Interviews // Gavin Brick aka The Metamorph

Originally for Werra Foxma Sub Club Magazine 2023

From his earlier incarnation as Logan 5, Gavin Brick aka The Metamorph has been conjuring vistas of pulsing nebulae-like soundscapes for several years now. From as early 1982, Gavin was exploring the possibilities of electronic music, taking inspiration from some of the most accomplished musicians in the genre.  

Creating the alias Logan 5, Gavin initially explored melodic, pastoral and ambient realms showcasing his instinct for delicate, nuanced, and emotive compositions. During this period through releases like A Serpentine Walk, Trapped, and The Standing Stones EP, Gavin’s sound evolved from folk-tinged atmospherics, to the experimental sci-fi electronics of his next incarnation, The Metamorph. I must give a big shout for Logan 5’s 2011 album “Memories of the Space​-​Age” which is a delightful trip through retro-futuristic tales tethered together by narrative-driven samples and atmospherics. Explore this back catalogue, you will love it. 

As The Metamorph, Gavin continues to explore themes of science fiction evoking flickering screens, humming oscillators and songs from distant radios. Gavin more often resembles a scientist or technician experimenting in his laboratory than an electronic musician composing music; it’s like we are invited into his world of the weird, the strange and the unnatural and he presents before us the results of his experiments.

Delve into 2020’s Mechanismo to hear what can only be EVP sessions pulled from the ether at 3am or the strange and liminal Cassini Division to find the unreal. 2021’s Red Tape is so immersive that headphones are essential to fully realise the enveloping and cerebral trip Gavin weaves for us, expertly using nostalgia, déjà vu, and other forms of the familiar to unlock our dreams and memories and soundtrack inner monologues. 

The Metamorph’s release via Werra Foxma is one of pastoral spookiness evoking the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and library music. His sound is one of warped tape saturation and machine hum. There are ambient echoes of transformer coils and the static charge of a post-storm downpour. ‘The Man on the 99th Floor’ is like your favourite mad scientist episode of The Avengers, there are hints of fiendish experiments and the warping of nature. Spectral synth tones haunt each track as if filtered through demonic EVP sessions and flickering monochrome. 

Gavin expertly layers disjointed loops, samples and detuned analogue synthesisers to create a collage of nostalgia, futurism and Ballardian dystopia.  

“‘The Man on the 99th Floor’ is a very minimalist, brutalist recording.” Says Gavin about the new release, “No piano sounds or heavily textured layers – I have worked within a relatively small sound palette, almost as an exercise in sonic discipline, but I have refined my style and sound to a new level I think. I am extremely fortunate to have the legendary Scanner/Robin Rimbaud playing guitar on three of the tracks! Robin did the most amazing work and captured the spirit of what I was trying to achieve effortlessly.”  

You can hear the influences coming through on ‘The Man on the 99th Floor’; Vangelis is an obvious one but I can also detect Pye Corner Audio, Jean-Michel Jarre, and Tangerine Dream.

To complete the whole experience the artwork for the album is similarly atmospheric and mysterious, “The sleeve artwork is by another very talented friend, KARBORN aka John Leigh, whose works fill my home”, says Gavin, “and who kindly agreed to let me use his piece ‘Europe Ozymandias’ for the front cover. John’s incredible works in conjunction with his father, John Foxx, are also astonishing in their beauty and originality.” 

So, with an unerring ear for melody and production, ‘The Man on the 99th Floor’ ranges across pastoral tranquillity, cosmic spookiness and indeterminate hints of  the unknowable leaving us as the listeners wanting to hear more, to explore more of this world The Metamorph has created and to unlock the coda of what is a very special album. 

Gavin very kindly answered some questions, giving us a fascinating insight into the man and his music. 

Hello Gavin, thanks for chatting with us. By way of introduction, could you tell us a little about yourself?  

Hello, it is a pleasure to be here!  

I live in Harlech, North West Wales, with my architect partner Chris and our three hens. My Neon Nebula Studio, which Chris and I designed together, is located within our home. 

I played the piano from about 5 years old then studied electronic music, photography and video at art college. 

I bought my first synth in 1982 and have created solo electronic music on and off ever since. 

