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TheCELLexperiment is an independant solo project of Chris Cummings (not the Canadian
country singer). tCe started forming sometime around 1995 as an experiment and exploration
of the electronic types of music I had always had interest in. At the time I was a
member of 12 Foot Forehead, an alt.rock band. I had always been interested in electronic
based music and had been influenced by a lot of the synth pop and keyboard infused
rock of the 80's. But I wanted to try my hand at something a bit more edgier than pop
or rock.
I started out with nothing but a computer, a Fostex XR-3 analog 4 track recorder,
a squire bass, lotus guitar,casio keyboard and a borrowed Boss drum machine. Needless
to say my first few attempts were less than studio quality! But I pressed on...
I have always been a lyricist more than a musician and I tried to focus on writing
songs that were not your typical Christian anthems. I had been listening to bands like
Mortal and Under Midnight along with more alternative groups like the Prayer Chain
and I wanted to try my hand at a style of music that was dark and edgy yet reflected
a real life through Christ, not one hopeless or sugarcoated. Just the reality of the
daily joys and struggles that come with being a Christian.
My CD came about when I met an artist online named Methus. We had developed a friendship
and decided to try our hand at a split CD. Minus a few setbacks and frustrations my
first CD, DUAL BOOT was released. While not a groundbreaking disc by any means, it
did generate moderate interest in the underground and a fairly favorable review from
HM magazine, especially the song "Since the day we met".
I moved on to become a member of two new alt.rock/college bands named Trapping Daniel
and Godscent. At the same time I was playing bass in those bands I was getting ideas
and influences for new music by theCELLexpeiment. Sometime around late 1998 I purchased
a small 1980's Yamaha synth and started working on new songs for my first full CD,
wewalkamongyou. Through a lot of trial and error I somewhat honed my skills on what
little equipment I had. Abouy midway through WWAY I finally upgraded my computer and
also bought my first "real" synth, a Yamaha CS2X. All the while I was growing
as a songwriter and a musician. I started recording fully to PC, moving away from analog
recording.
Immediatly after wewalkamong you was finished, I had intended to take a break from
tCe, but the inspiration kept flowing and I kept working. With the new equipment and
a little bit of experience under my belt I started creating some of my best work to
date, which became Infinity Engine. My current equipment includes a Ibanez bass, crate
bass and guitar amps, Yamaha CS2X synth, a pandora PX-2 and various software programs
including ACID, Goldwave32 and Fruityloops. It may be of interest to know that there
is no use of MIDI sequencing on Infinity Engine as well as no guitars. Although I hope
to get back to these things, I elected not to use them. All guitar type sounds you
hear are real, not synth, bass (except for the "dropbass" on Download Everything).
Well I guess that about covers the history of tCe. Hope you're still awake...heehee,
ahem. |
