An interview with Acid Cannibals

Acid Cannibals is an incendiary duo from Glasgow, playing fast-paced punk rock in it's the best shape, with powerful riffs and heavy drums. Acid Cannibals are James Dead ( guitar, vocals ) and Robert Marley ( drums), members of Cosmic Dead, Droves, Public Service, Old Guard and their own words synthesize the whole attitude “We started Acid Cannibals to focus on a positive mental attitude rather than allow us to be eaten by the negativity of the world around us.”

A couple of weeks ago presented us with their show in Lisbon were they brought to us for the first time the songs of theyr second EP Horny For Tomorrow ( Hominid Sounds) wich followed their debut 7’’ Why Not Every Night (At War With False Noise). I couldn't miss the chance of getting to know a bit more of these two. 

If you have the chance to attend one of their shows don't miss it! It's a party, it's punk, it's rock and it's love, all together on one stage, a guittar, a drum and two guys having the time of their lives, putting on an unforgettable show filled with good, honest energy.

Songs to Nowhere - You both have other musical projects, how did you came together and made Acid Cannibals?

James Dead - We came together quite beautifully. It was all whirlwind, heat and flash, we grabbed a case of Black Wine and hit the road. That's how I remember it. But it's quite possible that another version of the truth exists. No memory can be fairly associated with the same insinuations that come with any traditional interpretations of the word 'truth'. But there is definitely a more historically accurate account to be had. As Robert Marley, in person. He has a the Key. 

Songs to Nowhere - Why not Every Night and Horny for Tomorrow were released last year, and we read you're next album will be out this summer. Can we expect to listen some new stuff on tomorrow's show?

James Dead - We are integrating some very particular selections from the upcoming album on some of our live setlists. Some of the songs are far too FIRE to be unleashed until the album has arrived on store shelves though. Why are we shielding the unsuspecting public from music that may well have the power to prevent the complete collapse of civilisation? That's quite a simple question but as is so often the case; there are no simple answers. 

Acid Cannibals @ Music Box, Lisbon

Songs to Nowhere - How did you got acquainted with your current label?

James Dead - On the level we operate on in the underground, bands like ourselves don't tend to be attached to any one label. You create music as often as possible and play / organise as many fun shows and party vibes as time will allow for and either a label will email you after hearing about what you do via word of mouth or through seeing a show themselves, or the band emails the labels and asks if they would like to work with them. Most of the time, the stars fail to align and albums don't make it into the public eye until the band members can save enough money from their slave-wage jobs to fund it themselves. This can take years and often by the time you have all the required boxes ticked and have all the packaging, discs, boxes of sleeves, PR etc together... the music you created all that time ago no longer feels as relevant to how you perceive the world, or even an accurate representation of who you as an individual or as a band. 

How were we acquainted with Hominid Sound? They emailed me and said 'FUCK YES LET'S RECORD AND RELEASE IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! LET'S DO IT! LIF IS SHORT! LET'S DO IT FAST!!' and of course, we were 100% on board with that. The bands involved on the label's roster feel like family to us and we're constantly in absolute awe of the quality of their releases. 

