Northampton based alternative rockers Venus Fly Trap last
studio release was back in 2011 with the criminally underrated
'Nemesis', and with the promise of new material round the corner it
seems only right that their legacy is revisited with a vinyl
re-release of their two-decade encompassing best of selection.
Charting the band's rise from their roots in the 1980's Midlands goth
scene across their seminal early singles and into their
post-millennial output.
Venus Fly Trap were always a hard
band to pin down. Not quite post-punk, not quite goth. Not quite
avant-garde, not quite electronic. They mixed and matched genre
conventions with ease to create an experimental yet always accessible
core sound. It's easy to hear elements of deathrock, post-punk,
gothic, new wave, industrial and even psychedelia-tinged garage rock
in the tracks assembled here.
The band have been very
selective and kept the selection short and full of impact with choice
cuts such as their brilliant covers of 'Rocket USA' and 'Human Fly',
as well as 'Morphine', 'Europa', 'Achilles Heel', ‘Pulp Sister’,
‘Metropolis’, and ‘Gemini Lounge’ being worth the price of
admission alone. They have avoided to throw in b-sides, remixes and
rarities and have created a lean, strong and definitive “best of”
track list that is a perfect introduction to the band's legacy.
With the songs being drawn from across multiple releases over
twenty years the recording and mixing quality of the songs varied.
But the album has been mastered and crafted with attention paid to
this and the end result sees the tracks come together and stand
shoulder to shoulder nicely.
'Metamorphosis (1987 – 2007)'
is a straight-to-the-point and no nonsense best of that
simultaneously shows the band's strongest cuts as well as just how
diverse they can be. It is a “best of” that does exactly what it
sets out to do and provides a definitive overview of the band's
career. This vinyl re-release is long-overdue and a must-have for
long-time fans.
The
book ticks all the right boxes for a gothic horror novel – a strong
naïve heroine. A sinister family secret, mad science, forbidden
romance, a supernatural presence in an old house within a bleak and
isolated, and locals fearful of the noble family. It may be using
standard conventions of the genre, however it doesn't come across as
derivative or conceited at any point. Instead Ward weaves them into a
compelling plot that will genuinely have you guessing and in a few
places will shock you.
The one major issue
with the novel is the pacing. It is heavily descriptive, very
accurate in its use of language, and has multiple first-person
narratives intersecting throughout the text. And for the most part
Ward handles these well and keeps the text interesting. But the
shifts in perspective and narratives does regularly derail the
momentum being built up in the preceding sections. Ward does always
recover but her constant attempts at mixing up the timeline of the
story does become a source of frustration despite some genuinely
inspired passages.
On the whole though the novel is well
written with wonderful and visceral details with a intense and
gripping plot that blurs the line between the supernatural and the
psychological in a way that keeps you interested until the end. It is
a strong first novel and one that fans of both classic and modern
gothic fiction will be able to get into with ease. 'Rawblood'
utilises all the expected conventions of the genre but remains an
original and compelling read that promises a lot more to come from
Catriona Ward in the future.
ISIS SOUSA &
OVE NESHUAG 'No Escapes Vol. 1 – Melancholic Beauty In
Norwegian Landscapes' TRAGIC BOOKS
The prevailing mental
image of Norway is one of expansive landscapes full of fjords, rivers
and snow-capped mountains. A primal kind of beauty that gave rise to
a rich mythology and folklore spread throughout Europe by the
seafaring people who dwelt there. The first in the 'No Escapes'
series from Isis Sousa & Ove Neshaug that depict a photographic
journey into the seasons and terrain of the country.
The book
is in part a photographic exploration, but with both creators coming
from artistic backgrounds there is a lot more to this. The
photography of the autumnal landscapes are beautiful and capture a
certain bleakness, but one that is strangely inviting. With each set
of pictures from the locations they visited, the duo add an
accompanying piece of text outlining their impressions of the area as
well as notes on how the shots were taken.
Despite the fact
this is a Norwegian published book, the text is in strong written,
and grammatically correct English. It avoids hefty jargon and keeps
things simple. The result of which is an exceedingly easy read that
puts the emphasis on the art.
Perhaps best of all though is
the extra attention given to detail, making this a very useful
resource, not only for photographers, but also anyone who likes to
capture landscapes in other mediums such as paint. Each photograph
comes with an accompanying colour pallet which breaks down all the
subtle colourings, as well as notes on the compositions of the
pictures.
