Mats Gustafsson on Being Open, Always Open

The world is spiraling into chaos, both politically and socially. We have rapidly advancing technology, tiresome debates about artificial intelligence, war, and poverty. I didn’t want to start the interview with such a negative question, but where do you think music stands in all this chaos?

Music, art and poetry is a way out of the chaotic situation we have created for ourselfes. The world is spiralling in a never ending flux of short-term-thinking and greed. Economic greed. Religous greed. Fundamentaism is evil. And anti human. Music is one way of making reserach to make us think freely and therefor act freely.  I am a positive person but the present state of the world with  Trump, Putin, Orban,  Netanyahu  and other idiots in charge, make my dystopic. And sad. The denial of the climate catastrophe is pure stupid. Egoistic dictators only looking for their own egos and gain. This is BAD. It is all about power and to control the masses. The AI – “development” is ridicolus. Just another tool for control. We need to prioritate the human values and the SHARING. People dont even know what they need any longer. Being fed with shitty fake news and and social medias crap. It is an evil time for real human values and moral. But , we need to fight it by wakening people up. With radical, new and old, art, poetry and music. It IS possible.

In the age of algorithms, musicians who genuinely want to make music but have very small budgets are struggling to build an audience. You have a rather radical musical approach and have consistently found an audience around the world. What advice would you give young musicians just starting out in this regard?

DIY. This is the only way. No one else will do it for you. Set up things for others. Help others and SHARE. Be sure to make your own music. OWN your music. Your own personal language is the key to everything. There will always be possibilities to play and to share the music with others and in front of  a listening audience. Sometimes you need to create those possibilities yourself. Set up concerts, recordings and projects together with other people.

Be ACTIVE. The only way to fight the local and global stupidities.

As a writer, I find the routines and methods that artists from different disciplines have developed over time quite inspiring. I draw on them in my own work. I’m sure many artists would agree with me. What is a typical workday like for you?

Every day is different. And need to be approached differently. That is the challenge. And the beauty of it all. I love practising my instruments and trimming my vinyl garden. Necessities for my life. I have no special routine excpt i always put my espresso machine on after wakening up… making sure my daughters are awake and fed…. Walk the dog in the forest… ( i guess this would count as a routine ? ha ha ) and after that it is a day full of improvised decisionmaking and practising my music. Composing new musicand doing research in poetry, art and music. Every day is different. But i need to practice my instruments…. I need them. Otherwise i feel bad.

I know you are a serious record collector. You are also interested in other art forms and collaborate with artists from many disciplines. Which art forms inspire your music?

You just need to stay open. Do the search. The research. The re-search. It is all connected. All art. All art forms have their advantages. Poetry in particular inspires me at the moment,  as well as creative visual art. More than music i would say. Even with the fact that that I  listen all the time to music. 24/7. Nature inspires my deeply. It is a cliché… i know. But it is true.

I walk a lot  in the forests here in Austria. Watching it all. Listening to it all. To stay open is key. The only way. Let the world surprise you. Let the world (nature) change you.

There are so much  stupidities right now around Trump and his angry and stupid dogs, we need to fight it back. Local and global stupidity are evil.

Years ago, I know you played music for children at a kindergarten. Do you think that, as we grow older, factors such as mass media and cultural norms influence our taste in art and cause us to be prejudiced against art outside the mainstream?

Mainstream media does. Yes. 100 %. The economical and political powers are trying desperately to control matters – and we need to fight that back to where it belongs. We need to give our children a fair chance to think on their own and be critical. This is KEY. It is amazing to work with children – i do it now and then and it is always so inspiring to meet people that are not destroyed my the mainstream. Growing older does not mean that we loose anything – it is ALL about attitude. And awareness. If i did not feel the political / ideological connection ot my art and music , i would rather stay at home.

You are a very prolific artist. How do you maintain your enthusiasm for your art while being so productive? In other words, you create dynamic music that requires the constant enthusiasm of an amateur. How do you protect yourself from falling into a kind of “professionalism” trap while being so productive?

Well , main thing might be to work with people you admire and that challanges you. To keep you on your toes and keep thinking critically. I m just dying to find out more… about music, poetry, art and LIFE… it is a search / research that never ever ends. It is endless what we can find and how it affects us.

To get inspired by other artists is the best thing ever. People you trust and respect can give you the best possible advice and show you new directions. If you just stay open. It is a beautiful way of sharing. SHARING is all. Share with the young generation. With the older generation. With your friends and enemies. It is all about SHARING. There are always new music to find. New instrument techniques.  New perspectives. New ways. I love it. And i can use all those inspirations into my work as an improvisor. To develop my own language on my instruments.

One very important method for me , is to use my mistakes as a creative tool for my work. You never learn by success. But you learn from your mistakes.

I realised that early on — and I still live by that.

You need to TRY things. Be ready to fail. If you dont try and risk it all – it is worth nothing. That is true sharing. To not know what will happen on stage in the next moment —- and to really share it with your collegues on stage.

Never limit yourself to only one certain music or style.

Use it all. Control it. Make your OWN music! And keep changing it constantly.

Just keep your own personal language in there – and you will be fine.

Last month marked two years since we lost Peter Brötzmann. I would like to honor his memory. Are there any anecdotes about him that you enjoy recalling?

There are way too many to even start. That is a whole book of things and events right there.

Peter taught me everything. The good things. And the bad things. A never ending learning experience.

His DIY attitude – and “fuck you all – here I am” – means the world to me.

“Dont come here and fuck with me. Share it or go and fuck yourself”.

I miss Peter. I really do.

The world looks and sounds different without him.

I will share those memories in a bar with you. That is appropriate. It is a promise.

Thanx!