Above The Ruins web-zine, 12/2001

Kirlian Camera

1. I heard some rumors about future re-release of your early albums like "it does not matter, now" and even the first demo. Are they true? Is there anything you are "ashamed" to re-release?
A - Several re-issues will be out in the next couple of years, due to the fact most of our titles are out-of-catalogue. Hopefully, this time such material keeps on being on list years long without any problem, so to allow one to decide to wait some considerable time before buying one of those works, not having the stress to buy them immediately and spending money in excess. That's the reason why we avoided the limited edition logic concerning such re-issues. Anyway I confirm our first demo and our very first official release - a minialbum bearing the same name of the band - will be coming out soon, both placed into a single full-lenght CD; "It doesn't matter, now" will be out quite soon as well, including three previously unreleased tracks made in 1982. We have no large reluctance to re-release old works, despite it is clear that here and there there is huge waste of ingenuity, so it comes natural and even useful feeling a bit of embarassment, as well as it is useful going over it with the related tranquillity coming from who is aware of the things he had been doing throughout the years, succeeding (I think) in pushing himself on till reaching more "complete" ways, even more passionate. There is a work which always disappointed me a little since its release date, that is "Erinnerung", due to too many mixing and global making errors made along the way. But I think the spirit of that work was pure and real, so we'll be re-issueing it later in time with some appreciable little settlements, not changing original tracks, but changing track-order and lenght as well as adding one or two re-mixes made by others, so to respect our original alternative orientation, that was more interesting, in my opinion. The number of planned re-issues is considerable, so we are trying to sometimes place a pair of works on to one CD, if possible, showing the original graphics intended to be used on a very first time, which had been then changing because of several reasons. I guess those works might be pleasant to get, but anyway... it depends on taste to taste...

2. I saw that "kalte container" received a cold reaction (truly sorry for the wordplay). In a certain way it seemed a self celebration. How did you give birth to this box?
A - I am told the opposite thing. The work is selling quite fine I know, and first edition went sold out in a few days. Do not think anybody has taken it as a self-celebration, since in many interviews I made, I clarified it was a project coming "from outside", that is ENDE. In fact, ENDE's Massimiliano Medagli did contact me just when KC were under agreement with Triton/Discordia, asking for an authorization allowing him to make up a book on us. The band did nothing at all, taking care of nothing in regard to it but contacting a few friend-bands to be added to the several ones already at work, asking them whether they would like to arrange a re-mix or whatsoever. In addition, KC is present on the CD-coda so to mean that that is not a tribute. A real tribute might come out in one year and a half via a small german label, and once again everything is in their hands, including full list of appearances. KALTE CONTAINER is not to be considered as a Kirlian Camera stuff, but ENDE's, anyway. At any rate, given the vast amount of self-celebrations all around... I could not accept KC looks like a band of such style, given our aversion to any possible "overexposing situation"... We rather never declined to take part in several effective tributes, past time. Then, if we keep on being "overexposed"... well, at this point it is possible it is our enemies' fault/merit, and it looks there's huge of such 'enemies', both inside and outside this so-called "scene". Envy is a serious illness. Listen, some people are even able to envy your death, if there is a dog weeping for you... Even the most terrible sorrow, they could envy... "Who do he thinks he are to suffer so much?! Do he thinks to be the only suffering one all over this damned planet?!". Yes. He thinks he is suffering a lot, and to be even very able to make suffer all of the ones hating him, throughout time, almost involuntaily... as justice do exists for sure, even though sometimes it seems to be lost somewhere. Is it clear enough?!? I am bad, very, very bad, with the bad ones...

3. You had several appearences on very different compilations. Why did you refuse to contribute to the codreanu compilation? Did you feel it was too political orientated?
A - We are not that used to taking part in any politically-orient(at)ed tributes. Let's dog bark on and fried potatoes fry on. I have nothing to do with any political wing any longer, I never had. I am not 15 any longer... I have never been 15!!! I did use a Codreanu voice recording time ago, in 1989 on "Todesengel" and I guess it is enough. All of the bands taking part in that compilation have the exact and unquestionable right to do what they are doing, but KC (and other well-known bands, which did not accept to appear on the sampler in question...) must have equal freedom in choosing the way they like. I will never pay any tribute to any Codreanu, Che Guevara, Mussolini, Mao, Donald Duck, nor to anyone else not having anything to do with music or other forms of expression. I do not think above mentioned politicians and comics are able to play drums or bagpipes, nor they are filming any arty-porn movie, sorry! Truth is one. Unspeakable. This is my opinion.

4. Are you planning an album with sixth comm? How did you meet P. Leagas and Amodali?
A - Patrick is working since months on an album having KC sounds taken from various discs as a "start point". I do not know which rabbits he is exactly taking out of the hat, but I am sure he'll make a fine work, as he is very talented... I'll be soon sending him further material to be manipulated in the way he likes. The ruit of it all will be released under the double name KIRLIAN CAMERA / 6 COMM, do not know when, we are not in a hurry. First time I met Patrick and Amodali in a Modena backstage, after their gig, some years ago. It was a particular and kind aquaintance. Then we casually met again one year later, in Cologne. After a while, Patrick did contact me because of some things related to Death In June and Sixth Comm/Mother Destruction, so since then we almost frequently started sending faxes, e-mails and audio material to each other.