'No Escapes' is a photobook that wants you to be
inspired, and wants to make things as easy for you as possible. The
photographic gear used is listed, and coupled with the colours,
compositional notes and text on impressions of the areas and how they
took the photos (even the CDs they listened to!). It's all there in a
solid hardback edition on thick paper to show what is possible if you
want to set out on a journey of your own, or purely as a reference
for painting, sketching or design work. It doesn't appeal to any one
technical level or specifically push itself as an art reference book,
but instead gives you a bit of everything with an emphasis on the
visual aspects and avoiding lengthy textual breakdowns.
With
this being the first volume of a series it sets up the expectations
for what will surely follow well. It promises a series that is heavy
on aesthetically pleasing visuals and straight to the point with its
descriptions and notes on compositions. And with a country such as
Norway, the potential for this series is high.
You can't always choose the people in your life. You can and you can't. You can choose to not call back that person with whom the sex wasn't so great after all, and then you can't really choose the people you work your dayjob with.
I have to spend 40hrs of my week with someone who, a few months ago, discovered that YouTube videos could be converted into mp3s. "Did you know you could do that, Alex?", he told me, thrilled. "I'm never buying music again!"
And everytime I hear him share these news with someone, and everytime I hear him say he's downloaded another 50 albums for free, well, I just can't believe that someone who knows me and spends so much of their time with me would talk about this with such pride. And my stomach turns a little, everytime.
I've gotta face it. In this day and age, it is a struggle for artists, real authentic artists, to be respected, and valued, for the mastery of their craft. And the value of Art had become very low indeed.
I wonder why is it so hard for people to pay for art. And I wonder where artists have failed at valuing themselves?
Some people will only ever consider music as a hobby. I remember a conversation I had a few years ago with someone who said “I’m not making music to make money, I’m happy playing in pubs for free every once in a while, and I’m happy to give my album to whoever wants it”. Which is fine for him, if that’s how he views making music in his life. But for other people, like me, and thousands of other artists with the same frame of mind as my own, making music is a career goal -just as learning languages can be a hobby for some people, while others are learning languages to become translators, or interpreters.
Are people like him the reason why people like me end up struggling so much to get hired/paid for gigs, and having to sell our albums at ridiculously low prices, because others just put their music out there for free? Of course, as far as I'm concerned. In dealing with people like that, I’ve always chosen to move forward, and keep searching for, and finding, like-minded musicians to play shows with. We settle for a door deal, share profits, and set up our merch for sale. I choose to respect people and what they believe in, yet move on and team up with people who believe in the same things I do.
To me, the amount of time, energy and money I invest in my art is of value, as is the quality of the performances I put up, and the songs you’ll hear on my album, down to the polishing of my image with every new step, and every merch item I put out there. I can compare this to someone in a gallery or a museum, looking at a painting. You can sit there, and stare at the painting for hours, reveling in its beauty, message and glory -in the same way you can find a song on a streming service, and want to listen to it again and again. Well, at some point, the museum or gallery will close, and if you want to keep staring at the painting, you buy it. Why wouldn’t you buy the album the song is off of, or at least the song itself? Then you can listen to it over and over again, anytime, without having to go on the streaming site all the time.
Onto these streaming websites, which are more and more of a hot topic within the music community. The main argument they hold is that of exposure. Of course, exposure is crucial for any artist -but at what price?
My own experience of streaming websites has not been lucrative at all, so far. When my first album came out, I payed 50$ to CD Baby, so they could put it up on ITunes, Pandora, Spotify, and some other places. These are all websites where you have to reach a certain amount of hits before you touch any money, and then your music is there for anyone to listen to over and over again, for free. Some people are paying maybe 9$ or 10$ a year, or as the only subscription fee, and think "Well I’ve paid to get on this website, everything is covered". NO. The owners of the websites, and maybe their employees, are covered. Not the artists. Maybe the top 5 major artists on the top 3 major labels are. But that’s a whole other story. Coming back to us, the independent artists, and going back to my personal story, I can say that I’ve never had anyone come up to me saying they’re at my show because they found me on Spotify. And though 2 people have so far bought my album on iTunes, I haven’t touched any of that money yet, because I need to sell for a minimum amount before Apple gives me my dues.
Needless to say I’m not putting my second album on ITunes. Bandcamp is where it’s at for me. Many people have found my first album on there, and after a few listens, have purchased 1339 Crowder’s End, more often at a higher price than the one I ask for. And Bandcamp sales go straight into my PayPal account, which I link straight up with my bank account. Thank you Bandcamp, for making it simple, and direct.