Why Not Every Night and Horny For Tomorrow

Previous to this, for our debut release we collaborated with At War with False Noise, who are arguably scotland's (the uk's... europe's?) greatst and most uncompromising metal/punk label. You need to go check them out. They should be the busiest label around because everything they release is incredible and sells very quick. It's all done from a deep love for both the sort of humans who usually make this kind of music (marginalised, generally unhinged and entirely unique individuals) and the beauty of the physical format. Al Mabon (label owner) is a hero. He used to organise and host these all day shows, these jam packed sweatfests in a dank basement venue in glasgow called 'Glasgow Implodes' and the fests were always at the end of april, which is near my birthday! So we'd all go and have mind expanding, body wrecking experiences watching legends like Gruel, Bong, Stuntcock, Seppuku, Atomized, Kylie Minoise, Black Sun, Noma, Cromar, Barbarians, Usurper, Muscletusk, Vomir, Fordell Research Unit, Culver, Vom ... the list goes on and frankly who has the time to list AND check out every band who passed through the catacombs of glasgow's noisy underground? The point is, AT WAR WITH FALSE NOISE were and are making things happen. REAL things. A lot of folks have a firm grasp of what it is to create hot air with their mouths. People are prone to overthinking and when we overthink, it's too easy to dig yrself into an earthen hole. That's fine, we've all been there and i'm as guilty as anyone. Digging downwards and planting yr heels into the Earth's cooling, comforting flesh isn't easy and everyone enjoys a challenge, but it' a dangerous place to be. You stand there, crammed into yr hole and the flesh of the earth is porous, it's malleable and unless you close your mouth and starts using your hands and feet to shape the ground around you then water is going to seep in and drowning is amongst the worst of what can happen. Talk is a-okay and passes the time just fine, but it's the physical motions we create that shapes the structures that we can reach out and touch. Both AT WAR WITH FALSE NOISE and HOMINID SOUNDS are shaping the ground around them and the people prone to travel are carrying stories of their good experiences with these labels and the people behind them. It's life-giving to be part of. 

Acid Cannibals @ Music Box, Lisbon

Songs to Nowhere - What led you into music? Did you studied music or was it something that happened by accident?

James Dead -  My parents led me to music. My parents and the radio. And tapes. The empty chasm inside my chest that only feels full when there are sounds to focus on is what led me to music. There aren't many choices when you are a tiny wee child and you are made to feel strange, ridiculous, unwanted and fundamentally broken by other children. It wasn't just the fault of other children though, i'm sure there was something going on in my brain. Nothing made sense and nothing operated in my hands the way it would for others. I would hold something and it would break quite inexplicably, i would walk through a room and paintings would fall down, i would try to eat cereal and the bowl would spill everywhere and i'm sure i must have been doing something to get this unexpected result, but it wasn't clear to me and it still isn't. When this is your experience, you gravitate towards something to help make sense of the world and for me, i was lucky enough to live in a loving household with music in the air always. My parents would sing and dance and play records and the radio constantly. I was shocked when an ex partner of mine told me that their household was silent when they were growing up. I can't imagine this. I would have taken a belt and hung myself by the neck already if it wasn't for music helping to clear the smog. 

Songs to Nowhere - What are your major cultural references?

James Dead - Major? Formative? Hmmm. That's never easy to answer, but my major cultural reference points are 100% including but are not exclusive to; Grease, Motorhead, Queen, The Staple Singers, Hamish Imlach, Dougie MacLean, Townes Van Zandt, Motorhead, Hawkwind, Abba, Discharge (both classic eras, ow!) , High Rise, LSD March, Lungish, Daniel Higgs, Fushitsusha, Ramleh, Can, Neu!, Amon Duul ii, Canned Heat, The Grateful Dead, 90's Europop (some 80's and early 2000's also) , It's Raining Men by the Weather Girls, Rodney Dangerfield and Mitch Hedberg live footage and audio recordings, Bill&Ted, Wayne's World (and all late eighties / early to mid-ish 90's Saturday Night Live associated acts), The Blues Brothers, Willow (if anyone can get me a dinner date with Warwick Davis, i'll sort you out with some free merch!), The song 'Angel Witch' by the band 'Angel Witch' from the album 'Angel Witch', 'Push Up' by Freestylers, various works by the Village People, Joanna Newsom, The Moomins, the early works of the Big Yin himself BILLY CONNOLLY, Melvins, Zeke, the cartoon antics of Eastern Europe's Favourite Cat and Mouse team, Worker & Parasite! Huffing nos cans, the song 'The Wizard and the 7 Swine' by the phenomenal PIGSPIGSPIGSPIGSPIGSPIGSPIGS and y'know, the wise words of Kurt Vonnegut who has the best advise contained within his writing; 'Damn it, you've got to be kind.' - That's all i can grasp right now. 

PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS - The Wizard And The Seven Swines - Split '12 with the Cosmic Dead

Songs to Nowhere - How do you develope your songs?

James Dead -  "Hey Robert Marley, does this sound like music we could party to?"

Rab - "Yeah let's play that a lot"

Songs to Nowhere -  What bands influenced you more?

James Dead -  Bratakus. 

Rab - Brain Anguish. 

Songs to Nowhere - How would you describe your local music scene and your role on it?

Rab : In Glasgow there are lots of great people both in bands and involved with the scene, it's an ever growing place both in population and the forward movement of ideas and ideals. As a band we obviously play Glasgow and will keep doing regularly but it's a great place to explore other things... we both organise gigs in different venues with different sounding bands to different crowds and it's a pretty fortunate position to be in to satisfy your interest with whatever takes your pleasure. Even if not music there's a lot of stuff to be involved with, that's a massive part of what you put into your music. It's all cool thinking where you're from is a stink hole but I think we are lucky to be making music and involved in the Glasgow scene.

Acid Cannibals @ Music Box, Lisbon

Songs to Nowhere  - To tour is not that a new thing for you, but can you disclose any weird or funny situation that happened to you?

James Dead - This one time not  long ago we arrived in town via train to be picked up by the lovely promoters for the venue and we were still drunk from the night before. We'd got some brilliant vegan doughnuts at the train station and a bunch of beers got drank and to be honest, we had no idea of the hangover and dehydration that was going to set in some time after soundcheck. We were rolling around on the floor and getting absoluyel shwifty

Songs to Nowhere - What are your long term expectancies for Acid Cannibals?

Rab - I don't really have specific expectations but what I want from doing this band (any project really) is to play gigs I enjoy, meet new people, see new places and be happy with what we put out.

James Dead - To continue promoting good vibes and ethical veganism in our own special way feels like our mission. 

Rab - Its an EP from me and it's Shuck- Wunder EP. Shuck are really new but already are like the tightest band, it's friends of our who we have known thru previous bands doing something a bit different. It feels like heavy sing along tunes. Or Rhot! They are pure industrial hard-core, played with them a couple of weeks ago a couple of times and thought they were amazing both times.

Songs to Nowhere - What can we expect on your shows and what we should not expect?

Rab - Fun hopefully, probably lots of my sweat, black wine. Don't expect bad vibes, beefy vibes or bad behaviour.

James Dead -  We all love to smile. Let's smile about nice things. 

More Info 

acidcannibals666.bandcamp
hominidsounds.bandcamp.
spotify.Acid Cannibals

Interview with Go!Zilla

Go!Zilla is an Italian band from Firenze. They sound mainly like a garage punk band with a stronger beat than the usual, although in this last album, Modern Jungle's Prisoners, they seem a bit different we can easily find that warm beat that draws us to them. That and much more such as the powerfull and meaningful message they are spreading with the new album. They are playing in Portugal, yesterday they played at Sabotage, on the 26th they will be playing in Barcelos and the next day they will be heading to São João da Madeira. Don't  stay in the couch!!

Go!zilla by Titouan Massé

Songs to Nowhere - Could you introduce us to Go!zilla? It’s been a bumpy road regarding the line up of the band...you started as a duo, and you are now a quintet! How did that Happen?

Go!zilla - Always trying to renovate and find new inspirations and sound to propose to whoever is following us but in particular to ourselves.

STN - What led you into music?

Go!zilla - Music is a big world made of messages to send, of sound exploration: the idea of recreating your “world” during an Lp or a live set and “inviting” people to discover it is definitely one of the main reasons.

STN - Did you ever study music or this came naturally as a will to play?

Go!zilla - Yes all of us had a different approach to music, someone at university, I (Luca) had private lessons from different teachers plus I went to a guitar and music composition school for a couple of years as well. 

