Tell us a bit about yourself.

I'm a one-man band called The Utter, whose primary instrument is the bass guitar. I enjoy warping the clean sound with an array of effects, preferring physical effects though I have experimented with digital ones as well. I'm based in the rural wildlands of southern England, and much of my visual art is inspired by the natural landscape around me.

What's your musical origin story?

The band started for two reasons: firstly, finding like-minded people who could fit me into their busy lives was difficult; secondly, I realized I shouldn't wait until I considered myself "good enough" because my expectations constantly evolve. The motto became "just do it."

What were the driving forces or pivotal moments that inspired you to pursue music?

The first tune I learned to play was "Anaesthesia" (not all of it—the double time section was too difficult). That experience made me realize I could do it, and the only thing stopping me was myself, so I decided to just do it.

How would you describe your style of music?

My style is broadly rock, as I use standard rock instrumentation. It is, however, experimental or avant-garde. I've been told I play "progressive black metal," "film soundtrack," and "noise." I call it "Contemporary Death Jazz."

How is your personality reflected in your work?

I am autistic and, consequently, am comfortable with structure and repeating patterns. On certain pieces, I've made a conscious effort to break out of that. I think there's always a lot going on in my head, and that is definitely reflected in the music!

Describe your creative process when you write new music.

I don't have any one approach—largely, my music is improvised and recorded "live." The one exception is chord progressions, which tend to be written out ahead of time, though not always. In my current work, I start with a drum line, then add the clean chords, and the rest evolves from there.

What is the name of your latest releases?

In December 2023, I released "Pareidolia" digitally and on vinyl. This year (2024), I have compiled a release called "The Horological Maelstrom" which contains tracks released on various compilations. I'm currently working on a new album tentatively called "Weather With You."

What was the inspiration for that release?

"Weather With You," or whatever its name finally becomes, was inspired by Feng Po Po, a compilation for which I was asked to submit a track. The theme was "wind," and I submitted a track that was accepted, but I knew there would be more. At the time of writing, I have six tracks in final mix state.

What challenges or unexpected moments did you encounter during the writing/recording process?

Because all my work is improvised, it's all surprising in one way or another, as I enter not having any idea of how the output will sound or feel. That said, the biggest challenge has been interacting with people when I've wanted to include other people's contributions.

What strategies do you find most effective for promoting your music?

I'm really not very good at self-promotion, and it makes me quite uncomfortable. That said, there's no substitute for enthusiasm, and my enthusiasm seems to rub off on other people. With "The Semantic Verses," I decided to press CDs and gave them away, so I know they're all around the world!

How do you engage with your fans online and offline?

This is something that is, again, difficult and uncomfortable. I feel like I need a pseudonym and a separate facet of my personality for this. For communication, I use:

• Bandcamp messaging to contact followers
• Personal Instagram and Facebook for sharing images
• One-on-one WhatsApp messaging when personal contact isn't possible

What upcoming promotional activities or releases are you most excited about?

While I'm not good at promoting myself, I am excited about the upcoming album that's in the works at the moment.

How can folks contact you?

The best way to reach me is at theutter667@gmail.com

Musical Influences

I have a varied musical listening taste, though I don't make music that sounds like any of it (I think). My influences include:

• Punk (e.g., Damned, Dead Kennedys)
• Goth (e.g., Sisters of Mercy)
• Industrial/EBM (e.g., Krystal System, KMFDM)
• Heavy metal (e.g., Judas Priest, Iron Maiden)
• Other artists and genres including Motörhead, classic rock, Linkin Park, black metal (e.g., Spider God, Immortal), Meshuggah, Björk, and '80s pop