Enslaved

-1. Your latest album “Vertebrae” sounds like a good follow up of “Ruun”. How do you feel about it and did your fans embrace it?

Ivar: Thanks! We think it is more or less the perfect follow up to “Ruun”; yet it is an independent album with an identity on its own. We are very proud of the album, and we are very proud of the reception it has gotten. It was the album of the year in English Terrorizer Magazine and two days ago we got the Norwegian Grammy for it in the category Best Metal Album. The most important thing however is that the fans like the album; both the “old schoolers” and the newer fans that has joined the ranks over the last few years. We went on a European tour in November and December (our longest tour so far actually) and the reception was amazing! Thanks to everybody for welcoming the album in such a manner.

-2. It seems that since 2004’s “Isa”, Enslaved have reached success and great acceptance within the metal community. In what way has that affect you? What’s your next step?

Ivar: That is a pretty accurate observation! I think this movement started even a little before with “Below the Lights” – but the “break-through” happened with “Isa”. The songs, the combination of the vocal styles and the production really resonated with people in the metal scene; not only in the Extreme Metal part, but more universal. It affected us in the sense that we got a lot of extra self-confidence and inspiration: we still make music for our self first and foremost, but it is a great feeling to know that your art means something to other people too. Our next step is to play more live show and perfect the concerts to a higher level, while working on new material in the studio. Our next step is to reach a lot more people; there are so many people that could get something from Enslaved’s music, inside and outside of the Metal circles! We have done quite a few headliner tours in Europe and the US now over the last years; now we will focus on doing some tours with bigger bands and show more people what we are about.

-3. How do you see the Norwegian Black Metal scene of today?

Ivar: I think it is maybe about to wake up again. After the extremely glorious 90s it died a bit for me. It was not about music, atmosphere and philosophy any more – a lot sounded like cheap crap played by drugged out petty-criminals, which was basically what it was I guess he he. Now the focus seems to be back on the musical qualities and the concepts a little deeper than trying to shock your mother. I guess things move in circles, and we seem to be going towards the better part of the circle again.

-4. Do you believe that black metal is an elitist type of music (while it seems that it addresses to a specific audience)? Can someone that is not into metal come to your show and actually like it?

Ivar: First, Enslaved is not Black Metal, but something very close. And secondly, no I don’t think you need to be “anything” to go to our shows. If you want to go to one of our shows, you are absolutely welcome no matter who you are – as long as you leave politics and monotheism by the door. If you have never heard metal before you are still very welcome, it is just good music. The whole “elite” thing I think is more about social dysfunction when applied in a musical context. True elitists don’t run around with corpse paint and spikes, they operate behind closed doors in a lot more discrete manner.

-5. Is Norwegian landscape and mythology a great inspiration to you?

Ivar: Absolutely, they are both cornerstones in our identity – we learn a lot about ourselves and why our society is like it is through history; for the better and the worse. The nature is there all the time and decides the mood we are in. I live at the bottom of one of Bergen’s big mountains and it is very inspiring to see the mountains draped in fog in the rainy weather… I think people would be surprised by the close correlation between nature, psychology and mythology.

Tindersticks, Σάββατο 21 Φεβρουαρίου, Badminton.

-1. How is the tour going so far?

We’re just about to start the second leg. It went well in November and December. We’re enjoying ourselves. And I think we’re playing much better than we have for a long time.

-2. You haven’t been in Athens for a long time. A Tindersticks concert is very awaited here. How does it feel to be back and what should we expect form you?

It feels great to be back. Athens was always special to us. We’ve had some wonderful times there. I feel we’re more like the early Tindersticks, the new songs have more freedom about them. We obviously play most of the latest record. But half the songs are what we enjoy playing from the past 15 years.

-3. Tindersticks did not release a record for 5 years. What happened on the meantime?

