Joining the Dots with Mark Churcher of V-Neck

Mark Churcher discusses the musical foundations of V-Neck and his A Nice Random Meet LP, plus Glasgow connections and the return of Emote

As half of V-Neck (alongside Doug Martin), Mark Churcher was responsible for some vital 1990s excursions through abstract techno and ambient, informed as much by dub and global sounds as acid house culture. Not easily pigeonholed, the future-reaching V-Neck and their Emote record label were somewhat overlooked back in the day, although the work has always had its champions, including Optimo and Aphex Twin. Thankfully Churcher has resuscitated Emote in recent times, with the V-Neck back catalogue and unearthed archival material sounding of the moment rather than from the past.

But Emote isn’t only about digging through the vaults, a point convincingly illustrated by Mark Churcher’s A Nice Random Meet album, which is an inspired realisation of his timeless, genre-defying sound. It therefore seemed natural to invite Mark to take part in our Joining the Dots series, where we endeavour to find out more about an artist through the music that has impacted them and the journey of their own work.

What was your initiation into electronic music – was there a moment, record or event that pulled you into that world?  

I didn’t have a hippy parent or older sibling to give me a head start with a crazy record collection unfortunately. I got into electronic music through the rave scene basically. That was kind of unavoidable in the UK as a 16-year-old leaving school in 1990. 

A definitive moment for me was when I first heard “G-Force” by X-101. At this time, I had never heard techno, or any style of music for that matter, so warped and obscure. It was a game changer. What was also very interesting about that track for me was also what it didn’t do.  

From that moment on I felt compelled to try and find the roots of and the most obscure form of any genre of music not just electronic music. 

Are there any records that you repeatedly return to for inspiration?

To mention a few – Herbie Hancock Sextant, African Head Charge Drastic Season, Brian Eno Apollo. All the early Sahko Recordings. The various artists Virtualsex LP. Aphex Twin Selected Ambient Works Volume 2. 

Do you get more inspired by, say, a dub or jazz record rather than something along the techno continuum?

Sometimes, I find it’s best to listen to something far removed from what I am trying to create. I love easy listening. I’m a big fan of 60s French Pop. Moog records are also a favourite as well as funk, namely Parliament. 

Where do you draw inspiration from outside of music?

For me, inspiration can come from anywhere and nowhere but what is important for me is to be in a good head space. 

Working as a psychiatric nurse I’m always advising distraction, whatever that might be. Exercise, TV, doing that DIY job you have been putting off. Anything that engages the brain basically. 

Being creative is my therapy. Looking back, I’m not sure how I went so long without it, I was on a bit of a slippery slope relying on the pub to deal with a very challenging job. 

The name of your label Emote seems to offer much more appropriate terminology than the questionable use of “intelligent” (as in IDM) back in the day. Was this intentional?

No, you have lost me here I’m afraid, nothing that deep. I could make something up if you like.

Do you feel V-Neck were too far ahead of the times in the 1990s? A concoction of dub, techno and ambient with global flavours seems much more acceptable now.

Interesting question and good that what you are describing still isn’t easily defined.

I know Aphex Twin thought it was good for its time. But there was also a lot of more experimental music around then which evolved and gained popularity quickly. That didn’t happen to V-Neck. I guess a more easily defined genre is more accessible to pigeonhole and popularise. 

We got some good press with The Wire at the time and sat alongside the likes of Adrian Sherwood and Zoviet France on compilation albums. It seemed we were doing everything right, but this certainly did not transcend down to increased record sales or gigs. 

I guess we were just not one thing or the other and stumbled upon an untapped field. 

Short answer, ahead of its time? Definitely not! Maybe a little bit.

Who do you view as your contemporaries – then and now?

I run a mile with comparing myself to other people. I always think other people’s music is far better than mine. The V-Neck Auto EP reissue was reviewed as being akin to the Black Dog album Spanners. Mick Clark (Iron Blu) from the early synth band Naked Lunch compared the latest album to Cabaret Voltaire.

I’m more than happy for people to compare my new music to old bands.

