Category: Interviews (Page 39 of 112)

KRAKÓW LOVES ADANA Interview

2 July 2020 /


Deniz Çiçek and Robert Heitmann formed KRAKÓW LOVES ADANA after months of eyeing each other up at the same nightclubs in Germany.

Their bond led them to make melancholic dream pop together and their debut album ‘Beautywhich’ was released in 2010 with a second ‘Interview’ following in 2012. Their third offering ‘Call Yourself New’ in 2017 saw the pair form their own record label Better Call Rob, but while its 2018 follow-up ‘Songs After The Blue’ was issued via this independent platform, they came to the attention of Italians Do It Better, home to CHROMATICS and DESIRE.

Their first fruit of labours for the prestigious label was ‘Follow The Voice’, a rhythm heavy tune swathed in synths, followed swiftly by the more anxious ‘Young Again’, a song made all the more resonant by Çiçek’s contralto expressionism.

Recorded over two years at their home studio in Hamburg, KRAKÓW LOVES ADANA present ‘Darkest Dreams’. Produced and mixed by Çiçek herself, but sounding completely at home within the stark red colours of Italians Do It Better family, it is a thirteen song compendium comprising of synths and electronic drums walking hand-in-hand with gothic guitars.

The album is trailed by the enjoyably poetic pop of ‘‘The Ocean Between Us’, with the lyrical couplet “You say it is a phase, wild summer in your gaze” recalling the bittersweet memories of a holiday romance. Deniz Çiçek spoke about an album that explores the human condition’s deepest fantasies and desires.


You have been releasing music since 2010 and already have four albums to your name, how do you feel you have developed musically over the past decade?

I think that every record we made actually got us to the point where we are now. It was good to try different things out and now I feel happy with where we stand musically.

How did Italians Do It Better become interested in KRAKÓW LOVES ADANA?

We just sent them our demo and they liked it. It’s good to reach out to people whose music you like and give it a shot.

What is the German alternative music scene like? Do you feel like a part of it?

There isn’t one specific alternative scene over here, it’s more like a mish-mash of bands that are friends with and/or work with certain kind of people. We don’t belong to a certain scene, not because there aren’t any other musicians around but because besides having a band and having a day-job, we rarely find the time to socialize with other bands.

But truth be told, there really aren’t many people in Hamburg whose music I find interesting. Releasing music for the last decade and watching bands come and go, I feel like most of them are a copy of a copy and neither daring nor innovative.


So how is ‘Darkest Dreams’, your first album for Italians Do It Better different from your most recent album ‘Songs After The Blue’, what approach did you take?

I always have the same goal and that is to not repeat myself. Without certain songs I wrote in the past, some newer songs wouldn’t exist. All my songs exist in specific universes, some exist in darker places than others, some are there to make you look inside yourself and others to make you understand your role in the world.

The difference on this record is that the process of producing it was definitely more challenging because I put more time and work in every detail of this album.

How would you describe the creative dynamic within KRAKÓW LOVES ADANA?

We’ve got a strict division of work in the band – I write and produce the music, we play live together, do all the visuals together and Rob handles the business side of it. This form of working together has developed over the years and we feel like it is the best way for us to move forward as a band.

Lyrically, KRAKÓW LOVES ADANA are very bittersweet and pained which adds to the dense atmosphere of your music, where do you draw inspiration?

I think it is just the way I am built as a person. We all have these different personality traits that sometimes stand in contrast to another. Writing song lyrics helps me to understand what I think and feel. Also, with everything going on in the world, I want to make people dream and at least for a moment escape the dread of reality.

‘The Ocean Between Us’ is a fabulous balance between art and pop as a tale about a holiday romance, is the song a conscious move to be more accessible?

With ‘The Ocean Between Us’, I wanted to write a song that captures the contrast between the lightness most people associate with summer and the burden I feel to enjoy myself during this season. The music feels light but the lyrics are heavy.

I never had the privilege to travel a lot, neither as a kid nor as an adult, I always had to work my ass off growing up and haven’t had a vacation since I was 16. During summer I always feel much more isolated from the world than usual because I feel this pressure to enjoy myself and live my best life but I love to work and I love to work on my art so just imagining myself sitting in a sunny park with a guitar in my hand makes me wanna die. So in a way this song is about me displaying my hate for summer.

Does Johnny Jewel being involved help bring in this new perspective to your work?

Johnny produced ‘Follow The Voice’ but otherwise he hasn’t directly been involved in the songwriting process. But I have to say that his work undeniably had a huge impact on mine and I am very proud that he and IDIB have our back and believe in us.

Is there a reason your previous Italians Do It Better singles ‘Follow The Voice’ and ‘Young Again’ are not on ‘Darkest Dreams’?

Those two songs are way older than the songs on ‘Darkest Dreams’ and I didn’t feel that they matched the mood of the record.


Which are your own personal favourite tracks on ‘Darkest Dreams’ and why?

I don’t have any favourite tracks but I can’t wait to share the cover version of ARCHERS OF LOAF‘s ‘White Trash Heroes’ with the world. It is a track that has accompanied me and Rob since the day we met and in a way I recorded this song for him.

KRAKÓW LOVES ADANA opened for CHROMATICS and DESIRE on selected dates of the 2019 ‘Double Exposure’ tour; the show was so well designed from the bottom upwards as a well-designed ITIB event. How did it feel to be a part of it. What were the audience reactions like?

It was a unique experience to open for two bands whose music has been part of my life for quite some time. The reactions were great in general but I definitely felt that in Germany, people had their difficulties to believe that a band from Hamburg could be part of the IDIB universe.

What are your hopes and fears as you prepare to release you first long playing record on Italians Do It Better?

I had some doubts when we first released on IDIB, fearing how people would receive our music but we’ve been welcomed with open arms by a lot of people and I can’t wait to share the new record with them this fall.

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its sincerest thanks to KRAKÓW LOVES ADANA

Special thanks to Frankie Davison at Stereo Sanctity

‘Darkest Dreams’ will be released by Italians Do it Better on 25th Septmber 2020, but the single ‘The Ocean Between Us’ is available on digital platforms now

https://www.facebook.com/krakowlovesadana

https://twitter.com/krakwlovesadana

https://www.instagram.com/krakowlovesadana/

https://krakowlovesadana.bandcamp.com/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2LgLvxq44FkRvstBiPFjsN

Text and Interview by Chi Ming Lai
2nd July 2020

Lost Albums: MESH Who Watches Over Me?

24 June 2020 /


After three albums on the Swedish independent label Memento Materia, Bristol trio MESH were on the cusp of a wider breakthrough.

Formed in 1991, Mark Hockings, Richard Silverthorn and Neil Taylor had attained cult success in Europe, first with their debut ‘Fragile’ released in 1994 which was then followed up with ‘In This Place Forever’ and ‘The Point At Which It Falls Apart’.

Then as is now, Germany embraced the sound of MESH and it was Sony Music via their Home Records subsidiary in Hamburg who offered the band their major label opportunity.

