Where did the name Meem come from? What does it mean?
The name Meem grew from my initials, and I began using it when playing live electronica in Canberra around 1995. After a couple of years using the name a friend asked me if I knew what a Meme (pron “Meem”) actually was (I didn't). The wiki definition is;
A meme is any unit of cultural information, such as a practice or idea, that is transmitted verbally or by repeated action from one mind to another. Examples include thoughts, ideas, theories, practices, habits, songs, dances and moods and terms such as race, culture, and ethnicity. A meme is self-propagating and can move through a "culture" in a manner similar to a virus. A meme is a unit of cultural evolution having a resemblance to the gene. Richard Dawkins, in his book, The Selfish Gene,[1] is credited with coining the term meme to describe how Darwinian principles might be extended to explain the spread of ideas and cultural phenomena. He gave as examples tunes, catch-phrases, beliefs, clothing fashions, ways of making pots, and the technology of building arches. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme
Its an interesting meaning behind my seemingly simple conceived name choice.
What equipment do you use to write music?
I currently use Logic Audio Pro on a G4, with an external keyboard. The music is mostly sample based. All of my early music was written with a combination of Logic, an AKAI 2800 Sampler, a Yamaha effects rack, and Roland controller keyboard. In fact the first album was written with a 312 PC Laptop and the AKAI had only 10mb internal memory! This was around the time a blank CD cost around $50 each. Nowdays I find that computer software is so advanced and has so many capabilities that there is not so much need for outboard gear.
What do you use to DJ?
I learnt to DJ from CD, and dont really buy into the ‘vinyl is better’ argument. I am soon to switch to a digital platform (like Serato or Traktor) as my collection has become very large and I hate leaving music at home - I never can predict what I will want to play on the night, so I bring it all! It is important for me to be spontaneous as a DJ, and to select music according to the mood in the room. And as for my choice of media - Im not concerned with any popular DJ image and Im not a vinyl purist.
For me, the music comes first - Playing a good track is so much more important than the format it is played on, whether that be Vinyl, CD or computer.
Why do you make handmade covers for your albums?
I studied Graphic Investigation at art school for 3 years, and I think my art practice at school eventually began lending itself to CD design. A handmade cover can definately help to stand out in a shop when its stacked next to hundreds of plastic cases - it sparks a curiosity so that people are more likely to give an it a listen. And also considering our current music downloading climate, it feels even more important to have something special to offer people if they are to choose to actually buy the physical release.