More about those streaming websites now. In recent conversation with a fellow musician friend, he pointed out to me how people’s perspective of entertainment is being twisted by the mere presence of these websites and what they deliver. TV shows and movies cannot be compared to music at all. When a TV show is made available for free streaming, every cast and crew member has already been paid. Everyone who has invested time and energy and money has gained it back already. When an independent musician releases music, they are finding an outlet for people to discover their art, fall in love with it, and choose to support it. The independent musician has invested thousands and thousands of dollars for the album to breathe life, and is still investing more money into producing videos, live performances, merch, and getting new gear or fine tuning what they already own, to make sure their performances are as perfect as they can be, so as to keep the fans happy and proud to be supporting his or her art. In short, when we’re putting our music out there, we’re still waiting to get paid for what we do, what we’ve done.
As I grow and evolve as an artist, always reaching another level of expertise with every show I perform, I’m happy to say I’m more and more confident about giving myself value. I’ve never performed for free, but I’m more and more comfortable in asking to get paid for what I do. The amount of time and energy and money I put into every performance is worth every dollar I can get for it. Some people will try to argue "But when you’re making music, you’re having fun, so it’s not a job, it’s not real life, it’s just like a party"… Those who say this have no idea what they’re talking about, especially if they’re talking to an independent musician like me, who not only does the whole art aspect by herself, but also handles all the business aspect by herself. When I was on tour last year, not only did I make a point of delivering the best of the best performance I could every night, for every single person in the venue (beginning with putting on my stage makeup and costume properly, down to making sure I sang and played and danced as perfectly as I could), but when the show was over, I’d be sitting in the van counting profits, evaluating costs from one city to the next, and making sure promotion what up and strong for the show the next day. Oh, and I’d be the one at the door and the merch table every night, before and after the gig. I had started planning that tour 6 months before, and anyone who knew me then would keep remarking on how exhausted I was during that whole period. The amount of time put into it was extreme - and that’s why it was such a success for me. I gave the Spider Grooves Tour my all, and it came back to me. I digressed a bit here to fully prove the point that to me, music is a job, it IS my real life. I could go on further about the amount of time, energy and money I had put into Crowder’s End (a production process of 2 years in a studio, with 17 musicians performing on the record, and everyone involved in the artwork and visual aspect of the album), and how much more of that is being put into my second album, Original Game. I could go on, but I’m writing this blog post to bring a point across: the same amount of time and energy and money can be put by someone on studying math, or trees, or animal biology. At some point, this person will end up with a job in his or her domain -and that’s their real life. Being a vet is just as valuable of a job as being a musician is, and if this person followed what rang true in his or her heart, well, that person will be very happy to get up and go to work everyday. If this person loves animals, and passionately cares for them, then that person can only be respected and valued for all the investments he or she chose to do to be able to pursue that passion and have it become a career.
And honestly, if you’re not making your life be about what makes you happy, if you’re not making the core of who you are and what drives you to wake up everyday the core of your own life, then you’ve clearly missed out on what makes life such an incredible experience.
I am aware of the choice I made to be a self-made artist, and what it means. I write my own songs, dress up the way I want to, and share with my fans whatever please me -and them. I am lucky to be able to touch people with my art, and whenever a friend or fan tells me that my music, my art or my words made them feel good, and happy to be alive, well, I know I’m doing the right thing. It’s not the easiest road, and it’s not the wealthiest road either, but it’s the path I chose, and I accept every challenge fearlessly. As an independent artist, I know I have to take it upon myself to re-educate people on the value of art. We live in ruthless times, and the Money-City-Coorporate-Machines are seemingly so strong, but as long as we are there to fight, and educate, and as long as independent, like-minded artists choose to stand strong together, we can still believe in the Art we make, and its value -and what it means for society, and the children.
A part of a family, a part of a couple, a part of a group, a part of a team, a part of a band, a part of a crowd, a part of society. A part of those with whom we feel we belong. A part of something that's bigger than ourselves.
I want to be part of the Future.
Culture.
[The customary beliefs, social form, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group]
In a way, the culture we choose for ourselves defines who we are.
Because we can always choose. We are all born somewhere, and it means something, but we can choose what we belong to.
I choose to belong to the Future.
Alternative culture.
It's easy to think, be and do as other people, and harder to think, be and do for ourselves.
Hard, but easier than you'd think, once you wrap your mind around it.
The Other Culture.
It's when you start thinking differently that you can begin to evolve.
And the option is there for you to select, in the alternative culture, where you can choose to be proud to be different, and think thoughts no one else is thinking -where you can choose to be yourself, and live your life for yourself.
Subcultures are the many alternatives within the alternative culture. The words alternative culture act as hub for all the many customary beliefs, social forms and material traits that people can choose from in order to stand as different.
Why choose to be different? Because a very long time ago, someone, or a few people, dared to believe in a positive outcome from an alternate route. No, that's crazy, Don't think that. No one ever did that before. No one ever went there. It might be dangerous. You might fail.
I might, and maybe all of this is true, but I'll do it anyway because somehow, I'm feeling right about this.