Released in 2002, ‘Who Watches Over Me?’ strengthened MESH’s position within European alternative music circles although it fell short of the mainstream profile that was perhaps anticipated, with a German album chart high of No63 proving to be a disappointment at the time.

But it proved to be an important record and MESH were later picked up by Königskinder Schallplatten who put out ‘We Collide’ in 2006. This kickstarted an imperial phase for what was to become the now-familiar duo line-up of Hockings and Silverthorn with the Dependent Records released long players ‘A Perfect Solution’, ‘Automation Baby’ and ‘Looking Skyward’ which reached No12 in Germany, their best international album chart position yet.

While songs from ‘Who Watches Over Me?’ such as ‘Leave You Nothing’, ‘Friends Like These’, ‘Firefly’ and ‘Little Missile’ continue to take turns for inclusion in the more recent MESH live sets, unlike other releases in their back catalogue, ‘Who Watches Over Me?’ has not been readily available for several years. This has largely been due to the collapse of Home Records, thus elevating the album to lost and rare status, with the CD now being offered for quite high prices on eBay and Amazon.

Richard Silverthorn kindly took time out to reflect on MESH’s brief sojourn with a major record label and his memories of making ‘Who Watches Over Me?’.

At this point in MESH’s career, had there been a conscious decision to move on after three albums with Memento Materia?

I think we reached a level where we were getting more and more gig offers and the media were starting to take an interest in what we were doing. The demand on our time was becoming difficult and trying to fulfil our commitments became increasingly harder for us.

I remember we talked to our manager/label guy at the time and said “If we are going to take this to the next level we will have to give up our jobs, we need a major deal”. Our relationship was always a good one with Memento Materia but we needed to make that change and try and move forward.


How did Home Record, a German subsidiary of Sony Music, become interested in signing MESH?

Around the same time DJ Mark ‘Oh (a well-known DJ / pop act in Europe) approached us as he was quite a fan of our music and asked if Mark would do vocals on a collaboration idea he had. The idea was a cover of the BLANCMANGE track ‘Waves’ but done with a full orchestra and electronic elements.

We liked the idea but wanted it to be “Mark ‘Oh and MESH” not just featuring Mark Hockings as guest vocalist. He managed to get the London Session Orchestra to record the track and Mark added his vocal. I also did a remix of the track for the single CD.

This all caught the attention of his record label Orbit Records. They were quite well established in the dance / electronic scene with a few major hits under their belts. They were really excited about the collaboration and wanted us to co-write an album with Mark ‘Oh and on the back of this they wanted to offer us a record deal.

They had just became partners with Sony Music and wanted to branch out into more alternative music so started Home Records to run alongside their dance label Orbit Records. Unfortunately the album idea with Mark ‘Oh never happened, although a few tracks were written with that in mind. They subsequently ended up becoming part of our next album.


What did Home Records offer that perhaps hadn’t been available to you before?

Well certainly the money played a big part in the change. We were given enough money to give up our day jobs which gave us enough time to fully concentrate on music full time.

The backing of a major label was also a huge change for us. It all felt very real after this signing. We actually went to Sony’s HQ in Berlin to sign the contract.

The rooms were filled with gold discs and pictures of their artists, at that time Michael Jackson, Shakira etc. We suddenly found ourselves talking about TV appearances, radio plays and pluggers etc something we’d never really experienced.

Did you have to accept more A&R feedback on works-in-progress than maybe you would have done in the past?

No, luckily for us we still kept creative control over everything as they trusted us and the direction we wanted to take it. They knew we had a strong following and they wanted to expand on that.

The only real stipulation they had was they wanted it mixed by someone else to achieve that polished professional sound. This was something very new for us as up until that point, we’d done everything ourselves.

They suggested Peter Schmidt or BlackPete as he was sometimes known as. He was a known German engineer who worked at Berlin’s Hansa Studio and had worked on U2 ‘Achtung Baby’ and DEPECHE MODE’s ‘Black Celebration’ along with Gareth Jones.

With major label support, did you, Mark and Neil change your approaches in any way? What was your creative dynamic at the time?

Not really in the way we write, but we certainly felt a need to up our game especially with single choices. Maybe a little pressure for something a little more immediate and radio friendly. The track we had in mind was ‘Crash’ as it was kind of danceable and quite mainstream, but that soon changed after the 9/11 terrorist attack which happened around this time. Although the lyrics had nothing to do with that, we thought people could misunderstand and possibly interpret them that way. The track everyone seemed to lean towards was ‘Leave You Nothing’ so this became the first single.


Was your gear set-up still quite reliant on hardware?

Yes, it was pretty much all hardware synths, we had just spent a big chunk of our advance on new equipment to get inspiration.

A Roland XP-30 (fully expanded with dance cards) played a big role on this album. A lot of the drum loops and sounds came from this keyboard, although we painstakingly chopped them up to make them less recognisable to the presets.

A NordLead 2 and an Access Virus B along with all our previous analogue gear was the palette of sounds we used. Sampling was taken care of by two Emax II’s and an Emu Esi32. Sampling was a major part of how we wrote and programmed at the time. Many hours of drum sampling and looping to create the rhythm sections / tracks.

‘Who Watches Over Me?’ was recorded in Bristol, but then it was mixed in Hamburg, did that environment help you to focus more on the final product?

The original plan was to write and record in our studio and take it somewhere locally to mix it. Initially, we tried at The Channel House studio in Bristol (owned by Toni Size) who had an SSL desk but the chemistry just wasn’t there with us and the guys we were working there.

The label suggested Home Studios in the centre of Hamburg. This had a Protools setup and a 96 channel SSL console.

It was previously known as Chateau Du Pape, DEPECHE MODE’s ‘Songs Of Faith & Devotion’ was mixed there along with ‘Herzeleid’ by RAMMSTEIN and many other artists like NENA used it too. We spent 3 weeks locked in there with Peter Schmidt and it was a breath of fresh air for us.

It was the first time we could sit back and actually listen, rather than be engrossed in the programming side of things. All-in-all, it was a fantastic experience and our fussball (table football) skills improved enormously. The album was mastered within days of finishing the mixing. We flew straight from Hamburg to Belgium to master it with Ronald Prent at Galaxy an outstanding purpose built studio.

‘Firefly’ was a fine opener that can be seen as classic MESH, how did it come together?

Initially it was just an instrumental track but Mark came up with a lyric idea for it. Mark and I lived very close to a supermarket in Bristol where an act of arson had taken place. Firefighter Fleur Lombard lost her life that day. She was the first ever female firefighter to lose her life in the line of duty in the UK. The lyrics are a twisted perspective through the eyes of the guy who caused the atrocity.

Would it be fair to say ‘Leave You Nothing’ was a bit reminiscent of DEPECHE MODE’s ‘It’s No Good’?

I’m not sure I’ve heard anyone refer to that track as sounding similar before but now you come to mention it… haha I don’t know, does it?

What was ‘Little Missile’ referring to? That brought a slight drum ‘n’ bass influence in?

