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INTERVIEWS IN ENGLISH : BLITZ! #16

THIS COLD NIGHT
(post-punk, gothic solo project from Austin, Texas, USA)

First of all, could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?

Hello, my name is Chase Morledge, and I am a solo artist with an affinity for dark and dreary music. My moniker is « This Cold Night ».

Chase Morledge

With This Cold Night you released your first record (a CD-R) in February 2014 (« This Cold Night »). Had you been in other musical projects before ?

I dabbled a bit with making experimental noise/drone cassettes, but not much more than that.
J´ai acheté ma première guitare, pour 99 dollars en janvier 2014 et j´ai immédiatement commencé à enregistrer. Je n´avais aucune idée de cI actually bought my first guitar for $99 in January of 2014 and immediately started recording with it. I had no idea what I was doing, and—more or less—I still don´t. This project is my first serious experience with instrumentation and production work.

What could you say about the underground music scene in Austin? Is it easy for independent bands to start and develop their creativity ?

Despite being the self-proclaimed “live music capital of the world” (what an arrogant title!), Austin is growing increasingly unwelcoming to new and up-and-coming musicians. Rent prices have become inflated and unaffordable, making it nearly impossible for new and up-and-coming musicians to pursue music as an occupation. Furthermore, venues are being forced to close for the same reason.

If you can get past that hurtle, it is not too difficult for independent bands to start and develop their creativity. Getting anybody to notice, or care, or financially support a band —however—is a different story. Austin seems saturated with homogenized “part-time” bands that will play anywhere for free or for fun. This cheapens and hurts the scene.

On your bandcamp, you quote many influences (old school bands such as Suicide and Joy Division, but also current acts such as Lebanon Hanover, amongst others). Which French band(s) could you add to the list?

 

Kas Product and Asylum party. Both bands are phenomenal.

Generally speaking, for recording purposes, do you play all the instruments (bass guitar, lead guitar, synth) or do you collaborate with other musicians ?

I write, play, and record everything myself. In the past, I have collaborated with Gawby Moon of L.A. band Ghost Noise and I intend to do so again in the future. She provided Vocals for the track « Silent Prayer ».

We have been overwhelmed by both the melody and lyrics of « Enigmatic Individual », the single that announces your next album. Regarding its lyrics, could you tell us in which context the inspiration come? Did you personally find a journal in an abandoned house ?

Haha, I wish—but no, the song is more metaphorical than anything else. The inspiration came from personal experience of worshiping artists and musicians to the point that they become Gods. This idea has been, and will continue to be, very destructive in my life. The higher up I place my idols, the more worthless I feel about my musical efforts. Everything I do seems incompetent. Everything I desire seems always out of reach.

When will your next album be available? Will it be proposed in both vinyl and CD formats ?

My album will be released on vinyl through an independent Russian label called Materia Productions. I will also be releasing it via CD and digitally.

Have you ever played in France ? What were your impressions ?

I have never played in France, but I plan to.

When the next album is released, do you plan to go on tour? If so, will the French public have the pleasure to see you on stage?

Yes ! I will do everything in my power to make this happen.

UNDERTHESKIN (dark, danceable music solo project from Poland)

Undertheskin
  1. Could you introduce yourself for BLITZ ! readers, in a few words ?

  2. V: Hi - first of all I´m glad we can talk about undertheskin. It´s a one man project inspired by the dark, cold analogue sound of the 80s ´ but also for new cold/post-punk/minimal-wave sounds. I call it COLD-WAVE DOUBLE ESPRESSO - my intention was to create intense, expressive and yet very emotional music using very basic methods. The whole album was recorded according to a set of rules. All songs were initially composed and recorded in one day. I came up with the songs whenever I felt some impulse, strong emotions or experience something powerful. At the same time when I already had an idea of the song I just pressed record and sung whatever words came to mind . I wanted to make outwardly simple musical forms, but with a huge emotional blast yet with a deeper, hidden meaning inside.

  3. What were your main musical influences when you wrote the songs for the 6-track EP, « UNDERTHESKIN » ?

  4. V: Yes there are definitely influences but I´m also trying to make songs that are unique and have their own personality. I would cite Joy Division as a key influence - as they´re one of the very first bands I´ve ever heard and felt in love with. I also listen to a lot of new wave/minimal/post-punk bands/ and some shoegaze stuff like, for example, A PlaceTo Bury Strangers. Hearing their guitar sound pushed me to try some guitar noise experiments in undertheskin. I really love The Soft Moon and In Death It Ends etc., etc.

  5. This EP was released on 3 September 2015. Are these songs brand new ones, or did you write them some time ago ?

  6. V: Not exactly - I haven´t released it yet - 3 September was only a date when digital pre-order starts. The official digital release date will be the end of September via undertheskin bandcamp site and possibly simultaneously I´ll release strictly limited MC cassette version. I´m also negotiating deals with 2 labels for a CD version of the album- which will likely be released near Halloween 2015. Meanwhile I´ve signed a deal with Oraculo Records for vinyl maxi - single which will be finalized at the end of 2015. As for second part of your question - all songs for my debut were written in 2014/2015. As I said - I decided to make it quick - so when inspiration comes - I´m trying to arrange the song and record a demo version in one or two days maximum. I just wanted to catch the spirit of the moment. 80% of the lyrics were never written down on paper - I´ve just closed my eyes and sang to the mood of the song. I was absolutely tired of calculating and polishing the sound in studios - it can totally kill the spirit of records. I mix it in an analogue studio with a very creative producer. Mixing phase takes a little more time than recording and arrangements. But I really enjoy the final effect.

