Interview with Synapse. Recorded March 23rd, 2013 at Milk Bar in Denver, CO
Category Archives: Interview
:Interview: Cynergy 67
:Interview: Jimmy Urine of Mindless Self Indulgence
What’s that ruckus coming through the night? It’s Jimmy Urine, mastermind of the infamous and unclassifiable band Mindless Self Indulgence. Since their creation in 1995, MSI has gone against the grain, done their own thing despite what everyone thinks they should do and just made it work. They released their first album, Tight, in 1999 and another in 2000 titled Frankenstein Girls Will Seem Strangely Sexy and a made a name for themselves playing a mixture of Industrial, Alternative, Hip-Hop and Rock tracks. They’re arguably one of the first bands to make Glitch music mainstream. Glitch music is something that was originally puzzling to listeners, but now it is accepted and cherished by Techno and Dubstep enthusiasts. (more…)
:Interview: KMFDM
:Interview: Chris Vrenna
While icons such as Trent Reznor, Billy Corgan and Marilyn Manson receive a great deal of credit for revolutionizing the Rock/Industrial genres, it is also true that there is almost always someone else around, just outside the spotlight, who is working with them and helping them perfect their craft. For Reznor, Corgan, and Manson, that someone is Chris Vrenna. He may not get all the accolades that the aforementioned megastars get, but chances are if you loved Industrial music in the 1990s you had Vrenna to thank. (more…)
:Interview: Velvet Acid Christ
Named after a combination of a concept termed “cyber christ” and a bad acid trip, Velvet Acid Christ has been around for since the early 90s. Since it’s creation, there have been a ton of changes to not only the members, Bryan Erickson being the only constant and current member, the technology and landscape of the industry itself is virtually unrecognizable. But throughout the past twenty-plus years, Erickson has evolved both himself and his project and continually produced some of the most groundbreaking and edgy electro-industrial music. COMA’s Jaymie Burzette was able to talk to Bryan for this exclusive interview. (more…)
:Interview: Jaz Coleman of Killing Joke
A classical and soundtrack composer, conductor, ordained minister and Rosicrucian philosopher. All of this describes the man who is best known to the world as the vocalist and founder of the seminal post-punk/proto-industrial band Killing Joke. However, Jaz Coleman is more than just a sum of his accomplishments and has constantly striven to be more than just a vocalist. The Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres given to him by the French government for contribution to the arts attest that he’s transcended beyond the moniker of musician and assumed the role of innovator and, that most difficult to define role, artist.
Luckily for COMA, Jaz was able to take time to chat with Gabe Wilkinson about a variety of topics including the Mayan Non-Apocalypse, American Politics and more. (more…)
:Interview: Nick Quarm – Juggernaut Services
Nick Quarm founded Juggernaut Services in the summer of 2012 and has worked with some of the newest names to hit the dance floors in the past year and a half. Stefan Davey took some time to talk to Nick and find out what the whole promotion business is all about.
:Interview: EsperMachine
Espermachine, the Synthpop project of Arkansas-based James Esper, was conceived in 2006 but is now gaining more momentum than ever. This upswing for the band occurred in part because of a recent nationwide tour with headliner Assemblage 23 as well as the release of Dying Life, its debut album, through Tom Shear’s 23db label. Fans of Assemblage 23 and Covenant are embracing Esper’s dancey beats, melodic synths, and gothy vocals. COMA was able to snag some of Esper’s precious time to find out more about the history and future prognosis of this growing force in the electronic music scene. (more…)
:Interview: Douglas J. McCarthy
For 25 years the succulently smooth voice of Douglas J. McCarthy has been heard all over the world. Whether it’s in the darkest gothic nightclub or at a massive European rave – McCarthy’s voice is almost always a presence. In 1987, he and his band Nitzer Ebb released That Total Age, an album that has influenced DJ set lists for decades. From that album are two of the most influential industrial tracks of all time: “Join in the Chant” and “Murderous.” They’ve been played and remixed thousands of times and to this day are still being danced to in clubs everywhere. (more…)
:Interview: Cynical Existence
Goteborg, Sweden’s Fredrik Croona may not be the most well-known name in the industrial scene, yet. But through various projects and collaborations he has slowly built a stellar reputation for himself and his product.
