1980
In the April–May 1980 issue of Ear Magazine, David Feldman interviewed Max Neuhaus during a pivotal period when the artist was refining his "place works" and distancing himself from the traditional music world.
The interview serves as a primary source for several of Neuhaus's core philosophies:
- From Time to Space: Neuhaus explained his transition from being a world-class percussionist to creating sound installations. He argued that while music is located in time, his work is located in space, allowing the listener to experience it in their own time.
- Aversion to "Sound Art": Neuhaus expressed his dislike for the term "Sound Art," which he felt was a marketing label that blurred the fine distinctions between music and spatial work.
- Intuition vs. Science: He detailed his process of building sounds "by ear" rather than using purely mathematical or scientific data, aiming for sounds that were "almost plausible" within their environment.
- Conducted three years after the installation of Times Square (1977), the interview reflects on how his work acts as a "secret" in public spaces, meant to be discovered by passersby rather than announced.
- Aural Ecology: He touched on the idea of being "forcefully careful" about adding sounds to the environment, a concept he later developed into his work on sirens and public alarm systems.