“We embarked on extensive touring in 2009 in support of the self-titled album Absu. Later that year, guitarist Zawicizuz was replaced by Vis Crom and in May of 2010, Aethyris relocated to Oslo and joined former label mates Pantheon I. It was a mutual decision between both parties, as he departed ABSU on an extremely optimistic note. We then decided it would be best if ABSU were to be reduced down to trio, as it has tightened our live performances tremendously. Anyway, we began composing and arranging the songs for Abzu last year, toured with Immortal in the States in February this year and immediately recorded the new album a week later.”

Are you constantly creating or is there a specific state of mind that you have to achieve before you begin work on a new album?

“It usually fluctuates between both intellectual sensations. If I randomly have a thought or idea, I will cease that particular activity to document my idea(s): both musically and lyrically. For example, when I was composing the lyrics for our newest album, my ideas kept multiplying, which then created new themes for the next album and I find this as a routine formula.”

You all live in different parts of the US…does that make writing and rehearsing a logistical nightmare?

“I will admit this particular album was the fastest paced, for ABSU, in all areas of creating an album: composition, arrangement, recording and mixing. Ezezu began the writing process with the second and fourth tracks on the album: Circles of the Oath and Skrying in the Spirit Vision, which started in early June of 2010. On June 23, I underwent a back surgery procedure called spinal decompression, which did not allow me to play drums for one month. Between July and December, both Ezezu and Vis Crom composed the remaining tracks, as I arranged the longest piece on the album: A Song for Ea. This album has also been the most challenging as well. The current line-up is scattered all across the United States, so the album was physically written utilizing internet file sharing. We even rehearsed, at times, while communicating via cell phones, so there was limited face-to-face rehearsal time. We rehearsed one week prior to a small American tour supporting Immortal and exactly one week after in preparation for the studio experience. With that being declared, we entered in March, tracked the entire rhythm section, composed the Mellotron/lyrical arrangements and had it mixed by the mid portion of June this year. As usual, we tracked and mixed it at Nomad Recording Studios outside of Dallas and engineering/mixing was handled by J.T. Longoria.”

What are the ingredients which makes this such a great line-up of musicians for Absu?

“First of all, thank you for such complimentary words! I would say there are numerous ingredients, such as knowledge, courage, will, ambition, a Thelemic and maniacal sense of mind.”

Please explain the conceptual elements behind the new album and how they tie in with its artwork…

“The trilogy, which consists of the last album (Absu), the new album (Abzu) and the next album (Apsu) is a mere perception, but Abzu is not a concept album – it is a collection of theorems, which ties into both pieces of artwork which represents the album. The CD cover is basically a continuation from the last, self-titled album. The Abzu is Enki’s shrine and the temple in Eridu; a mythical place where life influencing powers reside and the results are incomprehensible, unfathomable and secretive; a place producing raw materials. The Elder Sigil produces such ambiguities placed in the center of the main pillar. The vinyl cover contains an interpretation of the Emerald Tablet of Hermes because it stimulates right brain responses and arouses intuition, imagination and insight. At this point, my verbal explanation is inadequate, but it gives me a starting point to somewhat explain the Enochian cuneiform implication of ‘V.I.T.R.I.O.L.’ sealed within the rim. There are seven Latin words in the statement. In alchemy, the Below, there are seven metals. In astrology, the Above, there are seven planets. In each of us, there are seven chakras. Taken together, they point to seven levels of action internalized by a concocted philosophy classified as the ‘Anzu Ceremony’. In Sumerian mythology, the Anzu Bird is a divine storm-bird and the personification of the southern wind/thunder clouds. This demon, thirty-three percent man/thirty-three percent eagle/thirty-three percent lion, stole the ‘Tablets of Destiny’ from Enlil and hid them on an apex. In conclusion, this is why the tornado appears to lift the seal of vitriolistic nous.”

This album seems more bleak and raw in musical terms, and yet more psychedelic and disorientating at the same time…would you agree? And if so, were those evolutionary steps deliberate or achieved organically?

“The new album is an amalgamation of previous styles, yet a new one for ABSU’s music. This recording appends dirtier elements of psychedelia and fusion. Lyrically, it descends deeper into Enki’s lower world as well Thelemic and Enochian Magic(k) Systems. I can tell you this album is not a natural progression from previous releases, but a feat of metaphysical conquest and murkiness. Ever since the genesis of the band, the main objective has always been to not stimulate the same album on a musical basis. With Abzu, I can honestly say it musically does not compare to prior releases within our discography, including Tara. However, the new album has lyrical intricacy comparable to Tara, but the themes are completely different. I will say out of all ABSU albums, this one has the ‘blackest’ methodology.”
In terms of the metal scene, where do you think Absu belongs? You seem to incorporate so many elements, while still keeping a very strong core identity…do you even recognise black metal (the tag you are most frequently given) as a legitimate genre definition anymore?