STN - Are you involved in any other bands or artistical projects?

Go!zilla - Not at the moment, but I work for a booking agency so I feel like I m doing enough!

STN - What are your major cultural references?

Go!zilla - Nice question but quite impossible to answer, I had classical studies so but first references in terms of art and culture arrive from Ancient Greek, and Romans. Nowadays we like to discover what’s going on or what happened between the 60/80s in Africa and south of America, where, at the same time of the rest of the world, was happening a revolution that was involving art and the pop culture.

Go!zilla by Clemens Mitscher)

STN - You’re Italian but have always preferred to sing in English. Never thought of recording at least one song in Italian?

Go!zilla - The English language is mainly cause we want to have the chance to perform everywhere, and also cause fits better into our music. I felt like sometimes I would have loved to try but simply that moment hasn’t come yet.

STN - How did you go acquainted to your record label?

Go!zilla - The actual record label came to us after seeing us in Paris and Brussels quite a few times. Was pretty easy to deal with.

STN - What were the main differences between recording Modern Jungle Prisoners and the previous álbuns and EP’s?

Go!zilla - The recording session went differently on this as we used the studio of a friend of use in Firenze, which is also our sound technician. We record basically one song each day starting from the drum and ending up at night with the vocals as I felt better singing one song per day and same for the rest of the instrument, you re more concentrated.

STN - Could you please be a bit explanatory about the choice of the title Modern Jungle Prisoners? I think it ‘s a bit self-explanatory, but I would like to era from you.

Go!zilla - Is a game of world between the sound which is composed using percussions and tribal Rhythms also and the mental captivity that the world nowadays is forcing you into the cause of internet and the social network and everything.

Evil is Satisfying - Modern Jungle's Prisoner - 2018

STN - Modern Jungle seems to have taken you into a different path then you were in Sinking in your Sea, was it something natural or a conscientious choice?

Go!zilla - Both of course, but mainly natural, as answered from the first question were constantly trying to evolve and move on towards new sounds and experiences.

STN - Who does your artwork? The new album seems quite different from the previous stuff you released.

Go!zilla - Is the first record where we used a picture as the main cover. The graphics instead was made by Elzo DURT which has collaborated with us already several times. We consider he's the “Michelangelo” of the 2000s.

 STN - Could you talk a bit about the songs on Modern Jungle Prisoners, the writing and the path to their final form and position on the album?

Go!zilla - We have worked out the whole record since the beginning with the idea that every song should have been linked to next (or past) one. In the studio we have created the various links playing a little part of the piano, or synthesizer or leaving feedbacks from guitars or else. The setlist went pretty natural in this case!

STN - You’re from Firenze, how’s the music scene there and in what ways has it influenced you?

Go!zilla - We don’t have much and most of the 

cool shows or at least, inspiring and interesting for us are organized by Annibale Records which is our label as well.

STN - What bands influenced you more?

Go!zilla - Let's say what bands will influence us in the future? We want to take more inspiration from Italian composers, soundtracks and else ;)

STN - Is music your main occupation? What other occupations, jobs or hobbies do you have?

Go!zilla - Everyone of us has different occupations, I do have a booking and rental agency and so I just work in music even tho sometimes I d rather turn off my mind from this world and doing something different.

STN - Name the last song or álbum you listened to that really left an impression on you!

Go!zilla - Ehehe hard question: we discovered some band that we like as Cannibale from France or Indianizer from Italy, more exotics sounds.

STN - What can we expect from your shows in Portugal?

Go!zilla - I think is our 4th time over here and from the last tour has past 2 years so we hope to have left good memories and to have fun as in the past


facebook.com/gozillatheband/
gozilla.bandcamp.com
spotify.com

Acid Cannibals @ Music Box

An interview with Naxatras

Naxatras is a three-piece band, John Delias, guitar, Kostas Harizanis, drums and John Vagenas bass and vocals, from Thessaloniki, playing a heavy psy with an oriental flavor and some african inspirations. They've been around since 2012 but got most noticed since 2015 when they're debut album was released, giving us songs like Waves or Shiva's Dance.