5. Is life a dream or do the dreams help to live?
A - Life can be as awful as a terrible dream-like deal. Dreams undoubtedly succeed in giving a help to survive... but I do not want them, as I have not any real need to survive, as well as there is no fucking thing anybody could offer me. Beauty is elsewhere, but I'll keep on fighting for the hopes dreamers and children have.

6. Can pornography be considered as an art?
A - I am tempted to answer it is not, because pornography as a way, is just filming sexual acts and nothing else, not being "research about erotica". It is also true that if a porn movie is well shot by a fine professional director having inventive power, well, then, there is maybe a kind of a talent, ergo one is in presence of something like an expressive form, someway. However I have been probably unlucky, as I have never had a chance to either watch a porn movie or leafing through the pages of a porn mag and finding anything interesting out. Such stuffs are even useless to masturbate... they do not even succeed in exciting my pants' suspender, as far as I am concerned...

7. What are the best places for an holiday?
A - Once I was Vienna-obsessed, being even near to move there definitely... Austria is in general very beautiful, as well as Slovenia, with its Triglav Park and the near italian places around Triest too. I am revalueing Paris as well, and, cutting short, going to Scotland or Canada may be a worthwhile experience to furtherly repeat. However, I am lately realizing I always try to avoid ordinary holydays. Do not feel any interest in seeing any particular place. People are everywhere and persons around make me feel bad, till I am even getting aggressive. I do prefer burying me in some relaxing place, taking some steps night time down not much frequented areas, or simply staying at home or in a cosy place, surrounded by the one(s) I like and respect. Playing music is now even more satisfying... Into my headphones time flies away fastly and no one, no one can reach me. It is not misanthropy exactly... let's say I do prefer not spending time with men, but just with "other entities". It is a pity several circumstances leave me a so few time - less than I wish - to be spent with music in strict sense, pushing me back to "that" hateful sea of shit existing around.

8. Some of your works remind me some movies, in particular "solaris" by tarkovskij. do you like particular scince fiction movies? what are you favourite film makers of the last decade? what is your opinion about Haneke?
A - Yes, I like sci-fi movies, putting stuffs like "Mission to Mars" or "Red Planet" aside! Science fiction made by Kubrick, Ridley Scott and Tarkovskij is just another world. Those three names apart, my favourite directors are Luchino Visconti, Fritz Lang, David Cronenberg, something by Sydney Lumet, G.Wilhelm Pabst, Ingmar Bergman, John Cassavetes, Carl Dreyer, Peter Fleischmann, something by R.W.Fassbinder, Alfred Hitchcock, Tim Burton, Akira Kurosawa, early Pupi Avati works. I did appreciate Hector Babenko's "The kiss of the spider woman" very much at the times, a film that meant so much to me, despite it was not marvellous, probably. Anyway, I like to see horrible mélo and sentimental craps, especially the old ones ("The Waterloo Bridge", for instance), as well as 'carefree' b/w (or early colour) movies, Laurel & Hardy, the oldest Walt Disney toons and even Hanna & Barbera, sometimes. Could not say anything special about Michael Haneke... I watched "Funny games"... original, but I guess I do not feel any interest in his so much "particular" creative ways: I did know 'certain things' even before my birth itself, so some others did. I am uneasily able to bear that sort of "being pleased with himself" I feel in that film, that is however - personal taste aside - a brilliant chapter.

9. I know you don't want to express your political thoughts, but I think the recent events are outside the classic political logic. What are your thoughts about the recent war (that seems it's going to end)? Do you think it will end?
A -Do not know whether it is actually close to an end. Guess it will be going on throughout some years and will have heavier or lighter edges, depending on time to time. Perhaps many Countries will get united soon, founding a kind of an Islamic League or something like that, then... maybe something alike is yet existing and we do not know it. It is just a well-known theory sounding not that strange to me. Concerning current war ... I really do not know which part I should take side with, since I feel aversion for both of the parts! I hate war, especially when it involves two so dull arrays attaching great importance to things that mean nothing good to me. Hope they leave off, anyway, as they are getting my goat! Capitalism and Islamic integralism... foolish things... not even in the kindergarten...

10. You promoted/produced some groups like criminal asylum and leutha (if I don't mistake). Have you ever thought to become a full time producer creating an independent label?
A - Yes, I have been thinking about that possibility, given there is a certain demand, but the time used to work with Kirlian Camera, Stalingrad, Uranium USSR 1972 plus two further "ghost-projects" is even insufficient, so I rarely succeed in doing something with others. I'll put an eye on Bahntier's production and I'll make some re-mixes as well as I'll have a collaboration with Swans' Jarboe (only for KC, I suppose, anyway...), Leutha and Sixth Comm, but I am actually overbusy. Fortunately, Kirlian Camera's Elena and Andrea have taken care on their own of their debut-album as SIDERARTICA, doing a brilliant work all alone with a third member... By now, I do not even succeed in working with my closest collaborators but exclusively on my projects.