“I lyrically concoct mythology and paranormal/metaphysical related topics inside of the music. The cadences and accentuations when writing ABSU’s music express my esoteric lyrical content and ideologies. This is the way I perceive it: ABSU’s music a formation of chaos magic(k) because I believe it can change both subjective experiences and objective realities, though some forms of chaos magic(k) disputes that magic(k) occurs through clairvoyant means. Subconsciously speaking, I am not one with today’s world when writing the lyrics for ABSU. In conclusion, and when I initially joined ABSU, I made a stalwart declaration the band was going to be classified as ‘mythological occult metal’ for several reasons. I predicted the hastily growing trend in black metal in 1992, so I did not want to be known as strictly a black metal band. Lyrically, I was creating advanced lyrical themes other bands were not touching. Plus, we were (and still are presently) a mixture of black, death, thrash, speed and progressive music, so I labeled ABSU a style of its own.”

Your interest in the occult, mythology and ancient magick has been a fundamental inspiration over the years…how has your interest developed over time and how integral to your art have those things become?

“Beginning at the age of twelve, I started delving into hallucinogenic/mind-altering substances, which lead myself into Ordo Templi Orientis, (O.T.O.) Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Thelemic Magic(k), Enochian Magic(k), Tasseomancy and Necromancy. After discovering the Cthulhu Mythos and the Book of Eibon, this too led to my fascination with Sumerian and Mesopotamian mythology. After the release of ABSU’s debut album, Barathrum: VITRIOL, I then became beguiled by the tracing of our ancestral attributions, (mainly Scotch/Irish) which formulated the lyrical conceptions of Celtic lore; heavily engrossed on all albums up to Tara. As far as useful texts, there are too many to mention, but all of the Typhonian Trilogies by Kenneth Grant have always been a favorite inspiration of mine.”

What can we expect from the third album in this trilogy? Will there be a traditionally resolved conclusion to this journey or will there be an open door leading you and/or Absu to the next creative milestone?

“The third and concluding installment of the trilogy will be titled Apsu, which is the Sumerian/Akkadian spelling of the abysmal benthos: the Primum Mobile. I decided, many years ago, these three albums in the trilogy would primarily be based on anything and everything that is related to what ABSU is all about. I refused to name these three with unique titles, yet I simply wanted them named ABSU (Absu/Abzu/Apsu) differentiated by their sleeve designs. Prematurely speaking, Apsu may very well be the last ABSU album.”

What are your plans for the next year or so? Will Absu be touring extensively…and if so, where?

“I am striving for sheer promotion for Abzu with an abundant amount of live performances in support. Then, we shall build anticipation of composing and arranging the next album. The release date for Abzu is October 10th for Europe and the 11th for North America. We will be performing at several festivals for the remainder of the year and will embark on touring for 2012 in Australia, North America and Europe.”

Scottish folk, atmospheric post rockers Falloch, released their debut album “Where Distant Spirits Remain” this summer and the reviews on the net are astonishing – something that they totally deserve. Scott McLean, was kind enough to give us an interview shedding light on their influences, composing process and plans for upcoming live shows.

http://www.falloch.com/

Interview taken by -manoc-

CnB: For starters, congrats on your debut album. Are you satisfied on how the album turned out?

Scott: Thanks very much. We’re really happy with how the album turned out, we put a lot of effort into it to make sure it was as good as we could make it. We were obviously a bit unsure how it would be received as this is our very first release, we’ve never release any music  as Falloch up until this album so it was hard to judge while making it how well people respond to it, but so far it’s been brilliant.

CnB: What’s the story behind Falloch. How you guys end up together and what were your previous activities?

Scott: We’ve known each other for years and eventually we ended up playing together in a previous band, but after various problems with the other members we both ended up leaving within a few weeks of each other. We then decided that we would still like to work together which is when the idea for Falloch came about.

CnB: How you would describe your music and what are your main influences?