In 2016 when the trio released II, ( take a close listen to Garden of the Senses, Proxima Centauri or The Great Atracttor), they were already in the circuit with many other bands, but III released in 2018 was the true confirmation of the outstanding creations the trio was doing for quite some time and we can listen to it in songs like On the Silver Line or Land Of Infinite Time. The three albums together resemble a trip from oriental sights ( I, 2015),  to Africa ( III, 2018 ) with a slight stop at sideral space ( II, 2016)!

Last year they gave a amazing show at SonicBlast Moledo, and they are now returning to Portugal with two shows, first in Lisbon next friday, April 19th with the portuguese band Jesus The Snake at RCA Club, and saturday at Hard Club in Oporto featuring the portuguese Talea Jacta on the opening act.

If you saw them at SonicBlast you know you can't miss this if you didn't saw them last August, you definitely have to come and listen to them live!

Songs to Nowhere - Could you introduce us to Naxatras and tell us how you three got together and started playing?

John Vagenas - John and me met at the Film School of Thessaloniki, talked about music we liked and decided that we had to jam at some point. John brought his childhood friend and former band member, Kostas, to play the drums. We became a band quite fast actually.

STN - What led you into music?

John Vagenas - Family, friends, radio, movies. All kinds of stuff. We liked to listen, so we had the urge to play as well.

Naxatras - I - Space Tunnel 

STN - Was Naxatras your first band?

John Vagenas - No. I used to play bass with some bands in my hometown, one band was funk rock, the other doom metal, the other more blues/hard rock. John and Kostas hard a rock band too.

STN - Are you involved in any other bands or artistical projects?

John Vagenas - I have an electronic music project called Ni Moya, John Delias has his own blues/jazz solo project, we both will release our first official material really soon. Kostas has a band, Movement of Static, they have released two albums in post-rock vibes.

STN - What are your major cultural references?

John Vagenas - The psychedelic scene of the 60’s, the 70’s in general, music and cinema especially, the 90’s stoner scene and lots of other stuff too.

Naxatras - III - 2018 - On the Silver Line

STN - You usually use the same image on all your álbuns, and the álbuns have been named after the Latin numbers, why is that?

John Vagenas - The face was done by Chris RW and we really liked it, it fit with the band so well that we decided to keep it in different incarnations. The album titles are like this, mainly, because we did not know what else to call them.

STN - Your recordings are fully analogous, despite the fact that music technology has evolved with unmeasurable speeds. Why this decision?

Naxatras - II - 2016 - Proxima Centauri

John Vagenas - It is more organic, spontaneous and cosy usually. That’s our experience with it at least.

STN - Which were the main differences between the first recording of your EP and III in 2018?

John Vagenas - In “III” we worked more, we went for more precision and a better sound quality, the compositions are more complex as well.

STN - How do your songs develop? You jam endlessly until you feel right or is there a person in the band who writes and then you develop over that?

Naxatras - Waves - Official Live Video

John Vagenas - Both, some songs like that, some songs like the other.

STN - You’re from Thessaloniki , how’s the music scene there and in what ways has it influenced you?

John Vagenas - There are not many stuff going on, especially in rock music it’s pretty quiet. We were influenced only in the manner of “not” wanting to be like this scene, we wanted to do more.

STN - What bands influenced you more?

John Vagenas - Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Jimi Hendrix, Kyuss, My Sleeping Karma, The Doors.

Naxatras - Garden of the Senses - Official Live Video

STN - Is music your main occupation? What other occupations, jobs or hobbies do you have?

John Vagenas - Cinema for me and John, Kostas plays football and he’s also a physiotherapy graduate.

