From humble beginnings with an accordion to navigating the complexities of synthesizers and MIDI, Aleph Naught and the Null Set‘s musical journey is as diverse as the influences that have fueled his creativity. In this exclusive interview, Bob, the mastermind behind the project, shares insights into his unique approach to composition, the inspiration behind his latest track “Outdoors (In My Head),” and his perspectives on the evolving landscape of progressive rock. Join us as we delve into the mind of a musical mathematician, exploring the intricate symphonies that make up Aleph Naught’s discography.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your musical journey. How did you get started in the world of progressive rock?
When I was 7 my mom forced me to take music lessons – I picked the accordion. At 10 my sister got married and moved out, taking our piano (part of the agreement with my mom that if she learned to play the piano she could have it when she moved out). So we built a Schober Theater Organ from a kit – it took 3 months to complete and then my mom played it on Sundays… so I taught myself to play. Played in rock and jazz bands in college. Some college friends turned me onto progressive rock, first Pink Floyd and then Yes, Genesis and ELP; the music really resonated with me. I also had another friend who turned me onto Tangerine Dream and some other experimental synth music. Formed my first prog rock bands between college and college (I changed schools part way through). I wrote most of the music we played, I had a U of keyboards, and I was the effective band leader. I married and moved to Michigan (my spouse was a nuclear engineer so I, as a programmer, could move anywhere) and started composing by myself on the computer using MIDI, recording to a 4 track cassette (a Fostex X-15).Moved to Chicago and now Los Angeles – 16 years ago I went all digital – my studio is a corner of my office with a MIDI controller and a computer. At this point I’ve been composing, playing and recording progressive rock for over 40 years.
My band name is a math pun – its just me, countably infinite and completely empty.
Let’s dive into the featured track on the compilation. Can you share the inspiration or story behind “Outdoors (In My Head)”?
This song started with the opening soundscape. I was attempting to capture the sound I hear in my head when it’s quiet – its the sound I’ve heard since childhood of buzzing and insect sounds at night coming through the walls of my bedroom (I’m hearing it now in my head as I write this). There are a couple key riffs in the opening section that trade between the guitar and organ. At around 3:35 a kind of jazzy / bluezy section starts up. At about 5:20, the piano quietly expands from the soundscape, interrupted by a short, blues influenced, organ bit where the lower manual plays lead and the upper comps. Then a return to a riff with the guitar replaced with a drunken synthesizer track to widen the sound and lead into the ending; note the piano runs in the background which I’m a little proud of. The song ends with a reprise of the guitar opening and then the soundscape.
Walk us through your creative process. How do you typically approach writing and composing music? What was your creative process like for your new album “An Interesting Musical Opportunity is in Your Near Future” in comparison to your previous efforts?
I’m a creativity junkie – I love to read about, and try, different approaches to creating music. My typical approach is to get an inspiration, often when I’m falling asleep or in the shower, and then filling that in leads me to something else and the song gets written with some inspiration and perspiration. When the muse is silent, I’ll try various things like auditioning new synth sounds, improvising on the piano or organ, or use a creativity approach like Oblique Strategies. I’ve read books by Eno and Byrne and stolen some of their approaches at times. I’ve used all these approaches for a long time including on my latest album.
Who or what are your major influences in the progressive rock? How do they impact your own musical style?
I’m a huge fan of early Genesis and Peter Gabriel’s solo work, especially Tony Bank’s organ work. For a year in college I made time to listen to the entire Close to the Edge album; I’m very influenced by Yes, especially Close to the Edge and Relayer (which I believe is an under rated work – Soundchaser is an amazing song). I think my organ playing is also influenced by ELP’s Karn Evil 9 trio. I’ve been influenced by Tangerine Dream and Wendy Carlos. And Gentle Giant, King Crimson and Nektar are other strong influences for my style.
And I listen to all kinds of music and that influences me at times as well. If you check out some of my covers on SoundCloud you can hear me attempt a few different styles.