Scott: We would say our music is a mixture of many different styles but mainly focuses around atmospheric metal, folk and post rock. We’re influence by loads of bands from all sorts of genres, while making the album we were listening to mainly Jeff Buckley, Alcest, Deftones and Drudkh. We’re also influenced by the landscape/nature of Scotland, it really is a truly inspiring place when you take the time to explore it.

CnB: Are you both band members involved in the writing/composing process?

Scott: Yeah generally we both write all the music together, sometimes one of us comes in with an idea but we always work on the overall writing of the songs together.

CnB: So, you are actually a two man band. How do you manage to get on with live shows?

Scott: So far we’ve not played any shows. At the moment though we are forming a live line up. We’ve just recently found a drummer so we’re now starting to audition bassists. Once that is sorted hopefully it won’t be too long until our first shows.

CnB: How do you manage to sign with Candlelight and are you satisfied by them so far?

Scott: Candlelight have been brilliant so far, the amount of work they are putting into promoting the band is amazing. It really is an honour to be able to release our first album with such a well respected label, with a history of finding exciting new bands.

CnB: How you’ve managed to “book” producer Ronan Murphy to master the album. How was it like to work with him?

Scott: While making the album we knew that we wanted to get somebody else to master it, so we were discussing the possibilities and Ronan’s name was one of the first we mentioned. We then sent him an email asking if he would be interested in working with us and for details about his schedule. Ronan is really amazing to work it, he is so enthusiastic about his work and music in general. You know when you send your album to him he is going to do his absolute best to make it sound as good as he can.

CnB: Are you satisfied from the feedback you are receiving so far and what’s next for Falloch?

Scott: Overall the feedback so far has been incredible, it really is nice to see such great feedback considering this is our very first release. Our main plans at the moment are to complete our live line up and then hopefully organise some shows for the end of the year.

During last May, we had the chance on pre-listening The Gloria Story’s very first album “Shades of White”. As we stated on our review , we had to deal with a breathtaking rock n roll album that made a travel jump from the past and landed to our present. Now, almost three months later, we are still listening to “Shades of White” with the same excitement. We suggest you give the Gloria Story a chance, they won’t disappoint you.

-manoc-

A great thank you to Filip Rapp for giving us this interview!

CNB: Tell us about the story behind the Gloria Story. How you guys end up together and what were your previous activities?

Filip Rapp: We come from a small town, Skövde in Sweden, where rock and roll has always been the soundtrack of peoples lives. Rock music is what was played at home by our parents, and what came out of the radio on our various, previous jobs. Some of us have played together in other rock-groups, with different styles – always trying to get a break by following “whats cool at the moment”. Some of these groups had modest success in Sweden. But as you grow a bit older, and becomes a bit more mature it becomes more important to find your roots and express something that is real. We all grew up with heroes like Kiss, Thin Lizzy, Cheap Trick, The Rolling Stones and even a bit of T-rex and Bowie. We’re not trying to copy anyone of them, but off course their sound have inspired the stuff we do. The Gloria Story was formed with the ambition of digging down to these musical-roots and doing something “real”, and yet catchy. We’re first and foremost a live band, and on record we’re trying to capture that vibe too. Basically we’re 5 semi-young guys on a mission to entertain and bringing Old School rock and roll back with a boom! We were never satisfied working at the local Mc Donald’s seeing our dreams fading away without ever doing anything to full fill them. We decided to give this GLORIA-thing all we have, and make it into something big and real! It’s been a bumpy ride. We’ve been ripped of by record companies(before we found RAMBO MUSIC and SOUND POLLUTION who’s been really good to us), one of the guys got expelled from school, and the drummer has been replaced a few times. But we have always kept on struggling – aiming high. And it seems now, with great reviews and tour-deal offerings coming in from around the globe, we’re finally getting there!

CNB: To have MrAnders “Boba Fett” Lindströmas a producer is for sure a plus. How you guys manage to convince him to help you with album?

Filip Rapp: The Hellacopters was one of our main influences, growing up in Sweden – where The Hellacopters were on top of the business. You know what? When it came time to do Shades of White, we just picked up the phone and gave Boba a call. We loved his previous production-work, and we thought – what the hell, it’s worth a shoot! We convinced him to listen to a few of our demos. Somehow he couldn’t resist the idea of producing us. And we hit off right from the start!

CNB: From the very first track it’s obvious that as a band you are influenced by acts like KISS, Thin Lizzy, The Sweet. What other bands do you consider as an influence?