STN - From what I read, began to play in 2012 at the beginning of the economic crisis that affected Europe and mainly countries peripheral regions such as Greece and Portugal. In what ways has this austerity affected your creativity?

John Vagenas - We didn’t care much, we were students at that period. We were free from society’s idea that you must be this or that, with the crisis, all this had no meaning at all.

STN - Spanish director Miguel Cano made a documentary about the Greek rock scene with the bands 1000mods, Tuber, Naxatras, Puta Volcano, Villagers of Ioannina City, Planet of Zeus & Nightstalker could you disclose a bit more about it?

John Vagenas - We met Miguel in Berlin, he’s a great guy and a great director. He managed to capture the spirit of the rock scene in Greece I think. All these bands are cool.

STN - Name the last song or álbum you listened to that really left an impression on you!

John Vagenas - Wooden Shjips - V. Listened to it countless times, super mellow stuff.

Greek Rock Revolution - 2019 - Official Trailler

Greek Rock Revolution is a 95-minute documentary movie, from the Spanish director Miguel Cano, about the rock scene in Greece featuring 1000mods, Tuber, Naxatras, Puta Volcano, Villagers of Ioannina City, Planet of Zeus & Nightstalker.

STN - Are you already working on a new album?

John Vagenas - Yes, but we are on the early stages yet.

STN - Your show last year in Sonic Blast Moledo was amazing, what can we expect from these upcoming shows in Portugal?

John Vagenas - This, and much more! Can’t wait to start this tour, see you all there! 

facebook.com/naxatras

naxatras.bandcamp
youtube.com/channel/Naxatras
sonicblastmoledo.com

An interview with Mien a year after

Mien is a four-piece band, with a name that came in a dream of one of them. But they're just not any other four-piece band. They are the gathering of four minds, voices and skills somewhat known across the globe; Alex Maas ( Black Angels), Rishi Dhir ( Elephant Stone), Tom Furse ( The Horrors ) and John-Mark Lapham ( The Earlies ). To have these four creating something together is more than an argument to go and check it out, with  100% certainty that whatever they did is worth being listened.

Today marks a year since the release of the album Mien, from which Bad Habit was the first single released a couple of months before. 

It's an album that enclosures a bit of everything we could expect from Mien, Bad Habits is a very good example of that statement, but at the same time is surprisingly fresh and renewed in songs like Hocus Pocus or even I'm Tired ( Western Shouting ), an original song from Pete International Airport.  in this journey they brought themselves much closer to another sonoritys, mixing all the accentuated 60's references and bringing them all to the 21st century. But I was really curious about how all this happened, and they were kind enough to enlight me a bit more with this interview which I now share, and for what I'm grateful. 

MIEN are: Alex Maas (vocals, samples, loops), Tom Furse (keyboards, programming), Rishi Dhir (bass, sitar, keyboards) and John-Mark Lapham (keyboards, samples, programming).

Songs to Nowhere -  Could you introduce to our readers the concept of MIEN?

Alex Maas -  This is collective of music lovers/composers who where brought together by Rishi Dhir the Ravi Shankar of Montreal.  We trade ideas and concepts virtually through email exchanges from where ever we are at the moment. 

STN- What inspired you to make music together?

ALEX -  There is a general concept of what all turns us on sonically that was discovered after we started sharing ideas. This kind of unspoken vision is something we all believe in.

STN - Some people have been saying that MIEN is a supergroup, but on your site, I read that you somehow reject that idea. Why?

John-Mark Lapham -  To me personally, a “supergroup” sounds like a novelty, something you just muck around in when you have free time away from your “main group.”I think we all take MIEN very seriously and treat it as vital and important as anything else we take part in, and to that extent, should be perceived as a standalone entity. So much of music and the way people consume it today seems very disposable, so it seems worth making it clear that this is something that is meaningful to us and not just a lark.

