Justin Sanvicens from Xtreme Music received responses to an e-mail interview with Finn Guttormsen on June 18, 2005.

Xtreme Music: When did Farmers Market first form and start producing music together?

Finn Guttormsen: Farmers Market started around October 1991, and the first concert was at a student festival in Trondheim, November 1991. We were all students at the Trondheim Jazz Conservatory. Håvard Lund, the first saxophone player, wanted a band with a different sound than what was usually around the Conservatory at the time. Double Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Accordion and Soprano Clarinet. Håvard had written a few tunes for this project and some of them had a "Eastern" influence with some odd meters. One tune that gave us a really hard time was in 11/8. While we cursed and worked at it, Stian brought in a Bulgarian folk tune, "Gankino Horo", that also was in 11/8. The idea was that the more tunes we worked at the easier it would be to get the rhythm. This was not the case at first! But this Bulgarian tune led to us to buying Ivo Papasov's "Balkanology" and that changed Farmers Market's direction.

Xtreme Music: Who are Farmers Market's main influences that have helped shape your musical direction?

Finn Guttormsen: The main influence in the beginning was Ivo Papasov and His Wedding Band. especially the record "Balkanology" which blew our minds when we first heard it. Every player in that band is amazing but it seems we always get back to the amazing drummer Salif Ali, who actually did some substitute gigs in Farmers (Mini-)Market for our drummer Jarle Vespestad. The driving force behind Ivo's great band is Salif, he has given us many a frustrating moment of "What the fuck is he doing?"

Xtreme Music: When was the most enjoyable experience in Farmers Market's music career?

Finn Guttormsen: There has been many enjoyable times with this band.. the first I guess was the concert at the Molde International Jazz Festival in 1994, that led to our first CD "Speed/Balkan/Boogie". A great thrill for us was when we got to play with Ivo Papasov at the MaiJazz Stavanger International Jazz Festival. I think that was around 1996 but I'm not sure. Playing with Michael Brecker at the Molde International Jazz Festival in 2003 was another cool moment! A moment we got to repeat at North Sea Jazz Festival the following year. Dancing with the beautiful girls at PB's bar in Tokyo, and touring california in Randy's mom's car.

Xtreme Music: How did you meet and start performing live with Estradasphere?

Finn Guttormsen: All thanks to The Great Randy Moore! He was a student in Los Angeles who simply mailed us and asked if we wanted to do some gigs in California. "Are you kidding.. the home of Van Halen!?" So Randy set it all up. Booked us with Estradasphere, drove the car, wrestled with the doormen, hooked Stian up with rabbit-food, got drunk with us, got sober with us.. without him there was no trip!

Xtreme Music: How has your live performances with Farmers Market been going and what has the crowd reaction been like?

Finn Guttormsen: The crowds usually behave quite nicely.. it's strange how many people actually love Bulgarian Wedding music! The last year we have cut down a bit on the longer tours and do more Guerilla trips. Two or four concerts and then a few weeks break. It seems to keep the band fresh and we're still loving the first soundcheck!

Xtreme Music: For those who enjoy Farmers Market's radical genre-shifting style, what other bands could you recommend?

Finn Guttormsen: To be honest I have no idea! Some say there is a particular Mr. Bungle record which we remind them of. We listen to all kinds of music. Plain and simple. Plus we like to mix it into what we are doing right now on stage. If we had to mention a pair of musicians who we can all agree on, it would have to be Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the creators of South Park. The way they can play with genres fits right into our tour bus CD player!

Xtreme Music: Please tell us about the writing processes involved in producing Farmers Market's original compositions.

Finn Guttormsen: Usually Stian has most of the themes, and we arrange what's left while we travel. In the bus, on the ferry, and at soundcheck.

Xtreme Music: Farmers Market's song medleys are incredible, including "Le Mysteres Des Guitares Grand Prix" and "Tails Of The Unexpected". How do you go about arranging these amazing compositions, and deciding which songs are chosen for these intricate medleys?

Finn Guttormsen: These medleys were created in tour buses. We would make up short medleys, usually only two or three tunes which we connected to surprise the rest of the band. We used to do this as a game while travelling.

Justin Sanvicens from Xtreme Music received responses to an e-mail interview with Iain Ballamy on July 7, 2005.

Xtreme Music: How did you first meet the Norwegian musician Stian Carstensen, and when did you start writing music together?

Iain Ballamy: We met on a gig with Django Bates in 1998 at the Royal Northern College Of Music in Manchester. We were in a sound check, and all the electronics went down, so to pass the time we went off together to a nice room backstage and began playing. We discovered we had a lot of repertoire in common, and also that the sound of tenor and accordion was an amazing blend. You could almost imagine them as one. That's how it started...

Xtreme Music: Please tell us about the collaborative writing processes involved in producing music for the "Pepper Street Interludes" and "The Little Radio".

Iain Ballamy: We don't write together, but as far as the arrangements go, they tend to evolve the more we play together.

Xtreme Music: Your latest album features creative covers of Erik Satie's "Ju Te Veux", Hanns Eisler's "An Den Kleinen Radioapparat", and John Bratton's "The Teddy Bear's Picnic". What can you tell us about the selection, composition, and performance of these great songs and more from "The Little Radio"?

Iain Ballamy: We were looking for tunes that we both knew, preferably not typical Jazz standards. Things that work well with the instrumentation. The sound of accordion is associated with many different places and eras. With "The Teddy Bear's Picnic" we were looking for something that could be described as quintessentially English, and "Surabaya Johnny" evokes a strong feeling of an older Germany. We wanted to do songs that people know but with our own take on them.

Xtreme Music: What can you tell us about the cover artwork and additional imagery included within this album?

Iain Ballamy: I think the cover has a homely fabric feeling about it, in contrast to the rather sinister three-piece teddy image on the inside! So an interesting juxtaposition you could say.

Xtreme Music: How have your live performances on the U.K. mini tour with Farmers Market been going, and what has the crowd reaction been like?

Iain Ballamy: Amazingly, whether playing here or abroard we have never had a duff gig or a poor audience reaction, so we must be doing something right!

Xtreme Music: Who would you say are your main influences that have helped shape your musical direction?

Iain Ballamy: Too many to list but the big change came after playing with Indian musicians in 1990. At that point I stopped being a Jazz musician and became a musician!

Xtreme Music: For those who enjoy music from Iain Ballamy and Stian Carstensen, what music can you recommend from specific artists and albums?

Iain Ballamy: Stian's own Farmers Market albums are amazing.. my stuff is all available at www.jazzcds.co.uk. We made another album together called "Pepper Street Interludes".

Xtreme Music: What positive highlights and experiences can you share from your music career?

Iain Ballamy: Travel, meeting some great people and the realisation that music gets bigger and better the longer and deeper you get into it!

Xtreme Music: Please tell us some of your plans for music projects in the near future.

Iain Ballamy: I am still playing with Django Bates, and also some recording and live work with June Tabor the folk singer. I will also be doing a few dates with Anorak, my "Jazz" quartet.