Filip Rapp: Besides the bands mentioned above, we love Jimmi Hendrix, Humble Pie, Mott the Hoople, The Darkness, The Babys, The Who, Beatles and The Dictators amongst others. Our bass player though is also very into Swedish music by “local heroes” like Thåström and Plura. And Carl, who is one of the guitar blayers, sometimes listens to Iron Maiden. My biggest heroes of all time is Kiss.

CNB: You as a singer, I have to say that you are very talented. You manage to change your voice according to the needs of each song. But, it’s kind of spooky how sometimes your voice brings in mind legendary Phil Lynnot. Do you hear that often?
Filip Rapp: Haha. Yep! A bit too often, in fact.

CNB:  What are your plans about worldwide distribution for the album?

Filip Rapp: Since it’s our first release internationally we’re very proud to put it on the market. It’s been released in 30+ countries. And it’s been very well received. We’re not on a major label, with limitless funds in terms of marketing. So we’re doing much more PR-work. Our team has created an underground buzz with the album being reviewed in seemingly every webzine on the planet. Some of our songs will be distributed with international music magazines, and on top of everything we’re trying to do as many interviews as possible.
Hopefully, early 2012, we will join forces with another, big, Swedish hard-rock-act to do an international tour. But we can’t reveal anything yet.

CNB: So, I read on your web space that you are planning on launching your very first video clip for the song “I Can Make You Run”. Why you have chosen to make a video particularly for this song?

Filip Rapp: We just asked people (fans, producers, family, the guys from our record company) which song they thought is the best one on the album. We had all kinds of answers. But I can make you run was the most mentioned one. Also, I can make you run, is a bit darker than most of our songs and the word “run” gave the script writers loads of cool storyline ideas. I can tell you that there will be loads of RUNNING in the video. It is going to be great! It’s really artistic, kind of dark, filled with strange and a bit weird elements. It’s sexy, but still a bit scary. And there’s loads of live band-action in it! We will have it ready in midst of august.

CNB: I know it’s quite early to tell, but what’s the feedback you get for “Shades of White” (so far)?

Filip Rapp: In Sweden the reviews have been mixed, but mainly good. Some get it, and some don’t. Internationally it’s been awesome, with wonderful reviews from all over the globe. In terms of sales it’s been going great! We instantly hit the number #1 spot on the official Swedish rock-chart. And from what I’ve heard it’s also selling really well internationally. Many people send e-mails, and calls the record company, and express their love for our music. It seems like people have been waiting for something like SHADES OF WHITE. It’s wonderful. We set out to do an album with the kinds of music WE, ourselves, like. And now people are partying to our songs in countries we have never heard of! That’s the power of rock and roll!

CNB: I see that you give lots of live shows in Scandinavia. Are there any plans for a European Tour? Is Greece among your plans?

Filip Rapp: Hopefully we will tour Europe in 2012. both on our own, and as a support act for one or two other bands. Can’t wait to come down and see you all! Greece have been mentioned, yes.

CNB: Is it to early to discuss about a next album? Any ideas?

Filip Rapp: We’re already deep into the pre-production-process, even though the album won’t be recorded in at least 8-10 months. We’re emailing back and forth with a hughe, international producer whom we hope will produce the album. Nothing can be revealed yet. I guess you can expect more of the same, but maybe with a slightly heavier sound. Not metal. Still happy and catchy. But a bit more riff-oriented. Also there’s plans of releasing an EP with 4-5 songs that didn’t make it onto SHADES OF WHITE. We have some great songs from our recording sessions, that was cut because they didn’t match with the over-all sound on Shades.

CNB: What are you listening to at the moment?

Filip Rapp: I’m really into two Swedish bands: BADMOUTH and MÄRVEL. Check them out – they are great. Märvel is even more KISS-oriented than we are. Sometimes the singer sounds like Paul Stanley himself. And Badmouth is like a mix between Alice Cooper and Judas Priest, or something. Great riffs and powerful songs! But KISS is always in my life. Yesterday I was listening to DESTROYER on vinyl, cranking it up to 10, as i was getting ready for a party!

CNB: Do you know anything about Greece (apart from the recession issues)

Filip Rapp: I sure do. As a kid i was really into Greek history, and also the mythological stories from The Olympus – with all the gods, semi-gods, monsters and heroes – teasing my imagination and teaching me about life. Herakles was, off course, my favorite hero – with the tasks he had to go thru. I remember drawing pictures of him as he was dressed in the skin from the lion he slayed, and wielding sword and battle-club. Greece is also the place, in my opinion, where many of the ideas forming our modern day civilization was founded: democracy, craftsmanship, the alphabet, poetry, big cities, culture, art and sports and the Olympic games – great things that live on thru the millenniums, as a legacy from the Greek empire. I’ve also been blessed enough to visit some of the Greek islands like Crete, Rhodes and Kos (excuse my spelling) and had many good times. And the weather is lovely, compared to Sweden.