‘Little Missile’ for me was more about that piano line, but we added this erratic “drum n bass” type loop which fitted really well so we just went with it. The structure of that song is all over the place but somehow seems to work and became a fan favourite.

The original title for the album was going to be ‘Stop Breathe’, a line taken from that song but the label had their concerns because the German people have problems pronouncing “th” in Breathe so we changed it last minute to ‘Who Watches Over Me?’.

The titles were quite pained from ‘Razorwire’ and ‘I Can’t Imagine How It Hurts’ to ‘Retaliation’ and ‘The Trouble We’re In’, how were things personally within the MESH camp at the time?

Weirdly, it was probably the most relaxed period in our history. We had signed “the major deal” and were in a very focused mindset. Mark’s lyrics have always had a very dark side to them which I’ve always thought was the appeal.

‘Who Watches Over Me?’ included ‘Friends Like These’ which has now taken on a life of its own and has become something of a MESH signature tune and fan favourite?

Yes. we released it as a single and we done a bizarre video for it on a farm in Berlin with a load of scantily clad girls an old Opel Kadett and a load of garden Gnomes… don’t ask…

Live, it became an anthem for us, probably helped by the fact we used to secretly take pictures of people entering the gig and their pictures would appear on the huge screens behind us during that track.

It was almost like us saying “thank you” to those who followed us and came to the shows. From then on it’s become the fans’ song, they own it now.

Which are your own personal favourite songs and memories from ‘Who Watches Over Me?’?

So many songs for different reasons. The making of this album was an exciting period for us. Personally I like ‘The Trouble We’re In’ although I seem to remember we were all really ill at the time of recording that song. We were all together in the studio for weeks on end so we’d all managed to catch this hideous flu like virus and you can really hear it in Mark’s vocal when you know that, but it just conjures up those long days for me listening to it now.

We were doing loads of odd sampling in my parents’ garage, dropping tools and bashing different things to create the percussion on that track. Layered up multiple takes of us clapping at the end to create a gospel type feel as it fades out. It just brings back up all those memories. Also, the time we spent at Home Studios was an amazing adventure. We stayed in three different hotels over a three week period and got to know Hamburg like a second home.

Looking back, how was ‘Who Watches Over Me?’ received in Europe when it was released? 

From our existing fanbase, it was received with open arms and the reviews in all the dark scene magazines were excellent. I think our only gripe was with Sony. We had what we thought was a great album, everyone knew it was something special but we were such a small fish at Sony and I think their focus was on their bigger artists.

They got it into all the mainstream music outlets and had it featured on a lot of the listening posts but the publicity wasn’t great. We did get a review and interview in Rolling Stone magazine which was quite an achievement. The album did actually chart in the top 100 which was something for us, but with more of a push from them I think it could have broken down more barriers for us than it did but…

But things were not all well at Home Records and apart from MESH, one of the other casualties was Karl Bartos of KRAFTWERK, so what happened from your point of view?

Maybe it was the fact it was a new market for them as they were essentially a dance label with Sony Columbia’s backing, so I think they may have struggled with a strategy in this genre and trying to break into the mainstream. We were covered in all the usual magazines and media (which we had before) and limited amounts of radio play, but breaking new ground and establishing yourself was difficult to maintain.

We actually did a show case gig at the launch of the label in Hamburg and Karl Bartos was our support. Unbelievable the godfather of electronic music supporting us???! I think he may have suffered the same fate as us. I think their hearts were in it, but maybe that last piece of the puzzle for opening new doors was missing. Our time with them was amazing and a real eye opener to the real world of the music business that not many people get to experience. As a label they were really cool guys and great people to work with.

While ‘Who Watches Over Me?’ did not achieve a British breakthrough, the overall momentum got Gareth Jones interested enough to work with you?

Yes, Gareth was originally earmarked to do ‘Who Watches Over Me?’, but we felt the DEPECHE MODE connection which he was synonymous with wasn’t good for us so we initially turned it down. When we started on ‘We Collide’, his name came up again and we thought “yeah what the hell” and that was another exciting chapter…

Having had the major label experience and been with Dependent since 2009 for ‘A Perfect Solution’, what would you say to artists now about whether to sign on the dotted line?

That’s a tricky one really. In all honesty, I think being on a small enthusiastic label is better than signing with a major label that has big artists to deal with. The money and experience was fantastic but I’m not so sure it’s like that these days. There certainly isn’t the money anymore and I think maybe a more internet based label with streaming and social media experience is a better option nowadays.

How do you think ‘Who Watches Over Me?’ sits within the MESH portfolio now as four albums have come since?

I personally think it sits there just right. It was a huge step forward for us and it’s all documented in that album. It still sounds like us as we had creative control but maybe it’s more professionally polished.

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its sincerest thanks to Richard Silverthorn

‘Who Watches Over Me?’ was released by Home Records / Sony Music

http://www.mesh.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/meshtheband/

https://twitter.com/meshwecollide

https://www.instagram.com/meshwecollide/

Text and Interview by Chi Ming Lai
24th June 2020

SARAH P. on Plotting Revolutions

22 June 2020 /


On her 2017 debut album, Greek songstress and mental health advocate SARAH P. asked ‘Who Am I’.

But three years on during one of the strangest periods in modern history, SARAH P. is ‘Plotting Revolutions’ on her second long player. Attempting to intelligently address challenging topics without losing her humour and positivity, this body of work is also a paean to well-being during the most uncertain of times.

Combining electronic elements with more acoustic instruments, ‘Plotting Revolutions’ explores new sonic territory for SARAH P. while she herself experiments with different modes of vocal expression. Holding a mirror to society in a spirited mission to wake up those who might be sleeping, with an afflicted passion and concern for the future, ‘Plotting Revolutions’ is a call to action from the heart and the head.

SARAH P. spoke from her home in Athens about human nature and how her evolving quest for shelter, health, and happiness in life.

Even before the current crisis, we were living in strange times. Had there been a particular moment which triggered your train of thought?

For years, I’ve been talking about the historic times we live in. We’re thrown challenges the one after the other and are often caught feeling numb in the light of (yet) another crisis we’re faced with. I’ve always been inspired by current events. Even when I’m writing about a personal experience, I’m trying to reflect on my surroundings. I’m hypersensitive – there has never been a point in my life where I chose to live in a bubble and ignore what’s happening in the world.

Naturally, that’s become a drive – motivation to write music that speaks about problems we’re facing within our societies, but also calls out to every human on this planet to lead more conscious lives and generally, do better.

I want my songs to be part of an open conversation – if that happens, I’m pleased.


What sort of revolution are you hoping for?

A revolution for positive change. I hope for better days. I long for them. In the year 2020, we shouldn’t have to discuss how the eradication of racism is long overdue and mandatory for the general good of our societies.

There shouldn’t be people arguing that systemic racism is “not a thing”, or that fast-capitalism and economy-driven administrations and institutions offer a viable solution to our deep-rooted problems. The socio-economic gaps within our societies are vast, thus marginalizing more and more people, leaving only a few with power in their hands.