What is your earliest musical memory and what did you grow up listening to? 

My father played the piano very well at home, so that was my first exposure to music.  I had piano lessons from an early age, then studied oboe and percussion. Later my elder brother’s copy of Jarre‘s Oxygene totally amazed me and started a fascination with electronic music. 

What got you into creating electronic music? Do you remember your first piece of gear? 

I received a Casio VL-1 for Christmas in 1981 and played along to Open your Heart by The Human League but saved my paper round money to buy a second hand Jen SX1000 mono synth in 1982.  Along with a cheap Tandy reverb unit and later a SpecDrum for my ZX Spectrum, I thought I was all set for pop stardom! 

Where do you tend to draw your inspiration from, both musical and non-musical? 

My inspiration comes from many musical sources, including contemporary electronica but also of course classic synth pop from the early 80s and before that Jarre and Vangelis. My taste has always veered to the more experimental and unusual, so artists such as The Loved One, early Cabaret Voltaire, early 80s Bill Nelson, Scanner, Andrew Poppy  and The Future have all played a big part.

Aside from music, architecture and design and literature are my biggest constant inspirations. My new album is full of sonic tributes to JG Ballard, IM Pei and even Vangelis‘ Nemo Studio.

Do you have a favourite time of day or night to write/record? 

I seem to be most productive in the afternoon or early evening. Any chores or non-musical work tends to be completed by midday, so I am generally free after that. Night time is particularly atmospheric in my studio due to the lighting effects! 

Does your live setup differ significantly to your studio setup and if so, how? 

I do not currently perform live as The Metamorph, but last year I was invited to join my favourite rock band, The Mighty Wah! and completed a 2 week sold out tour of the UK with them, playing synths. I took 4 synths and a controller keyboard, plus sub mixer and effects unit. It was a tremendous experience and I will be eternally grateful to Pete Wylie for asking me to join the band and come along. 

My studio set-up is quite large-all hardware synths and machines, no computers or software recording. It is all wired up together so moving things about is a bit of a faff, but that rarely happens! 

Do you tend to compose quickly or do you spend hours tweaking and finessing your tunes? 

I think about the work extensively and mentally plan in advance, making notes and occasionally soundbites, but when I come to execute the idea into something tangible I work extremely quickly. Mostly first takes, predominantly live performances in the studio with occasional overdubs. I like to keep things fresh and as natural as possible. As I record to a 32 track digital recorder, once I have mixed and mastered the track within that device it is then ready for uploading to a computer for distribution. 

Which medium(s) do you think suits your music best; vinyl, CD, tape, digital or other (8 track, wax cylinder, Isolinear optical chips….)? 

I really like both vinyl and cd, for different reasons. Nothing beats the ‘experience’ of selecting, opening and playing an LP, with its larger scale artwork. However, I really appreciate the quality and reliability of CDs. I also still buy and listen to cassettes – my last full length album Red Tape came out on cassette. 

What are you listening to at the moment? Who should we be checking out? 

The artists I listen to most regularly include Harold Budd, Scanner, Andrew Poppy, Roger Eno and David Sylvian – most of whom continue to produce superb new work. Electronic favourites include Gribbles, Kosmicher Laufer, Mike Dickinson, The Loved One, Cholly and John Maus. 

What are you currently reading? 

‘Listening to the Music the Machines make’ by Richard Evans, ‘I’ve seen the future and I’m not going’ by Peter McGough and various books about architecture and design. 

Describe your music in three words. 

Ballardian, Futurist, Sci-Fi 

What’s your favourite sound? 

The sound that my hens make when they are talking to me. 

In music terms, my Arturia Microfreak amazes me every time I turn it on. 

Finally, if you could make music history, how would you do it? 

Intriguing question! 

For my own personal ambition, it would be to facilitate Andrew Poppy and Scanner making an album together and/or performing live together – that has been my dream for many years! I would be on the sidelines of course. 

Otherwise, in a parallel dimension it would be lovely to create an artistically AND commercially successful work which artists whom I admire lavish praise upon! Ha Ha. 

Thank you Gavin 

Thanks so much Michael