What challenges have you faced as an artist in the this scene, and how have you overcome them?
My largest challenge is finding my audience. I don’t expect a lot of people to like what I’m doing, however, I suspect there are a few, and they are hard to find. And finding an audience takes time away from making music. I’ve used a couple concentrators for reviews like SubmitHub and Groover to get feedback and get on some playlists and internet radio shows.
I also want to apply more modern approaches to music playing, mixing and mastering to create progressive rock that sounds more modern and perhaps somewhat less orchestral.
And the decline of radio and labels has made it harder, IMHO, to find new artists in general.
How do you see the progressive rock scene evolving, and what role do you believe your music plays in that evolution?
I think adding more modern sounds to the prog rock canon will evolve the sound. I hope applying AI and other approaches to music identification (including compilations) will help us find people making this music.
Share with us some of the most memorable moments in your musical journey so far.
I still remember the exhilaration of playing my first progressive rock composition in a band. The time we had a guest at practice and he asked us to play something, maybe blues… and we did a 10 minute improvisation on Mary Had a Little Lamb (that’s posted on my SoundCloud by the way). Hearing Peter Gabriel’s 3rd album (Melt) for the first time, and then doing a cover of Biko that used the same kind of PAiA drum box he used (which I built from a kit). Every time I finish an album I get a jolt of adrenaline. And I keep learning and improving especially my mixing and mastering skills.
Do you have a personal favorite among your own compositions? If so, which one and why?
“We Are Scars (Left By Our Wounds)” is the first song where I wrote all the lyrics first and then wrote the music – usually I write the music and then fit lyrics in. And I think it worked well.
“Heading Towards Zero” from my previous album is one I continue to listen to because I think its well composed.
Can you give us a sneak peek into any upcoming projects or collaborations you’re working on?
I’m working on the 6th song for my next album, “Swamp Songs.” More progressive rock hopefully influenced by, well, swamps.
What does it mean to you to be a part of this progressive rock compilation? How has the experience been for you?
I was part of one of the internet cassette compilations in the ‘90s. Its really humbling to be asked to be part of a compilation, and its a little validating, and we all need validation off and on right?
Is there a message you’d like to convey to your fans who will be discovering your music through this compilation?
This is a good example of the long form music I create. However, I have a lot of influences and my music reflects that, so I’d ask that you try a few songs and see if they also resonate with you. And I hope you keep finding new music.
If you could collaborate with any artist, living or not, who would it be?
Bill Bruford; I think drums are critical to rock music and Bill Bruford is gifted at finding a way to fit in and yet add something interesting and meaningful.
If you had to pick one instrument (besides your primary one) to master, what would it be?
Drums
What’s your all-time favorite progressive rock album, and why?
Probably either Close to the Edge or Relayer by Yes. The music grows and builds and at points rushes over you and at other times hugs you.
Are there non-musical influences that find their way into your music? (e.g., literature, art, science)
I’m a mathematician by training, and my band name is a math pun – I remember reaching Fourier Analysis and realizing they were talking about music synthesis. I was very influenced by the soundtrack to The Knick – that took me on a sound collage/integration journey (and the show was excellent too). The cover of my latest album was created by MidjourneyAI in the style of Francis Bacon; my spouse is a visual artist (paints mostly in oils) and so we go see art regularly.
And I’m influenced by travel – I remember the first time I sat in a cathedral in Florence and the organist began to practice…
Any final thoughts or reflections you’d like to share with our audience?
Please keep listening and finding new music.
Where can our audience find more about you and your music? (Include social media handles, website, etc.)
My website for music is https://www.alephnaught.com/Blog/music-by-aleph-naught-the-null-set/. You can find me on most social media as purplehayz. I post early access to my music on SoundCloud at https://soundcloud.com/purplehayz. And when i release my music (via CDBaby so far) it ends up on most streaming and music services under my band name.