If you asked me the same question when I started writing the record, I’d talk to you about our need for balance and peace. While this is still relevant (obviously!), inequality has been deeply ingrained in our societies, that, in a perverted way, it’s even celebrated. What we observe every single day through TV and social media – the rise of shameless violence, the inhuman reaction to it by key political figures, and the general public being torn between sentiments of apathy and anger are signs of our times.

We can’t go forward without an actual revolution. Let’s channel our anger towards getting informed, supporting incredible activists, and causes for positive change.

Let’s vote for politicians who stand for and defend the democratic values and are capable of handling all those challenges that come with the incredibly unstable times we live in. In the following years, we’ll probably have to focus on what went wrong in the past decade and try to fix it.

Moving forward we need visionaries to lead us towards change and meaningful progress. That’s the type of revolution I’m hoping for – the one that brings capable leaders to the foreground and lifts them, to help them carry out their difficult job.


‘Plotting Revolutions’ is more organic that your previous work, how has the creative process been for you by using different colours? Did you have any particular artist references?

The starting point will always be minimal synths and loops for me.

However, going to the studio and working together with my long-time collaborator and friend George Priniotakis, there’s a tendency of wanting to “warm-up” the atmosphere and add organic flourishes and riffs to my songs – make them more accessible, less obscure and introverted.

That’s mainly achieved by surrounding the vocals with organic instruments and often using vintage rack effects. We double up my beats with a drum kit and percussions. For this record, I even used a baglamas – a tiny lute-like instrument that’s been used very often in Greek music, specifically in rebetiko…

The key is listening to the lyrics – they’re always centered and meant to be heard. As I’m maturing as an artist, I tend to look back to the first pieces of music that moved me, resonated with me and my life at the time. There are some prolific Greek artists and composers – like Manos Hadjidakis and particularly his record ‘Reflections’, recorded by the NEW YORK ROCK & ROLL ENSEMBLE, that have influenced the way I write.

Lyrics are a focal point in Greek music – that’s how I’m handling my writing too, now more proudly than ever. It’s all about vulnerability. That’s plentiful, with the use of organic instruments – without disregarding the power of a good synth, of course.


Did it take longer to record using a less technological approach? What challenges did you face?

Recording the album didn’t take as long – I’ve adopted this style since my debut ‘Who Am I’, so work’s flowing while at the studio. What happened was that by the end of the recordings, I realized that I needed to take my distance from the material.

While at the studio, finishing up the record, I wrote my ‘Maenads’ EP, recorded it, filmed music videos, and released it. There were some internal changes at the time within the team I’m working with, which I guess affected me more than I expected. It was important for me to find the right partners who would understand and appreciate my music for what it is and not for what it could be.

Many people in the industry have tried to change me, based on how I look and sound. Sometimes, I tried to fit in the boxes some put out for me, but in the end, I was unhappy. And what’s the point of making and releasing music, if it makes you unhappy?

That’s why ‘Plotting Revolutions’ is being released three years later. It’s the first time I’m taking so long – I’m usually very impulsive with my releases. There’s something about this record that’s making me feel uncomfortable but in a good way. It’s rawer than previous work I’ve released – it’s more out there. It doesn’t beat around the bush. It represents who I strive to be in my everyday life, too.

Had your return to Athens after living for several years in Berlin been influential in the making of this album?

I wrote and finished the majority of this record while still living in Berlin, so not really – but I can see how moving back will affect my writing in the future.

So what would ‘Athena’ be referring to?

‘Athena’ is about my love and hate relationship with Athens. I left Athens when it started feeling unsafe for me. The year before leaving for Berlin was extremely traumatizing. Ever since, whenever I visited, I felt strained. I didn’t go out as much – I didn’t meet up with a lot of people. You’ll probably hear similar stories by many Athenians – feeling trapped, wanting to break away. It’s a tough city.

The video we filmed with The Méta Project serves as reclaiming my city, in a way. Which is something I anyway did during my pregnancy – walking around the city and running errands, going to work, following the most mundane routine helped me come out of my shell and see Athens for what it is – a vibrant city full of paradoxes and character, with its good and bad sides. There’s no heaven on earth; nowhere’s perfect. Humans are not perfect. Weirdly, this very thought has a calming effect.

‘Laying Low’ starts by saying we are “fighting with the past”?

Aren’t we? Aren’t we stuck? We’re too busy trying to make things as they were, instead of turning our focus towards the future. That said, ‘Laying Low’ is about accepting that sometimes we need to take our time to move forward. ’Laying Low’ is this one song that’s coming on the screen when a movie hero’s doubting themselves and they need a confidence boost – usually offered by their best friend.

There’s nothing wrong with having a low. I’ve been advocating for mental health for so many years, preaching we must accept that “it’s ok to not be ok”. Which is absolutely true, but, if I’m honest, truly hard to practice… Life doesn’t stop and it often gets too much, which makes it hard to take a day off.

Yet, it’s essential to try to make time for ourselves. I sing “there’re monsters in the cave, yourself you need to save”; often the “monsters” come out when we isolate ourselves. I know it’s hard to seek out for help – also because of unapproachable resources. Another point for the revolution – create and endorse accessible support systems within our societies. Helplines – while important, are not enough. We have to write it down on the agenda.

Is ‘She’ autobiographical or observational?

It’s both. A good thing about the internet and speaking about mental health on there is that I got to connect with people who shared with me their journey, as I shared mine. When darkness is approaching, there’s very little one can do. But also because it’s happened too often throughout your life, we’ve managed to come up with coping mechanisms that can save us from entering the vicious circle of despair. That’s who “she” is.

‘The Poem Of A Clear Consciousness’ mixes acoustic and synthesizer textures as well as you adopting a more playful demeanour than on some of your other work? Was there anything you had overcome?

Maybe my demureness. I started writing this song after having an endearing encounter on my way back home in Berlin. I saw this baby fox and we made eye contact. The cub seemed scared – probably looking for his / her mother, but it was also exceptionally calm, given the situation it had found itself. Something in the cub’s look made me think of the human vanity – all those things we’re going after, irrespective of the harm we may cause to other people, animals, and ultimately the planet.

How I also sing on ‘The Truth’: “there’s a faith, there’s one belief – that the human is master of them all, that the people can conquer them all”. This incredible superiority complex and greed have led us to a dead-end. But we don’t even dare to take responsibility for all those things we’ve done wrong; it’s always someone else’s fault. I know I’m painting a bleak image, but to be fair, there’s nothing great about the world right now. Positive change can happen if we take matters to our hands and work towards it.


You let yourself go vocally on ‘Bits & Bytes’, is that about society’s over-reliance on technology?

Absolutely. I let myself go, protesting the picture-perfect lives the majority of humanity (us) lives online! How do we unwind, when our phones have become our extension? We have forgotten how to be on our own, by ourselves. When do we pause?

We can’t even sign in and out without announcing it to our “followers”. There’s pressure for everyone to comment on everything – give statements. Everything has become about quantity, metrics. That’s another sign of our times – claiming those five minutes of fame, trying to make them six, seven, eight…

We’re consumed by our digital encounters, notifications, and our online likability. These antics have a horrific effect on our mental health – a topic I’m invested in and exploring on ‘Bits & Bytes’.

