I've always been involved in other record labels, fanzines, radio shows, concerts but was fed up working with other people and compromising on too many things. So I started my own label (in Hamburg) around the end of 2002 with the first releases pouring out in early 2003.

I'm basically attempting to create some kind of a personal archive. It's similar to writing a diary; people listening to my label's releases will be able to follow my musical and visual preferences which are always related to my private life, they can watch how I meet new friends (new artists on the label), see where I'm travelling (concerts). My whole life is based around making music and releasing records so basically I can't really think of stopping. I wouldn't really know what else to do.

Since it is a very personal, sometimes even hermetic affair to run the label, the listeners aren't really involved in the process of deciding which record will be released and in which form it will be released. Most decisions are made without thinking about who could buy the release and what his opinion about it might be. But i hope it might be interesting for the listeners to follow my moves (I would be interested). It's like starting a discussion with many people I have never met before. I'm throwing my opinions into a circle of people (= releasing records to the public) and hopefully get a response from them.

I'm searching for complete and individual artistic statements and visions. The music and accompanying artworks can be quite different from record to record but they hopefully build a complete work within themselves. That said, the past and future of every artist on the label is important as well. It's quite interesting to work with musicians on a longer basis; to see how they grow and change.

I think the whole picture will reveal itself in retrospect when I can look back on a few more years of releasing records. Every single release is like a flower or a plant and can be beautiful to look at or beneficial for other plants or just luscious to eat and in the end there will be a whole garden or forest to wander through, look around, breathe and enjoy.

In short, I'm not sure what the point in doing a record label really is but i will probably know in 20 years or so.

It's not really a concept but I love the sound of analogue recording equipment, simple acoustic instruments and the natural sound of rooms and space. But without the invention of the personal computer I would have never started to make music myself and i know many other people wouldn't either. So I enjoy both the analogue and digital. Of course, it can be easier and more comfortable to work with computers but there are still so many essential things you can only do the anologue way. I can't (technically) play any instruments so my own music is necessarily simple. Perhaps that's why I prefer simple music and tone. But it can be very difficult to create "simple" music.

The album's main theme is a kind of fake nostalgia, playing around with notions of the past and a feeling of loss. I have tried to create an artificial space that combines some common feelings people associate with the past. It's not my own personal feelings I'm working with but rather a theatrical and abstract sense of perception. I'm not interested in expressing my own feelings in the music on this album.

It's the word "backwards" in german and english. It refers to both the main theme of the album and the way many sounds were created. It has additional and double meanings people should find out themselves. Also, the two words cancel themselves out when used together.

The artwork is taken from a book of original paintings, photos and words by Renate Nikolaus from Hamburg. It's her cat that has sadly passed away a few years ago. Only one copy exists of the book.

Not necessarily influential on the music but an overall inspiration are the paintings of Henry Darger, the music of Shirley Temple, the attitude of an artist such as Phill Niblock, the movies of Alejandro Jodorowski, the books of James Ballard and the massive discographies of The Red Krayola and The Melvins and, of course, millions of other things.

I really love the Tomuntotto LP on the Ultra Excema label. It's the solo work of Jan Anderzen of Kemialliset Ystavat. It's a rather surreal free flowing mass of animal noises, electronic sounds and voices but it all magically builds a compact whole. His recent cassette releases are also very recommended!