Rusty: I'm going to be completely honest with you here, I haven't listened to anything that Cryogen Second has done. Period. Why, I'm a slacker and I want to hear it live. Give me a little bit of background on the band for the kids out there in internet land.
(I'm going to download and listen to the album WHILE we're doing this)
Eric: So, I started playing live/actually working on this band thing in 2005ish. I had been dicking around with programming for about 5 years beforehand, and never got the right combination of people to work with (I had originally wanted a female lead singer, wanted another person to program with, etc.). In 2005, after much prodding by my wife, I just decided to start doing it myself. I originally started this as a more futurepop type outfit, but the lyrics and music progressively got darker/more screamy/less about personal bullshit.
Also, tell those kids that my lawn is still off limits.
Rusty: Noted. I've been listening to Anthem for the Great Self Destruct while waiting for your answer. I am digging it. So if you did this all yourself, what are we to expect from a live setup? Is there a live band?
Eric: Glad you like it, man! Live is rather different from this record. I like the idea of adding in elements to a live show that aren't present on an album, so I have Kevin Edlin, a Nashville producer and engineer, playing the guitars and Asli (my wife) on live synth. Really, it's all about energy. I came into industrial from the Connecticut punk scene in the mid/late 90's, where kids would never release an album, only knew three chords, but got up on stage, and ruined themselves for thirty minutes, all for the entertainment of a handful of people who really got into it.
Rusty: For me, that's the thing. Energy is huge when you're on stage. Give it your all, or go the fuck home.
So, you said you came from Connecticut, where do you hail from now and has the response in your area been a good one for Cryogen Second?
Eric: Yeah! There was this whole... thing... that happened for a while in our scene where people either didn't realize or didn't care that while there is some importance to image and presentation, but unless you have something substantial live to back yourself up, you're just a dude in a costume, wandering listlessly around on stage, looking like a dickhead. Fortunately, I've seen more and more bands that have been coming up that are amazing performers and incredible musicians as well. It's a really exciting time to be in this scene, for all the jaded "I HATE INDUSTRIAL" shit that seems to be happening now.
To answer your question, I'm in Nashville, and have been, since 2003. It's been interesting. Nashville isn't a big scene, but we have had great response from the local markets around here in the past year or two, and we've been fortunate to have an amazing local promoter who actually cares about the local bands.
Rusty: I just drove through there TWICE over the last couple of weeks for my trip to Florida. The things I should know ahead of time before travelling. It's not too far away, so maybe we can get a show down there with you guys some time.
So, lets get to the reason we're all in Chicago on Saturday. Electronic Saviors 2. You have two tracks on there, one a remix for Inure and the other one of your own. How did you get involved in this project?
Eric: YES. LET US PLAY SHOW TOGETHER. I promise that I will only call you Busty when I introduce you to people.
I'm trying to find a way to answer this question without sounding ENTIRELY TOO serious or overly wordy, might take a minute.
Rusty: Take your time... show's saturday...
Eric: The remix was a no-brainer. I love working with Adam's music, so when he approached me to remix him, I jumped on it. I'm actually in the middle of mixing a track that we did along with another amazing artist that's going on his next single that's gonna be epic.
The other track (thirty eight) was a bit more of a labor of love, I lost a good friend under really shitty circumstances to a ridiculously rare form of blood cancer ten years ago. The people that worked with me on that track (Kevin on guitar and Sarah from Synapse on vocal) were amazing to deal with, and it served as a way to actually get closure about not being able to say proper goodbyes. I guess that was my main motivation for doing this. Watching people fight that shit and lose is horrifying. You hear stories about what people go through, but it's a lot different when you SEE it, you know?
Either way, when I learned about what was going on, we jumped at the ability to contribute and play. Life's too fucking short to be waylaid by the depressing shit, Jim putting out this comp (and by proxy the shows that have been going on around them) are a great way to make something great out of one of the worlds bigger dick moves.
Adam has informed me that I should not use the word "epic" when describing anything relating to him.
So, you know... leave that in, Highlight and bold it, and whenever those kids that were on my lawn ask about him, Make sure to use nothing but that word to describe him.
Rusty: Shit, I don't edit anything, this whole thread is going in there.
I'm trying to get a couple of these done today, so I apologize for making this a short interview. That means we're in for my ever famous "Lightning Round". 5 quick questions that could be word association as well and 5 quick answers. Ready? Alright, let's do this thing.
1) Jim Semonik
2) Beyond Therapy Records
3) Your take on the current state of industrial
4) Dave Shock
5) Beer or the hard stuff? (I gotta know what you drink for Saturday)
Eric: 1. Hopefully not an alien from another planet. I've never met him and only talked in a few short emails. Or maybe hopefully he is. Who knows.
2. Great starting point for smaller artists. Nothing but love for them.
3. Still lots of work to get out of the rut, but getting great again.
4. Probably a Gynecologist.
5. Me: A shot of Jaeger and a Jack and Coke.
Kevin: anything alcohol related
Asli: If you can get her to drink ANYTHING alcoholic you win everything.
Rusty: Fantastic. Alrighty, I'm wrapping things up here. Thank you for your time today. I'll see you on Saturday in Chicago for the awesome!
Eric: yessir! Have a good day, Senor Trombón
For the record, I am a whiskey drinker first and foremost, who also enjoys a good pinot noir. I don't care for beer but do like hard ciders. And in a pinch I have been known to drink any kind of hard liquor (brown or see through). But who knows, maybe we'll bring you some good ole fashioned TN and GA moonshine...
ReplyDeleteOh, and I 2nd everything Eric said about punk rock and life as we know it these days.
-Kevin