Interview with 'Rock Oracle' (Russia)

Magazine: Rock Oracle (Russia)
Language: English
Date: 31.05.2008
Lead by: Stefan Hertrich

Grüss dich, Stefan! To start with, could you tell us what the name Shiva-In-Exile stands for? In Hinduism Shiva is known as a god symbolizing destruction but you placed the destructive element in exile. Does it mean that your music focuses only on the pure, constructive and positive side of the world, leaving the evil behind?

Privet, Tatiana! Zdorovo slishat privetstvie na rodnom yazike, spasibo! Okay, I must admit that my friend Bonez from Darkside.ru translated it for me, haha.
The name Shiva In Exile already existed 8 years before I started the band. It came to my mind and I simply knew that I one day will write music under this name. I like it because for me it symbolizes how much we forget ethic and spiritual values for the sake of materialism and opportunism. So Shiva for me means “everything being related to morale/ethics” and In Exile means that we chase away those morale/ethics.
About the second part of your question: Yes, I would consider the album “pure” because it´s a very honest album, only representing exactly the music I wanted to write, without compromises for gaining mainstream success or being respected in any underground scene. And yes, it is also constructive music because I think the music invites you to think deeply due to the general atmosphere. I´d call it “battle inside yourself” music focusing your thoughts on yourself. Who are you, why are you etc. However, I think the music covers both, positive and negative aspects. On the one hand it´s very relaxing and energetic, on the other hand it gets very dark (for example you can hear real explosions from the Hisbollah/Israel war 2006). It´s a sort of emotional journey through various ups and downs every human experiences here and then in his “battle of the inside”. ?

The new creation got the title "Nour" (the arabic word for "light") but you also stated that the album became darker and more oriental than the debut album. How do these contradictory statements go together?

I like writing dark/gothic/melancholic music, but I don´t want people to completely drown in this kind of emotional state. The album title shall indicate that no matter how “dark” the music (or the world) might be, the world doesn´t only consist of darkness but also of many positive aspects. Some people forget about that too often and always complain. It is not difficult to complain all the time. But changing negative things in life positively without complaining is a real challenge only the wisest humans successfully practice. By the way, “wise” is not the same as “being intellectual” or “being technically well developed”. It is important to understand that if we want to respect cultures and countries from all over the world. Even if people there might be poorer or less “educated”, they might sometimes be wiser than we are in the Western world ? But back to music: Shiva In Exile is a good mix of both: dark “European” elements (even Darkwave synths) and warm “Ethnical” elements, so I think the album title fits well.

Shiva-In-Exile's 2nd album is more concentrated on Yana Veva's vocal performances while the project's debut «Ethnic» was filled with performances from all over the world. Why such a switch? Is it still the same ambient/ethno/gothic sound our ears are used to or not?

For the debut album “Ethnic” I didn´t use “real” vocals, because I got the chance to use vocal libraries especially made for music studios (that´s why many of the vocal phrases also appear in TV spots as well). In that time I had no other choice, but when Alexey of IronD recommended Yana to me, I simply knew that I finally found a vocalist for Shiva In Exile. And since she mainly focuses on Middle East vocals and this culture also became my center of interest, it was the best thing for us to write a Middle Eastern album instead of mixing many cultures together. If you like “Ethnic”, you will also like “Nour”, and even if you didn´t like “Ethnic”, you could anyway like “Nour” because the whole atmosphere is more gothic and “powerful”.

For its first album Shiva-In-Exile has been awarded with the American Just Plain Folks Music Award in the category «best new age/world album 2004». Do you think the new release will repeat its success?

Hm good question ? I have no idea, and I must say it´s not so important for me to win an award again. I am just happy that Yana and I finished the album after such a long time and huge amount of work, and whatever happens with this album simply shall happen or shall not happen. I will be happy for every single person liking the music and getting satisfaction with it. It´s such a great gift to be able to do arts and with that being able to make other people happy and I should be thankful for that. Often musicians (including me) forget about it when it comes to album sales, success expectations etc. During the last years I learned to not care about such things, so also winning awards isn´t very high on my priority list ? However, if I could win this one again, of course I would be thankful.

How do you see the future of this project? In interviews you say that your collaboration with Yana Veva is going to continue. Do you already have something definite on your mind about what the third Shiva-In-Exile's album is going to be like?

