Disturbia [magazine] talks with Zoog Von Rock from Angelspit about their album HELLO MY NAME IS.
” ‘HELLO MY NAME IS‘ is an anthem of defiance in a time of numb despair. It’s obvious that we are slaves to a system…but now we are contributing to that system and making our lives worse with the financial demands we are putting on ourselves. The cost of living has sky rocketed, but wages are not keeping up…plus you have convinced yourself that you need that new massive flat-screen…
Do something crazy before you die – pursue that dream of being a rock star, super model, fashion designer or movie director. You have NOTHING to loose and everything to gain. Life is a wild game…start playing!”
-Zoog Von Rock, ANGELSPIT
How are you, Angelspit?.
Zoog: We’re getting reading for a very big USA tour in October/November. Lots of planning! LOTS OF ROCK!
How long does have the band?.
Zoog: Destroyx and I met through a mutual interest in small hand made fan-magazines (called zines) – we ran a webstore for punk rock zines. We started making zines together and music was just the natural progression for our creative collaboration. Zines are dirty, gritty, lo-fi, bold and honest – we try to make music that follows this ethos.
Angelspit formed in 2004, and put out our first EP in the middle of that year. The band has progressed really quickly and has just been an unexpected tornado of activity for us!
Initially, you were a duet… What did it motivate to you to increase the team?, Who does conform at the moment?.
Zoog: Our original plan was to tour Australia/Europe/USA as a 2 piece, then expand…and that’s what we’re doing.
Valerie (guitars) and Chris (drums) were picked because of their solid reputation. We held a competition to choose our videographer – and the winner was a video artist who goes by the name “The Lair”.
The new sound is brutal! It’s manic…MANIC! Live is sooo much fun now! We try and smash out a sound combining hardcore punk and electro/industrial. It’s great fun!
We have insane lights and projections, but the best part is the on-stage chaos. We just love performing and GOING OFF!
The Liar, Angelspit’s Video-Jammer, mixes web footage with several cameras set up around the stage. He mixes the video live and streams it, while Destroyx, Valerie (guitars) and Matt (drums) and I go wild onstage. It’s the brutal fun!!
How more has changed in Angelspit?.
Zoog: We are also working with a very talented guy from Brooklyn named Alan Labiner. Alan co-produced our new album “Hello My Name Is”. Alan has an amazing approach to industrial music – he’s inspiring to work with!
My personal inspiration has also changed. Originally, it was music like Sonic Youth, Skinny Puppy, Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana and Prodigy…but increasingly it’s become my desire to rock harder. I am constantly influenced by new sounds…but my greatest inspiration is conversations with our fans – they have life experiences that inspires music.
Angelspit has always been characterized by the “acid and crude” of their messages, accompanied by hard sounds and with a feminine voice that behaves of mediator between the listener and the band… Who takes charge of the compositions and the music?
Zoog: I write all the music and lyrics on this new album.
My main instrument is a Doepfer Modular Synthesizer. It is vintage technology and is pure analogue – so it’s sound is deep, rich and luscious! The Doepfer has a special interface which allows it to connect with modern technology so I get to mash old technology with the new.
In order to create each sound I need to physically connect the different synthesizer elements together using patch leads. The Doepfer allows me sculpt completely unique sounds. They can be smooth and melodic or harsh and scraping. I can also use it to DESTROY any sound – such as our vocals, guitars, drums…it’s a brilliant way to make music.
I am regularly building new musical instruments. The main instrument on ‘Hello My Name Is’ was built from 80’s arcade controller parts. It has a genuine space invaders joystick plus several buttons and knobs. This instrument allows me to interface with my Doepfer Modular Synth in a completely new way – I can very quickly route signals around, modulate, mutate and destroy sound! I can route synthesizers, drums, guitars or vocals through it. The only think I can compare it to is dubstep…but it’s much dirtier and meaner!
I keep track of my experiments on my blog:
http://angelspit.net/zoog/
Soon you release “Hello My Name Is.”.. Can you to speak of this new production?.
Zoog: Destroyx and I came up with the concept in which we wanted to explore “The Occult of the Corporation”. I wrote a lyric “If God is money, then I am The Devil”…and we wanted to explore this. For many people, corporate existence is the new church that demands our devotion. It threatens damnation if you turn your back on it. Ask yourself: What would really happen if you lost your faith and strayed from the suited flock?
Personally, I think you’d probably start having a life…!
Photography was by Dangerousdolly.com. We wanted to create beautiful images of the “Corporate Saints” being slain and martyred.
The album was recorded and co-produced with Alan Labiner at Secret Weapon, NY. Alan has a fresh new approach to recording and producing. His ideas greatly shaped the sound of ‘Hello My Name Is’.
I’m interested in the religion of ONE and the politics of ONE. Using mass religion and politics is a powerful lyrical tool for getting your idea across.
Once the church did the thinking for us…now it’s advertising.
What can we expect from this new production?.
Zoog: For us, every release is like child birth! It’s a very long process where we need to insure the quality of each song. We always need to be open to new ideas and “happy accidents”.
With each album, I design and build new instruments – either electronic or acoustic. My knowledge of instrument building is very limited so the instruments are very experimental and prone to being destroyed (!!)…they make the coolest sounds when they break or go up in flames…!
On ‘Hello My Name Is” I built mostly electronic instruments from old arcade video games. I also collaborated with Chris King to construct an industrial drum kit using garbage cans and random metal. IT ROCKED!
Alan Labiner, the album’s co-producer, also build a massive audio effects unit the size of a double bed (called a “plate reverb”). Alan’s plate reverb added a thick and lush sound to the album.
Melody, emotion, scope of sound, and raw energy! Some tracks are very electro, some tracks are very heavy. Some tracks are gentle, some tracks are extremely harsh. We worked hard to make this album as diverse as possible, but still have Angelspit’s distinctive sound running through all of it.
Can you send a message for the rebel Latin blood?.
Zoog: ‘Hello My Name Is” is an anthem of defiance in a time of numb despair. It’s obvious that we are slaves to a system…but now we are contributing to that system and making our lives worse with the financial demands we are putting on ourselves. The cost of living has sky rocketed, but wages are not keeping up…plus you have convinced yourself that you need that new massive flat-screen…
Do something crazy before you die – pursue that dream of being a rock star, super model, fashion designer or movie director. You have NOTHING to loose and everything to gain. Life is a wild game…start playing!
