quinta-feira, 13 de outubro de 2011

Krautpsychdrone with Eat Lights Become Lights - An Interview


Ouvir o debut Autopia do combo Eat Lights Become Lights é uma viagem sem precedentes ao mundo imaginario do kraut rock alemão clássico dos 70´s mais precisamente NEU!, Can e Faust passando pelas dissonantes trips de Spacemen 3 com pinceladas de shoegazer tudo isso atualizado e transportado para os dias de hoje. A trinca de abertura com Test Driver, Dark Matter e Machine Language deixa altamente ilustrado e clarissimo que estamos diante de uma pequena obra prima que poucos terão acesso, mas certamente quem estiver frente a frente com Autopia sera presenteado com uma audição riquissima, Dark Matter é a alma do album, um kraut noise em altissima rotação, torna-se predileta desde o inico, ainda tem Stargazer e White Horse para fazer de Autopia uns dos albuns do anos.

Como sou aficcionado pela sonoridade não houve como não fazer contato com Neil Rudd, guitarras, sintetizadores, loops, programming e outros barulhinhos mais e descolar essa entrevista exclusiva do já predileto Eat Lights Become Lights, entre e boa viagem.

***** Interview with Eat Lights Become Lights *****


Q. When did ELBL starts, tell us about the history...
A. ELBL started in around 2007/2008. I used to be in a band that did the standard post rock thing, quiet/loud, Explosions in the sky/Mogwai kinda thing. I've always been a massive fan of the German 70's bands that become know and grouped under the Krautrock banner. I'd always really loved the motorik beat and that fast forward kinda sound and interesting use of repetition.
So ELBL started out as side project but it quickly became evident that it was way more enjoyable doing the ELBL thing so I focused all my energies in this direction.

I'm a massive believer in getting the right people into a line up. Once you have them it makes the act of playing the music I write effortless as everyone is coming from the same influences and using the same musical language. You don't have to explain yourself with the right people, it becomes more an intuitive thing. I had a few line ups that really didn't work for one reason of another. But in the last few years I've been working with some people that really understand what is required and make the process fun.

Currently I'm putting together a new line up of ELB here in L.A and its really starting to come together. I've begun working with a really talented keys/synth player called Matt McMurray who has a fantastic analogue synth collection and is a great musician in his own right.


Q: Who are your influences?
A-I've a fairly broad range of influences, a lot of minimalist composers- Steve Reich, through to a lot of German 70's bands- Kraftwerk, Neu!, Can, Harmonia, Cluster, Popol Vuh as well as more contemporary bands such as Spacemen 3, Camera, Holy Fuck, Maserati, 12, K-X-P, Cave. I guess they all have a lot in common with each other as a lot of them explore the repetitive elements that I love.

Q. Make a list of your 5 albums of all time…
A-Impossible to limit it to 5 but I guess if I had to...
Brian Eno- Music for Airports
Steve Reich- Works !965-1995
Kraftwerk- Autobahn
Neu!- Neu!
Spacemen 3- Playing with Fire

Q. How do you feel playing live?
A. The live ELBL sound and the recorded sound are two very different things. When we play live we always try and make it that bit more immediate and heavier than the records. I've never been a fan of bands that just replicate what is on their records. I always like to see bands that are pushing their sounded further out there, improvising and experimenting on the fly. This for me is the most exciting time, when your not quite sure what is coming next- it si pure creativity.
I've played guitar quite a few times for Damo Suzuki, the sets are always 100% improvised and these for me are some of the most rewarding gigs I've ever done.

Q. How do you describe ELBL sounds?
A. Kraut-Psych-Drone


Q: Tell us about the process of recording the new album?
A. The new album sessions began earlier this year and its going pretty well right now. I've finished about 12 tracks and I've around another 10 to complete. Then I'll choose which will be going on the new record.

The process is always the same when I right. I generally start with a seed of an idea and build layers and layers of guitars and synths to the point where I've gone way to far. Then it become a reductive process of stripping back layers of sound till it reaches a point that I'm happy with.


Q. Which new bands do you recommended?
A. I'm a massive fan of a German band called Camera. I don't think there is any recorded output by them. They perform generally on the streets of Berlin. They are a 3 piece, guitar, keys, drums and its all, as far as I'm aware totally improvised. They have this incredible honesty in their music, it feels extremely pure. They really seem to get what it is to make this kind of music. There are loads of videos on Youtube of their street gigs. Its far to say I'm completely obsessed with them right now.

Q: Which bands you love to made a cover version?
A. Lou Reed- Metal Machine Music

Q: What´s the plans for future....
A. We are releasing a split 7" with a band called Cloudland Canyon on The Great Pop Supplement label early in 2012. They are an amazing band so I'm very excited to be a part of that. We did our last single with The Great Pop Supplement "Test Drive" which had a Silver Apples remix of the track on the flip side. It came out on square, green vinyl so I'm keen to see what we can do this time around. I've an idea about getting the needle to start at the centre and for the needle to travel out to the edge...We'll see.

After that the next album should be ready for release around March I think. This time around I've tried to strip back the ELBL sound. Less layers and a more direct approach to the sounds and rhythms. It currently feels like its a good follow up sonically to our last album AUTOPIA which came out earlier this year on Enraptured records.

Q: Any parting words?
A. Make music to make music, don't make music to become famous. Scenes come and go but the best music is timeless.
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Thanks Neil Lights....

http://eatlightsbecomelights.bandcamp.com/album/autopia