Interview with 'Gothica' (Ukraine)

Magazine: Gothica (Ukraine)
Language: English
Date: 20.06.2008
Lead by: Stefan Hertrich

Hi, so the first question is surely about your new album. What should listeners expect from it? What are the differences between the new album from the first one "Ethnic"?

Greetings! Well, there are several differences between “Ethnic” (2003) and “Nour” (2008). Ethnic was focused on the new age/ethnic audience while our goal with “Nour” was to make it more appealing to fans of gothic music as well. “Ethnic” had no real concept and it was just an album mixing soundtrack / light gothic influences with various cultures like Native America, India, Africa, Asia etc. “Nour” is more theme-based and concentrates on the middle east. The whole album became more atmospheric and the percussive elements more powerful. The new album simply has more drive and also could be played in clubs/discos as well. This time all vocals are “real” and not just taken from special music libraries, thanks to Yana Veva from St. Petersburg/Russia who as an excellent voice for ethno/gothic music. While “Ethnic” was written just for personal interest, “Nour” wants to attract other people to dance. There are a lot of people out there who like belly dancing or tribal dancing.

Why do you choose the name "Nour"? As the initial name of the album was "Morphogenesis"?

Haha, I already forgot that, but yes, you are right! Morphogenesis was referring to the expression “morphogenetic fields”, a scientific/spiritual term based on the presumption that every human, every plant, every stone etc. is connected with each other by a sort of energetic network. It’s a very interesting theory, and one author who explains it all well is Rupert Sheldrake. However, as time passed by and songwriting progressed, I realized that the name doesn’t fit anymore, because the album didn’t become new age focused but middle east focused. I first wanted to write an album with a sort of  “spiritual message” but then noticed that the new Shiva In Exile album doesn’t need a message at all. It shall be an album provoking pictures and making you dream, and that’s all about it. So I skipped “Morphogenesis”. Since the whole album is very arabesque, I wanted a name fitting to this theme. Unfortunately, many people connect negative things with the Arabic world in our days, so I decided to name the album “Nour” which simply means “Light”. You can see it as a sort of statement, saying “hey, just because it’s Arabic it isn’t necessarily connected with dynamite belts!” This culture has to offer much more than that and it’s on us to just listen to TV stations and newspapers or discover this world by ourselves. By the way, “Nour” is often used as name in the Arabic world. I think it’s a wonderful name for a human ?

I heard that in one composition you used the poem of the girl from Lebanon, that she wrote during the war with Israel. Can you tell more about it, how was this collaboration? 

Yes, she and her family are friends of mine and summer 2006 was a difficult time for them. Since decades this country has to struggle with civil wars, difficult relationships with neighbor countries etc. Many different cultures live there, sometimes peacefully, sometimes not, mainly Christians, Muslims, Druses but also many others. This country attracts me very much because their people always try to make the best out of their situation. They have many universities and try to raise their kids as good as possible. Well, there are several reasons why I wanted to use this poem, and I am happy that Hanin gave it to me: First of all, because it’s REALLY good. And second, because it’s arts written because of a really deep reason. She didn’t have to face the problem “oh I feel so bored, oh life sucks so badly” but was faced with elemental questions like “why is my city attacked”, “why do people kill each other”, “how will my life and the life of my family go on?” etc. The song I wrote for this poem includes different elements, for example church bells, Gregorian choirs, a mosque singer, recorded explosions from Hanin’s city etc. And the best thing about it: I know that both Christians AND Muslims will listen to the album in Lebanon and BOTH of them will enjoy it – no matter how deep the gab between both religions might be.

Are you satisfied with "Nour"?

Yes, I am absolutely happy with the result and even after dozens of times listening to it I don’t see anything I should have made different. Even if the album has no deep message (apart from the song “Bullet” and maybe the album title), the album delivers very much: emotions, pictures etc. Listen to it and start to imagine whatever you want! It will work ?

Can you tell how you started the project Shiva in Exile? What is the origin of its name?

