Bitchin Bajas

The solo project of Cooper Crane, guitarist/organist of krautrock outfit Cave, relies heavily on meditative keyboard swells crafted from analogue synths and organ tones. You can easily get cuddled up in his ambient drones and snooze your way through the aural bliss. We asked Cooper about his dreams and nightmares. Zappa’s music clearly belongs to the latter.

Multiple choice questions sent by email by Brenda Bosma. 
Photos shot in Chicago by Bryan Lear.

1. If you describe what your music is particularly good for (for example, listening to Zappa’s Hot Rats is great for doing the dishes with a smile), what would it be?

a) Letting everything get covered in dust and watching the birds on the wallpaper fly away.
b) Collective kumbayah-ing around a crackling campfire.
c) Other, namely: Hopefully people aren’t trying to sync up Zappa with Bajas while washing dishes, you might need a helper to control all of that. I wonder if Zappa’s Hot Rats would be the ideal record to mash with us Bitches? Finding your zone would be supreme bliss for everyone we’re sure.

2. What’s your worst nightmare?

a) Our Cave singer, called Rotten Milk, spilling milk all over my vintage equipment and not recording the sound that’s coming out of it.
b) To get lost in a perpetual labyrinth of krautrock rhythm and not finding the fade-out button. Although that could also be eternal bliss, come to think of it.
c) Other, namely: People trying to sync up Zappa and Bitchin Bajas while washing dishes… alone.

3. Do your dreams have, like, a meaning?

a) No, when I dream of Michael Stipe in my REM sleep I do not necessarily want to hurt anyone.
b) Yes, for instance when I dreamed about that baja that was bitching.
c) Other, namely: The ones where I’m a detective in a Law and Order dream episode sure do.

4. If dreams come true, what would be a pure untruth?

a) That having a solo project frees you of awful smells in the tour van.
b) That having vintage analogue equipment is not all hosanna.
c) Other, namely: HEAVEN.

Bitchin Bajas play on 30 March in De Nieuwe Anita in Amsterdam. The show is free for Subbacultcha! members.