  7. What can you tell us about « COLD », which is our favorite track? Did you write the wordsor the music first ?

  8. V: COLD - one of the most spontaneous songs I´ve ever recorded. I always wrote the words after the music. I made it in one evening - everything went very fast and without any unnecessary thinking (alcohol seem to be a good adviser ;-) ). Love this track - it´s a definition of undertheskin sound - it was also the first song I mixed for this project.

  9. Each song in the EP bears a one-word title. Was this a deliberate choice from the start, and what intentions lay behind this ?

  10. V: Yes - It’s simply a continuation of undertheskin MINIMAL concept. Strong and straight forms - as in the music so in the song titles too. By the way, lots of people call it EP (understood - 25min long) but I call it a full album. Yes it’s only 6 songs but,based on my observation, a lot of new records (also big bands/names) are 40-50min long, but in fact there’s 2 max 4 good songs on it. So I decided to make it short, but exciting and powerful stuff. So you won’t hear any outros or stuff like that - pure cold essence. And on the other hand - life goes very fast nowadays and we have so little time to celebrate music - In my opinion 25min album is a perfect time to hold the maximum listener attention on it.

  11. What is in store for 2016 for UNDERTHESKIN ? A European tour (with a couple of dates in Paris)? A new release ?

  12. V: Would love to, but as I said it’s one man project and I’ve just started transforming it into live band. I’ve already found some live musicians and we’ve had about 3rehersals so far.
    Everything´s going smoothly so we should be ready to make some noise in a few weeks I hope. So fingers crossed for some tour/festivals.

  13. The Polish independent scene seems to be very active currently. Is it a new trend, or was it the same ten years ago? Which current Polish bands do you like?/p>

  14. V: True - there was always a small but quite a good scene over here, but it’s getting bigger and better now. Maybe it’s a kind of reaction to a global post-punk/minimal wave trend. I must say I really enjoy this phenomenon - you can never get too much of a good cold wave music. Currently I really enjoy the latest releases from Alles, Dogs in Trees and Hande for example - I’m also a singer/guitarist in a band called Deathcamp Project - you should give it a try - goth rock with a soul ;-)

  15. Can you say a few words to our readers, in French ?

  16. V: Thanks for your time! I hope you’ll find the 25 minutes needed to listen to Undertheskin, and hope you really enjoy it! Cheers!

Interview : Defekt 86

First of all, we must say that we really enjoyed listening to your music. « Empire Of Light », the single that announces your new album (« Sex and Suicide ») is really excellent, but we also like many other songs, as our questions will show !
Can you introduce the current line-up of defekt 86 to our readers ?

Kain Rauschen: vocals + guitar
Eve Candyslade: keyboards + vocals
Holger Schwieren : guitar
Inden Wolken : bass

defekt 86 was founded in 2008 in Cologne. Where does the band’s name come from ?

KAIN : Defect was the name of one my first bands in the mid eighties, so it’s some sort of reminiscence.

Had you played in groups before defekt 86? How did you learn playing instruments and singing ?

EVE : I joined my first band when I was 15, as a keyboarder, and continuously played in bands since then – both in my own projects and as a live musician or guest for other bands. I started to play the piano when I was nine, and got my first keyboard when I was 11. I’ve always loved singing, and I took singing lessons as a teenager with one of my favourite female rock singers, Renée Walker – she was a huge inspiration for me at the time.

HOLGER : The Bloom and Das Leben.

KAIN : Too many bands to mention. I’m an autodidact, I never took any lessons.

When listening to your music, one cannot help thinking of Joy Division or Red Lorry Yellow Lorry. Which groups and artists would you quote as being your main influences, musically speaking?

KAIN : Joy Division, Depeche Mode and lots of others.

Le Groupe Defekt 86

Some of your songs are in German, others in English. Does this choice depend on the language in which the idea, or inspiration, comes ?

KAIN :In some ways yes, but mainly it leads to another kind of melody, it’s like playing two different instruments.

In 2011, you released a song called « Suicide Hero ». Four years later, your new album is called « Sex and Suicide ». How can you explain, if it is possible, your interest in this topic? Is there a kind of hommage to some artists (singers, writers) who committed suicide in the song « Suicide Hero » ?

KAIN : No, there is no hommage at all, it is the exact opposite. I just had enough of the glorification of this topic and that’s what the song is about. The album title is nothing more than a slogan, like sex and drugs and rock’n’roll or sex, murder, art, something that is easy to remember. There are songs about sex on the album, but none about suicide.

On the « Imperfektion » EP (2012), we have been amazed by a fantastic, powerful song called « Suburbs ». What can you tell us about this track ?

KAIN : It is based on a demo by Inden Wolken which he actually wanted to drop but I added some lyrics and melodies and it became in my eyes the best song on “imperfection”. Somehow it is about despair or the recognition beyond that, all told in a surreal way. Because it is so powerful it is always fun to play it live.

The video to « Control » (released in March 2014) has been made with a special black and white processing. Can you tell us who is the director for this video? To which extent were you involved in its making of ?

KAIN : I shot this video when I was in New York and also did the post production. The black and white effect creates a very special mood and it’s absolutely minimalistic to use only two colours. There is only shadow and light and the rest is imagination, so most of the video is happening in your head.

You have already performed on stage in France (Bordeaux and Marseilles in 2013, Paris and Bordeaux again in 2014). What can you say about the French audience ?

HOLGER : Awesome, fun, and just very nice.

KAIN : I think the first time we played in Bordeaux was one of our best concerts ever, it was really an amazing atmosphere. We always enjoyed the French audience and the French bands we met, as well as the French wine.

With the release of the new album, have you planned a European tour next year ? If so, when will you play in Paris?

EVE : We are currently planning gigs in France, the Netherlands and the UK for 2016. As soon as we have a gig opportunity for Paris, of course – we’re open to suggestions !

Defekt 86