It was a very spontaneous idea. I was sitting in the train, and thought “hey, it would be great to write a non-metal album!”. Some weeks later, a label wrote to me (Trostlos Records) with the crazy offer to let me write an album, and no matter what it is, they will release it. I thought “okay, sounds like an interesting challenge!” and so the first album “Ethnic” was written. As I said before, I really made this album just for fun and Trostlos released it just for fun. But it was an important step in my “career” as a musician, because I learned to write music without guitars and metal drums.
About the name: “Shiva” for me symbolizes everything related to spirituality and ethics. “In Exile” means that this spirituality and ethics is more and more pushed away, mainly because of materialistic interests most of us have.

Tell us about your getting the award "Just Plain Folks Music Award". What is the award? Who were your competitors?

It’s an American award in many categories, I think all in all 10.000 albums were investigated. Unfortunately I wasn’t there and couldn’t take part in the final show. I heard about all that afterwards, haha

What are your impressions about the collaboration with Jana Veva? Do you like her work in Theodor Bastard?

We worked together very well, even if we couldn’t communicate directly due to language barriers. She is a very professional vocalist and for her, as well as for me, the result counts. In the past I wasted so much time with useless band discussions and it’s so good to work with Yana, because there’s no need to discuss anything. I write a song, she sings on it, it sounds great. She has many good ideas and comes up with surprises, and she knows very well what to do and has a good feeling for “this is good” or “this is bad”! Most band discussions are usually caused by one member saying “this is good” while another member says “no it is bad!”. Yana and I usually share the same opinion and I think we both have a “good ear” for judging our music professionally and without ego problems. So if she says “sorry, this sounds bad” she usually is right! And she would never say it just to force her ideas into the project.
The material of Theodor Bastard is very interesting, but for me personally it’s a bit too crazy, haha. However, I really admire this band and the band members I know are GREAT persons! I’ve heard they are a very good live band, unfortunately I never saw them ?

In what direction would you like to develop Shiva in Exile?

Well, I am famous for surprises and changing the style from album to album very radically, but right now I don’t see a reason to change the style of Shiva In Exile. Now that I am thinking intensively about it due to your question, I really have no idea about what could change, haha. Maybe fans have ideas and let me know what they like and dislike, and then I can try to keep this feedback in mind ?

By the way, how is your project Betray My Secrets? Do you plan to record something new with Christian Bystron? Or is it possible to say that Betray My Secrets turns into SpiRitual?

For me SpiRitual “Pulse” is the unofficial second album of Betray My Secrets. The reason why I changed the band name was that Christian initially planned to not participate in the song writing process of “Pulse”, so I thought changing the name would be best. However, when he heard some of the songs, he changed his opinion and played a lot of nice guitar stuff. But if I look back, it would have been better to release the album under the band name Betray My Secrets, even if I like the band name SpiRitual very much. We’ll see what the future brings. It would be great to write an album with Christian again, maybe one day we will ? But there are no concrete plans yet. We know each other since 15 years and even if we don’t work together for some years, suddenly a time comes where we do. It’s strange, haha.

Can you tell us what “ethno-gothic” is?

I cannot give you a good definition, because there are not many bands yet doing it. But speaking about my music, and yes, I call it “ethno gothic”, I’d say it’s world music with a very dark and/or melancholic atmosphere, without those “Oh I feel so great and balanced” harmonies used very much in the new age scene. It sounds a bit negative what I say about new age. It is fantastic if a person feels great and balanced and wants to listen to such music! But I think it’s not so good for “dreaming”. I think for “dreaming” and imagining things melancholic/atmospheric music simply fits best, and Shiva In Exile is perfect for that.

I know you have got friends in Kiev. Would you like to visit Ukraine once?

If an opportunity comes, of course I’d be glad to see Ukraine and meet my friends there! (by the way, as usual: hello to Oleg, Angel of Rain and Costas, haha).

Would you like to share with us something more or add something to the interview?

Of course thank you very much for doing this interview, and thank you very much to the readers for reading it. One last thing: Between „Ethnic“ and „Nour“ lie 5 years. If I think back to the year 2003 and remember the wishes and dreams I had about myself and who I want to be, well, I must say that most of them became true. I think that’s the best thing for me about the two Shiva In Exile albums. I see them both as a sort of waypoint. A great quote of an author named Anthony Robbins: “We over-estimate what we can achieve within ONE year, but we under-estimate what we can achieve within TEN years!” Believe in your dreams, and have patience!