At the age of 2, I was electrocuted while disassembling a record player plugged into the wall socket. I was trying to figure out where the sound was coming from. Things haven’t changed much, except I’ve learned how to not get shocked.

My perspective on music has changed since I started doing serious music production. Before I started engineering, I was a typical music consumer who enjoyed music for it’s content. After I started a career in engineering, my method of listening became more critical of technique and production. Sometimes I can switch back into the frame of mind which can purely enjoy music, but often I find myself trying to dissect a track trying to figure out how it was produced- just the same as when I was opening up that record player trying to find where that noise was coming from.

In the early 90s I tried my hand at a project studio, which turned out to be a failure. I’m not formally trained in engineering, and I owe a lot to John Hinson, who ventured into the project studio with me. He ripped apart our allen&heath console, replaced components and supercharged it. He was a wealth of information about gear. Unfortunately, it was one of those things that just didn’t work out, but along the way I learned a lot from John. To this day, John remains an invaluable resource of knowledge as well as a good friend.

While we had the small studio operation, I was quite averse to using computers in the studio. They didn’t seem reliable for serious work outside of MIDI sequencing–but the adats weren’t much better! It was still a nightmare trying to get machines to synchronize with midi. As technology improved, I realized that I needed to change my position and learn about computers and software in Music.

About the time I started to learn about audio software, Propellerheads released ReBirth RB-338. When I first saw and heard it, I was quite amazed, but I felt it was still limited. I saw that some others were hacking the code and inserting their own samples into it - creating the first modified versions of ReBirth. This inspired me and my friend to create the Technobox TB-909e. The Technobox incorporated a set of Roland TR-909 samples into the original ReBirth 808 Drum section, and had a completely redesigned Graphic interface.

Astrological

Leo/Earth Rooster born Kurt Kurasaki in Palo Alto, California, USA. August 10, 1969

Where did you get the alias “Peff”?

It came from my computer. I was poking around in the code and noticed that the PowerPC applications begin with the ASCII equivalent of “Joy!Peff”. At first I used Joy!peff as my internet pseudonym, but then I lost the Joy!. Now I just go by Peff.

Not too long ago, I received an interesting e-mail from a former apple computer employee, Kevin Looney. He worked on the team that developed the PPC technology in the new Powermacs, and he explained how the term “Joy!peff” came into existence.

See the Letter

Technology

My first experiences with computers was with a Radio Shack TRS-80 Model III. A Teacher in Elementary school, Gary Wood, tutored me on his machine andtaught me some principles in programming BASIC. I’ve also used a Commodore 64 that belonged to a neighbor.

My seventh grade homeroom teacher had a Rockwell AIM that a few of us played with, and my friend, Alex, had the old Apple ][’s. I have many fond memories of playing Castle Wolfenstein and Karateka at Alex’s place

I’ve always been more inclined towards hardware though, and I designed and built my own 8 bit PC based on the Intel 8080A Microprocessor. I remember always wanting one of those timex sinclair kits, but it was a lot of money for a 12 year old.

My first personal computer was the original IBM-PC with dual 5.25″ floppies and green monochrome monitor. I stayed with the PC platform through Windows 3.1. When the 486 was introduced I was terribly confused with compatibility and upgradability to Windows 95, and since I started doing more sequencing and audio work, I switched to the Apple Platform.

Now, I’m a diehard Mac Addict!

Education

Phase I: Kindergarten through 8th Grade at the San Juan Elementary School - I was lucky and had some really great teachers who helped me explore things beyond the normal scope of primary education.

Phase II: My parents kicked me out of the house and into boarding school at the Stevenson School in Pebble Beach, California. I learned quite a bit in High School - especially how to tolerate with a roommate, Peter, and his chewing tobacco spittoons. I learned quite a bit of fundamental science from my Physics teacher/Sailing coach, Jack McAleer, and Most of my math knowledge was the result of tutelage of John Senuta. This is stuff that I continue to use all the time especially with audio. I barely managed to graduate from that place in 1987-due to an incident where I threw a massive party (4 Kegs, and 6 cases of other alcoholic beverages I beleive–oh and few cases of sparkling wine) and was almost expelled the last week of school.

Phase III: After 4 years of boarding school I decided to mellow out and go to a university in a nice quiet corner of the country. There’s no place more serene and pastoral in North America than New York City! In 1991 I received a Bachelors Degree in Philosophy at Columbia University in the City of New York - it’s a dumpy school even for the Ivy League - but Irish Harlem is not as bad as New Haven, CT.

