PK. Este es el produztó, eh, que noj produjo, eh, a la Nerea y al Josu.

Paul Kendall (PK as he is more readily known) served his musical apprenticeship in a variety of bands where he covered every style from blues and rock through to free jazz. It was however during a year at university where he was supposed to be studying for a maths degree, that he became interested in electronic music. In 1984 he was introduced to Daniel Miller, head of the then relatively young MUTE Records. He subsequently ended up working for Daniel and MUTE for the next 11 years. Arbiter's Bryan Borcherds and Evan Bergara find out more about the man...

You have worked with so many bands; Goldfrapp, Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode, Erasure, The Jesus and Mary Chain, the list is endless, how do you approach each project as each band is so different?

"The most important attitude to have when approaching any project is: "What am I about to learn?". I rarely enter a project with preconceptions, just try to spot other possible avenues to pursue with the artist. You know when you are correct when you start to visualize the sound (if you can't see it don't record it, Flood circa 1990!). Regarding specific artists, Trent Reznor was like a hurricane, as was Keith le Blanc, there was an urgency of creation that opened my eyes and ears. You learn to optimise the flow when the creation rears its head; the studio was a large instrument."

How did you first meet up with Depeche Mode? You even did a remix for them.

"I was working for Mute and was by default naturally involved in some aspects of recording. I did some remixes but mainly worked with Alan Wilder on his 'Liquid' album. Oh yes, I played the harmonica on 'Personal Jesus', and did some dub passes for 'Songs of Faith and Devotion'."

You've worked with producer Flood (Smashing Pumpkins, NIN, Depeche Mode), as well as the likes of Steve Lyon and Mark Stent, was it easy to integrate into a production team and assume your role?

"During a period I did work a lot with Flood on various Mute projects. Watch, learn, and know when it is right to open your mouth."

You are a big fan of Arturia's software synthesizers, how do you feel about them having used all the classic synths yourself?

"Performance is the essential element that makes music touch the nerves. My initial exposure to soft synths was one of skepticism as the element of performance/accident is less possible. Real knobs and buttons respond more fluidly than their virtual brothers. If you accept this restriction then you can start having fun with soft synths. I've used the Arturia Moog Modular V and get a huge buzz from jamming the beast into a sequencer to chop up later. It has the bass that makes me nostalgic!

Obviously the power of the soft to emulate the original is of paramount importance to most and my Arturia Moog Modular V and Arturia CS-80V do pretty much what it says on the box. For me it is another instrument/sound source with its own characteristics and adds more colours to the palette.

Sometimes I have to sit down and pinch myself - in my first band we had a plywood box with an oscillator and a fuzz pedal and that was the extent of available 'homemade' technology, but for us it was cutting edge! I could not have dreamt back in 69, the power in my Power Book of today. Finally everyone is able to express his or her creativity and imagination, music has become more egalitarian, if a little bland. However a factor that was not possible with the original synths is the ability to start with other user's patches, this can allow the workflow to speed up considerably."

Having your laptop at MUTE's Worldwide Studio, it must be so useful to load up, say the Arturia ARP2600V, and say to the artist, 'Here, use this'.

"Generally it is liberating to have an arsenal of soft synths at one's disposal. Being a Gooner and adopted Parisian I have nothing but praise for Arturia. I never used the original CS80, it was totally out of my sphere, but at Mute it was a real education watching Daniel programme the ARP and Moog."

Goldfrapp's 'Black Cherry' tour was a major success, tell us about your involvement with them.

"I was around Mute when the Felt Mountain demos were circulating and adored them as they had a Chanson/ Liede feel about them, right up my cul-de-sac. I was starting to work a lot in France at this period and paying particular attention to the voice. I would love to have contributed some small trinkets to Alison's voice on that album. A couple of years later I mixed a recording of Goldfrapp live which led onto mixing a number of later live gigs."

Although they are now a part of the EMI Group, MUTE has a fine list of artists, what's it like to be involved with the MUTE team?

"Hmm, the Mute story, a veritable roller coaster of change and progress. I feel very fortunate to have spent 12 years of my life working for Daniel. Personally the most sublime period was the rapid expansion of Mute with the associated labels (Blast First, Rhythm King, Product Inc). Under this umbrella there was Sonic Youth, Big Black, S-Express, Bomb the Bass, Swans, Young Gods floating through the corridors rubbing shoulders with Depeche, Nick Cave and Wire. Hell, 5 years before I was working in a bank!"

You also have your own project and label, tell us more.

"I had an experimental label through Mute, 'Parallel Series' with the idea to cross-fertilize some of the rigour and composition of 'classical' electro-acoustic music with a bit of feeling and dirt from 'rock' electronic music. Seemed a good idea and we released 4 albums which did ok.

Circumstances changed and the label slept. After moving to Paris I awoke the label to release an album called 'Capture' under the name of 'The Digital Intervention'.

The project developed after a chance meeting with a young French singer/actress, Olivia Louvel. Her formidable voice brought a superb contrast to my bleak electronic wastelands. I was forced to focus on my own music as she has a fine eye for visual detail.

The project has evolved into two streams now with Olivia writing her own songs, check her web-site for illumination: www.olivialouvel.com. Piquet (my artist pseudonym) is threatening to release a new noise fest when certain musical contributions have arrived."

What else is in the pipeline?

"I have just finished a project in France working alongside a young French engineer producer, David Husser, and together we are planning sonic assaults."