Interview ~ circa "Adolesce" (from BigO Magazine)

Since the birth of the indie scene in 1987, Ben Etc was there with his band, Deadbeats (not to mention other projects like Electric Penguin, The Spike, Productive Chaos, Plastic Passion and Problem Child before that). His then longest-running unit, Electric Penguin, released their first material the following year and, in 1991 (as Electric Penguin Etc), recorded Trans*end for BigO's New School Rock IV (1994). Harrison also played with Corporate Toil and was in the Padres' classic line-up of 1993-4, who recorded Radio Station. Since then, his band simply became known as ETC and was featured in the Mee Pok Man soundtrack (1995). ETC, still unsigned, has returned with another new song, Adolesce. Philip Cheah signals to him.

The song, Adolesce, once again proves the consummate flair you have for writing pop songs.

I'm unaware of them as "pop songs." And if there's any "flair" maybe it's sometimes in my older jeans; but my genes... I dunno. If there are pop songs, I feel they're far outweighed by the sad dirges I'm more prone to. But those don't get played out as much.

Doesn't "pop" suggest the songs are popular? I could never vouch for any popularity. I've just been through another weekend where no-one called me, so I don't feel popular. But I do like "pop". It's a nice word. And it's easy to type.

When was Adolesce written and what inspired it?

Like all ETC songs I don't know if it was written. For us, songs evolve ... a constant process, and this recording is no exception as there's a whole segment that just happened in the studio as the tape rolled which I was happy to incorporate there and then. And lyrically, there's a ton of alternatives, but what's on this recording is just what I pulled out from all the options that were kicking around. What came out was whatever felt right at the time, thinking about coming in at dawn after hanging out all night but not doing much with an interesting woman. I'm almost glad to find I'm still susceptible to such, supposedly silly, adolescent feelings.

There is always a deconstructive element in your work, either lyrically, structurally or instrumentally. Where is it this time?

If there ever is any deconstruction, it's not on purpose. Maybe it's an irritating instinct I have to make things slanted, but straight all the same.

I can see that if you talk about the structure of the song, yes it could be considered weird by proper musicians. I never play the chorus the same way - I don't even know if it is a chorus anyhow if it keeps changing. One time it goes for three lines; next it's for two, then there's a key change. But those are details too boring to go into.

Whatever the case, the spontanious "structure" has got nothing to do with trying to be clever and everything to do with the lazy-assed way I play and make it up as I go along. So it's not "deconstructed," it's more to do with what comes naturally. Does that make it spontaneous construction? Spontanious composition? I dunno. I remember the first time ETC got together, Budi and I had both played in the Padres where we both seemed into breaking the formula of the songs and being more spontaneous. The phrase we often used when we went into the studio was "Just wack lah." I guess it still stands. Suits me.

Why has Electric Penguin evolved to ETC?

"Why?" isn't the question. It happened a long time ago, but whenever we got gigs we were automatically billed as Electric Penguin without anyone asking. Electric Penguin was a joke name that people remembered years after the fact. E.T.C. are letters extracted from "electric"; and ETC suits me as it doesn't seem to lend itself to anything in particular, leaving me free to do whatever. It's anonymous/ambiguous to me. And I like the way there's a negative and a positive connotation from "and so on." In one way, saying "and so on" is like admitting you're doing nothing new... But it can also be a motto or something to strive for: "And so: On." Whatever. Perhaps if we get billed wrong we'll get Peter Cetera fans checking us out.

Who forms this band and what's the chemistry and contribution from each member?

It's an urge... a pain to play that we I have. That and friendship. Some bands work out their line-ups by getting who they reckon is the best player for whatever type of music. With us it's the chemistry of how we're in each other's pockets when we play and go with each other's flow and "just wack." I come in with a batch of lyrics and tunes but I'm not particularly precious about how we do them. It's whatever feels right at the time.

You are one of the most Singaporean (in all the good ways) persons I have met and yet an outsider. How does it feel?

Humid, with good food, a great public transport system but nowhere to go.

How many more songs are floating in your notebooks?

It's not just notebooks. There's shoeboxes full of old ones. I tried pinning new stuff to my wall so I can keep track. I feel relieved when I don't write lyrics as they're like babies - I feel a responsibilty to them so I have to look after them. Maybe I don't need to write another lyric ever again. I should devote my time to learning how to play guitar properly instead.

And why is it that all the girls love you?

Why is it that if they do, which I doubt, they never talk to me?


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