So a few months ago now I was given some questions about things to answer. Nobody seemed to like my answers (lolz) so it never got stuck online, so I'm going to post it here, because I can and tough tits if you don't like it. On the plus side, this is one of the few blog entries that actually talks about the band and stuff! And then the music industry! Which hasn't been done to death! Watch, as I flirt with answering the questions properly! Gasp, as I use swears to look cool! Yawn, as the questions are so fucking long and dull!
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No Made Sense Interview
Email Interview
- You’re at the final mixing stage of your new album, what can you tell us about it?
It's taken for-fucking-ever.
- You say it is something else entirely to what you did on The Epillanic Choragi, how so? Heavier or more Bieberish?
Generally speaking the songs are shorter and there are more melodies which on paper sounds like we are selling out or whatever, i'm sure some people are going to be pretty pissed when they hear it. In reality as most of it was recorded live and the production is pretty raw so I think in many respects it's less 'listenable' than the glossy metal production of our debut. It's probably a bit darker overall too. I dunno. Everyone says their new stuff is different.
- One thing the band is noted for is a good few epic songs hitting the nine minute range and over. A few bands have recently tried the one song album or one song EP; could you ever see the band attempting to give this a go?
I'd kind of consider our debut to be a one song album; there are a few repeating riffs and rhythmic ideas over the course of the album, it's telling a story and it's supposed to be listened to in it's entirety really. For our upcoming album we didn't so much consciously try to write shorter songs (there are still a couple of 10+min tracks) but it was more a case of trimming the fat. We were pretty brutal this time around so any sections that didn't get us excited got cut, I think maybe we didn't do enough of that last time.
- I read in an interview that the last album was about a doomed planet, is there any theme/story behind this new album?
There is no theme to this album, although I suppose lyrically it's all centred around my constant sense of disappointment. Initially it was going to follow on from the debut and I did have a lot of story written out, maybe we'll return to it one day. Essentially the story/concept was playing too much of a part in constructing the songs and album where really I wanted to be focussing on the music more. The album has developed so much over the writing and recording process, but I like to think it's been organic. We didn't set any kind of boundaries for the album, we just let it happen.
- Do you feel any pressure as The Epillanic Choragi was positively received by fans and critics?
Well yeah, we got some pretty fantastic reviews which didn't particularly translate into sales/tours, I don't think we are fashionable enough right now. As long as people either hate it or love it i'll be happy. I don't want to evoke apathy.
- For the bands live show, how hard is it to try decide on a set list?
Well it depends how long a slot we have, we used to just do sections of songs from the album all tied together with no breaks. I suppose this time around with shorter songs we might actually play songs entirely instead of in sections. I'm sure it'll be pretty easy, the ones which are too tiring to play we won't bother doing.
- The album teasers will be released soon as you stated on Facebook with a release in the near future, do you have any goals for 2011 to follow the album that you want to achieve?
Play more gigs and upset more people.
Questionnaire
- The biggest issue with the internet for artists is of course illegal downloading and there has been a rapid decline in value of the industry as the internet expands throughout the world. Several artists I have spoken to have stated that it has become part of life and that now selling albums is no longer a profitable business; money is solely earned from touring. What are your views on the matter of illegal downloading?
I think it's shitty thing to do for a variety of reasons, not just because it's stealing. It's changing attitudes towards music as an artform, it's cheapening it, the whole Spotify crap means people don't listen to albums properly and can just bounce between bands forever. Some of my favourite albums ever I hated on the first listen. It's breeding laziness. Damn kids. Everything has to be immediate now. Also Spotify is a cunt. Did I mention that?
- Do you feel that any of the current methods such as watermarking or streaming based models which have users paying a fee to stream music will take off and help stop the illegal sharing of music files? Or do you see any strength with the idea of giving away your music for free, having it shared around the world and again relying on touring to make money?
I hate Spotify. So. Fucking. Much.
People will always pay for music, even if that number is decreasing. The rest will just steal it anyway, so you may as well get what little money you can from selling the music. I don't see why the industry has to change because people are stealing stuff. If everyone just hated on the downloaders more and stopped accommodating them then we can demonise them and eventually people will stop doing it because it will become be massively uncool. Like what's happening with smoking. Why let the terrorists win?
- The global recorded music industry saw a 31% decline in value from the years of 2004 to 2010 but the digital music market has seen a 1000% increase in value over the same period. Do you see the internet’s influence on the industry as the sole cause of this decline or do you believe there are any other factors which you consider an issue?