New York is where I developed my love of the opera and where I started doing some semiserious compositions. Philosophy wasn’t such a demanding degree, and I managed to study a variety of subjects from East Asian Cultures, Religions/Eastern Religions, Sociology. Even a music class at the famous Columbia Synth Labs- which was pretty bleak back then, but I hear they have a nice facility now. Surprisingly - no computer courses! We still used floppy disks back then.

Religion

I’m really quite fascinated by Religions. Being American born of Japanese desent, I was raised as a Japanese Pure Land Buddhist, or Jodo Shinshu. The more popular temples in the United States are part of an organization called the Buddhist Churches of America. This is misleading since the BCA only represents one particular sect of Buddhism of the mother temple, Nishi-Hongwanji in Kyoto, Japan. These temples were developed more as Japanese Immigrant community centers, however as the population of Japanese-Americans has assimilated into the American ‘culture’ (i use this for lack of a better term).

There was this little incident in 7th Grade with my homeroom teacher, Mrs. Cruz - who is an avid catholic. Being ignorant of western religions and cultures, I inadvertantly offended her by breaking one of the 10 commandments. Mrs. Cruz was seriosly surprised and I was completely ignorant. Later on in Life I realized that most of western culture is based on themes from Christianity.

Musical Tastes

I like just about everything. - it sounds cliché, but I really do like a wide variety of music, including “real” Country, like bluegrass. Some of my favorite Classical Pieces are Wagner’s Ring of the Nibelungen - A fantastic 16 hour epic. Also Tschaikovsky’s Violin Concerto 2. Verdi Operas are always enjoyable as well. You really need to see one or two of them to know where they get the music for those Spaghetti Sause Commercials. It’s nice to see that Opera has gained so much popularity in the last decade. I’m not sure why this has happened, but –

Anyone who enjoys stories of myths and heroes will also probably enjoy Wagner’s Ring. The characters are based on Norse Mythic Gods, and the most recognized piece of music from this epic is the “Ride of the Valkyries”. I recommend you watch the Metropolitan Opera’s Production (with subtitles) - it’s okay to fall asleep during the boring parts. But they have the best set production and effects recorded on video. Either you’re hooked in the first few minutes or you can return it.

I listened to a LOT of music in the 80s. One of my favorites was obviously Vince Clarke from Depeche Mode to Yazoo to Erasure. My Favorite 80’s groups was Love & Rockets. I like the legacy work as well, Bauhaus, Tones on Tail, and David J’s Solo works, but LnR was definitely my favorite. I was also a Joy Division Fan, and followed suit with New Order. The Police were also another big favorite of mine, what a combination of talent in that group!

Two Words: PINK FLOYD - nothing more need be said. Roger Waters’ Solo work, Amused to Death has to be one of the finest productions I’ve ever heard. You really need to tune your listening environment to appreciate the depth of the Q-Sound encoding on this album. Another Two Words: PETER GABRIEL. I just find him to be an amazing songwriter and performer. One of those rare artists whose work has deep meaning in every small detail. Real World Studios was an inspiration for me while I was learning about recording and production. Passion, the soundtrack of Martin Scorcese’s “Last Temptation of Christ” is another 20th Century masterpiece (IMHO)

I like classic house music tracks. My favorite is “Notice Me” by Sandee - Produced by Clivilles & Cole long before they became C+C Music Factory. They did some amazing production musically, House music hasn’t been the same since Cole’s passing.. I did a lot of clubs of New York in the late 80’s, then in San Francisco in the 90’s. I don’t DJ, but I appreciate DJing as an artform - It’s real time arrangement of Music. The Early Def Jam House stuff and the Strictly Rhythm guys will always be favorites: Roger S., lil Louis Vega, & Kenny. Through the 90s I didn’t consume much music, with the exception of Tom Jenkinson’s work. His drum programming and Bass talents are amazing! Also, I love the retro style of production in his work which mimics some 60’s Miles Davis recordings.

All the standard Jazz greats are also favorites. The Coltrane and Davis stuff from before I was born. My cousin took me to see Miles Davis about 10 years ago, but it wasn’t that same Miles that you hear on the old Blue Note recordings. In the past year or so, I’ve been listening and going to see a lot more live jazz. I’m trying to see all of the past masters while they can still perform, and I have not been disappointed yet. I’ve had the chance to see Wayne Shorter, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock (he was at NAMM in his purple Ferrari), Jimmy Smith, and I’m looking forward to seeing Ornette Coleman, next year.

Anyway… that’s a brief “G-Rated” story of my life. I’ve been really lucky to have had the opportunity to meet some interesting people and experience a lot of different things along the way.