And then someone created something, and someone else created something else, and out of many of these things, someone created a Wheel.
And then the world, and its people, expanded.
They probably invented the first box not long after inventing the wheel.
A place to put things, so they can be carried around, or hidden. Or just placed somewhere safe.
Outside the box is not safe. You might lose the thing, or it may break.
To think outside the box is not safe. You will be trialed, you will be tested, and the only way to feel safe in those times is to remain true to what you choose to believe in. Throughout history, it's always the revolutions that brought about Evolution (Revolution - the Wheel, it turns).
Art is the only true, authentic form of chronicling time. Indeed, the earliest recordings of events in time were depicted on stone walls all over the world, as my friend Nicholas fittingly pointed to me on Friday night, History was first told through visual art, folk songs, interpretive dances and stories.
Artists will portray what they experience and what they feel in their space and time here, through the means available to them. An artist's perspective is never tainted by an ideology behind it. It is only ever brought forth as a means of expression of feelings -a way to get the feeling out of themselves and into the world.
See this. Hear this. Feel this. Doesn't it feel strange? Doesn't it feel different?
When you start to really feel, and understand emotions like disappointment, fear, anger and failure, you can choose to learn how to face them, and it's when you start facing them that you can tame them, and change, and evolve. So you start inside yourself, and what you find in there, you can then release out for the world to see, and feel in return. Have a look within and figure yourself out first -then you can start understanding other people, and help them understand themselves.
The general human culture is all about things outside yourself. The alternative culture is about what's inside. It's not necessarily about being an artist. It's about noticing what Different feels like, inside yourself, and choosing to figure it out -and embrace it. Or perhaps to be different is an Art in itself.
In the alternative culture, we celebrate What Is Different: our ways of thinking outside the box, through the arts.
Because we believe in the Alternative.
We believe in change. We believe in Evolution.
And we want to be a part of the Future.
Slow and heavy, the band's pace
changes very little for the majority of the album. It is a monolithic
slab of bludgeoning beats, grim guitar riffs, haunting atmospheric
keyboards and gravelly growling vocals. Tracks such as 'You', 'The
Departure', 'March Incomplete', 'Closing Music', and 'The March And
The Stream' are all exemplary pieces that meld the deep melancholy of
funeral doom with a wonderfully reverential air of high gothic that
smooths out the rougher edges of the recording.
Even though
it is a live recording there is little to colour it as such aside
from the odd bit of crowd noise in a few places and the lack of
overdubbing. On the one hand it asks an awful lot of the band's
performance, which they do deliver on, but on the other it creates a
very intimate and close kind of listening experience that you can
only get from liver performance.
Skepticism have gambled and
won with 'Ordeal'. The album is incredibly strong in terms of song
writing and performance. The live nature of the recording has been
executed to a high degree. And the band sound as raw and honest as
you would expect, but with enough gloss to just make you forget at
times it is indeed being performed live. It's a strong offering and
one that demands attention.
Festivals of
commemoration, marks of respect, monuments to shared
history... Britain is full of them, places where we gather together
and show our gratitude to those who have fallen over
the years. Cenotaphs, monuments, Remembrance Day – all signs of our
shared struggles and sacrifices. This month we have seen more marking
of the end World War 2 and the end of the greatest and most costly
exercise in humanity's self-aggrandising idiocy. But! Are there some
wars we should pay more attention and respect to? That may give us
more lessons for the future and warnings from the past? Like, for
example, the Goth Wars?
Many people generally
categorise the Goth Wars as being a mainly localised conflict between
two groups of armed non-state actors – the Mission and the Sisters
of Mercy – which came to the perception of being a proxy war
spanning the whole of the gothic world. But really it makes more
sense to perceive it as a regional conflict involving several other
insurgent groups (Ghost Dance, New Model Army, Skeletal Family, Rose
of Avalanche) in a more complex geopolitical battle.
Furthermore, although
we perceive the Goth Wars as being completed in a relatively short
period of time - a year of conflict from 1985-86, ending with a
ceasefire that (more or less) holds to this day – it makes more
sense when seen as longer struggle, one which was most intense from
1985 until 1991 but actually lasted much longer than that. In fact,
is it time we asked – are the Goth Wars really over at all?
The background to the
conflict is now public knowledge – a failed coup led to two rival
groups locked in a bitter struggle for the rights to lucrative
musical and financial assets in Leeds, by then the most heavily
gothicised city in the world. Although potentially dangerous the war was formally ended by a
ceasefire which was eventually brokered by the United
Nations and Warner Entertainment. This led to the Eldritch Faction being
recognised as the legitimate government of the Sisters of Mercy and
the Hussey-Adams Gang being given rights to form their own
independent republic. However, that did not stop military excursions
on each other's musical territory, which continued for years to come.
