Scott Sinfield: Home Recording is Killing Music

You might recognize Scott Sinfield’s name from his work as the founder of Make Mine Music (one of our favorite labels here at Opus HQ). But changes are, you know him better as the main force behind Portal. Or at least, he was.

Sinfield is retiring the Portal moniker, but as a last hurrah, he will be releasing Home Recording is Killing Music, a free-for-the-downloading MP3 release that compiles nearly all of the albums, EPs, compilation appearances, and whatnot from Portal’s thirteen-year history for a grand total of 100 songs.

So, this is it. I have it in mind, right now, that this will be the final word on my musical activities under the name Portal. I’m not going to “do a Bowie” and announce my retirement, only to retract it at a later date, but at this point in time, I can’t imagine wanting to use the name Portal again. Firstly, I’ve tired of the name. What first seemed like a word to describe the process of music-making (in the sense of the ‘portal’ being the creative process through which ideas become music) now seems a bit, well, “Dungeons & Dragons.” I didn’t really put that much thought into the name, to be honest. If I knew then what I know now, that my music would be so successful and that I’d still be recording under the same name 13 years later, I’d have chosen a much better name, let me assure you. Secondly, I’ve grown tired of the associations that go with the name, and the expectations — not least my own — that also go with it.

The releases have been posted on Sinfield’s blog along with detailed notes and commentary.

On a related note, Sinfield’s new musical project is Ringinglow.