We needed time away to find ourselves again. Stuart made 2 solo albums, which I helped him with. And we made a children’s record, Songs For The Young At Heart. We talked a lot about what tindersticks should be. And we lost some friends, and made some new ones.

-4. It appears that the reviews you received for “The Hungry Saw” are very positive. Does that stress you a bit for the follow up?

Maybe a little. It was great to be back. Now we need to take another step. The next album needs to make a bigger statement in some way.

-5. In which way Tindersticks are affected by the fact that there are three of you left?

The new people we’ve found to work with fit in very naturally. And we’re playing with Terry Edwards on brass and Andy Nice on Cello, who are old friends. It feels like a big collaboration, that could be 3 people, or it could be 12. It’s more open than it was.

-6. I remember when I first saw you at Rodon Club in 1998, you were smoking non-stop. How do you cope those days that smoking is forbidden in England?

Well, I don’t live in England anymore. You can smoke here in Prague. But I stopped 9 years ago, so it doesn’t bother me.

Mogwai, Παρασκευή 20 Φεβρουαρίου, Gagarin 205.

-1. 28 gigs in 2 months in 3 different continents. Sounds very intense. How has it been so far?

It’s been good fun, lots of different places too see, and too much food and whisky.

-2. How does it feel to be considered as one of the most influential and also famous post rock bands? 

Well, I wish the millions of pounds would start flowing in. No, it’s very flattering and undeserved.

-3. What are your thoughts on technology and the future of post rock?

I’m not that bothered about the future of post rock or whatever you want to call it. As for technology, I suppose it’s a very important tool for us to utilize. We like anything new that we can play with.

-4. Do you think that post can be a bit monotonous?  

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

-5. What's more important: the lyrics or the music?

Neither are important, just the vibe. Stop the War.

-6. Who would be Mogwai' s perfect singer?

Beyonce or Michael Bolton. Maybe both of them.

-7. Are there any new bands that got your attention?

De Rosa and Remember Remember.

-8. You have composed the soundtrack for Douglas Gordon’s “Zidane: A 21^st Century Portrait”. How did that came out? Are you big football fans? Which team do you support?

Douglas asked us in Glasgow if we were interested and we were. It really worked well I think and it was an unusual project for us to do. We had to do it really quickly due to time constraints but that helped us focus on the work. A lot of the music was written for the album before that we re-worked. We are mostly big football fans. Glasgow Celtic FC.

Torture Garden, Παρασκευή 6 & Σάββατο 7 Φεβρουαρίου, Second Skin Club.

Η ώρα ειναι 01:30 και η ουρά έξω από το Second Skin φτάνει μέχρι την Ιερά Οδό. Μπαίνω μέσα και ενώ αισθάνομαι κάποιες τύψεις για αυτούς που περιμένουν στο δρόμο, συνειδητοποιώ ότι είναι τόσο πήχτρα που πραγματικά δεν χωρούσαν. Μια κοκκαλιάρα χορεύτρια λικνίζεται ανεβασμένη στα decks. Κατεβαίνω κάτω στο υπόγειο και βλέπω μια τύπισα που τη μαστιγώνουν. Σε λίγο θα εμφανιστεί η κούκλα Satomi που έχει και πολύ όμορφο tattoo στα οπίσθια της. Επιδίδεται σε περίτεχνο bondage, αρχικά πάνω της και μετά σε 3 τυχερούς θεατές. Τους κάθησε και τους έδεσε. Μετά άρχισε να καρφιτσώνει κάτι 50ευρα πάνω της και κάπου εκεί τελείωσε το νουμερό της. Συνέχεια με δυνατή, πολύ καλή μουσική μέχρι το επόμενο performance. Τα decks και τον dj τώρα πλαισιώνουν δύο πολύ σέξι Ελληνίδες γυμνόστηθες χορεύτριες του Second Skin. Η Syban με το freak σόου της απλά δε μου άρεσε. Τον Lucas δυστυχώς δεν τον πρόλαβα, γιατί ήμουν κουραστένη και δεν υπήρχε και χώρος να σταθώ πουθενά, οπότε έφυγα...Άντε και του χρόνου.