Mien - Black Habit

STN - I read that you recorded the album without meeting to play ou rehearse.Was it a new experience or is it something you're used to it?

JM -  I’ve never recorded an album with a band when we were all in the same space. Since I began this journey, I’ve always sent and been sent parts and worked in my own space.Sometimes it can be limiting, but for me it makes sense and more often than not works best in terms of what I bring to the table.
~

STN - Where did you get the name MIEN? 

JM -  If I remember correctly, it came to Alex in a dream. It was something that involved him peeling off wallpaper and the letters being revealed. It happened right around the time we first started talking, but before we ever knew we were going to be a band, so it seemed fated somehow.



STN – Knowing what the members of MIEN already have done, it’s fair to say that any of this is new to you. But at the same time, listening to the álbum it seems this is a whole new experience and you focused on things you weren’t doing at this point, such as a bigger focus on electronic and samples. Was it unexpected for you how the álbum turned out?

JM -  I can’t speak for the others, but I’m pretty sure this is the sort of album we were all imagining ever since we heard the beginnings of our first couple of tracks, Black Habit and Ropes, respectively. When I heard what we all could do, especially what disguises and characters Alex’s voice could inhabit, it really opened many doors of possibility. 


STN - Listening to the álbum and reflecting on the lyrics I felt they are dense and meaningful, but somehow show some disappointment to where mankind is heading to. 

Alex -  We agree with you 


STN - (I’m tired of) Western Shouting is an original song from Pete International Airport were Alex Mass is in. Why did you choose this song to be in MIEN’s álbum?

MIEN performs "Earth Moon" in KUTX Studio 1A.

Rishi - Alex and I both worked on this song with Pete. We all really loved the track and wanted to see how MIEN could reinvent the track, with Pete's blessing of course. I think versions are great and present a different take on the tune.

STN - You played Levitation a few days ago, and already have a few show schedule for Europe. Can we expect a concert in Portugal?

ALEX - We would love to play Portugal, we are just waiting for the call and we will be there.

STN - How has your music evolved since you first began this idea of making music together?

Rishi - When we started the project, we didn't really have a clear idea of what MIEN would sound like. We just knew that by bringing each our ideas and aesthetics to the table, we would have something new and powerful. 

Mien - (I'm tired of )Western Shouting

STN – Have you ever thought of doing a show where all your bands would play? 

ALEX - Yes we have tossed the idea around! Would love to see that happen!

STN – Who are your major influences?

JM - I’m a somewhat old school electronic/industrial fan, so my influences range from Cabaret Voltaire, Ike Yard, DAF and Conny Plank’s many varied productions.


STN - What about new bands you recently discovered?

JM - These days I listen to a lot of what I imagine many would call “boring ambient music”, like Stars of the Lid, Kyle Bobby Dunn, Wayne Robert Thomas, The New Honey Shade, along with modern classicalLike Jóhann Jóhannsson and Max Richter.

STN - I know this record took quite some time to be made, but now you opened Pandora’s Box, can we expect another one soon? 

Alex - We are currently writing so I imagine there will be another record. I imagine it will happen as the first one did, with patience.



Bandcamp - mien.bandcamp.com
Official Site - mienband
Facebook - facebook.com/MMMIIIEEENNN/

An Interview with Faux Ferocious

I first came across Faux Ferocious around 2016 summer. I was listening to some band's vaguely related to some others I've met through Spotify. Beaumont was the track. I got addicted to it. I used it more than once on mixcloud's since then. Beaumont was the track that addicted me in Faux Ferocious, and sometime later out of curiosity like most of the times I started looking for their Bandcamp and facebook page to get a better look on what they do. I was surprised by the video of Big Kahuna. Like they're music the musicians really looked they were having fun. Reading some reviews I found my self not very surprised, with most of the people talking about their shows were saying how good was to listen and take part in something so honest and amusing. In November 2018 I noticed some movement from Faux Ferocious. 

