unique and provocative ways. Having an individual voice that focuses on new ideas allows me to speak with my own language and offers to both me and my audience a wide tapestry that is a single minded, individual voice, potentially offering the audience a form of communication identifiable and relatable to me as an individual artist and creative entity.
You’ve taught music at both college and private levels. How has teaching influenced your own artistry, and do you apply any of your personal teaching methods to your own creative process?
Having the experience of teaching and mentoring others in music and art has offered me the benefit of self-analysis of my work and creative process. When one mentors and teaches another a musical, artistic or creative discipline it requires them to break it down in a way that is digestible, stripped down and fundamental. It encourages me to analyze my own concepts and perception of how music functions in the context of my own compositions and performances. Through the eyes of another I can break down complex concepts into digestible forms, and therefore, analyze my own perceptions and musical forays.
Your music has been featured in high-profile media like MTV, Discovery Channel, and History Channel. How has working on commercial and artistic projects simultaneously influenced your career and artistic output?
As an artist and musician who focuses on experimentation as the nucleus of my creative philosophy, working with a commercial context, whether it be film scoring or other forms of commercial music, offers me a new perspective. It has influenced me to incorporate accessibility into my experimentation and come up with a voice that is distinctly my own, but also can be analyzed in detail or simply enjoyed for its aesthetic value without analysis.
A major part of my musical influences comes from popular forms of music. My background in rock music eventually led me to seeking more sophisticated forms of music; however, the basis of popular forms of accessible music are still an integral part of my musical upbringing. It is my intention to incorporate sophisticated musical and artistic context into my music that is still accessible to a general audience, disregarding any other forms of musical and creative complexity that I may inject into it.
In terms of your compositional process, do you tend to begin with a visual, literary, or philosophical concept, or does the music itself guide the development of these multimedia elements?
While music is the nucleus of my creative vision, the process begins with a philosophical concept to be explored and exploited fully, then manifested through music, visual art, written word, and performance. My creative process generally begins with a philosophical psychological or ideological concept, which I then accompany with aural, visual and descriptive imagery and language, to inform the various forms of musical, visual and performance output. Once I conceive my concepts I focus individually on pursuing each element of the project. Often but not exclusively, once I have developed my composition direction, I will then accompany it with the visual and written portions, conceived simultaneously and uniformly in order to effectively unite these various media as a unified single vision.
Ideological Explosions of the Absurd Hero explores complex themes. What do you hope listeners take away from the album, both musically and thematically?
As I discussed previously this whole album/project essentially focuses around an internal philosophical, psychological and ideological exploration into themes of 21st century paranoia, obsession and the duality of human nature, balancing metaphysical versus epistemological principles regarding both rationalism and relativism in the collective conscious of a Postmodern society. Each track and video will connect as the track listings are presented on the album to create one continuous vision. The first track on the album, Zeitgeist Novocaine Dump Truckis an exploration into dystopian themes of psychological manipulation, mind-control and Pavlovian behavioral modification. The music video features abstract and Expressionist art and imagery, intense guitar phrasing, spoken word and explosive, epic orchestral arrangements. The explosions and nuclear imagery are intended to be provocative, invoking 20th century themes of paranoia, focusing around the development of nuclear armament. This track and video are but one piece of a larger puzzle. It leads into Paranoiac Mondays,which further explores paranoia, obsession and fear, internalized through internal self-exploration.
The concept of an Ideological Explosion is the synaptic realizations within one’s analysis of their own ideology, psychological and philosophical principles. It is my intention that the music represents these themes in a contemplative, cerebral and focused representative manner, and that the complex arrangements and dense harmony invoke an appropriate, representative visceral effect as a soundtrack to the internal explorations. )
It is my hope that an audience will take the journey with me and become consumed in the multi-sensory world I have created as they listen and observe the experience, and become engrossed in the full experience for the time they are present. The music should influence a sonic perspective indicative of the themes I’ve presented.
You’ve been part of festivals like June in Buffalo and collaborated on modern dance performances. How do multidisciplinary collaborations feed your creativity, and are there any such elements in your latest work?
These collaborations have offered me an environment to work in various contexts and draw from different creative sources. This is also true with film scoring, working along with a director to realize a storytelling vision through sound, mood and visceral communication. Collaborative environments have encouraged my understanding of how to communicate effectively with other artists, as well as being influenced by their creative visions. These specific collaborations, focused on my backgrounds in classical music, specifically contemporary classical music. It has been quite valuable relating to other artists within similar fields, observing their creative vision and reflecting on the interpretation within their creative environment.
As an artist working in multiple mediums, what are the greatest challenges you face in bringing such a broad and complex vision to life?
Playing multiple roles is both the greatest strength and most significant detriment of working as a single artist in a multimedia setting. Autonomy is a very important part of my artistic vision. Having a single-minded concept that is pursued through multiple formats is the basis of my multidisciplinary approach, however, it also puts a great deal of strain on me creatively, viscerally and technically. I must solve every aspect of the creative process .
Furthermore, offering demanding content to an audience presents the additional obstacle of encouraging the audience to receive and digest new and complex information. When dealing with complex, creative output, you are challenging an audience. It is important to find the right audience that is interested in taking this creative journey with you.
Given your background in both classical and modern compositional techniques, where do you see the future of experimental and progressive music headed, and how do you see yourself fitting into that future?
As an independent artist functioning autonomously I hesitate to predict where others will take their creative direction, however from my individual standpoint, I hope that I will be able to continue to expand upon the ideas that I’ve been developing for many years,. As each project unfolds so does my grandiosity and hope for greater larger-scale avenues by which to produce my work. The two parts of this project themselves have very similar threads, as well as some quite different ones, whereas Part 2 – Zen and the Absurd will incorporate more experimental elements, as well as considerably more accessible ones. My creative influences have been quite diverse and often disparate, as this project is a step forward for me, fusing the various elements of my creative environments. Ideally I will move forward, bringing these multiple elements together in a cohesive matter and blurring the distinction between contemporary classical composition techniques with traditional rock and jazz harmony as a distinct musical environment within the progressive rock genre, to join together the multimedia elements of film, visual art written word/spoken word together in a storytelling manner as a single cohesive piece of artistic and creative output.
With the release of Ideological Explosions of the Absurd Hero, what are your next creative ventures? Can we expect more ambitious multimedia projects in the future?
With each project, I expand my scope exponentially. This project fulfills many years of planning and creative study that will represent a landmark in my creative life. However, with the next project, I hope to develop my musical aesthetic further, as well as the other forms of media that I pursue in a fully cohesive single-minded vision of a large-scale film project involving rock instrumentation with large scale, orchestra, full production design, and screenplay coming together as a single cohesive multimedia project, democratizing these various forms of media to be consumed by an audience equally. This is essentially what I am doing with Ideological Explosions of the Absurd Hero and Zen and the Absurd. I am currently producing each music video separately to be conjoined as a continuous, single vision. Ideally on the next project I will film and record the entire project as a single full-length film and score involving screenplay, production design and all the necessary elements together as one.
For more about RoB visit his website here.
