Sonic Shocks interview Zoog Von Rock from Angelspit.
“Where is the radical new imagery? Where is the revolutionary new music? Industrial has been left behind in it’s own self obsessed little world.We need to be open to the new music coming up in this scene…or it’s Game over.”
– Zoog Von Rock
[SS]: So this is the Wall Street Massacre tour. What’s the thinking behind that title?
[ZOOG]: There will always be greed. There will always be rich and poor. We want to change this but we do not know how too.
…but what we CAN do is keep our humanity during this de-humanized time. We are all working jobs and pursuing careers that are destroying our soles. We are forgetting our dreams to make music and art.
During this tour, Angelspit are encouraging people to re connect with their passions and start making art again!
You’ve just started the European leg, how’s it gone so far?
Really well. We have a solid fan base in Europe who are utterly insane…it makes playing so much fun!
How does playing live as a four piece compare to your past shows as a duo?
The four piece ROCKS! It’s bought an out-of-control element to our live show. It is PUNK ROCK with electronics. It is so much fun now!
You played a show in Manchester last year while the riots were going on outside. What was that like as an experience?
It was terrifying! We had to bar the venue closed to keep everyone safe. The gig was awesome! Everyone in the room (either on stage or on the floor) felt a strong sense of solidarity.
The middle of the city had been closed by the police, so we spent the night dodging rioters while trying to escape from Manchester.
How has the reaction to the Hello My Name Is album been?
Very positive! Our long term supporters really enjoy it, plus it has introduced many new people to Angelspit.
People seem to gravitate towards different tracks – which is always a very good sign.
What’s your creative process like when writing an album? Who does what?
We always start with an idea…a concept. The concept must always relate to the audience and is often inspired by conversations with the audience (I love talking with people at the show).
Once we have the theme, the music and visuals evolve from this. I always start with a lyrical idea, then I build the bass, then the chord structure. I try and make the drums as “live” sounding as possible, so I leave as much interpretation to Angelspit’s drummer as I can.
You seem to be keen to move beyond the usual “t-shirt, hoodies and stickers” type of merchandising and sell things like the USB pills, syringe pens and stencils, why is that?
…because they are fun! Merch is an extension of the concept that drives the albums. We always try and make things as fun and unique as we can!
You’ve talked in the past about your tour with Blood on the Dancefloor leading a lot of kids to discover darkwave and industrial music, but getting a lot of flak for doing that tour. Do you feel the industrial scene is too insular and stagnant and what do you think can be done about that?
The Industrial genre is an aging genre – look around, the average age of the people in the clubs is creeping up. Kids are not interested in “industrial” anymore – It does not have the appeal it used to have.
If it is not open-minded enough to accept bands like Lady Gaga or Skrillex, how the hell do you expect kids (who like this kind of music) to get into Industrial? Lady GaGa is visually stunning – very cutting edge. Skrillex (and so much other dubstep/glitch) is revolutionary – the programming/sound design in that stuff kicks the shit out of most “Industrial”.
Where is the radical new imagery? Where is the revolutionary new music? Industrial has been left behind in it’s own self obsessed little world.
We need to be open to the new music coming up in this scene…or it’s Game over.
Here’s some new blood you need to know about:
My Parasites, Baal, Brian, Patterns in the Ivy, The Organization of Broken Toys, Mal.Entropy, Needle Factory, Rodney Anonymous, Flesh Eating Foundation, Lux Voltaire , The Judas , Addambombb, Cyanotic , Pull Out Kings, Witness the Apotheosis, (mirror), Haru Yasumi, Discoid, Emptyset, Little Black Rain Clouds, True Fallacy, Circuit 23.
Keep making your art. Keep making your music. There is no such thing as “genre” anymore…only awesome music! Your creative expression is important – people need to hear it!
ROCK!
ZOOG.
ANGELSPIT.NET