-1. This is the 4^th time that Torture Garden is coming to Athens. Has it become then some sort of tradition? How has it progressed since the first T.G. of 2006?

Yes, Torture Garden Athens has become an annual tradition, and one of thefew places in the world that we do regular events. Every country has its own special vibe and scene, and its own take on fetish clubbing, and so TG in Athens is unique. From the beginning we've had a great reaction from the crowds and the press in Greece, and there seems to be a really strong attraction to fetish and alternative fashion, music, art and performance, and so it's become one of our favorite countries to visit. Over the last few years we've seen the events become bigger, and the crowds evolve from mostly goth, industrial and alternative to become more interested in fetish and body art. It's great to see a new scene evolve and grow.

-2. Body & Performance Art, Sex, S&M, Fashion, Music. What T.G. stands for?

Yes, all that and more. Perhaps more than anything else Torture Garden is about freedom of self expression, to be who you want to be, to dress up and really be yourself, and explore your desires and fantasies. So many people spend their lives repressed. That's why at its best the crowd are the stars at Torture Garden.

-3.Can you introduce, briefly, the artists that are going to perform at Second Skin?

The crowds really love and respond to the performances in Athens, and we have another fantastic line-up this year:

-LADY ANE ANGEL: is a Berlin Cabaret style Burlesque and Fire Performer that has a fantastic Absinth themed show.

-INI THE DOLL: an Athens based aerial performer.

-SYBAN: creates twisted freak show performances, using piercing and surreal imagery.

-SATOMI: is known as Tokyo Love Doll and is a modern Geisha Dominatrix and creates beautiful performances exploring Japanese Bondage and suspension whilst blindfolded.

-LUKAS ZPIRA: is one of the modern pioneers of the Body Modification scenes and will perform a body hook suspension with his partner Satomi.

-4. Dave, how will you describe T.G. to someone that has no clue about it?

Torture Garden is the world's largest Fetish, Body Art & Fantasy Club. It's like an adult fantasy dress party. A place to dress up and explore your desires. It's like stepping into a scene from a film a fantasy. But it's also a great clubbing experience and a fun party for people that want to see fantastic shows, challenging art, listen to great music, see amazing visuals, and meet incredible people.   

-5. Is this a party strictly for fetishists? What sort of people are welcome?

Torture Garden has always mixed Fetish with other underground scenes, so it's fetish, but also Body Art, Goth / Industrial, Cyber, Burlesque, cutting edge Fashion, Electro Freak etc. So it's a mixed crowd and scene. But if you're not dressing up you're missing the whole point of it. Don't come to watch, come to be part of it and really experience it in the flesh!

SHORA

-1. You come from Switzerland, a country that is not that well-know about its music tradition. So…how is the music scene over there? 

You're right, small and discreet country but quite rich in quality music. I couldn't say we have a proper «swiss scene» though. Every part of the country (fragmented regions with different languages) has his lot of bands but strangely, there's almost no real communication/interest between these different parts. I'm always surprised to perform in front of 300 people in another country but 20 in a swiss city that is 100 km away from ours... Still, I think we're lucky to have passionate artists around here who try to make new propositions and bring music to a new level. Doing things slowly, patiently, with a special attention to details is a general swiss quality and the comfortable environment, socially and economically, that this country offers probably allows to create music in a freeminded way. To come back to "the scene", bands like Celtic Frost, Knut or the Young Gods, to name a few, opened people's eyes on what can happen in our modest country and their international recognition allowed then to bring some light on other local alternative acts. We owe them a lot.


-2. Your first album "Shaping the Random" was noise/hardcore. With the split EP with Merzbow "Switching Rhetorics" and then "Malval" your sound progressed to post and progressive. Quite a change…What happened there?