Big Kahuna, Faux Ferocious Ep. 2017

After Cloning The Rubicon in 2016 and an homonimous Ep in 2017, they had been quiet, at least for me across the Atlantic Ocean it looked that way, although every now and then I had some info about some gig. The single was Price of Progress for the upcoming album to be released in 2019, Pretty Groovy, this time by Burger Records. Had to wait a couple of months to know more songs, but the outcome is exactly what I expected. More mature but without losing the audacity to risk, with some great songs like Chase The Dream and Price of Progress, both very light and groovy. Solvency, Feeding Frenzy, and Stress Kills are edgier and exciting filled with some juvenile energy. Moment of Totality is for me a bit an outsider, but I like those surprises. I already knew Me and Jonny, as it features on the 2017 Ep, and was already one my favorites from Faux Ferocious...

Has I wanted to know a bit more about them, why not an interview?

Songs to Nowhere - Could you introduce Faux Ferocious to our readers and perhaps talk about how you guys met and how the band started?

Faux Ferocious - Faux Ferocious is a band that started from 4 college friends that later grew to be more than just a college band.  All members of the band are from the great state of Tennessee.

STN - Is there a story behind the name of the band? Could you share it with our readers? 

Faux Ferocious - There is not a story behind the name of the band..Or if there was I cannot remember it.

STN - Was Faux Ferocious your first band? 

Faux Ferocious - This was no one's first band but it is the first band any of us have played in that has toured and released records.

STN - Any of you learned music in your childhood, or this thing of getting into a band happened naturaly?

Faux Ferocious - Everyone played music in their childhood and youth.  I believe that starting a band is an inevitable step in playing an instrument in the modern world.

Beaumont, Cloning The Rubicon, 2016

STN - How was the music scene while you were growing up? Was that something that influenced you to start a band?

Faux Ferocious - When I first got the internet I was exposed to so much music.  Before that I was mostly limited to what I heard on the radio or what I could see at a live show that was all ages.  I never really liked any of that music so with the internet coming into my life so did thousands of new musical artists I was to soon love.

STN - I had a look at your vídeos. It’s important for you to have fun with all this or it’s just for the pleasure of shocking others? 

Faux Ferocious - I believe that it is important to have fun in anything that you do.  I don't think that our intentions were to ever be shocking with our music videos.  We all have a very good time performing.  

STN - Your first release was a really DYI thing, do you still do things like that or you step into other level?

Faux Ferocious - We still have a DIY method of sorts.  It is important to do things yourself and take full control but as the time goes along we all have less and less time to do so.  

Feeding Frenzy, Pretty Groovie 2019, Burger Records

STN - How would you positioned yourselves at this point in a gender or more?

Faux Ferocious - Many people consider Faux Ferocious to be Krautrock

STN - In this time, what were the biggest challenges the band had to face?

Faux Ferocious - The biggest challenge is time

STN - You have a new álbum comming in February, we already listened to Price of Progress, how different is it from Cloning the Rubicon?, after all three years have passed...

Faux Ferocious - The new album "Pretty Grooy" marks our first studio recorded album and our first album to come out on Burger Records.  Prior to this everything that we have released has been recorded on various Tascam machines throughout middle Tennessee.  This album isn't very DIY.

Roll it Up, Pretty Groovie 2019, Burger Records

STN - Were do you get you're inspiration to compose?

Faux Ferocious - That is a pretty broad question.  Inspiration can come from all around and everywhere.

STN - What bands influenced you more ?

Faux Ferocious - There are too many bands to consider but a big influence for everyone in Faux Ferocious has to be that of Neil Young.

STN - When can we expect from a gig from Faux Ferocious in Portugal?

Faux Ferocious - We are looking to do a European tour come the end of 2019.  We are currently looking to release a record over there that will be followed by a tour . We would love to stop in Portugal and meet everyone!

STN - Thank you for your time! Hope to see you soon!

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