Pete Namlook (born in Frankfurt, Germany) is an ambient and electronic music producer and composer. In 1992, he founded the German record label FAX +49-69/450464, which he masterminds…

This interview was made forĀ Chillbase.org portal.
Once upon a time there was a boy named Peter that was not creating fabulous music, how did he start doing it, what was the main “trigger”?

Listening to music actively from the start of my existence on. Great music from all kind of sources and styles was my trigger… the trigger to create my own definition of sound and music.

As everyone of us did, guess you also listened to all sorts of music (and are listening still), but for who would you say that had most of the influence on you? What were/are your favorite bands/musicians?

J.S.Bach, Eberhard Weber, Miles Davis, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Chopin, Wendy Carlos, Tangerine Dream, Pink Floyd, and a lot more

After some time in electronic music, you founded your own label company with curious name, can you tell us why such a name for label, and are you releasing only your music, or are you releasing other peoples music too?

The FAX machine was in the beginning of the 90ies a very innovative way to communicate. šŸ˜‰ The internet was not as omnipresent as it is today… as I did not want to spoil my artwork with too many contact adresses etc. I simply named my label after my FAXnumber. This way it was obvious for licensing partners, musicians and fans how to contact me.
Of course on FAX there are a lot of different artists… please have a look on http://namlook.de

You are producing music for a long time now, and you have released many albums. How many are there?

About 440 releases including FAX +49-69/450464, Yesterday + Tomorrow, Rather Interesting not counting the reissues on my “world” label (57 reissues)

And how come there is so many of them?

Because I love creating and releasing music…

Can you describe us your working place, where do you create your music, and with out what you can not work?

My working space is on the highest floor of my house on the top of a hill … on the left I have a view into the forest.. on the right over fields and hills to the horizon. In front of me are my computer screens and I am surrounded by my mixer and a lot of sound sources including all my favourite Synths and Guitars.

Except from creating music, how do you spend your days, what makes you happy, what do you enjoy the most?

I do enjoy my family most and being very nature oriented and very keen on best possible food I am into gardening a lot. Also cutting wood from time to time when needed.

You put allot of yourself in your music.. when listening to your tracks, listener can actually feel what you were feelingā€¦ what gives you so much inspiration to be able to perfectly transform things from your head into the music you make?

Life is my main inspiration with all its complex and different facets… in its past, present and future form. Transforming feelings into music is very complex and very easy at the same time… one only has to let go from being “the best keyboard, guitar etc… player in the world” … simply learn everything about music that you can and then just play. When making music becomes as easy as breathing in and out it is easy to create whatever you like but it can only be performed with a lot of experience and I try to improve my sound and music with every composition.

You had many collaborations with many famous artists andĀ there is special aura around every one of those collaborationsā€¦ two or more mind in one trackā€¦ do you prefer working alone or with someone else?

Both is nice… there is no preference

Is there any artist in the world that you would like to collaborate with, but you were not able to?

Oskar Sala … he died before we had the chance to collaborate (that we would collaborate was his wish but there was not enough time left)

If you HAD to chose something else than making music, what would it be, what would you do in your life?

to die !!… *laughs* … not really:

Making music is only a part of my daily work … a lot of office and creative work that comes with running a label, running a studio etc.
But I could do a lot of other things if I had to stop making music… I have quite some experience in a lot of different fields like banking, craftsmanship, gardening etc…
I would do everything that I do with my whole heart and try to do a great job. From my point of view: If you don’t do what you do with full dedication life becomes futile.
The question is not only what you do… but how you do it.
Perhaps handing over my knowledge in “creating music and how to release it” to students at a university would be the next logical step.

PC or MAC?

Both… Mac for creation PC for mastering.

What is your favorite piece of hardware in your studio?

This depends on the music to be performed… and cannot be answered in general
Every piece of equipment in my current studio has its place.

Time is passing by us very fast and everybody is trying to plan something in their lives. What are your plans for the future?

Improve my work until I die.

Thank you Pete!

Into the desert – Pete Namlook (Silence III, 1998)

Footer – Pete Namlook & David Moufang (Live In Heidelberg 2001)

Keeper of the purple twilight – Pete Namlook & Bill Laswell (Outland 3, 1998)

Secretary – Pete Namlook & Atom Heart (3, 1993)

Exploration I – Pete Namlook & David Moufang (Move D) – (Raumland Exploration 2007)

Exploration II – Pete Namlook & David Moufang (Move D) – (Raumland Exploration 2007)

Exploration III – Pete Namlook & David Moufang (Move D) – (Raumland Exploration 2007)

SphƤre II – Pete Namlook (Raumland SphƤre)

Lost in Passion – Pete Namlook (Air I, 1993)

Minimalistic Overchill – Pete Namlook (Minimalistic Source)

Pete Namlook & David Moufang – Wired – Wear your love out

Pete Namlook & David Moufang – Wired – Asymptote

Pete Namlook & David Moufang – Wired – Hypoteneuse

Pete Namlook – A Long And Perilous Voyage (Part 3 & 4)

Pete Namlook – Sky Lounge (Fires of Ork)

Pete Namlook – Picnic (Silence V – 2001)

Pete Namlook & Jochem Paap – ntr t nw wrld (pp ā€¢ nmlk – 2004)

Pete Namlook & David Moufang – Flexdollars (Home Shopping)

Pete Namlook & Geir Jensenn – In Heaven (Fires of Ork II)

Pete Namlook & David Moufang – Tangent