‘An End Or The End’, that is quite a profound statement which can be taken on many levels?

“Opportunist allies can’t always win the bet” – I’ll leave it there. Food for thought for every person who’s exercising their voting rights. Especially in Europe (and I’m looking at the UK, as well), we’ve experienced first-hand the strain and unrest that comes with conservatism and austerity. My main concern is what kind of world will the future generations inherit from us – the reality my daughter and her peers are going to face. I’ll never get tired saying that it’s on us to make a U-turn and drive forward instead of taking backward steps.


‘The Truth’ mentions “there are soldiers passing” and “a half salute”…

“There are soldiers passing [away] – there are kids that make emotions fold” – this part of the song refers to senseless violence caused by war.

Throughout the song, I’m touching on war crimes, violence, greed.

‘The Truth’ is about calling things as they are, laying out facts, and inviting those who stand at the opposite side to join “us” in trying to make things better. Then they can give “us” a “half salute”– a signal for recognizing the cause and joining the fight, “as long as [they] admit it – [they] tell us where [they] keep it” – where they keep their heart.

To be honest, under different circumstances, I’d never break down my lyrics. However, I understand that at this point, these parts having been singled out can be misleading to what I’m standing for. I wrote this song three years ago – things have escalated since then; even more harm is done. Having witnessed what’s happened over the past three years, I may say I don’t have any unrealistic expectations anymore. But hope’s not lost and at some point, things have to get better; for that to happen, we’ll eventually have to come together.

‘Beauty Queen’ is almost psychedelic and will surprise people…

I hope pleasantly 🙂

It’s my most organic track to date. I’d like to experiment more with this vintage sound in the future. It comes very naturally to me, having been raised by parents who appreciate the 60s and 70s, musically.

‘We Won’ is a gentle solemn closer that brings in a string section, how did that come together? Is this a song you would have been able to make 5 years ago?

From the moment I wrote ‘We Won’, I knew I wanted / needed strings to complete and “lift” the production. In a way, ‘We Won’ is the older sibling of ‘Berlin During Winter’ from my debut ‘Who Am I’. The two songs share a similar mood and atmosphere. Which was intended.

You see, from the ‘Free’ EP to ‘Plotting Revolutions’, there’s linear evolution meant to depict different moments in one’s life – from childhood and teenage years to adulthood. ‘Plotting Revolutions’ is adulthood – adult worries, routine and different kind of expectations and hopes. In that sense, as an intuitive writer, I’m unsure if I was able to write this song five years ago.

‘We Won’ is not only the closer of the record but also of a bigger music project that started with my debut EP. Now that I shared the story I wished to tell, for once, I don’t know what will follow musically – I’m yet to discover my music future.

You have described ‘Plotting Revolutions’ as your most mature work yet, do you have any particular favourite moments on this record?

Definitely experimenting with new instruments and sounds, as well as taking my time with releasing this material.


Has your perspective on your art changed since becoming a parent? What are your hopes and fears for the future?

To be honest, I haven’t created art as much as I thought I would during my pregnancy and these few months since my baby was born. I wrote some poetry, recorded a couple of songs in collaboration with other artists, but that’s it.

If anything, my perspective on life and the world has changed. Some fears I already had about where we’re headed have been magnified – thinking of the world my daughter and other people’s children will walk. There’s a momentum to demand justice and change right now, due to current tragic circumstances – “circumstances” nowhere to be new.

It was about time to (broadly) start calling out racial inequality, discrimination, and violence – it was about time to (broadly) start fighting for the most vulnerable within our societies. I hope it’s not a relevant trend that’s going to pass. It’s Pride month – look how the trans community has been continuously taunted and killed. Look at the killings of young BLM activist and artist Oluwatoyin Salau and 75-year-old AARP volunteer Victoria Sims in what looks a whole lot like a case of sex/gender-based violence.

Yes, media are mostly US-driven, but violence and bigotry are omnipresent, everywhere. There’s so much brutality in the world – a certain “I’ve got nothing to lose” mentality that’s turning human into a monster. Our children deserve better. We deserve better. I want to believe we’re better than that. Change won’t come without a fight. And we should realize that this is everyone’s fight to fight – every single person’s battle.

No matter if one chooses the activism route, protesting, petitioning, creating art – or keeps having conversations with the people in their lives and educating themselves on how to be and do better, we all have to exercise our voting rights and opt for the general good that is stabilizing the world. Move forward; no more going backward. No more.

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its warmest thanks to SARAH P.

Special thanks also to Robert Helbig at Hellbig Music

‘Plotting Revolutions’ is released by EraseRestart Records via the usual digital outlets

http://sarahpofficial.com/

https://www.facebook.com/sarahpofficial/

https://twitter.com/sarahpofficial

https://www.instagram.com/sarahpofficial/

https://sarahpofficial.bandcamp.com/

Text and Interview by Chi Ming Lai
Photos by Georgina Staikou
22nd June 2020

VANDAL MOON Interview

17 June 2020 /

With a sound seeded from post-punk, goth and new wave, VANDAL MOON are shaped as much by their use of drum machines and synthesizers as much as guitars and the inevitable deep baritone vocals.

Comprising of Blake Voss and Jeremy Einsiedler, the Santa Cruz duo opened their account with the self-released ‘Dreamless’ in 2013.

Their most recent long player ‘Black Kiss’ is their most electronic work yet, although the sound of THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS and THE SISTERS OF MERCY permeates throughout, perhaps not unsurprisingly as the two are linked by John Ashton who was the guitarist for the classic line-up of the former and an early producer of the latter.

In 2018 for the release of the ‘Wild Insane’ album, VANDAL MOON signed to Starfield Music, the record label of Shawn Ward, best known for his work as FM ATTACK. It is perhaps Ward who can be credited for championing VANDAL MOON to the wider synth community. Meanwhile notable collaborations with BETAMAXX and MECHA MAIKO have cemented that association further.

But despite their influences like THE CURE and DEPECHE MODE, Blake Voss and Jeremy Einsiedler have presented their own take on a classic approach with the potential to connect with wider tribes and enclaves. Front man Blake Voss talked about the rise of VANDAL MOON.

Who were the bands that inspired VANDAL MOON?

I was born right around the time THE SEX PISTOLS broke in the UK. So, by the time I was cognisant of what was going on around me, new wave was all over the radio. EURYTHMICS, TEARS FOR FEARS, BLONDIE… those were the bands of my early childhood. At the same time, my Dad’s record collection was filled with everything from Lou Reed to PINK FLOYD. Oddly enough, VANDAL MOON was initially envisioned as a sort of electronic-psychedelic project, and I think my childhood experiences, and imagination turned it into what it is now.

Had the use of synthesizers and drum machines in VANDAL MOON been more out of necessity to keep the creative process as a duo, or had you been like a conventional rock band previously?

