Last month I had the chance to make the below interview with a special friend…Actor (Testament,Airplane…),musician (Sukia,Dj Me Dj You….),music video director (Miss Misery/E.Smith video…), photographer (Mellow Gold,Odelay…..), remixer, record producer and the amazing artist Ross Harris….Enjoy!

PUNK GLOBE : Ross, firstly thank you once again for accepting this interview. How was last year year for you? How is family life going and how has this year started for you?

ROSS HARRIS : Things are going better than ever for me. Family is doing great and I am working and creating more than ever. I got back into film and video a few years back and I am now working full time as an editor and director. It's so cool to be able to do what you love and be paid for it. I am very fortunate.

PUNK GLOBE : Let’s start with the early days. You started acting at age six and appeared in over 100 commercials in the 1970s.How did it all start, was it your family’s decision? In 1979-80 ,you were in the classic comedy feature film Airplane.You went on to co-star in the Academy nominated drama Testament and roles on CHiPs, Love Boat, Hart to Hart & more. Can you share some memories from those days, which one(s) were the most interesting or funny to be a part of ? (For Ross Harris Filmography please check : http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0365283/ )

ROSS HARRIS : It all started because my mother felt that I was too shy as a child. Her idea was to shock me out of shyness by getting me into a casting room with a bunch of strangers. Ha. I guess it worked. You couldn't be shy and be in Sukia. I have a lot of great memories. Airplane being the most memorable. It's strange but I have trouble remembering things from just a few years ago, but everything that happened on Airplane is extremely clear to me. Probably getting caught looking at a prothstetic penis in the prop room would be my most vivid memory. That being said. It was a lot of hard work and long hours. I think it prepared me for work now. I am usually the last to complain about that kind of thing in my adult life.

PUNK GLOBE : Towards the mid-90s Californian moog driven-imaginary soundtrack music act Sukia came into the scene.Sukia toured the world with acts like Stereolab and Beck .Did you have a musical history involving with other bands or musical projects before Sukia?What was the main idea ,how did Sukia start ?

ROSS HARRIS : I fooled around with recording and playing music a bit, but Sukia was my first serious endeavor. I was finding a lot of old records of lounge and synth music. Then I started collecting drum machines and keyboards that I would find in thrift shops. Then I discovered the Sukia comic books and it all came together. Shared what I found with some like minded friends and the rest is history.

PUNK GLOBE : The only released album of Sukia is 1996’s “Contacto Espacial Con El Tercer Sexo” which was produced by Dust Brothers.There’s also an unreleased second album called “You Think You Really Want This? or Big American Cock”.The EP length soundtrack for a movie by the director Eric Sachs is also unreleased.Are there any other songs of Sukia that haven’t seen the light of the day yet and are there any plans to re-record or release the unreleased Sukia music someday ?

ROSS HARRIS : We recorded a lot of stuff, but to be honest we really kind of lost our original focus. I think we became overly ambitious and stopped doing what worked so well with Sukia in the first place. On the first album we really were trying to create a soundtrack to the comic book. We went away from that idea and ended up with really messy results. A lot of that is my fault to be honest. But I am sure there is some worthwhile recordings. We just need to go have another listen and see. My problem is I get bored easily and move on to the next thing. I'm so busy with new projects that I don't have the time to look back. But I am sure I will eventually.

PUNK GLOBE : After Sukia, you formed “DJ Me DJ You” with Craig Borrell.2 albums were released : Rainbows and Robots(2000),Can You See The Music (2003). Why did Sukia end ; and musically how different was DJ Me DJ You than Sukia, can we say it was the evolution of the Sukia music into the 2000s ?

ROSS HARRIS : Dj Me started out as a outlet for Craig and I to put out our experiments in computer recording. Sampling and doing more rhythm based electronics. I think it was different in that Sukia was more live based and theatrical and Dj me was just more stoner electronic sample stuff.

PUNK GLOBE : Ross ,you produced and compiled the “Dimension Mix” Project ,too (paying tribute to Bruce Haack & Esther Nelson) and when we look at the musical projects of Ross Harris, along with live instrumentation there’s also collage of sounds , sampling from a collection of mostly obscure records. Please tell us, approximately how many records do you own and which names can we say have the most influence on the music of Sukia & DJ Me DJ You & Ross Harris ?