There have been some great archival releases lately that recontextualise ambient music, with La Ola Interior: Spanish Ambient and Acid Exoticism 1983-1990 (Bongo Joe) and Virtual Dreams: Ambient Explorations in the House & Techno Age 1993-1997 (Music from Memory) being particularly powerful statements. Whereas I find a lot of contemporary ambient seems to miss the mark. Do you feel any connection to the more open genre it used to be?

OMG these two records! Still have them on my 1210s right now. Great you have mentioned!

They are both just oozing ambient experimental innocence, I love em.  

As said earlier, I love to find the roots and obscurities of any genre of music. There is nothing more satisfying than finding a band that predates other bands of that same genre and they are better. 

Short answer, yes, I have a massive connection. 

Optimo are V-Neck fans. Is the feeling mutual? It would seem a natural fit.

Yes totally. The Optimo NTS radio show is really eclectic. John Peel style, it’s right up my street. I was most chuffed to learn they liked the Emote stuff first time round. They deserve all the credit they have achieved. My friends Clara and Irish Mel in Brighton know them well from Glasgow which is kinda random. 

Emote is also distributed by Glasgow based Rubadub. Glasgow keeps popping up with random connections. 

How did the return of Emote happen?  

I had a huge hiatus from writing and listing to new music after parting ways with Doug Martin (one half of V-Neck and Emote) in 1999. Looking back, we had both fell out with music and our relationship was very strained. 

Many years later and after retraining as a psychiatric nurse I moved to Brighton from Portsmouth in 2015. I knew very few people in Brighton. Looking back, it was a bit of a mid-life crisis. I promptly went full circle and started re-living my youth. 

I started writing music again and started the acid house label Chicago Bee. I have a long-standing love affair with acid house.

I then started getting quite regular emails enquiring about if I had ever thought about reissuing Emote records and how they still sounded very current today. 

So, I took a punt and re-issued the V-Neck Auto EP. It did fantastically. 

The rest is history. I honestly had no idea about the current music scene for both labels. No market research was done. 

I should also mention Doug again if I can. I have tried tirelessly to track him down. He used to collaborate with Improv artist Douglas Benford as well back then. He also had no leads on his whereabouts. 

It’s tragic that he actually has no idea about the spike in popularity of V-Neck and Emote again. 

Do you feel that A Nice Random Meet provides links to your past while forging paths into the future?

I like to think so. I feel the record incorporates all the elements of the Emote releases. From abstract techno to tribal electronica to ambient soundscapes. With the latter paving the way to the future for me. I’m very into abstract soundscapes at the moment. 

What do you hope listeners take away from hearing the record?

Another interesting question. I hadn’t really considered this much as I made it for myself primarily. 

Hopefully people will consider it to be a worthy and natural continuation from V-Neck. 

What’s next for Emote?

A cassette release from Electronic Sound Pictures who are an outsider sound art band. 

Also, I really liked the video Midierror did for for the track “Poi Poi Poi” (second track on the album).

So, look out for some more ambient video art collaborations.  

We’ve been forced to stay at home this past year, but what has that meant for the production of music intended as home listening? Have you been making more music?

It has been business as usual. I have been keeping myself busy and it has not affected/influenced the end product for me really.  

Practically and because of lockdown I had to take the same approach as some of the old jazz improvisors like Derek Bailey and Han Bennink who used to post each other solo jams overseas so the other could improvise to it by playing back the tape. 

I did this with Alister Willis (The Vitamin B12) who played saxophone on 3 of the tracks on the album. He only lives round the corner. 

I sent him the ambient soundscapes for him to play along to with headphones. He then sent the solos back for me to stitch together. I think it worked really well. 

No post required, WAVs and email these days.

Is there any difference to making downtempo music when post-club isn’t a currently available state?

Not for me personally as I’m often very much in my own bubble.  

What record do you most want to hear playing in the back room of a club when that’s possible again?

A Nice Random Meet, it has to be, I’ve not heard it on a big system yet.

Get Mark Churcher’s A Nice Random Meet from Emote’s Bandcamp

Main photo credit: Jo Thorne