In this, the first of the AHAMKARA interview series, We talk to Sean Malone, probably the most active ex-member of the band about the past, the present and the future.

We start by looking at Sean's career with Cynic.

First lets start by talking about how you came to know the Cynic guys, and how your involvement came about with Focus?

I was working at Morrisound Studios when it came time for Cynic to come and record. I was an assistant at the studio; a part-time job I had while I was going to school. I had done some recording at Morrisound and other local studios for a few years prior to working there; I was trying to record with as many people as I could, in order to get a musical exposure that was as diverse as possible. To me, there is a different perspective when it comes to recording on others' work versus recording your own - though it was not likely that I would ever write the kind of music that was associated most of these sessions, I jumped at the chance to play on them; to try and absorb the style and to make a living as well.

After getting to know Sean, Paul and Jason better, we discovered that we had a lot of musical influences in common. Hearing them record their songs bit by bit, it became apparent to me that this was not just another metal project, that it was something very different and exciting. During that time, I played for them a demo of some fusion material that I had just finished, to share with them the musical direction I was coming from. As one thing lead to another with the bass player they were working with, Scott Burns recommended me for the job. I think it was a combination of Scott's recommendation and the time we spent together talking music.

What was your approach to putting down the bass work for the album? Were the rest of the band open to your ideas? Were the bass lines already written or did you formulate them completely from scratch?

I took the same approach that I use today when coming up with bass parts. When you are asked by someone to play on their music, the most important thing is to find out, as best you can, what they are looking for. Some people will be very specific, others will let you do what you want. I wasn't sure what they were looking for, and the indication from them was for me to come up with something and they'll let me know if they like it or not. I think they were apprehensive at first, mainly because of the deadlines and problems associated with getting this CD finished -- I think they just wanted it to get finished without further delays.

I sat down with Paul and we went over most of the guitar parts. What I didn't transcribe then, I transcribed from a Drum and Guitar tape that Scott gave me. Then, I just started working on it -- with a 2 week deadline, compounded by work and school. So, I just listened to the tape for 3 days, trying to get a feel for the sections. I usually sing and hum lines to the tape as a means of hashing out bass line ideas. After that I started coming up with parts and putting them on a 4 track, occasionally calling Paul in Miami and playing stuff over the phone.

Were there any other bass players considered for the album apart from yourself? (Chris kringle?)

I'm not exactly clear on the history to that point. From what I recall, Chris came and auditioned for the band prior to Darren McFarland joining, who was the person I replaced on the CD. As far as considering other people at the time, I'm not sure.

How long did the recording take in total? and how did the band feel about the finished product. the feeling at that time in the underground scene was one of expecting a fast death metal album, did the band specifically go out to surprise people with the new approach?

I think the entire record was spread out over 4 weeks or so. There were a couple of interruptions, including the time afforded for me to work on bass parts. The mixing, however, was done in 2 days. There was a session booked in the studio that messed up the Cynic schedule. We couldn't even take one day off to correct since the deadlines were so brutal, so the clock got flipped around and we were recording and mixing on sessions that started at 6 pm and ended at 10 am. That was hard on everybody. There was a 2 week stretch I think that Scott didn't even go home! He stayed at the hotel with the guys to maximize the time he had to spend on the project. He is one of the most hardworking and sincere people I've ever met.

Can you explain how the stick came to be used on the record and how you approached fitting it into the music.

I told them that I played Stick, and since we all loved King Crimson, we all wanted to get it on the record somehow. Textures seemed the obvious choice since it was the least riffy song. They didn't like the bass sound at first; a little too thin. But once we got the sound we wanted, everything sounded good after that. In the live shows, I used it on Sentiment as well. That's really the only big thing that I would change about the CD - I wish that I had recorded Stick on Sentiment.

You took part in both American and European tours with cynic. how did those shows go? what were the high and low points of those gigs?

The shows went very well for the most part. I think we played well on the whole, but there were a few that were a little lack-lustre. But with so many shows to do that's bound to happen. The most important thing I learned about that was, after you have an amazing night -- and I mean everything goes perfect an the crowd is really into it -- that you usually have only one direction to go the next night; down. It's impossible to keep up that kind of intensity night after night. It's not a matter of fatigue or interest, it's just that something so emotionally draining takes a toll, and it sometimes takes a few days to get it back.