I never plan any album beforehand. Usually the decision is made completely spontaneously, between 10 minutes, and this 10 minutes might come in 6 weeks or they might come in 6 months, I have no idea ? But right now I tend to another Middle Eastern album or maybe to do new versions of some “Ethnic” and “Nour” songs especially for gothic belly dancers, because the music of Shiva In Exile is really perfect for that. Check out the MySpace site of Shiva In Exile (www.myspace.com/ethnogothic) for some dance videos fans made with much effort!
Of course I´d be glad if Yana again wants to work together with me!

There's a statement on SpiRitual website which says: 'If you are an artist who's able to perform an ethnic instrument or sing ethnic vocals, please get in contact with Stefan!' How's the audition of ethno-talents going at the moment? Have you met any truly extraordinary and skilled musicians or vocalists so far?

You are the first person mentioning this statement in an interview, interesting question ? It´s very difficult to find people who can play an ethnic instrument professionally AND convincing. I for instance have a Turkish Ney flute, and if I try to play, it sounds as if somebody breathes in an empty beer bottle, haha. Same with percussion and stringed instruments. They might sound “okay” if you play them just for fun, but playing them in studio and combining them with modern music simply doesn´t sound convincing if you don´t play this instruments for many many many years. So it´s very difficult to find people to participate in Shiva In Exile and apart from Yana I didn´t find anybody yet. But it´s not a big problem, because most work for Shiva In Exile is done at the computer anyway (song structure, keyboards, a lot of percussion programming etc.). However, if there´s any good Ney, Duduk or percussion player (with studio access) out there, please contact me or IronD ?

On «Ethnic» one could hear Arabic, Indian, Malaysian, Thai, Canadian folk motives thanks to the German author and scientist Dr. Christian Ratsch who has spent three years living among the Lacandone Indians, as well as has been to various exotic countries. But what about your personal preferences? Have you personally been to some of the enumerated countries? Which country's atmosphere is more to your liking and why?

I traveled several times to the Middle East during the last two years, but I must admit that compared to people like Christian Rätsch I haven´t seen much of the world yet. I think every country I have visited so far has its positive and negative sides and I cannot say one country is better than another one. I feel most happy in my little sweet village with much nature around me, because it´s silent, peaceful and simply my home. But I intend to travel much more during the next 2-5 years, if time and money allow it. I´d be very interested in Greenland or Iceland for example (which has absolutely nothing to do with the music of Shiva In Exile, haha).

Haven't you ever thought of following Christian Ratsch's steps and isolating yourself from the civilization for a couple of years somewhere far in the land of Indian tribes?;)

Haha, well, I already live more isolated than most people might think. I very rarely go to places where more than 2-3 people are (except super market) and spend most of my time alone, preferably reading books in the local forest here or working in my apartment (I run a small translation company with a friend). I think it´s not necessary for any human to escape to other countries or cultures for becoming happy, because happiness comes from the inside, and you cannot solve problems by escaping, and usually the same problems come again once you moved to another country. But for Christian Rätsch it definitely makes sense, it simply was and is his life task to explore plants and other things in other countries for his books. It´s very essential for him to travel much, while for me it´s essential to have time for writing music at home. For me it´s enough to know that my music “wanders around the world”, so it´s not necessary for me personally to do that (I am too lazy anyway, for huge travels, haha).

By the way, your friend was so impressed with his trip to Moscow that started to learn the Russian language! What about you? Do you know some words/phrases in Russian?

You are REALLY well informed, Tatiana ? And yes, it´s true, but I didn´t believe it until I saw the learning software, haha. Unfortunately I don’t know any Russian words or phrases, but who knows, maybe it will change if I get the chance to visit Russia one day. By the way, my grandfather lived in Russia (he was in prison there as German soldier after World War 2 and then decided to stay there – I think he lived there until the end of his life). It´s interesting that I also have so much to do with Russia in my own life, even if I never was there (for my project SpiRitual I worked together with many Russians, and of course Yana is also Russian ?

Anyway, you'll always be welcome in Russia as music has no language barriers worldwide. Is visit to our country on your nearest tour schedule? What would you say to Rock Oracle's readers and your listeners in Russia?

Yes, good statement, I used it in the booklet of  “Nour” as well: “Where words fail, music speaks!”. Which fits well to the songwriting process of  “Nour”, because Yana and me cannot talk with each other directly due to our language barriers. But it´s not necessary, we communicate with each other over the music, and everybody who wants to hear this communication can do so by listening to the album ? If we manage to build a serious live line-up for Shiva In Exile, I am sure we´ll get the chance to play in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kiev (for the Ukrainian readers).
Thanks for the interview, Tatiana, and a big hello to all friends of Shiva In Exile in Russia!