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Interview with Maik Knappe
of Dark Suns
April 14th 2008 by Sam Thomas |
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Dark Suns have just released their third
album, Grave Human Genuine, to a pretty decent reception all round.
I've got to say, it was one of the albums I'd been waiting to hear,
and when it arrived I was stunned that they could produce something
both so completely different to what had gone before and yet so
downright good. I've also been looking forward to interviewing
Maik for some time, to clear up a few little points that had been
bothering me...
Where does the name “Dark Suns” come from?
It was the idea of one of the original band members who is not in
the band anymore for years. He and Niko were the first two ones
playing some doomy music together, as it was meant to be just a
project... but... here we are ;)
Maybe one could explain it in the way that the two words normally do
not fit together and we always tried to combine things that maybe do
not fit together, in the common sense ;-) musically,
textually...whatever.
I’ve struggled to describe your music when
writing reviews, so how would you describe yourselves?
Hmm, we do so, too... haha! Maybe this way: "Really emotional music
from the heart, lost in different styles… but keeping balance with
melancholy in its weirdest forms."
But I'm sure we're not the right ones to be describing our stuff...
Which bands have influenced you? Do you think
that your musical direction has changed because of the tours that
you have done with Pain of Salvation?
Yes, our musical direction has changed…but not because of the tour
with POS. We have explored a lot of really great music, got
influenced from books, weird Lynch-like movies or let personal stuff
flow into our music as much as never before. I think that's enough
;) ...No, we have experimented a lot in the last two years and our
composing style was - this time - much more computer based. But I
cannot name this or that band 'cause one is never aware of where the
creativity comes from... all the things I’ve mentioned are working
together and I am glad that I do not know why I have this or that
idea... so I can save myself from boredom ;) |
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Your
latest album is quite a departure from “Existence”, and has received
some very good reviews. (I loved it, myself). Did you think it was a
big change when you were recording it, and if so, how?
Maybe. I think, we were aware about the non-typical "Existence"
follower but that is one of the most important things for us when
composing new stuff: not to repeat old ideas but trying to do it
quite differently again, as we did after "Swanlike" and as we'll do
after "GHG" ;) ... A song like "The Chameleon Defect" or "Amphibian
Halo" is very diverse to the proggy sounds from "Existence”...
Nowadays the word “progressive” is the most undervalued one, used by
everybody for, in our opinion, overvalued truths...today it is quite
impossible to be a progressive band in its original meaning I
guess...we live in a time where everything concerning music has been
said somehow, and uncountable styles of music exist alongside each
other...40 years ago it was not this way and it was much “easier”
for a band (but maybe also sensitive) to make forward-looking
music....and to be honest, yes, we cannot identify with most of
modern “Progressive” rock bands. What we can do is: just change the
way of making music, and not give a shit about “musical structures
or trademark styles” of a genre in general, try to combine things
that have not been combined so far...but, over all, always in the
emotional focus. Maybe that is our brief in creating “progressive”
songs...the eternal attempt for the right mixture of sense and
sensibility. Yes, I guess, that is our structure.
Did you feel that it was something special
when you were in the process of creating it? What hopes do you have
for it?
Hmm, we were aware that it is very different to "Existence", of
course, not hard to notice ;) ... but we really do not take too much
attention to those issues when we are in the process of creating an
album...
What we hope is that the listeners will be open minded enough to
follow our musical visions and to share the emotions we put into our
music. That is the biggest approval you can get as a band... so...
let's say our prayers! ;)
Do you think that you will stick with the
style that’s developed for “Grave Human Genuine”, or will Dark Suns
evolve again?
I'm quite sure, the next album will be as different to "GHG" as that
one is to the albums before... that is very important for us...not
to repeat ourselves...and... look at the scene...there are enough
bands out there recording the same album again and again...
Will you be visiting England to promote “Grave
Human Genuine”? How about playing outside of London?
It would be great...if you have any information for us where
performing would be possible...contact me! :)
How difficult is it to perform with a drummer
who also does the vocals? The first time I saw you live, in Paris, I
was amazed at how well it worked – it’s so unusual.
To be honest it is quite normal for us... it was always this way and
Niko always says, it is nothing special…just like playing guitar and
singing...
Do you enjoy touring, or is it a necessary
evil? Does the fact that you have two brothers in the band mean an
obvious alliance is formed, or is the opposite true?
Touring is great! And a lot of stress, too, haha... it was a great
experience indeed, if not the greatest for the band so far! Driving
the whole night was not always an “eye opening” but sometimes “eyes
closing” experiment as we had to travel on our own and got a bit
tired sometimes while following the POS nightliner; fortunately we
always arrived alive and kicking. Basically, we had a lot of fun and
learned loads that's for sure! And by the way, we also did a great
job. Perhaps we now know how it goes...
But no, there is no obvious alliance in the band because of me and
my brother.
What is the worst thing that’s ever happened
to you on tour?
Hmm, probably the evening in Lyon in 2005 tour with POS...we could
not perform 'cause of very shitty technical conditions and curfew
troubles... it was such a nice location (old theatre).. so we got
drunk and depressed ;) and had to apologize to the fans that awaited
our show... very sad moment indeed... |
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Are
you currently looking for a bassist? Would Kristoffer join Dark Suns
as a permanent member?
No, Kristoffer will never join the band, he lives in The Netherlands
and is busy with much of his own stuff, that is absolutely okay! We
have a session bassist right now...a great and quite cool guy
indeed...and a great musician as well! He is studying jazz on
University here in Leipzig.. we'll try to do some gigs again in
future as he had his first one with us at our record release show...
You’re a band from the former East Germany.
Has that influenced you in any way? How much harder would it have
been for you to play the music that you do under the previous
regime?
Hmm, we were 11 as the DDR fell down...too young to be aware of the
things happening around us... but I'm sure that what is in our minds
because of growing up there (here *g*) is not to always expect the
things you want to achieve... Musically we are not very influenced
by political issues of the DDR but we love an Eastern German band a
lot called KARAT... you should really check out their song "Albatros"...a
hell of a song!!!
I think if Dark Suns did the kind of music they like in the former
DDR it would function in a way: because our lyrics are very
metaphoric and you have to read between the lines... That was
important for every band at that time and a song like "Albatros"
from 1979 dealing with real freedom was never a subject to
censorship... I'm sure one always finds his way of dealing with
issues of censorship... real art will never exist under
state-controlled viewpoints.
I notice from your myspace page that you have
a strong German following. Do you receive much promotion in Germany
because you are a German band? Are you trying to increase your
profile outside of Germany?
Hmm, actually I'm not sure if the attention is biggest in Germany in
general...of course, we sell the most records here in our home
country but... "GHG" was released in North America at the end of
March... things could change a little bit in future ;)... via
MySpace there is a more conspicuous international attention ...imho.
;)
Finally, is there anything you would like to
add?
Hmm, peace and love is a bit too naive, isn't it? ;)
so... always keep the passion alive, in everything you're doing!!
www.darksuns.de |
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