The Mission's
detonation of a bona fide A-bomb chart hit in 1986 did much to dent
the pride of the Eldritch faction, although the fact that it did not
achieve the desired velocity was a relief. Undeterred, tSoM hit back
with a brace of H-Bomb nukes of their own in 1987. Their pride
humbled, the Mish Brigade were able to regroup to further dent the
chart ground with stunning new weaponry in 1988. Both sides, by this
point exhausted, refrained from further military activity in 1989.
By this point the other
splinter group from the Eldritch empire, of a Marxist persuasion,
were greatly enhanced by a top-level defection from a rival group of
gothic insurgents and were soon making their own attempts to carve
out territory between the two larger armies. The other Army involved,
hailing from Bradford, was much more politically motivated and
puritanical - to the extent that thousands of followers fled to seek
refuge in other less demanding territory.
Between them all they
would trade blows (mostly legal or musical) throughout the late '80s,
but the cost was high. The Marxist faction were obliterated in 1990,
and the Eldritch tendency were becoming ever more divisive by
courting high-profile defections from neutral groups. Soon both main
factions would undergo extensive refits and purges, and bar a brief
resurgence with tit-for-tat retrospectives in the mid-'90s neither
have been able to find the numbers to launch any major assaults since.
Maybe it is too soon to
ask what we can learn from the Goth Wars, but I'm sure you can all
agree that 'never had so much been made by so few to so few for so
little' – lest we forget the hairspray, the delay pedal, the
snakebite and black.
Dark
synthpop legends Psyche come together with fresh upstarts Luminance
for this unusual collaborative vinyl release. The two bands both
contribute to the song writing performance and production of the
tracks and for two bands formed decades apart they compliment each
other extremely well. The end result is a blend of classically
infused synthpop and modern dance-orientated ebm that encapsulates
the strongest elements of both sides.
The opening track 'Left
Out' is an unashamed up-beat dance floor attack that merges Belgian
ebm, with Pet Shop Boys atmosphere and a sleek electro gloss. While
the second side, 'Passenger Seat' moves into much darker territory
bringing through elements of Joy Division, New Order, Psyche's own
back catalogue and a little electro-disco for a sinister and
suspense-filled outing.
In terms of production the
vinyl-optimised mix gives the songs a great deal of warmth and
emphasises the classic elements of the influences at play. But this
is sill a clean and fresh modern sounding execution that will still
find favour with contemporary audiences.
This is a genuinely
interesting collaboration that hints at great things, so it would be
a shame if this was to simply be a one-off. Both sides bring some
great expertise to the table and the final product reflects them
well. Collaborative efforts that go beyond remixing are few and far
between and to have one of this strength begs to be explored and
developed further.
“They’d usually be ideas based on our own
childhood (and sometimes adulthood) fears and nightmares. Disjointed
faces, carved features and dissociative identity disorder came up a
lot!”
London's electro-creeps AlterRed have across the
course of their first three albums weaved a rich tapestry of dark
cabaret infused electro-rock and conceptual narrative, in the process
becoming one of the UK's must-see live acts. Since putting their
original story arc to sleep, the band have struck hard and fast with
their new album 'In The Land Of The Blind...' showcasing a darker and
harder sound that builds on the previous album sand develops beyond
expectations. Throw in a new record deal with US label WTII Records
and the future is looking bright for the band.
Intravenous
Magazine caught up with AlterRed maestro Mikey fresh off the band's
tour with industrial rock maniacs Be My Enemy, to talk about the new
album, inspirations, visuals and the importance of live presentation.
Intravenous Magazine: Your latest album 'In the Land of the Blind...' is
about to be released. What has the feedback been like for it so far?
Mikey AlterRed: Very good so far. We’re
finding a lot of new fans and a new audience, and we’ve had a lot
of great feedback from existing fans, which is great. Always a bit
precarious when a band changes direction!
IVM: Where did the
inspiration for the title of the album come from?
MA: It’s from Desiderius
Erasmus's Adagia or so I understand, but it has derivatives in
many other sources. It’s a little bit of a jibe at popular culture
and how so much of mainstream culture has become diluted to appeal to
as wide an audience as possible, which in turn has resulted in the
creation of so much arrogance and ego for little more than just being
not quite as awful as the rest! The song 'Unpopulism', which was
originally going to be the title track, is probably a more defined
and pronounced rant about this. The actual title track, an
instrumental, was written as a sort of soundtrack to a fictional
movie trailer about a huge behemoth of an industry, issuing wave
after wave of the same banal, tried and tested product to a passive,
sedated consumer.
