When Omaha indie-synth band The Faint burst out on dance floors in the late 90s and early 2000s (anyone remember “Worked Up So Sexual”?), they were probably one of the first bands cool enough to get both the punk and the indie kids dancing. When 3/5ths of the original line-up—Clark Baechle (drums), Todd Fink (vocals), and Jacob Thiele (keyboards)—started playing DJ sets as a threesome, they reconfigured to form a new side project called Depressed Buttons. Diplo then signed them to his Mad Decent label, saying: “Depressed Buttons sounds like techno gone wrong from children of the corn in Nebraska.”The trio released their first EP QWERTY at the end of last year, and just released a remix version last month. Coming off a short European tour, Todd Fink took some time to to talk to us about how their new subgroup formed and what turns them on, technically speaking.The Creators Project: We know Depressed Buttons as 3/5 of the synth-pop band The Faint, but there’s not too much background on Depressed Buttons yet. What led you to start the side project?
Depressed Buttons: The three of us found ourselves DJing quite a few parties after The Faint shows. It all happened naturally. We wanted more tracks to play, so we started making some. The name was already in place because one of our Faint members hates the concept of DJs and requested that we use a name other than ‘The Faint DJs’.Tell us about your music-making process? What does each member bring to the table?
We are still working that out but so far Jacob and I have been heavier on the DJ side while Clark is the best at mixing our jams in the studio. Half the time we work from start to finish on a track, and other times one of us starts and the rest of us will make requests or take a crack at the session. In general, tracks are mixed down in Omaha, Nebraska at The Faint’s proper studio. That’s also where some of them have been conceived as well.What kind of hardware do you use?
We have a lot of others, but I’d say the Nord Lead 3 and Korg MS20.What kind of software do you use?
We write in Ableton Live. U-he’s Zebra 2 is probably the soft synth we’ve used the most. ABL2 which is a 303 Clone. I also like to grow sounds in Synplant.As an electronic musician, what do you consider to be exciting about the effects of technology on music?
When everyone has access to basically everything, limitations are out the window. I’m not so sure that is a good thing though. Limitations breed creativity. But technology also creates its own new styles of music. Humans are almost used by the technology. I like it both ways. One can’t record music with out the other.What piece of equipment can you simply not live without?
Macbook Pro and its power supply.Does your name “Depressed Buttons” allude to some sort of mixing technique or the coldness of technology?
It’s 2011, poking at interfaces is something we all have in common now. Even the oldest people I know are button pushers.Your debut EP QWERTY mimics the top left-hand row of keys on a modern day keyboard. What about that term holds significance for your band?
I wouldn’t say that it’s a deeply meaningful or emotionally charged EP title. It is the most fun word to type though isn’t it?You just released a remix version of QWERTY, is there any certain band or musician you’d love to have remix your work that hasn’t already?
Ramadanman.You guys are currently in the middle of touring for the first time. What’s the major difference of hearing you live vs. listening to your records?
We are out DJing the music we’ve made as Depressed Buttons and cutting it together with all the tunes we wish we’d made. It’s fun to listen to party music at home—I do it all the time—but even with good speakers, it’s really not the same as actually partying with friends and an amazing sound system.If money were no object, how would you change your current set up?
I’d re-get Celemony’s Melodyne software, Genelec monitors and sub, a nice piano, Pioneer DJM2000, a voice actor, a hydrophone, and a custom set of liquid drums.Tell us what you think of their music below.Depressed Buttons: “Ow!”Depressed Buttons first official mixtape: Mixmeat (click here for tracklist)
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Depressed Buttons: The three of us found ourselves DJing quite a few parties after The Faint shows. It all happened naturally. We wanted more tracks to play, so we started making some. The name was already in place because one of our Faint members hates the concept of DJs and requested that we use a name other than ‘The Faint DJs’.Tell us about your music-making process? What does each member bring to the table?
We are still working that out but so far Jacob and I have been heavier on the DJ side while Clark is the best at mixing our jams in the studio. Half the time we work from start to finish on a track, and other times one of us starts and the rest of us will make requests or take a crack at the session. In general, tracks are mixed down in Omaha, Nebraska at The Faint’s proper studio. That’s also where some of them have been conceived as well.What kind of hardware do you use?
We have a lot of others, but I’d say the Nord Lead 3 and Korg MS20.
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We write in Ableton Live. U-he’s Zebra 2 is probably the soft synth we’ve used the most. ABL2 which is a 303 Clone. I also like to grow sounds in Synplant.As an electronic musician, what do you consider to be exciting about the effects of technology on music?
When everyone has access to basically everything, limitations are out the window. I’m not so sure that is a good thing though. Limitations breed creativity. But technology also creates its own new styles of music. Humans are almost used by the technology. I like it both ways. One can’t record music with out the other.What piece of equipment can you simply not live without?
Macbook Pro and its power supply.Does your name “Depressed Buttons” allude to some sort of mixing technique or the coldness of technology?
It’s 2011, poking at interfaces is something we all have in common now. Even the oldest people I know are button pushers.Your debut EP QWERTY mimics the top left-hand row of keys on a modern day keyboard. What about that term holds significance for your band?
I wouldn’t say that it’s a deeply meaningful or emotionally charged EP title. It is the most fun word to type though isn’t it?You just released a remix version of QWERTY, is there any certain band or musician you’d love to have remix your work that hasn’t already?
Ramadanman.You guys are currently in the middle of touring for the first time. What’s the major difference of hearing you live vs. listening to your records?
We are out DJing the music we’ve made as Depressed Buttons and cutting it together with all the tunes we wish we’d made. It’s fun to listen to party music at home—I do it all the time—but even with good speakers, it’s really not the same as actually partying with friends and an amazing sound system.If money were no object, how would you change your current set up?
I’d re-get Celemony’s Melodyne software, Genelec monitors and sub, a nice piano, Pioneer DJM2000, a voice actor, a hydrophone, and a custom set of liquid drums.Tell us what you think of their music below.Depressed Buttons: “Ow!”Depressed Buttons first official mixtape: Mixmeat (click here for tracklist)