OZIMA WAS HER NAME originally recorded at Blam Studios, Chicago, now officially remastered for its 25th Anniversary.
Ozima began a year after Evet moved to Chicago, about 1997. Evet was working with his band Fresco Aegea at the time doing experimental distorted classical guitar Techno with live percussion. At the time he was using the basic Tascam Portastudio 4 track, a Yamaha SY-55 keyboard, and a popular drum machine (Yamaha RX-7) with some obscure sounds Evet used to full effect. He was putting the songs down on cassette as "Random Music" and this time frame became the "Ozima sessions", including Aegea (along with bass tracks), Italia (recorded live), and Acid Tears (originally written in 1993). Soon Evet acquired new technology of the time, a Yamaha 4 track 'Minidisc' digital recorder. On this was recorded Di Is Dead, the night of her death; Om Siam foundation tracks, Ozima's electronic percussion and synths, Simbel's and Magus' percussion loops, and most of Fire Curtain (including samples from "Night of the Living Dead") and the first half of Scorpionfish (which featured creative use of Digitech's GSP 2101's effects then inputted to a very ahead of it's time Lexicon product called "The Vortex" which had true effects morphing/warping and such presets as "Aerosol". It was a great unit but cheaply made (and didn't work quite as expected), and liquidated at Guitar Center outlets shortly after release.
By mid 1998 Evet was ready to truly achieve a new level of sound so he went into the studio. He chose Blam studios, near Loyola College and the beach. Tracks were recorded on 2- 8 track ADAT tapes. Studio instruments included piano, 12 string acoustic guitar, Evet's orange 'Lenore' Ibanez played through a Marshall JCM-900, also various prepared guitars for sitar-like effects (Magus) and keyboards and sequences triggered in real time. First recorded was Om Siam and Ozima. Evet called in his band mate Chris Philip to add exotic percussion, bells, cymbals, shakers etc. to the tracks Ozima, Simbel, Magus, and Fire Curtain. He also played with Evet on the track Italia.
At the mixing stage, Evet and engineer Eric Butkus had maxed out the board's ADAT capabilities. Mixing took about 3 days including one 24 hour session! Evet remarked on one of those days he saw a perfect rainbow over Lake Michigan... a truly awesome experience. Mixing was done August 1998. To have an extra CD made, at the time, cost you $30. When Bauhaus came to Chicago on their 1998 Resurrection tour, after one of the shows as Peter Murphy was leaving, Evet gave him a CD with the tracks Ozima and Aegea. Later on that tour, Evet saw them again in Washington DC, and Evet asked him what he thought. Mr. Murphy commented he liked the lyrics a lot.
Looking back, the album still sounds timeless with its unusual arrangements and striking vocals. Evet plans to include "Ozima" in future performances. Look for the new remix of "Magus" and formerly unreleased track "Mad Machine".