ROSS HARRIS : I own about 3,000 vinyl albums. I know collectors with many many more, but I really only collected things I really liked. I don't really have room for many more anyway. Some names that really influenced me? Bruce Haack obviously. Gary Wilson. Dick Hyman. Perrey and Kingsley. Morricone. Mort Garson. But I am just as influenced by mainstream artists as well. Like Prince and Devo and Bob Dylan. I used to obsess over obscure music. Now that I am older I have learned to listen to it all. Folk. Rock. Soul. Whatever fits the mood

PUNK GLOBE : Moving a little from music……you worked as a music video director and a photographer,too. Currently a music oriented TV Show called “Jamming” is developing , another screenplay and a documentary with Dave England are in the works.What are the plans for the rest of the year and next year? Can you update us with these projects and your latest projects coming in the near future?(movies/tv shows/documentaries………other than music)

ROSS HARRIS : I have been developing a film with Peanut Butter Wolf from Stones Throw Records. I worked on the kids show Yo Gabba Gabba. Maybe do some more things with them. Just trying to fit some things in between working for a living. Luckily my job trains me to be a better film maker and allows me to have the latest equipment and tools. I use what I learn and earn on my own projects. It's really a fortunate situation. But once again. A lot of work and hours go into it. I don't really go out to clubs or drink and smoke. I put any time I have that is not family into my work. Just trying to get better at it.

PUNK GLOBE : Your success as a video director,photographer and a musician allowed you to begin a career as a record producer.As a remixer you worked with names like Fantastic Plastic Machine, Beth Orton, The Prodigy,Beck and many more….But if you were to create your all time dream band, who would you choose to be the members of this legendary band?

ROSS HARRIS : From friends and people I have worked with,

Gary Wilson-electric piano.
Roger Manning Jr.-synth.
Ed Ruscha Jr.-Bass.
Elliott Smith-guitar.
Beck-guitar.
Aloe Blacc-vocals.
Drums-Billy Higgins

PUNK GLOBE : What were you listening to in the late 70s and early 80s and which bands are you listening to nowadays? Are there any unknown or new favourite names of yours that you could recommend us to check out ?

ROSS HARRIS : I listened to most of the usual 80's bands like Echo and the Bunnymen and The Cure. Listened to the Beatles and the Kinks and Neil Young too though. Some new names to check out? James Pants. Aloe Blacc. I just shot some videos for him that are off the charts good. The Future Pigeon album was really slept on. Look for it.

PUNK GLOBE : A solo EP called “Rossangeles” was released in 2005. Are there any possibilites of new collobrations with Beck in the near future? In means of musical collobrations, new bands , Sukia reforming, new DJ Me Dj You album what surprises can we expect from the amazing Ross Harris world in the following years?

ROSS HARRIS : I am pretty much focused on film making. I'm 41 now and the music business is focused on playing live and touring. Not really interested in that. I think being in music taught me a lot and made me a better film maker. I'm going to see where that takes me. But I will always have a strong musical vein running through my work. No matter what.

PUNK GLOBE : We observe Ross Harris as an outstanding artist with very exciting & amazing projects and a wonderful vision but maybe it’s better to let the readers learn about it through your own words. How would you define the “Art World of Ross Harris” , including your inspirations and dreams in a few words; for us to understand better?

ROSS HARRIS : I have always been inspired by outsider art. Regular people making fantastical creations. A director recently told me that I could make an interesting video from a shoe and a piece of fruit. Some people need lots of effects and animation. I just like ordinary or forgotten objects doing interesting things.

PUNK GLOBE : Punk Globe Readers can follow and contact Ross Harris from “www.rossangeles.net” and “www.myspace.com/ilovejamming”..... Any last words for Punk Globe Readers?

ROSS HARRIS : Make your own. The internet has given a lot of people their own platform to express themselves. We in Hollywood have dominated the conversation for too long. It's time for other cultures and peoples to show us something we have never seen before. The corporations and governments are really scared of this. It's time!

*Punk Globe would like to thank Ross Harris for this great interview!*