By Jeremy S. Grites
Existing either somewhere between or outside the known three dimensions lives the 4D Man. Does this precarious environment make him a physical being (i.e. human) or a collection of audio frequencies? Humanoid Jeremey S. Grites, Esq., pondered this question as he spoke with the sole entity that comprises the 4D Man. Due to the interdimensional status of the 4D Man, this interview was conducted through the only earthly being capable of decoding the 4D Man’s language, Ken Holewczynski.
JSG: Where indeed does the 4D Man come from, and where does he now reside?
The 4D Man: Given the instability of the fourth dimension and a desire to more fully communicate, I have left my home portal and have taken up residence in a physical state somewhere between Roswell, Arizona, and Birmingham, Alabama. The exact location can be decoded by absorbing my audio output. Minute DNA particles are intertwined in the recordings for both your listening pleasure and your hopeful intrigue. This environment creates the perfect space to broadcast my transmissions for human consumption.
JSG: What are your motives or mission? Have you been sent here to investigate or infiltrate? Or was it one of those cosmic accidents that led you to our not-so-humble and rather hostile world?
The 4D Man: Motives are moot, although intent is purposeful. Humans can both be creative or stuck in a Möbius strip rut. I have chosen the language of surf music as a vehicle for my explorations. With this choice made, it occurred to me that the use of the traditional earthly instruments to create such sounds required an update in the operating systems to achieve a language that combines both yours and mine. A series of happy cosmic accidents have occurred over my lifespan, bringing me to this point. The combining of disparate elements as surf tones and chord structures work surprisingly well with electro-frequencies and rhythmic beats.
JSG: Are you man or machine or a combination of both? A gelatinous mass of ectoplasm perhaps? Or are you an idea spawned from space dust?
The 4D Man: An interesting set of queries. Appearances would suggest humanoid, although audio recordings suggest a machine-based being. You are astute in that I am gelatinous ectoplasm-based. Thank you for noticing and I’m flattered. Everyone from the fourth dimension knows that all great ideas derive from space dust so I’m surprised you’re hip to that as well. Maybe there is hope for humankind yet.
JSG: Does The 4D Man have influences based on our planet? Are you acting solely on instinct?
The 4D Man: As humans have been broadcasting signals into the stratosphere for decades now, influences from Earth are plentiful. Intelligent beings such as DEVO, Kraftwerk, Dick Dale, Man or Astro Man?, Depeche Mode, Ploho, Bob Newhart, and others have been combined into my language. Audio styles beyond surf include garage rock, industrial, and other electronic emissions.
As I have existed in the 4th dimension for many years, I have attempted to decipher these influences and understand a way to mix them. I have decided to take these sounds to create my own language derivative of these influences. At this point, I am working entirely in an organic fashion, and songs develop as ideas get recorded, re-recorded, analyzed, saved, or discarded.
Being in an alternate dimension unfortunately does not allow much interaction with others, but the release that is part of this magazine with The Other Timelines is the first of hopefully many combined musical explorations. The Other Timelines exhibit a similar re-examining of surf and instrumental music.
JSG: What are his weapons of choice, if any? What technology is he using, and would we be familiar with it or is it light years ahead? Are you reclaiming our terrestrial junk and reforming it? The people want to know.
The 4D Man: One man’s terrestrial junk is another being’s terrestrial treasure. My technology includes two Roland drum machines - a TR-06 and a TR-08, a Roland Master controller - MC 707, a Roland SH 4D and JX-08 synth modules, a Roland TB-03 bass synth. Apparently, Roland has established a mind meld with me.
Additionally, I have a Hallmark Swept Wing, a Hallmark MoAM? Edition Custom 65, and a Phantomworks Vox-style Phantom run through some stomp boxes and routed into a VOX VT100x.
The Swept Wing is my axe of choice, which made its way to me via this very interviewer, although he has no recollection of this exchange as it happened in another time/space continuum. Such is the ways of the universe. We can either thank or blame him for my musical output, depending on your musical tastes.
I believe these instruments allow me to program and compose tracks with my previous skills in electronic music and combine it with the surf influences I have come to appreciate. Of course, as we move quickly in the 4th dimension, my works are fast, and people here on my Earth might consider my songs somewhat “punk,” as you call it.
JSG: What are his goals during your time here on Earth? World domination or possibly fame and wealth? None of the above? All of the above?
The 4D Man: I seek no other goals other than the satisfaction of creating. World domination is the playground of the lesser intelligent, while those of higher learning know the world isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
JSG: What does he do to relax in his new dimension? Does he have comrades? Does he walk among us? How will we know when we see him?
The 4D Man: Idle appendages are the unimaginative mind’s workshop. Although I do relax by traveling on Earth and making rum cocktails. I am often mistaken for my human counterpart, Ken Holewczynski. We are brothers of another motherland.
JSG: Is he planning on staying in our galaxy and putting down robotic roots? Or are we just a pitstop on his way through the solar system?
The 4D Man: Given the difficulty of interdimensional travel, and the fact that I have been here for quite some time, I have made this galaxy my permanent home. Besides, I’d have way too much packing to do to visit another dimension. I hate packing.
If I do ever decide to leave, you’ll know it by a deafening silence.
JSG: What would be the one sentiment he would like to convey to our general population?
The 4D Man: DEVO put it best by saying “Today’s noise is tomorrow’s hootenanny.”