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Color Theory

Hazard: Color Theory started in 1993 after I graduated college with a degree in piano performance. Essentially, I trained to be a concert pianist, even though I had no desire to be one. Prior to that, I recorded some 4-track demos in high school and played keyboards in a Duran Duran knockoff band called European White Disco. I always wanted to record my own albums some day, so the transition was something I'd looked forward to for a long time.

Do you consider yourself primarily a piano player or an electronic musician?

Hazard: I barely find time to play the piano anymore, so I'd have to say an electronic musician. Better yet, a producer, because the term is vague enough to encompass all of my musical roles. These days, when someone asks what I do, I say I make records.

You also run a mastering business. How does working with other people's music affect your own creative process, if at all?

Hazard: It definitely rubs off, for better or for worse! Fortunately, I work with some very talented artists, most of whom create electronic music as well. Lately I've been doing a lot more mixing, which is much more collaborative than mastering. Some artists give me the freedom to add elements to the mix or even backing vocals. Over the past six months or so, I mixed albums for Rain Rain, Die Brücke, and 907Britt.

Tell us about your new album, The Thought Chapter. First off, what's the significance of the title, and how does it tie into the songs themselves?

Hazard: People seem to think the title means that that I put a lot of extra thought into the album, which I suppose is true, considering it took five years. 'The Thought Chapter' happens to be the name of the band I was in during high school, with my best friend and his older brother. We just thought it was a cool name that fit in with other bands we looked up to back then, like The Hope Blister or Style Council or The Wolfgang Press.

Do you have a favorite song from the album? Which one, and why?

Hazard: Probably 'Hypothetically.' While it's not a clear fan favorite, I think it's one of my best lyrics, and I've never heard another song dealing with the same subject matter. Sure, it's morbid, but it captures a certain dark train of thought that we've all experienced.

The song 'We're Not Getting Any Younger' features a well-described scene on a beach, and you in fact live in Huntington Beach. Does living in a sunny surf town affect your music, especially since electro-pop seems more often associated with rainy landscapes and melancholy?

Hazard: I'm sure it does, but I have few happy songs to show for it. I had more than my fill of melancholy growing up on Depeche Mode, The Cure and The Smiths. Maybe I'm still recovering.

A few years back, you recorded an album of what you thought of as underappreciated Depeche Mode songs. What was the response to that release like, both from Color Theory fans and Depeche Mode fans?

Hazard: 'Color Theory fans' is a tiny subset of 'Depeche Mode fans,' so they were all thrilled. Most Depeche Mode fans were pleased as well, though some hardcore purists are quick to dismiss all covers as cheap rip-offs. One aspect of the tribute that was universally praised was the track selection. The last thing the world needed was another cover of 'Enjoy the Silence' or 'Personal Jesus,' so people were pleasantly surprised to hear lesser known songs like 'Here is the House,' 'But Not Tonight,' 'It Doesn't Matter' and 'Surrender.'

Apart from Depeche Mode, what are your other major influences?

Hazard: The Cure, The Smiths, David Sylvian, Tori Amos, Everything But the Girl, The Blue Nile and even Brahms all influenced my first few albums, as I struggled to find my own sound. Then I started mastering full-time and found I barely had any time to listen for pleasure anymore. Now I'm more influenced by the artists I work with. Rupesh Cartel and B! Machine are two examples that I've listened to at least as much as the stuff I grew up with.

You've already posted some snippets from your next album on your Web site. How is the new album coming along, and what else can you tell us about it?

Hazard: To be honest, I'm starting to panic about my deadline. I won a manufacturing package from Disc Makers as a prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, and the coupon expires on June 30. As of today, I've finished exactly zero songs, unless I decide to include my cover of A-Ha's 'Living a Boy's Adventure Tale,' which I posted to my Web site a couple weeks ago. A little pressure isn't a bad thing, though, and my Depeche Mode covers only took me about a week each. Of course, I didn't need to write the songs!

I recently switched from Cubase to Ableton Live, which was another prize in the Lennon contest. It's completely changed the way I write, and it's sure to have a big impact on the sound of the album as well. Rupesh Cartel shared some of their drum samples with me, so they've become an even more direct influence!

I'd like this to be my most upbeat album yet. I say that now, but a couple months ago I was planning a dark album of 'headphone music to fall asleep to.' We'll know for sure in a few weeks. I'd like to do a few more snippets and then expand the best of them into full songs.