Jeremy is my best friend. He and I have been playing music together since the late 90s, in all kinds of different bands. Noise bands, punk bands, acid folk… everything. We both loved the sh*t out of math rock, and all those post-rock bands of the early 2000s that nobody talks about anymore.

Typically, he played the drums and I played guitar and sang. But the synths and drum machines came into play because of our mutual love of the soundtrack to the movie ‘Drive’. That movie really affected us both in a profound way. It did that for many people.

Of course, the original European definition of goth which was doomy but melodic has mutated over the years into this American take which is more like dark metal, any thoughts?

I don’t know much about dark metal, but I love goth music and goth culture. I’m not a goth and I don’t pretend to make strictly goth music, but we have a lot of fans from the subculture. I’ve never met nicer, more thoughtful people. I’m just happy to have been accepted by some of them. And I love them back.

How do you look back on the first three VANDAL MOON albums and how you’ve developed?

We’ve moved in a lot of different directions as a band. THE BEATLES sort of set that precedent for pop music; never doing the same thing for too long. Eventually they became a corporation more than anything, but we all learned the same lessons from them.

Art isn’t about being born fully formed from the head of Zeus or something. It’s a journey and a process. It’s about leaving a beautiful mess behind you and letting the kids sort it all out.

Oh yeah, and being a celebrity sucks. THE BEATLES taught us that as well.

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK first heard of VANDAL MOON though collaborations with FM ATTACK and then MECHA MAIKO and BETAMAXX, so how did this synthwave association begin and has it expanded your audience?

I didn’t even know the synthwave community existed until a gentleman by the name of Axel from Neon Vice Magazine reached out to me around 2013. From there it just snowballed. The synthwave kids embraced me as an artist, and that was so heart-warming.

Because of that, I’ve been fortunate enough work with some artists who have forged a place for themselves in the history books. Shawn, Haley and Nick are all legends in their own right. These are people who have created something from nothing. Back when MTV mattered, they would have been featured on ‘120 Minutes’ or something. They deserve to be celebrated. History will not forget them, and neither will I.

You have described ‘Black Kiss’ as your most electronic record yet, had you been looking to evolve in this direction or did the acceptance by the synthwave community accelerate this and give you the confidence to make more of an artistic jump?

When I make a record, I imagine it in very abstract terms. To my imagination, this record wanted to be more angular and dark. A primarily electronic pallet was the best way for me to elaborate on that vision. I’ve written literally hundreds of songs on guitars, so it felt good to write this album on synthesizers. It gives it a different vibe. But who knows, maybe I’ll do something weird like a ‘VANDAL MOON: Unplugged’ album next. Or maybe a synthesizer style punk record. Who knows!

How would describe the creative dynamic within VANDAL MOON?

Much of the time, I’m alone in my studio, just f*cking around until something decent emerges. For every album, I write maybe 50 or 60 songs, and pick the best 10 or whatever. When I die, you can rummage through all my hard drives and release bullsh*t demos to your heart’s content. Jeremy and I get together a lot at his place, and drink vodka until we’re screaming at 2am and creeping the neighbours out. It’s a good way to let off some steam. A lot of songs come out of that process as well.

‘Wicked World’ does that epic gothic thing like FIELDS OF THE NEPHILM, did you know ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK was in the same class at school as The Neph’s drummer Nod but he was into jazz funk then!?! Were there any genres of music you explored before settling where you are now?

I’ve listened to and made all kinds of music. I listen to hip-hop, math rock, Turkish psych music… you name it. I’ve done soundtracks for documentaries where I’m playing a dumbek drum and a melodica and just chanting. I’ll play any instrument. I might play it sh*ttily, but I’ll play it nonetheless. I just love making music. F*ck everything else. I’m determined to succeed at creation. The rest is just happenstance.

‘Hurt’ really plays on making THE SISTERS OF MERCY’s template more synthy, had that been intentional?

I don’t intentionally model any of my songs after particular artists. The bands I liken us to, for PR purposes, are just based upon what people tell me we sound like. The thing I love about this project is that people struggle to pigeonhole us. VANDAL MOON sounds like a lot of different things, but we don’t fit neatly into any one genre. That means we’re doing something unique. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.

The moody gothwave of ‘We Are Electric’ sees you collaborate with FM ATTACK again, Shawn Ward really loves his dark musical side doesn’t he?

Shawn is the warmest, most enthusiastic and supportive person I know. He invited me out to this home in Mazatlan and we made a bunch of songs together for this last album ‘New World’. He’s my friend first and foremost. And yes, he loves dark music.

He understands how to create something dark that touches people’s hearts in a way that is multi-faceted, and not just like “oh me, I’m angry, boo hoo”. That’s because he is a special soul, and talented as hell. We’ll probably make a full-length FM ATTACK // VANDAL MOON album together at some point. It’ll be like THE GLOVE or something.

You’re not afraid to play with post-punk disco templates as ‘Suicidal City Girl’ shows? What had this been influenced by?

I think I was listening to a lot of Sally Dige when I made that song. You can hear it in there. Sally is so talented. I hope I get to work with her one day. She’s a real artist in the lifestyle sense.

Her life is art and art is her life. At least from what I can see. She draws, paints, makes music and film. She’s what we all aspire to. I was supposed to get my ass out to Berlin to do a music video with her, but it never happened.

‘Robot Lover’ is like DEPECHE MODE meeting THE MISSION, how did this track come together?

That’s a lovely compliment, thank you. This is one of those songs that Jeremy and I wrote together at his house. I think I wrote the bass line and Jeremy came up with the chords. Jeremy came up with the idea for me to sing higher during the verse line “we are enslaved for life, our pain is real”. And I think that’s what really pushed the song forward. It’s a very futurist song.

The apocalyptic gothic trance of ‘No Future’ no doubt surprised your fans, but how has the reception been on the whole to ‘Black Kiss’, has anyone said you are “betraying your goth roots”?

To hell with anyone who tells me I’m betraying my roots. The first CD I ever purchased with my own money was LL Cool J’s ‘Mama Said Knock You Out’, just based upon the power of the album art, so what the fuck do they know about my roots? I put ‘No Future’ last on the album because I felt like it was just a really nice closer. It’s aggressive, but in a more EDM kind of way. Of course, it’s not EDM. Nobody knows what it is, and that’s the beauty of it. It’s a really fun song to perform, and it’s very powerful at loud volumes. It’s a song dedicated to dystopia, and also to John Lydon. Thank you for everything, John. We love you.

How have European audiences taken to VANDAL MOON, will some of the directions taken on ‘Black Kiss’ make that more palatable for the future?

We live in interesting times. We have followers from all over the world. We get an extreme amount of support from Brazil and the rest of South America. But in the end, we’re all humans who hurt and laugh and love.

I don’t give too much credence to where our audience is from, but rather I try to embrace their love and acceptance and express gratitude back towards them as individuals. I don’t know if ‘Black Kiss’ will connect more with European audiences, but I believe it will connect with those who listen with open hearts.

The ‘Black Kiss’ album title does rather capture the zeitgeist, any thoughts?