I doubt there's many other factors to be honest.
- With such a growth in the digital music market, many artists have already stopped creating physical albums; the most notable is Rob Zombie who stated his most recent release would be his last physical album as the growing popularity of iTunes and Amazon is now controlling album sales. The IFPI recently published findings that 16.5% of internet users in the United States purchase their music digitally than physically.
Firstly as an artist and music fan, do you still buy physical albums or do you download from digital music stores? Secondly, do see the digital music markets as something positive for the industry and your career as a new and cheaper distribution method?
You know what pisses me off? Established artists making a thing about going soley digital and stuff. It's easy enough when you've got a huge fanbase, you try starting out during all this crap. God, they are SO with the times. Pricks.
I never download, I prefer having the physical CD, look at the artwork etc. Sure digital is way cheaper distribution but who's making the savings there? Probably not us. iTunes is a dick. I hate the fact I have to use it for my iPhone. I hate the fact I own an iPhone. I hate myself.
- As the digital music stores assist in distribution, other factors that come into releasing an album are marketing and promotion of any sort. What are your views on the ability to use the internet to promote and market yourself?
There are too many bands. Everyone is going LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME WE HAVE NEW PROMO PHOTOS GET A FREE DOWNLOAD IF YOU PREORDER NOW JOIN MY MAILING LIST it's so fucking boring. Boring boring boring. I'm going to go whore myself out on other bands pages. "Here's a link! Album out today!' Bunch of fucking whores, whoring out their fucking shit. God I hate the music industry.
- Social networking has naturally become a massive asset in the industry for labels and artists to be able to interact with fans on an everyday basis from anywhere in the world. Do you feel that if the social networking boom hadn’t taken place that it would effectively hinder careers as there would have been no direct route to communicate with fans?
Who wants to communicate with fans, really? It's people on the internet, talking. That's the worst thing ever. It's bad enough I have to put up with my own opinions, let alone someone else's.
- A big development in recent years has been the hardware and software that has been created for anyone and everyone to purchase. We now find aspiring artists building their own home studios at their computer by purchasing top of line software, sound cards, microphones and such. What are your views on the technology advancements in recent years from software, hardware and even to the MP3 itself? What positives or negatives if any do you see from these advancements?
Most music sounds like shit nowadays. Protools etc means bad musicians can sound good with tweaking. It's levelled the playing field, in a really bad way. Being talented doesn't really make a difference nowadays, it can all be tidied up. Home studios also mean no producers telling you what's shit or not, a bit of outside influence never hurt anyone. Also means programmed drums, which is fucking cheap. It also means no nice ambience when everything is triggered/programmed/close mic'ed. All music gear is cheap now. Everyone is in a band. I quit my band. Do I win?
- While purchasing hardware/software and recording in your own home studio is a method of removing big studio costs and staff costs, recently fan funding in return for incentives has become a new way forward. Recently in the UK bands such as Madina Lake, Funeral For A Friend and The Blackout have used Pledge Music (Kickstarter in the US) in which fans contribute towards the cost of the studio in return for signed albums, special gifts and more. Do you think this method of involving fans more intimately in the creation of an album and offering them incentives to do so could be a way forward to combat the losses through piracy?
I think I saw some band on there once and it looked fucking terrible. That's only going to work if you're a bunch of pretty boys like the aforementioned and some stupid bitch is going to spend her Dad's money on a signed snare skin. What a bunch of cunts. Everyone else fucking manages. It's disgusting. They should be ashamed.
- In the United States from 1999 to 2009 there was a 17% fall in the number of people hired as a musician and in Europe, while not directly musicians, the estimated number of jobs likely to be lost due to piracy in the creative industries will reach 1.2 million by 2015. Do you worry as an artist that you will ever be swept by this wave and be forced to leave the industry you love in order to provide a better living for yourself?
The industry provides no living for me and it never will. I enjoy playing guitar. I enjoy playing gigs. I enjoy that a handful of people enjoy what I do too. This is as far as it needs to go for me really, if you ever think you'd have to STOP doing music then you're an arse. I make music for my enjoyment first, but obviously would never stand in the way of making money from it.
- When you consider the industry previously to the time before the internet and to now with the internet in full swing, what do you see for the future of the industry?
Well, they fucked up recorded music, now live music is getting fucked by stupidly expensive ticket prices with overpriced bars and shit festivals. I hope it dies. I don't really give a fuck what happens now. This is why we can't have nice things. Bon Jovi was right. Steve Jobs killed music. Let's hope he dies soon.