IVM: The album showcases a darker, heavier
sound. What led to this direction and how do you feel it complements
the material on your previous releases?
MA: I’ve been a fan
of harder and heavier bands for as long as I can remember, but I
became a little bit weary of them. My last band (D.U.S.T.) was an
electro rock band that ended in 2007, so when we started AlterRed we
wanted to try something new. Well, we did that. We played with
synthpop, with cabaret, with the spooky kid sub-genre and several
others too. Then in 2012 we played a live show with Sulpher, who I’ve
long been a fan of, and then in 2013 we toured with William Control,
and I found myself craving to perform more energetic and aggressive
tunes. I’d had a bunch of ideas for songs for previous albums that
didn’t really fit as they were too heavy and fast, so I figured
now’s the time - let’s put these together in a set list and see
how they play live. They actually fit perfectly well with some of the
older stuff, particularly stuff from our first album, but are
absolutely at odds with some of the others! But I don’t mind that!
I’m a huge Alice Cooper and Bowie fan; both have had very diverse
output over the years.
IVM: 'In the Land of the
Blind…' is the first release since wrapping up the story-arc of the
previous three albums. Has this significantly changed your song
writing approach on the new album? MA: Yeah it has, actually.
I have found myself writing self-contained concepts now, rather than
carrying a narrative over the whole album. I’ve also found myself
restricting the more theatrical ideas to instrumental pieces. I think
that way, the music delivers the mood but without directly imposing a
narrative onto the audience. Instead the listener can decide for
herself/himself what it is about.
Lyrically what have
been your main inspirations behind the new album, and which authors /
poets / lyricists have inspired your style over the years?
MA: Hmmm… I’m not sure if any have directly influenced me. I
re-read a lot of Clive Barker still, and I find myself re-reading
Huxley, then a lot of the atheist philosophers or polemicists
(Hitchens, Dennet, Harris, Dawkins…) but I don’t think I could
name a direct influence.
IVM: The new album will
come out on US label WTII Records, through which you've already
released a compilation album. How did this deal come about and what
has the relationship been like so far?
MA: It came about when
both Mechanical Cabaret and Deviant UK signed with them. I’ve been
friends with both bands over the years and both Jay (Deviant) and Roi
(MC) both recommended us. I spoke with the label, who said they’d
been following our progress anyway, so it progressed from there.
IVM: Your music videos go
hand in hand with the strong visuals of the album. Are there any
plans for music videos in support of this album as well, and if so
what can you tell us about your plans for them?
IVM: You've had a long
standing relationship with Duncan Catterall of Clockwork Amoeba for
the creation of your videos. How does the collaborative process
typically work?
MA: Yeah, Dunc played a big part in
translating a lot of the narrative to video. Vix, Duncan and I would
sit down with a bottle of absinthe and a note pad and spend hours
going through ideas for characters, stories and imagery. They’d
usually be ideas based on our own childhood (and sometimes adulthood)
fears and nightmares. Disjointed faces, carved features and
dissociative identity disorder came up a lot! Like Rene Magritte does
Multiple Miggs! It was great fun.
IVM: In addition to the
videos, the artwork and photography of Vix Vain is integral to the
presentation of the band. How important is this to the AlterRed
philosophy and do they come before or after the song writing?
MA: They usually happen at the same time but it varies. Sometimes
I’ll mention a theme for a song and Vix will instantly come up with
her visual interpretation of the theme. We have also had instances
where we’ll disagree on a topic, and I’ll find myself writing
about it only to receive her rebuttal in the form of the image. It
can get quite interesting when two creatives disagree and argue with
their output! That said, the new material is a lot less cabaret and a
lot more stripped down so the new imagery is appropriate for that.
IVM: Your live shows have
always had a theatrical/vaudeville element to them. How important is
this live invocation and how do you go about planning the live
presentation?
MA: The live performance is everything to me,
actually. I like recording new songs but it’s not my first love
when it comes to the music; it’s the performing live that I do this
for so getting the overall show right is essential. I suspect to
answer this honestly I’d need to make the distinction between the
shows that accompanied the first albums and the new show. As we’re
currently a little more straight forward electro-rock, the live show
is less of a theatrical play, though we still find ourselves playing
out many of the moves from the old show (I don’t think we’ll ever
manage to perform and not “stop-start” during certain songs!).
The addition of James, our new guitarist has really brought something
extra to the live playing as well as the performance on the whole.
With the previous
albums and shows we’d put the set together based on the songs we
loved performing, which of those carried the narrative on stage, and
which we could build a dramtic performance around with our other
performers. Once we’d put together a 45 minute show we generally
developed it, show by show. One thing I wish we’d been able to do,
and I’d like to try more in future, is set more live set-pieces to
add to the mood of the song… yeah, watch this space for that!
