a2b2-zine-roundy-rev14-PRINt-NOTRIM

Q+A with
Andy Morin
by Christian Oldham
Andy Morin (born May 16, 1986) is an American producer, engineer
and musician. He first gained attention as the co-producer and keyboardist for
experimental hip-hop group Death Grips, formed in 2010. He currently resides in Los
Angeles, California.
Christian 光 雲 Alborz Megazord Oldham (born May 4, 1992) is an educator,
writer, artist, and third-level freestyle Ryusei-ha ikebana sensei. They are disciple and
archivist to the Headmaster’s Advisory Instructor of the Ryusei-ha, Kosen Ohtsubo.
Their work is concerned with the privatization and stratification of knowledge and
the politics surrounding production and re-production. Their practice actively seeks
to counteract apathy, insensitivity, laziness, and indifference. They currently work
between the USA, Germany, and Japan. <christianalborzoldham@gmail.com>
Megazord: So, what is A2B2?
Andy: A2B2 is an alternative creative community of musicians, gamers, artists, and
technophiles. This is from Google’s perspective. It’s also an outlet where I develop
and release some of my work.
Megazord: Where does the name A2B2 come from?
Andy: It’s my old chat handle from 1999 when I was thirteen years old - @a2b2 on DalNET.
There I was into bots, scripting, DCC, constantly trying to cyber, 16/m/ca.. etc.
Lots of that and ICQ. Around 2004, it became my personal web server, a2b2.org. I
used it as a file dump, to post my digital art and music, and experiment with new
tech/scripts... I would make floating interactive GIFs and puzzles where files would
only be visible if you set your computer’s clock to a certain year, for example.
All kinds of stuff. Early on, I realized people were always trying to break in, so
I would hide messages in the source code. Usually “fuck you,” etc. Sometimes I was
hosting things for friends.
Megazord: Did anyone succeed breaking into the site?
Andy: A few times, yes. Once a particular music track from my file server got leaked that
was never intended to be released. Unfortunately, anyone listening to that version
is getting a sad mess, missing all of the instrumentation, a shell of the complete
version. Nobody’s heard it the proper way.
Megazord: So you were posting your personal art on the site. What happened next?
Andy: In 2009, I designed a yellow and black logo and used A2B2 as the official name of my
recording studio and music publishing. I then had a friend screenprint it on a vinyl
window cling. For some reason, after I left that building the sign stayed up. As far
as I know, it’s still there in the window on the corner. I understand it’s become a
bit of a pilgrimage site.
Megazord: The vision appears to have evolved significantly since 2009.
Andy: Yeah, I always knew I wanted to make it a site where people could create accounts
and post content. The model for this was spaceghetto.sg, a cursed place that no
longer exists where I saw many of the most glorious and worst things I’ve ever seen
on the internet. So, now we have something like that, with a bit more visual art,
and a lot less gore.
Megazord: How did you build the current version of the site?
Andy: The current form of the site began when I got an ominous email from someone
called “TempleTerry” who told me he had broken into my server, and detailed the
numerous security vulnerabilities that existed. I can code, but I don’t know shit
about servers. So it was totally configured all wrong. I immediately decided the
only way to deal with the situation was to ask him to work for me. Luckily, he
accepted and we then worked together non-stop for about two months to build the raw
infrastructure for the site. He also set up the official Discord and helped assemble
the first iteration of the A2B2 Marketing Team.
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Q+A with Andy Morin