Dr. Oz from Carpe Nocturne Magazine talks to Angelspit’s Zoog Von Rock about their new album CARBON BEAUTY.
“Increasingly I want to make music that is FUN. I want to make pounding, awesome riotous music with a positive message and is FUN to play and listen too.”
– Zoog Von Rock
[CNM]: For those people who aren’t familiar, who are you and state your purpose for breathing?
[Z]: I am a vessel of inspiration, distortion and AWESOME!
[CNM]: How did Angelspit come about?
[Z]: We formed in 2003. We wanted to put the content of our zines to music.
[CNM]: Which album to date are you most proud of and why?
[Z]: Hideous and Perfect (Sept 2009). It covers the most ground and is hellishly heavy, melodically seductive and electronically vicious. Plus I’m really proud of the lyrics – they are political, subversive, abstract and witty.
[CNM]: Now on to “Carbon Beauty”, your new re-mix album from “Hideous and Perfect” – how was the creative/production process for this? Are you happy with the result?
[Z]: Our previous remix CD “Larva Pupa Tank Coffin” was an experiment into electro. The objective with our new remix CD “Carbon Beauty” is to make one of the heaviest and most unique remix albums to date.
The remix artists were specifically chosen for their ability to do something different – to push the envelope.
We have 10 remixes that have taken the tracks in a completely new directions – we are so happy with them!
But the most important thing about Carbon Beauty are the three new tracks – “Glitchbomb”, “Like it? Lick it!” and “Toxic Girl”. I wrote these tracks specifically for Carbon Beauty. They are not “B Sides” or tracks that did not make it onto Hideous and Perfect. These tracks are an experiment into a new style and method of writing for us – they have a more live sound.
We recruited Valerie Gentile (guitars) and Chris Kling (drums) to help materialise the ROCK!
The album will also be escorted by 2 two AWESOME music videos. One for Hideous and Perfect track “Ditch the Rest,” directed by Thomas Marcusson, Stephanie Rajalingam and Ole Magnus Saxegard. The second is “video interpretation” of the song Toxic Girl directed by Tamas Mesmer – it’s a rather horrifying concept Tamas and I came up with. They will both give you nightmares. You have been warned.
[CNM]: Why did you choose to remix Hideous and Perfect?
[Z]: For us, remixing an album is an opportunity to pull the songs apart and experiment with them more. You get to develop ideas that might not have made it to the album – it’s like going back to the cutting room floor and developing something with the ideas that were too crazy for the album.
It’s also an opportunity to work with other artists – which is really important. Artist swap remixes with each other, this often leads to tours and other collaborative projects.
Remixing is a great way to strengthen relationships and build new ones.
[CNM]: How does Carbon Beauty compare to your previous remix albums?
[Z]: Heavier, darker, more brutal.
…plus in all honesty, I think Glitchbomb and Toxic Girl are among the best songs I’ve ever written.
Increasingly I want to make music that is FUN. I want to make pounding, awesome riotous music with a positive message and is FUN to play and listen too.
[CNM]: You have teamed up with a number of bands again such as Ego Likeness &Baal to name two what do you feel you gain by collaborations?
[Z]: I get to absorb their AWESOME LIFE FORCE!!! Plus I get to introduce Angelspit listeners to 2 AWESOME bands!
Steve from Ego Likeness is my brother – We have both got each other through some horrible times. His approaches music is COMPLETELY different to mine – we learn a lot from each other.
Mikito from BAAL is also my Brother. BAAL and Angelspit have a lot in common – in that we both do not fit into any certain genre…so we often encourage each other to make it happen. It would be my dream to tour Europe/USA with BAAL!
[CNM]: What types of equipment did you used to create this particular piece of work?
[Z]: I used my little Doepfer synth. My big one (size of two refrigerators) is in storage in Australia.
My compact little “NYC Doepfer” only has a few oscillators, 3 filters, some distortions, VCAs, a sequencer and the Vocoder – but i can get so much out of it. It’s such a powerful modular synthesizer! I have also build several electronic devices, plus Circuit Bent an old Roland TR-626. Mayhem is the key!!
The new tracks were mixed and produced by myself and Valerie Gentile, with the help of Brooklyn engineer Alan Labiner.
The guitars and drums are 100% genuine brutalised ROCK!
[CNM]: What was the inspiration behind the new artwork?
[Z]: We went for a dark/monotone look that was set in the palace. The King and Queen have an interest in taxidermy…but their main interest is collecting the scalps of neighboring Queens.
It was a HUGE set , we worked on it for weeks with our amazing friends Thomas Marcusson and Stephanie Rajalingam.
As usual, the photography was done by the amazing Helen White, Lyndall Vile & Lynn Nguyen did the amazing hair. We shot it at the massive Studio Kite in Sydney with the help of Warren Beaton, Clare Beaton, Garrick Charter, Vikki & Steve (Studio Kite), Brad Wylie and Hugh Burley.
We had so much fun doing this!
[CNM]: If you could remix anyone else’s song, whose would it be and why?
[Z]: A metal or punk band. Not sure who…but i’d want them to brutal!!
…maybe Henry Rollins – that guy is my hero!!
[CNM]: You have 3 new tracks on the album, how did those songs come about? And why were they put to this album in particular?
[Z]: The three new tracks were written and inspired by New York City. They reflect the amazing effect this city has had on me….both good and bad.
These days, bands rarely put new material on remix albums, although it was common to find exclusive tracks on remix CDs in the 90s. I feel modern music has lost it’s way…commodity is overtaking quality. We wanted to make something that was more than just a remix CD.
The three new tracks are some of the best we have ever released. We are “supposed” to keep new tracks for the next full length album…but Carbon Beauty is not just a “remix CD”, it’s an opportunity for us to try something NEW, to experiment with new sound, new people, new approaches.
Carbon Beauty is a glimpse into the next phase of ANGELSPIT.
[CNM]: Looking back at the end product is there anything you feel you’d like to have changed?
[Z]: Not a thing!
[CNM]: You are currently touring with Lords of Acid, are we likely to see Angelspit on their own tour again soon?
[Z]: Angelspit will be undergoing some changes, this tour will be the final tour under the current line-up. The Lords of Acid/Angelspit tour will be our “good-bye” to fans in our current incarnation.
The winner of the video competition is not related to this news, as the line-up change was decided after the video competition was announced.
…you know about the video comp…right???!!
We just held a video contest – with the grand prize winner officially joining Angelspit.
We got fourteen AMAZING entries! We whittled them down to 5 finalists – each of them were winners in their own right. The winner was picked because it was different, fast and simple.
Our new member is an American videographer who goes by the pseudonym “The Liar”. The Liar is a editor/film butcher who is politically and technologically savvy. Expect to see bandwidth burn! See the winning video here.
Video all video competition entries here.
[CNM]: What are your plans for the rest of 2011?
[Z]: UK/EU tour in July/Aug
New album maybe November
USA tour maybe November
DESTROY BANDWIDTH!!!
ROCK OUT!
[CNM]: And finally…would you like any help with tour support if you come back to the UK? 😛
[Z]: There are so many AWESOME bands in the UK!!! It’s hard to choose a support!!
LET’S ROCK 2011!