IVM: You've recently be
touring with Be My Enemy. How was that for you and how did the crowd
react to the pairing?
MA: Yeah, it’s been great and has gone
down surprisingly well. BME are far more stompy and aggressive than
us, so I was unsure how it’d work, but I think there’s a common
attitude that we share when it comes to playing live, especially with
our new songs, which has given the tour a certain flavour! It’s
pretty punk, actually. Add to that, “Mad Max:Fury Road” came out
just before the tour started, making us all act like post-apocalyptic
rock-star-road-warriors! Hahaha!
IVM: Are there any more
live shows planned for 2015?
MA: There are indeed, we’re
opening the Saturday at Infest in a few weeks, which we’re
absolutely stoked about. Then we’re hitting the road again with Be
My Enemy in October, visiting Manchester and Glasgow this time
(hopefully a few more). We’ve something potentially awesome
pencilled in for October in London that I can’t quite announce yet,
but if it goes ahead it’ll be an amazing event. Then in December
we’re headlining Carpe Noctum in Leeds. We’re planning on playing
this album live as much as possible in as many places as will have
us! (Attention promoters!)
IVM: Going back to
the trilogy of 'Mind-Forged Manacles', 'Dollstown', and 'The Time It
Takes To Smile'. Given the strong lyrical and visual narratives of
the album has the thought of expanding on the story as either a novel
or graphic novel ever been a thought?
MA: Well the first part,
Mind-forged Manacles has already been written as a short story; in
fact the concept started out that way. We have had many conversations
about what else we could do with it. Full-on musical, has been one
suggestion that’s come up a lot, a series of short films and yes, a
graphic novel even. The tricky part is having the time and energy to
invest in it while we’re still pumped and on fire for the current
album and show. I’m sure it’ll happen at some point though. There
are too many unfinished ideas for it to let go just yet!
AlterRed's
latest album 'In the Land Of The Blind...' is available to purchase
now through WTII Records. For more information on the band, including
live dates and future releases, please visit their official website.
Photography by Giovani Pasta of Pastacore Alternative Photography
Edited by Jay Barnard of Deadstar Models.
“[...]
I love old school “B” movies with stacks of tacky sounds effects
and acting but its super cool so decided to mix the models I shoot
and this together, the models star in a slasher movie of there very
own.”
Alternative
modelling and photography are a growing sector, and one that is
increasingly being seen as a vibrant genre in its own right with many
photographers and artists taking on multiple roles as performers
stylists and event organisers to see that the art form continues to
grow and thrive.
One such photographer is Jay Barnard who has
not only begun to carve a niche for himself and a photographer and
videographer, but also isn't afraid to get stuck in as a model and
has even gone so far to found his own agency (Deadstar Models) in
order to give other models a leg up in what can often be a daunting
world.
Intravenous Magazine spoke to Jay about his art,
agency, the current climate for alternative models and his many
projects.
“I
guess I have been into art in one for or another all my life but as
in photography three years give or take but really got into it in the
last two years when I found that I could be just as creative shooting
models.”
From
looking at his work as a both a photographer and videographer it is
hard to pin down a personal style for Barnard's work. However there
are certain reoccurring themes, at least from a technical standpoint.
“It's
a tough one as I jump through so many styles but I always have a
dark element thrown in somewhere weather its in the editing or the
actual scene its self and if I can throw in blood and gore then
bonus.
“I guess the only thing that continues in each piece is
the fact that I do not over edit what you see generally in the image
is actually there and not photoshoped into it except on the rare
occasion
I
keep swapping from scenes to scenes now I’m working deeply on
horror style stuff but then could quickly jump into say more punky
stuff or Rock. my head is filled with all this craziness then things
just jump out hardly ever in order so never presume you know my next
move haha.”
In
addition to his work behind the camera Jay is also a keen model and
his passion has extended to founding his own modelling agency to
foster his work and help put other likeminded people in contact with
each other.
“Deadstar
Modelling initially was simply all about the alternative model
creating creative shoots and creating a platform for alternative
models to get good portfolios and getting exposure, I find that
allot of alternative models don't like signing to agency's as they
feel like there can be restricted so I decided to create a label
that supports them but without all the ties of agency modelling can
create at times.
“The reaction has been overbearing at times
but in a good way, I don't see my self as out special just doing
something I enjoy doing but since the DEADSTAR label has been
created just over a year ago its gone mental and from strength to
strength.
“It's really as simple as dropping me a message have
a chat throw our ideas together and see what comes of it, I'm happy
to work with new and experienced models, there really is no criteria
no age limit, no hight or size limit if it works it works.”