It's been a natural progression dued to several factors. First, we felt that we reached a dead-end in the writing process, probably because of a weariness in doing short, frantic, cathartic songs (that were often a total disaster in live performances...). Then, our bass player at that time wanted to play guitar and take a more important role in the compositions, which expanded our possibilities. Time passing (almost 4 years between the Merzbow split and Malval), we discovered the joy of taking time to develop ideas, create atmospheres and bring density in our music without really noticing that we were heading toward a total shift from what we were used to do. But it felt like a big bowl of fresh air. And as it was still the same dudes playing in the band, there was no reason of worrying if we needed to change our name then. We just had to accept what was happening, see it like a child who grew up, who left something behind to reach new areas.

-3. Do you think that post as a genre (weather is rock or metal) has become quite popular the last years? How do you see that "trend"?

The «post» term is just a word that shows that rock and metal are evolving while keeping their original roots. I don't see it as a style in itself; it is just the natural continuity of things. The first time I've heard about this word was in an article about Fugazi, more than 10 years ago. It seems quite mis-or-overused, nowadays. Anyway, yes, rock and metal are still alive and well, they keep changing and bringing new elements, new ideas that enrich the genre, which is a good thing. And luckily, people still have interest in it and understand it needs to progress to stay exciting. I'm pretty optimistic about the way rock is going to evolve, the actual context shows us that even if a lot of things have been made so far, there is still a possibility to bring some new genuine expression to it. 

And Also The Trees

Shj (Simon Huw Jones) and JJ (Justin Jones)

-1. You were formed in the British countryside. Your band has a name that obviously relates to nature. You have once said that you were totally influenced by the landscape. So, are And Also The Trees a “green” band? Are you into ecology? How do you see all the destruction that it’ s been happening to the environment because of humans? 



Shj– When we gave ourselves this name trees meant no more to us than small hard shelled insects meant to John, Paul, George and Ringo. But, personally speaking, as time passed trees started to mean more and more to me, to a point where I have felt quite obsessive about some of them. My concern for the well being of the environment moved in tandem with this love of trees and nature… it’s something I’ve felt very strongly about long before term ‘global warming’ came into everyday use.  But these issues enter into our music only obliquely, if at all.  It's really not our aim to express our personal beliefs and opinions through AATT.  If, however, through writing about the beauty or power of nature in any of its countless forms we can increase anyone’s awareness or appreciation of it ... we would of course be very grateful and proud.

-2. In the beginning, And Also The Trees were involved with The Cure. What is you relationship now with Robert Smith and The Cure?

JJ- I still keep in touch with Robert from time to time, and he still follows our releases and remains enthusiastic. We haven’t really worked together for many years; they just became so popular that they exist within a different kind of parallel universe. However something makes me think that one-day our career paths will cross again. 



-3. What happened between 1998 and 2003? 



JJ- Yes it was a time where we put down AATT for a few years and did other things. The whole nucleus kind of exploded and we geographically found ourselves far apart leading very different lives than we had before. I think it was good to have that time to think about AATT and how we wanted to move forward. The creative path had reached a conclusion and it was time to ask questions about creativity. Like: Why? How? And Where? 
What came out was a re-alignment of ideas and this became ‘Further from the truth’.

Shj– So much changed during those years that eventually there was a feeling that ‘And also the trees’ would just dissolve into the past. It was the unadulterated desire to create music that made us write another album, but it wasn't just music we needed, it was 'And also the trees' music.

-4. How did your 10th and latest album “The Rag and Bone Man” do so far? Are your fans still loyal to you, nowadays that internet and downloading rules? 


JJ- The last album (RABM) did very well and seems to have been very popular with the loyal following we have and was very well received by the press. It doesn’t appear to have been negatively affected by the internet. I think that followers of AATT like to own something physical when it comes to a Trees record. That is why we take care with the artwork and presentation. I am sure that some of our newer fans may have downloaded it from somewhere and for this reason we have just made the album available on iTunes.