Croona, formerly of Menschdefekt and Necroleptic, has been keeping himself busy with Project Rotten and his latest solo-creation: Cynical Existence. What he says started out as just an experiment has flourished into a full-fledged project. Cynical Existence’s first release A Familiar Kind of Pain was released on April 1, 2012 but was no April Fool’s joke. Croona shed just a bit of his digital skin to make something a bit more human than his previous projects. What musical skin was peeled was rebirthed by slamming synths, sinister snarls and pounding beats. Tracks like “Always and Forever” became a dance floor stomp sensation in underground and Goth night clubs. (more…)
:Pre Tour Interview: Ego Likeness and Cryogen Second
Ego Likeness are once again taking their unique brand of awesome to the streets. Or more specifically, the stages. Bringing along our friends Cryogen Second to support them and be the butt of the majority of all practical jokes, The Treacherous Tour will be winding through Texas, the midwest and finally back to the east coast.
:Interview: Mona Mur & En Esch
There may not be anything anymore powerful and exciting then when you combine the elements of beauty and power into music. Such is the case for Germany’s Mona Mur and En Esch. Between the two, they have nearly 60 years of music experience under their belts and are using that and their musical genius to create something unique for the music world.
Mona Mur broke into the scene in 1982 with Einstürzende Neubauten, but it wasn’t until 1989 that MM released her own full-length album. Away from the industrial scene, she’s mastered some martial arts and even lent her music skills to the video game world working on soundtracks for games such as Kane and Lynch 2: Dog Days. (more…)
:Interview: Iris
In a synth-pop scene full of repetitive electro beats and “poor man’s Depeche Modes,” the music world can be thankful for synth-pop “legends” Iris. Their first album, Disconnect, instantly put Iris on the map with the hit track “Annie, Would I Lie to You?” The song became an international hit as did a few more songs that followed.
However, bitter tension between the original members, Reagan and Matt, began to swell. The euphoria had faded and the band temporarily split. Iris was renewed a few years later when Andrew Saga joined the band. Iris’s patented synth-pop stamp was transformed from synth and keyboard focused music into a magical blend of guitar rock and synth-pop. (more…)
:Interview: My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult (Part One)
Photo by Grant V. Ziegler – Singer, Groovie Mann, belts to the crowd.
Originally posted on News Register Online. Reprinted with permission.
Amerika’s most dangerous Kult celebrates 25 years of horror, occult and the funk.
Before Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails, there was My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult (TKK). Formed in 1987, TKK paved the way for industrial music acts, such as Manson’s to flourish. Originally, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult was to be the name of a movie conceived by founding members Groovie Mann and Buzz McCoy. The movie was never completed. However, the music Groovie and Buzz created for it made an impression.
At the time, the most notorious industrial label was Wax Trax! Records who decided to give TKK a chance. After positive responses to a 3-song EP that was supposed to be the movie soundtrack, the band released its first album in 1988 titled I See Good Spirits, I See Bad Spirits. The album was welcomed with open arms from music lovers, but protested by various religious organizations for its dark and satanic imagery. Songs like “Do You Fear for Your Child” and “On this Rack” delighted the patrons in Goth and underground clubs, while parents and much of mainstream America found a new scapegoat to explain why the morals of society were being lost. (more…)
:Interview: Assemblage 23 – October 2012
:Pre Tour Interview: Red This Ever
You say you’re not familiar with Red This Ever? Well that’s a shame and something that must be remedied on this tour. Red This Ever is an awesome synthrock band out of Baltimore and are heading out in support of their 4th album, Little Red Men on the Little Red Men tour. (more…)
:Pre Tour Interview: Angelspit
:Pre Tour Interview: MyParasites
Starting on October 17th, Angelspit, Cyanotic and MyParasites set off to tear the country a new asshole in true cyberpunk fashion with the Wall Street Massacre tour. This tour promises to be a spectacle to behold.