I don’t groom my music to pump people up or bring them down, like Coca-Cola or something. I just follow my instincts and make songs based upon how I’m feeling at that moment. As a result, I think it sort of follows the emotional ups and downs of my human experience, which people can innately relate to.

I don’t want to make any commentary on what this album is or isn’t in terms of emotional content, because I want listeners to create their own experience and connections. The world is f*cked up, but it’s also filled with beauty.

The worldwide lockdown has made it difficult for everyone to make plans, but are there anymore collaborations planned for the future, or live appearances?

I’m working on a remix album with a bunch of insane artists that I won’t name here. But rest assured, it’s packed with talent. All 10 songs from ‘Black Kiss’ will be remixed by 10 different artists. I can’t wait. I also have like 3 different, full on collaborations that are in the works, which I think will surprise people.

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its warmest thanks to Blake Voss

‘Black Kiss’ is released by Starfield Music as a white vinyl LP, cassette or download, available along with the rest of the VANDAL MOON back catalogue direct from https://vandalmoon.bandcamp.com/

https://www.vandalmoon.com/

https://www.facebook.com/vandalm00n/

https://twitter.com/VandalMoon

https://www.instagram.com/vandalm00n/

Text and Interview by Chi Ming Lai
17th June 2020

STEPHEN MALLINDER Interview

10 June 2020 /

In a career that started in 1978 with the first releases by CABARET VOLTAIRE, Stephen Mallinder has worn many hats with other outfits such as ACID HORSE, SASSI & LOCO, WRANGLER and CREEP SHOW featuring John Grant.

Widely acknowledged as an experimental electronic music pioneer, despite fronting CABARET VOLTAIRE through their imperial phase and a number of iconic tracks such as ‘Nag Nag Nag’, ‘Yashar’, ‘Sensoria’ and ‘Just Fascination’, his releases as a solo artist have been scarce.

Indeed, Stephen Mallinder’s surrealist second album ‘Um Dada’ was only released in 2019.

But it rekindled interest in his first solo record ‘Pow Wow’ from 1982. Ice Machine, a new sub-label of the Canadian electro imprint Suction Records is reissuing an expanded deluxe edition of that debut.

This new version of ‘Pow Wow’ now includes the trippy dub excursion of ‘Temperature Drop’ and the more motorik ‘Cool Down’ from the 12 inch single that came out on Fetish Records in 1981 prior to the album, as well as a recreation of the original iconic Neville Brody designed artwork, painstakingly recreated using scans of the original.

Reflecting on more than four decades in the music business, Stephen Mallinder spoke about his solo work, his CABARET VOLTAIRE years and much more.

‘Pow Wow’ was recorded simultaneously as doing CABARET VOLTAIRE, what was motivating you do work on solo material. Had it been intended that maybe some of these tracks would morph into Cabs tracks?

I tend to be quite reactive, and I like a challenge, so it was driven initially by being asked to do a release with Fetish rather than a burning desire to have a solo career. We were really busy with lots of Cabs things but I was running around doing other stuff, and had friends all over. There was a direct connection with Rod who set up Fetish, and Neville (Brody) who was a good friend, as were 23 SKIDOO, who came up to Western Works to record ‘Last Words’. Fetish had become synonymous with Neville, the label’s identity was in part shaped by his designs and detailed ‘look’. So there was collective component, people who I was associated with it so it seemed natural that I’d be happy to record for them.

Musically it was a chance to do things on my own, it was an experiment to play everything myself. We had a studio, Western Works, I had the opportunity and so used the downtime during the night to try things out. They were never intended to be embryonic Cabs tracks because we had a different way of working. We were very collaborative and the tracks were made with us all together – it was never a case of individuals writing a piece and the others adding their names – we worked as a group from initiation to completion.

What would have been your equipment set up at this time at Western Works? 

It was still centred on tape recording as the key process. Although we had synths and a sequencer, these were still cobbled together, with bits of homemade gear and cheap instruments; it still had a futuristic junk shop vibe.

We had built up to using 8 track but didn’t move to 16 track until later when Richard and I did the Some Bizarre / Virgin deal.

We ended to put what money we had into outboard gear so we built up the rack of effects: compressors, noise gates, reverb, delays and processors. I think the MXR Harmoniser and Lexicon delay/multi effects get used a bit on the album. We also invested in drum machines and pedals. Multitracking, overdubbing and processing were the main means of working.

‘Pow Wow’ had a very rhythmic template and coincided with CABARET VOLTAIRE’s growing interest in the dancefloor?

To be honest it was always there, Richard and myself were old soul boys and were originally friends from the hanging out in record shops and blagging into nightclubs, illegally, when were 14-15 years old. But it’s fair to say that there was a growing interest in what was emerging from clubs, and importantly that through dance music, the 12inch single was becoming more accepted as a format which meant we could mess with that extended medium.

If you then throw in our interest in dub, a nod to the repetition of disco, and looser forms of funk and African music, there was a pattern emerging. We were starting to corral all these different elements before electro had even popped its head up so we were well placed. ‘Pow Wow’ was the early part of this curve – ‘Cool Down’ was done as a 12inch single, prior to, and independently from, the album.

How do you think ‘Pow Wow’ helped you in your future musical endeavours?

I’m not sure, perhaps it demonstrated I was capable of playing all the parts and taking on every role whenever I felt I needed to. It did contrast with the Cabs where there was a happy interaction between everyone and we knew it was a consequence of 2 or 3 individuals combining, complimenting and contrasting with each other to achieve a result. I guess it made me aware of different ways of working creatively.

On ‘The Crackdown’, you were working with a young producer by the name Flood, what did you see in him that would fit into the CABARET VOLTAIRE aesthetic?

Haa, it’s kind of funny because I think Flood refers to those as his dark days so maybe you should ask him what he thought of working with us. I don’t think it was us personally as we had some great times making music with Flood.

He was great for us because until we went to record ‘The Crackdown’ in Trident, where Flood was the in-house engineer, we had never really spent time in a proper outside studio.

Flood was open, inquisitive, up for anything so great for us and we had a good chemistry. And he came back to co-produce ‘Micro-Phonies’ with us – he even came to Western Works to contribute to the recording process before we went to Sarm and mixed that album. I think his subsequent history shows how great he was, I hope he has some good memories of it all.

The ‘Crackdown’ title track is often highlighted, but ‘Just Fascination’ was an excellent if underrated single in its John Luongo remix?

Yes, John was our first foray into the specialist club remix. He was great, very amiable and my lasting memory is him working relentlessly to get the perfect kick drum sound – it took pretty much a whole day. But we should also acknowledge Peter Care’s video for that track, the first vid we did together.

How do you look back now on that Some Bizzare / Virgin Records trilogy of ‘The Crackdown’, ‘Micro-phonies’ and ‘The Covenant, The Sword & The Arm Of The Lord’?

With a sense of satisfaction. It was an interesting, and challenging time. We were trying to mould our sound, and whole approach, to a changing situation – technology, formats, media, audiences were all moving rapidly and we were in the middle of all that. We wanted to move forward but not to lose what we had achieved until then – being on the outside creating noise and disruption – but knowing we should embrace the changes. Those albums capture that tension both for us, and the times.