11. Do you like football? do you support a team in particular?
A - Not that much, when I was a child, then, I had been going closer to it little by little, until when - in the mid 90's - I was used not to even miss the lowest telecasts concerning it, including debates regarding unprof leagues too... Now I feel more relaxed on that matter: sometimes I catch an eye to some match, international soccer above all. I do not "support" any particular team so fanatically; let's say I like Inter, Parma and Torino. I feel a certain attraction for the Celtic Glasgow, since a long time, as well as for the German and Russian national teams, but.. lately these are not so much a big deal all, I unfortunately see! Globally, I am afraid the teams I like are overbusy in doing the worst they can...

12. Are you planning to realize a vhs? I'm very curious to see your performance at festivalbar. which song did you play? I've never undestood that thing: if the show is in playback, what do the audience listen?
A - Next months we'll be making a live recording, which will be reased as an audio-CD, VHs and DVD. We'll do that thoroughly and with care, along with people used to doing it fine, so no lo-fi / bootleg-like oriented tricks. We cannot use any old tv-recordings as they are propety of the national networks in question, or of the RAI. The song we performed that year you refer to is the first version of "Helden Platz". We kept on appearing on tv a few years long, then giving up, as it looks there is no big chance to do what one has in mind, in that area, so we gave up, opting for other ways. Playback was (and keeps on being) an ordinary thing, those times... Could not say much more...People often like to "see" you, much more than "listen" to you, that's obvious. Sometimes it happens even people who hate us pay the ticket to "see us" performing on stage, just "to see" that "uncorrect thing" other people talk and blether about... Bah!?!

13. There are several tracks that appear only on compilation (often, very rare). Will you release them on a sort of "rare tracks cd"?
A - Yes, it is possible, even though it is not a so pressing thing.

14. I received a promotional postcard from thaglasz. it was written that you will release a vinyl for the 10lp compilation "construction time again". What is that?
A - The title of that work has turned to a new one whose I do not remember the "name" of, exactly. However, we have given Thaglasz a 40-minute master containing tracks which are practically unreleased, recorded between 1997 and '99. Two of them are just outtakes from that period, say partially developped "embryos" that, to be frank, I do not dislike at all. There is plenty of still unlistened KC material somewhere, but we won't release too many of those musics. Just sometimes, if only there is something "curious" enough, especially if related to the period it has been written down. Also three songs have taken place in to that vinyl... A homemade version (recorded during rehearsaling, some time ago...) of "Helden Platz", one of "Ascension" whose exists just one CD containing it, limited to only one numbered copy which has been given to a friend, and a previosly unreleased song (which has been put on to a new sampler by Oktagon) which should have originally found place on "Unidentified Light" but it had not (and I honestly wonder the reason why...).

15. When did start to use balaclava on stage? How did it happen?
A - Some years ago, say '94, more or less. I had not been thinking too much before doing that, at the time. It is just a scenical expedient to be both "discreet" and "very present" at the same time. I do not like musicians' faces / grimaces once they are performing... Their face looks like they are not able to avoid shitting on stage at any moment now. So I decided to put that balaklava on instead of taking a handful anti-diarrhoea pills...

16. Kirlian camera had through the years several members. do you have still contacts with them? Do you have any regrets about some of them?
A - Monsters!!! They are nothing but MONSTERS!!! Jokes aside (?)... Yes, I am still in touch with some of them, especially Mauro Montacchini and Fabrizio Chiari, whom I did set up the first line-up with and are dear friends in deep... Then, of course, with T.A.C.'s Simone Balestrazzi, but he is not exactly an "ex" member, as we often keep on collaborating. The same with Gianluca Becuzzi from the now dead Limbo. Not being in contact with Paola Sartori any longer is disappointing, as she is a beutiful person, whom I had some actually ridiculous (in my opinion) 'moments of incomprehension' with. However, we both are not so easy-to-handle...

17. you worked on some soundtracks, but I've never seen the films you worked for. Can you tell me what are they about?
A - Some of that material is just documentary film music, made for works like "Guido Mazzoni", for instance. Then, we also made entire or partial scores to movies, and such movies were sometimes too awful to be mentioned... We made the music for "Cosa c'entra con l'amore" by M. Antonioni's disciple Marco Speroni for Mediaset, and Emilia wrote more than a half of the whole score, but... to say the truth - and Speroni aside -... working with certain directors is actually boring, as they really do not even know whatever they like you to do... Have no idea about the music to put on to their hotchpotch, so we now prefer composing our real stuffs, avoiding any stress in addition, deciding whether working with someone in particular is a fine thing or not... Then, since offers do not rain on us so incredibly often...

  • Alessandro Grimieri

  • Taken from: http:www.abovetheruins.com