Lead screamer of MyParasites, Jaws, took some time out of his tour prep to share what you can expect from their live show as well as his thoughts on the tour destinations.
:Pre Tour Interview: Cyanotic
:Interview: Acumen Nation
:Pre Tour Interview: Imperative Reaction & Ludovico Technique
Today (October 06, 2012) marks the first day of what promises to be an awesome tour, the All Sides Closing In tour. Featuring Imperative Reaction, Everything Goes Cold, Ludovico Technique and The Witch Was Right, there will be variety to be sure but who wants a show full of bands that sound the same? Not us, that’s for sure.
Since COMA is a sponsor of the All Sides Closing In tour, we are doing our extra pimpage and and getting you a little extra info on what you can expect. Ted Phelps of Imperative Reaction and Ben V. of Ludovico Technique took the time out of the hectic pre tour prep to answer some questions in this pre tour interview. (more…)
:Pre Tour Interview: Angels On Acid and End: The DJ
Angels On Acid are once again teaming up with End: The DJ to head out on the Brave New World tour. “This lineup seems familiar” you say? Well the two acts had previously teamed up back in 2010 for a limited run and now they are back again to tear up a club near you. (more…)
:Interview: GoFight
:Interview: Caustic
:Pre Tour Interview: Caustic
Here we are again. Pimping another awesome tour we are sponsoring. This time we’ve got The Eternal Legends of Metropolis Records West Coast Tour, 2012 featuring Caustic and Everything Goes Cold.
It’s been a while since Caustic has been on tour and this will be the first time he’s toured sober. Don’t let that fool you, he’s still the same madman you’ve all come to tolerate.
So get ready to Booze Up and Riot because The Saint of Fuck-ups is coming to a town near you. If you live near any of the 7 cities on this tour… (more…)
:Interview: Bradley Bills of CHANT: The Human Drum Machine
The infamous front-man of Ministry, Al Jourgensen, once said that he hated drummers because they were all pre-Madonnas. Unfortunately for Jourgensen, he’s never worked with drummer and vocalist Bradley Bills.
Bills, an Austin, Texas resident, is the brains and brawn behind the Tribal-Industrial act CHANT. To describe CHANT, picture a Gothic-Industrial version of the Blue Man Group and trade in their sense of humor for dark and soul-driving intensity. Bills is no ordinary drummer and does not play a typical drum set. Bills’ kit consists of nine drums, a metal percussion set which includes a satellite dish, two five-gallon paint cans and various 30-gallon trashcans.
Interview conducted by Grant V. Ziegler. (more…)
:Pre Tour Interview: Mona Mur and En Esch
On the off chance that you didn’t know, COMA Music Magazine is sponsoring the Classick Tour featuring Slick Idiot, Mona Mur and En Esch and Promonium Jesters. In anticipation of this excellent tour hitting cities all over the US and Canada we shot some questions over to En Esch and Mona Mur to find out what we can expect from this tour. (more…)
:Interview: End: the DJ
:Interview: [x]-Rx
Koln, Germany is a long way from Dallas, Texas but [X]-RX felt right at home after their first time in Texas. Aside from the hot weather and inability to walk the streets with alcohol, which every Euro band has trouble getting accustomed to. [X]-RX’s Pascal Beniesch and Jan “Sine” Teutloff had just played in Austin and Houston, Texas so, they welcomed the opportunity to play in front of fresh and eager faces from the North Texas areas.
Dallas audiences have a tendency to become complacent over time with music and bands but, [X]-RX was exactly what the Church crowd needed to sate an unquenchable thirst for new and driving music. (more…)
:Interview: Ad-Ver-Sary
Kathleen Chausse got some time after the Tragedy (For Us) tour to sit down and talk to Jairus of Ad-ver-sary. Ad-ver-sary is a Canadian Industrial project signed to the independent label, Tympanik Audio. (more…)