Though
it is hard to deny there are a lot more people embracing alternative
modelling these days, Barnard still knows exactly what to look for in
potential models.
“To
me its all about the attitude behind the person just because you
think you look alternative doesn’t mean you are, and I definitely
think you can't be afraid of stepping out and being different to
everyone else. In fact I believe you have to be different to the
next model that steps through the door.”
In
addition to his photography and model agency, Barnard has extended
the Deadstar franchise into videography as well, which he is very
enthusiastic and optimistic for.
“Yeah
this is going to be cool if I do say so my self, I moved into film
as I felt I could put a new twist into what I do, also to hit new
media platforms like YouTube, make it more interesting and appealing
as well as work on new skills you sit still doing the same old too
long you will be left behind and forgotten.
“You can expect
more craziness but with sound and movement and see models in a new
light.”
Deadstar TV is kicking things off with an original
web video series called 'Hell In A Cell', which he is more than
happy to tell us about.
“This
is a series of small videos around three to ten mins long, I love old
school “B” movies with stacks of tacky sounds effects and acting
but its super cool so decided to mix the models I shoot and this
together, the models star in a slasher movie of there very own. The
story line is about a mad man The “Doom Maker” played by my self
that brings girls home and tortures them in his basement sell in all
crazy manors I let my mind go wild and always ends with a model
covered in blood.”
But this
isn't the only ongoing project that Barnard has in the works, with
his promotional team Dsgirls about to hit the catwalk at one of the
UK's biggest fetish events.
“There
is so many things going on I have set up a Alternative promo/model
team called the DSgirls that are taking part in this years “KFS
Summer Time Ball Catwalk Show” in Leeds, We are teamed up this
year with Rogue Model Management based in Manchester for a catwalk
show for those who saw last years that I did will know I step away
from normal expected catwalk shows and stick my hint of unique
creativity.
“This year like last year the models are modelling
the awesome latex creations of Cathouse Latex. Its a massive deal
for us and gives everyone a look on how we have moved forward
compared to last year.”
The
Essentials:
Intravenous
Magazine: How do you typically approach creating a new piece and do
you have any particular creative rituals?
Jay
Barnard: There is no rituals and the process is all in my head 24/7
then bits seep out and I go with the flow and see where it takes me.
IVM:
What tools and techniques do you use day to day?
JB:
Ummmm this is a tough one I start with the set then the model shoot
and see what comes of it don't even decide how to edit that piece
till I see it after and I look at each picture as its own pice even
if in a set. Tool wise I use a old Cannon 500d that I also film with
and I still edit most of my work on shockingly enough photoshop
elements 7. Don't use light room or other programme’s like that as
I don't need to I spend time in getting the set and lighting the way
I want it before even taking the first shot. There is no big
expensive tools or equipment involved at all.
IVM:
Which artists have been your biggest inspirations and/or continue to
inspire you and why?
JB:
Wowzers!! Marilyn Manson and Ozzy Osborne is a huge influence to me
as they show me that crazy is good and to go with what feels
right... a lot of my influences are by the way of the music I like
as I relate to it, they put there minds into music as I do my
photography and also as stated before horror and gore films even
more so lately.
Photography
wise I don't think I do I just do things my way without worrying what
other photographers think of me and my work.
IVM:
Which piece of art did you find the most challenging to create and
why?
JB:
I can't think of anything to mind to be honest sometimes pieces just
flow and happen others I get a block and I have to sit on it for a
week or two during the editing process I guess its just a natural
stereotypical artists mind weather its photography, painting, music
or what ever else.
IVM:
Which piece or pieces are you most proud of and why?
JB:
I think it must be the recent work I have shot with model Juju called
“A nurse and her Patient” as I think its an awesome dark peace
mixing insanity with love and care! The scene is a dingy old mental
asylum and I believe the pics speak for themselves. Very twisted
sinister and gory
IVM:
Do you have any show/exhibition/art book plans for the future?
JB:
Show wise it has to be this year's KFS summer time ball in Leeds on
5th
of September, as mentioned before Its going to be fun mixing Amazing
latex with a new turn on Cat-walking I have been given the job and
full control of choreography with help of an amazing burlesque p
reformer called “Lolita Latex” that will also be preforming in
the show along with other amazing models provided by my own DSgirls
and Rogue Model Management.
IVM:
If someone is new to you and your art, how do you feel they typically
react to it?
JB:
Normally ether “Wow” or “What the F*#k!!” is a fair statement
I’d say haha.
To see more of Jay
Barnards's work and to keep up-to-date with his projects, please
visit his official website. For more information on Deadstar Modelling
and Dsgirls, please visit their official website.
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