i don't have any Aphex live recordings but i do have a promo with Richard
talking about his music, snippets between songs (all CD versions from SAW2),
and one long bit at the end. If you would like a copy, e-mail me.
As for the Edge on Ambient 2: I had (and regrettably have sold) this great EP
from Jah Wobble called _The Snakecharmer_ (circa 84 or 85, before U2 became
the mega-stars they are today), which the Edge played on. So I don't think
you can say the Edge is trying to jump on the ambient bandwagon (like, say,
Love & Rockets).
Even though U2 are definitely mainstream artists, the Edge provides the
band's non-commercial aspects... their EDGE -- both literally and
figuratively. I've read the Edge went through this KMFDM/Young Gods phase,
the real heavy industrial stuff, and it was he who peaked the interest of
Eno. My point is, if you're gonna come down on the Edge, then you might as
well come down on David Sylvian for his early days with Japan.
Don't fret: The ambient revolution will not happen -- at least not in our
lifetime and not in the truest sense (unless, that is, all those Armageddon
prophesies come true). A serious rekindling of Eastern philosophy and
religion is going on in the world today, with Eastern esthetics being infused
into a lot of contemporary culture and arts -- ambient music being one
Eastern-influenced offshoot. The world at large might ever-so-slightly be
catching on to this vibe and start taking some notice, but I don't think
it'll spread much beyond that. Ambient, and its Eastern inspiration, is just
too esoteric for most people. It takes too much concentration, or something.
Unless the Rolling Stones release an ambient effort, I don't think ambient
will become the next commercialized techno genre. Our collective attention
span and creative spirit will have to undergo some major growth before
ambient or other world-inspired music begins to make profound inroads.
I think it would be great, actually, if ambient did catch on. If more people
could discover a way to chill out, maybe this world wouldn't be so damned
fucked-up.
Peace, 19.