Hey Matt! I'm glad that you agreed to do this interview.
First of all, could you tell us a bit about your work as an artist in general? I understand that what you do is not restricted to the making of music...
I have always had an interest in music, but my main professional pursuits are in the visual arts. I work with mixed media, combining illustration, photography, and design. I am available to create CD covers, logos, and websites for musicians. Some samples of my work are at CDCoverDesigns.com and at MattFrantz.com. I am also a teacher and tutor of art and technology.

As you know, INNENSEITEN.DE organized an 'audio-visual installation' of your probably most comprehensive work, "Graphic Verses". Have you "presented" any of your material yourself or witnessed a presentation? If yes, in what ways did the audience respond?
On a few occasions, work from "Graphic Verses" has been shown. During one group exhibition, I had a single image on a box with headphones. Most people at the exhibit didn't know who I was, so I was able to anonymously observe people's honest reactions and facial expressions. Some actually listened to it for a few minutes, but most responded as if being stung by a wasp.

Can you tell us more about your upcoming releases, "Twitching Laceration" and "The Last Signal"?
"Twitching Laceration" is a concept album about a wound that won't heal. It can be taken literally, but it is also a metaphor for any persistent problem. Imagine having a large cut on a part of your body. Now imagine the cut starting to form a scab and beginning the healing process. The wound twitches involuntarily, which causes the scab to break and the wound to rip open again, preventing healing from happening. After attempting different ways of treating the wound, only to make it worse, and praying for healing, the wound still twitches. What is the next course of action? The lyrics and sounds of the recording are based around this idea; about the pain that only God or death can take away.
"The Last Signal" is a sound collage compilation based upon what the ending of this world might sound like. Musicians and sound designers were asked to think of different ways the world could end; through violent war everyone knew was coming, the unexpected push of a button, environmental forces, or from an extraterrestrial or spiritual being's action. Two other challenges were to submit the most emotionally intense, chaotic, scary, mean, or enlightening 60 seconds of sound possible or to record a final message to the world; the one last thing that could be said before the end of all life on this planet.

Have there been a lot of entries for "The Last Signal"?
Yes. I have begun the process of sorting which ones to include, and I have over three hours of material to filter. I have received entries from the United States, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Greece, Italy, France, Australia, and perhaps a few other places I can't recall. I'm very grateful to all who submitted entries and helped to inform others about this.

How long does it usually take you to get a solo CD album like "Graphic Verses" or "A Place Where Time Has No Meaning" done?
"Graphic Verses" was written over a three year time period and took eight months to record. In contrast, "The Fluoxetine Effect" (audio only) was conceived and completed within a 10 day time period. "A Place Where Time Has No Meaning" was in progress for a few years. The time periods vary, and when projects continue over several months or years, it is only because my time is often divided among several projects at once.

Your newest release, "A Place Where Time Has No Meaning", is an instrumental CD, containing a 40 minute instrumental track. Where did you get the inspiration from?
The inspiration in this case was primarily a desire to experiment with layering sounds made with different instruments. The project was allowed to have a life of its own, as if an abstract sketch in a notebook where the pencil is allowed to go anywhere on the page just to see what happens. This is how individual sections of the 40 minute piece were made, which I then edited together. As a side note, the title of the CD and the 40 minute track is in reference to what happens when the right hemisphere of the brain becomes dominant due to the type of activity it is needed for. When doing creative tasks that the left side is not well suited for, the right side takes over, and because the right side isn't responsible for measuring time, many minutes or hours can pass without conscious awareness. That is the phenomenon I experienced when creating the sounds, and is hopefully an effect that can be experienced by listeners.

What inspires you as an artist, generally speaking?
Emotions. Sometimes works by others, sometimes current events from the outside world, but mostly feelings stirred by personal experiences, struggles, and desires.

Do you view yourself as involved in any "scene"?
No. I do collaborate with people, but it is usually on an individual or per project basis.

What kinds of music do you enjoy listening to?
I like rock, heavy metal, instrumental music of various kinds, folk, oldies, pop, classical, and many things in between. People are often surprised at what they find in my collection, especially if they expect to find mostly industrial music. I like to go to used music stores that have clearance sections and take chances on the strangest CDs I can find.

What do you like to read?
I don't like to read. It isn't that I don't like the transfer of thoughts, ideas, or stories. The problem is that I just don't like the tedious, time-consuming, physical process of keeping my eyes moving back and forth on the pages, holding the book, turning the pages, etc. Because of this, I generally read for information rather than entertainment. Books I'm currently reading are: "Synaptic Self" (about the relation between neurotransmitters and personality), "The Brain Chemistry Diet" (about the influence of food on emotion and brain functioning), "See You at the Top" (about realizing personal potential and staying motivated). I'm sure it will be a while before I finish them. For visual stimulation, I constantly get books from the library, mainly just for the pictures. "The Sacred Heart" is an amazing book of surgery photographs that I like to show people.

The bands and artists whose works we cover all come from a Christian background, and a lot of them seem to face difficulties with other Christians who misinterpret their art. Has anything similar ever happened to you?
Yes, but not in a major way. I could tell an interesting story, but I'd rather just say that I think the far bigger problem is people misinterpreting the words of the Bible. They understand that some of my work has dealt with hatred, lust, and depression, so their assessment of that much is correct. However, I believe they are mistaken to think that honest discussion of less than desirable feelings is somehow contrary to Christianity. I do not believe in the "see no evil" approach to life, because it is not possible. The Garden of Eden is not where we live, and the current condition is not one that will go away just by pretending it is not reality. When a doctor operates, he looks very carefully for any problems so they can be corrected. He is not condemned for being negative when searching for and analyzing what is detrimental. Why then would someone who believes in spiritual healing believe that spiritual blindness or denial is the way to correction?

Especially the US Christian music scene seems to have a problem with art that exists for its own sake, instead of serving as a mere tool. Where do you think these ideas come from, and how may they be conquered? (If you see things totally differently, you may also share your views with us.)
I think that if people do feel that way, it is because they view spreading the gospel as their responsibility. If they feel like that is the most important thing they should do, then any use of talent that doesn't further that is a distraction or sin. If their reasoning is based upon trying to serve a higher purpose, then I respect their commitment. But I do have a different way of viewing creativity and art. I believe that creative pursuits are needed for the development of humans in the same way that learning to walk is important. As for persuading others to share my belief on this topic, I would say that if the definition of God is the creator of the universe, and that God has made man in his image, then it only seems logical that we would have a natural creative impulse to nurture.

Have you ever been to Germany?
No, but I once owned a German car. I wish I still had it.

In the official "call for entries" for "The Last Signal", one suggestion for a starting point for contributing artists was the question, "What is your message to the world; the one last thing you could say before the end of all life on this planet?" What would be your own "last signal", if any?
I first started thinking about what my message to the world would be last year when I saw a performance. The performer was asking people what their message to the world would be. As I sat in the audience, the best I could come up with was "do unto others as you would have them do unto you", and I still haven't been able to think of anything better. Maybe there isn't a better message. However, I don't think that advice would be helpful at the end of the world because there would be no time to put the idea into practice. My current plan is to remain silent.

Interview by Patrick Maiwald; January 2004