What opportunities did the move to Australia present that weren’t open to you in the UK at the time?

It was a bit of a shock because I had to survive, bring up my daughters, and continue with my creative work. I didn’t know a single person there. I learnt how to adapt but retain the core of yourself.

Although it felt like starting again, it was an opportunity to try things without feeling the weight of expectation on top of me all the time. I could try whatever I wanted without as much attention so I was able to write, start a record label, set up a production company, promote gigs and festivals, become a radio producer running arts and current affairs, DJ, have radio shows, complete my PhD. I did them all in a relatively short space of time which I think was only possible being away from the UK bubble.

How different was Australia to the UK when you moved there? Especially Western Australia which is in itself even more ‘remote’?

It was quite disconcerting at first as you become very aware of how small and distant you can feel when detached from your past, and that very familiar world.

But I was lucky in that I developed strong connections in Sydney and Melbourne so travelled a lot doing music and the label. I was also very lucky in that the radio show was a way of getting people in. That plus the gigs through the production company, meant every week I had someone from overseas coming in or staying with me.

So one week it might be COLDCUT, the next MR SCRUFF, KRUSH, GRANDMASTER FLASH, JURASSIC 5 or mates like MOLOKO, Jarvis Cocker or whoever passing through. I became like Our Man in Havana in Graham Green’s novel.

Also the Off World Sounds label was run by me and Pete Carroll, brother of Central Station’s Matt and Pat, and Shaun Ryder’s cousin, so barely a month would go by without half of Manchester coming to stay.

Was there any particular reason the ACID HORSE project with MINISTRY only produced one single? Was the plan for it to be an ongoing act in the vein of REVOLTING COCKS?

No it could only be a one off. In fact to this day we’ve never owned up to it really. We were in the studio in Chicago with Marshall Jefferson recording tracks for ‘Groovy, Laidback & Nasty’ and did some moonlighting with Al (Jorgensen) and Chris (Connelly) to do ACID HORSE. EMI had paid for the trip to record with Marshall so would have taken a dim view of us doing a bit on the side, hence we were credited under pseudonyms on the release.

You finally followed-up ‘Pow Wow’ after 37 years with ‘Um Dada’, while you had been recording and releasing albums as part of WRANGLER, what was the impetus to do another solo record after so long?

I just felt like taking control for a bit, and because we’d been so busy with WRANGLER, there was suddenly a bit of time to do it.

There was no particular plan, in fact I can’t really remember how it happened. I think I started making tracks at home because I had a bit of time, it followed from there.

I was never conscious of not making solo stuff until it was pointed out it’d been years since I did something under my actual name. I feel ownership of all music that I’ve worked on from CABARET VOLTAIRE, SASSI & LOCO, WRANGLER etc, there’s but tons of releases so really it was just the name for me. I’ve always preferred hiding behind a branded name, but it was nice to think there could be a direct connection by using my own.

How would ‘Working (As You Are)’ have come together and would it have been something you could have done while doing ‘Pow Wow’?

No, technology changes things, and context too. Each are a result of their own specific time and place. Although the common elements of rhythm and simplicity are consistent. I’m the link and what feathers my duster remains pretty stable.

How have the continual changes in music technology influenced the way you work? How would a young Master Mallinder have reacted to the vast libraries of sounds available at the click of a mouse?

Like everyone it gives choices. I can work from home on my laptop, and I can also choose to go into a studio. I do enjoy that flexibility, and I like that each can have their own approach and sound, or grain. And at this moment working remotely but collaborating is a good thing to be able to do.

I think the bigger changes are in transmission – how we share that music and how we choose to present ourselves. As the tangible content – the product itself – has been transformed, almost lost, so has the exchange value and our relationship to creative work. It’s certainly not all good, but we have to work with it. For every annoyance that Spotify and YouTube have made music seem like a free product, Bandcamp, coupled with social media, have given us the opportunity to quickly upload and sell.

Music, like much creative output, has become a utility. A consumable, available at the end of a click.

How did you find the reception for ‘A Situation’, your third album with WRANGLER? Did you enjoy working in Benge’s new Cornwall studio complex and seeing what he had brought into that already vast synth armoury?

Well we’ve been working all along in the Cornwall space – we did the previous album ‘White Glue’ there, recording in the upstairs space before the studio was built, plus CREEP SHOW and I finished ‘Um Dada’ there.

You won’t be surprised to know Phil and I were the first ones in there… we pretty much followed the removal truck down.

But yes, Benge has done a great job – it has taken a few years but it’s brilliant, perfection I’d say. I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to work there but really it’s about the people and I love working with Benge and the guys. We can work anywhere though… Benge and I finished a Laura Marling mix in an Air B&B in Glasgow.

Yes, we released the WRANGLER album as lockdown happened. We were fortunate to do a couple of gigs before the shutters came down but not great timing… particularly for the videos Aki did, they are too amazing to be missed so I hope they get seen.

The current lockdown is highlighting something you have written about in the past, namely the place of live music in a digital world. With many artists at this time performing set on platforms like Zoom, do you see audiences perceptions of what is ”live” being changed forever?

Zoom is the work of the Devil… a mate just messaged me and said that!

We have to adapt so I see this as a response to a situation, but music was never meant to be experienced live though laptop speakers. I find the funniest thing is how celebrity culture functions in lockdown – the need for attention seems to drive much of it, not a burning creative desire.

Much music is rooted in the experience, and importantly a sense of shared experience. We need a feeling of connection. Live gigs on Zoom seem a bit shit, but everyone is trying to make things work so I don’t want to be moaning on the sidelines, it’ll be interesting to see what we choose to take from all this.

What’s next for you in terms of future projects whether musical or academic, lockdown depending?

Oh I seem to have lots of things on: mixes, collaborations, film projects under way. I’ve shot bits for two promo clips in my bedroom in last three weeks. I’ve written the follow-up to ‘Um Dada’ but need to get to studio to finish.

Sadly all the gigs been cancelled or postponed. I think much seems in preparation for the big return… although that may be a series of small returns right now. One footnote being “try running a Sound Arts course online!”; big respect to everyone out there doing their best to make things work in this different world.

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its grateful thanks to Stephen Mallinder

Additional thanks to Steve Malins at Random Management

‘Pow Wow’ is reissued by Ice Machine on 19th June 2020 in double baby blue vinyl LP, CD and digital formats, pre-order via https://pow-wow.bandcamp.com/album/pow-wow

‘Um Dada’ is available via Dais Records as a vinyl LP in three colours plus the standard black as well as CD and download from https://www.daisrecords.com/products/stephen-mallinder-um-dada

‘A Situation’ is released by Bella Union as a CD, vinyl LP and download

https://www.facebook.com/stephenmallinderofficial/

https://twitter.com/stephenmal

https://www.instagram.com/malmallinder/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
Interview by Chi Ming Lai and Ian Ferguson
10th June 2020

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