I first met Mark Verbos when I was selling a Roland MC-202, and he was looking for analog gear. Soon thereafter, we ran into each other in the basement of Grant Richter's house, where we both were hanging out and talking smart about the upcoming Wiard modular system. We continued to see each other over the years (often at trade shows - especially AES when it was in New York), and kept in touch. I watch him grow from analog-gearhead to repairman of the Buchla Stars to a great designer in his own right. But neither I nor anyone else was prepared for the storm that occurred early this year, when he announced the Verbos modular system for Eurorack.
In this interview, we dive into his background (from live PA guy through industry engineer/producer), hear how he learned electronics (from Grant), got advice (from Don Buchla) and came to be one of the most exciting designers in analog music electronics. We also take the time to chuckle at how we each got to where we are. This provided a great chance to get caught up with Mark, and to understand the education of a synth designer.
Enjoy!