The amazing thing about the post-focus live shows is how faithfully the sound of the album was reproduced. how was this achieved so accurately? did the songs change and grow on tour as you became more comfortable with them?

We rehearsed the material enough to make sure that the songs could be reproduced as accurately as possible. The songs did evolve a little bit - in everybody's parts. Sean and I were definitely exploring each night, pushing it further and further. It was an unspoken thing, we were getting a feel for each other's playing style, and there were some nights that we were reading each other's minds. Of course, some nights where we went a little too far.

You seem to have forged a good playing partnership with Sean reinert, what is it you like about his playing in particular? and was there any discussion between you as to how to evolve the live show sound?

Sean is a great drummer, though what I admire most about him is the way he thinks about his parts. He's always trying to push himself and the music which is how it constantly evolves. It's that kind of approach that keeps everything new and fresh. He's always the first call I make for a session, no matter what kind of music it is.

Paul was seen by many as the figurehead of the band and received a lot of the press attention. To what extent did he 'lead' the band and decide it's image and sound?

That's hard for me to say really, since my connection with the band came after the songs were written. Once the CD was finished, there was no longer a question of musical direction. As far as image goes, I have always believed that music should come first, and any image that comes from that has to necessarily come after, and not before. Whatever Paul's personal agenda was (and we all have personal agendas) it didn't affect the things that I look for in playing music. Paul has his own interests and definitely wanted the band to be perceived in terms of those interests -- I don't know if that's what happened or not, since I think being concerned about image clouds the music. I think it's irresponsible to try and impose on your audience how you would like to be perceived really; bands that put image first generally do not last.

The philosophical aspect of the lyrics in focus was a radical departure from the demo days. Was this stance entirely initiated by Paul? how far do you go along with his ideas? do you have any personal religious or philosophical beliefs? and if so how do you apply them to your playing?

Paul wrote the lyrics for Focus, based on his Eastern philosophical influences. Whether or not I agree with them is really not important. Suffice it to say that I have a decidedly Western philosophical perspective. Myopia is inherent in a unilateral philosophical belief. The purpose of philosophy is to provide a means of living on Earth and to expand your knowledge of the universe around you. I believe that this understanding comes via the senses and reasoning, not by mysticism and irrationality. We know too much about the universe and how things work for there to be any room for ghosts, spirits, mysticism and the like. Ayn Rand has been a profound influence on me since age 12 when I first started investigating questions I had about religion. I spent a lot of time reading about the traditions of the East and was enamored by them. As time went by, mysticism was ultimately unable to answer the questions I had, and a reason-based philosophy provided the answers, or at least an epistemological understanding of how to reach them.

Jason seemed to be the least prominent member of the band, press-wise. How did you get along with him, and what would you say he gave to the band, both personally and creatively?

I think each member of the band brought a very important and unique aspect to the music. Jason is a great counterpart to Paul's playing - they complement each other's playing style. Jason always came up with the strange or very tasty compliment to Paul's chop-oriented playing and vice-versa.

On the US tour with cannibal corpse, how did the music go down when played to an audience that expected ultra-brutal death? where they receptive to the mellower parts? did you only play to that kind of crowd?

Usually, our fans would watch us when we played and we weren't bothered by the more heavy crowd, though once in a while they were looking for something heavier. We would open up with Veil and everyone would start moshing, and the funniest thing to watch was when the fist clean section would come. They tried so hard to keep it going. Eventually everyone would settle down and just watch.

What do you credit the following of the band to now, so long after its dissolution? are you surprised at the passion and enthusiasm people still have for those 8 songs and the way they were performed? what do you think is the special ingredient cynic had?

I don't know what makes Focus special to some and not to others. I tend to shy away from those kinds of questions since I am simply happy that people like it. The only bottom line that I think appeals to the kind of crowd that appreciated Focus (a crowd that usually expects more from music) shares the same desire we have to create something new, and to be challenged, rather than just accept the music that you are bombarded with each day on the radio.

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