Bear McCreary is the classical composer responsible for the music of several of the best TV shows of the last few years- including Battlestar Galactica, Caprica, The Walking Dead and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. We first came across his work in the reimagined version of Battlestar Galactica and were blown away by the mixture of ethnic instruments and lush strings. McCreary’s success is no fluke though. For years he was the understudy of Elmer Bernstein, the man who gave us the film scores of The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven, Ghostbusters and To Kill A Mockingbird and one of the greatest composers of the 20^th century. Bear’s music was an integral part of BSG and- being huge fans-  we caught up with him almost a year ago for a casual interview. Unfortunately life (and my built- in laziness) got in the way and I never got to prepare this for publication. You can get more info on Bear from his websiteb (http://www.bearmccreary.com/) and his blog (http://www.bearmccreary.com/blog/). Well, until now. Enjoy!

Interview by Dimitris Kontogiannis

When you were starting out, you were the understudy of Elmer Bernstein at the USC Thornton School Of Music. What was he like as a person? Because, you know, people like that are legends for us. We don’t think of them as people, if you know what I mean…

He was an amazing person and, obviously, an outstanding composer. I was really impressed with- I don’t know- just his general level of… happiness and completeness in his life. When I met him, I was pretty young and I had a misguided image of what it meant to be a successful musician. And I certainly had studied and was familiar with everyone, from Kurt Cobain and Elvis to Beethoven and Ravel, Gershwin and Mozart. Every one of them had a tragic story and I had this idea in my head when I was a kid that, I order to be a successful musician, you had to suffer. And when I met Elmer, all that was thrown out the window. Because he was at the height of his career, he was revered as a living legend and yet, he had a wonderful family and a wonderful life, he was healthy and was the first composer to have a career for 50 years. I mean nobody had done that before. It was a really eye- opening experience. He was a really wonderful and sweet man. He took me under his wing and really taught me the ropes and I learned a lot of things about the creative process from him. But the personal influence was the most important because I redefined how I wanted to succeed. I wanted to succeed both as an artist and as a human being.

If I remember correctly, you also helped him out with the soundtrack for Kings Of The Sun.

Yep.

So, at the time, what would you say were your main influences?

You mean, when I was younger?

Yeah.

OK, my influences when I was starting were mainly film composers. I grew up listening to Alan Silvestri, Basil Poledouris, John Williams, James Horner, Danny Elfman; and when I was in High Scool- around the time I met Elmer- I started to discover the greats of the previous generation and, in particular, fell in love with the music of Jerry Goldsmith, Bernard Herman, Nino Rota, Alex North and I started realizing how influential those guys were. Around the same time I started discovering classical composers, because many film composers  and to get some of their orchestration ideas from them. In particular, Debussy and Ravel are the classical composers that I adore the most.

Was Battlestar Galactica your first gig for a major TV series?

Oh yeah, absolutely. I was 24 years old when I took over as composer and I was 23 when I started working on it.

For such projects, do you need to know details of the plot in order to work on the music and orchestration, I mean, I don’t’ know the relationship between the studio and…

Well, it’s a very composite process and the more information the composer has, the better his score will be. In the case of the television series, I am able to see something before I write the music, I am able to see a rough cut and I am able to watch the finished product at some cases. In the case of scoring video games, I find that you are given a lot less. In fact, usually all I have to go on are some hand- drawn production sketches and a basic script. The game is being developed simultaneously to the music. So, it really just depends.

That’s interesting because you recently did the music for Dark Void, the video game for CapCom. The way you are describing the process, it’s possible that the makers of the game can be influenced in their aesthetic by the music.

Absolutely. It’s a very co- operative process. I am delivering them music while they are developing the game, and in the case of Dark Void, we finished the early mix early February 2009 and I actually think it had a profound impact in the way they developed the game. And it’s exciting because, usually music is the last thing being done and that way you end up having a part in the creative process.

You ‘ve probably been asked about this many times, but it’s very interesting. For Battlestar Galactica, you famously opted for a different approach from what one would expect from a space opera kind of series. One would expect this big, orchestral sound, in the vein of John Williams or Jerry Goldsmith, that sort of thing and yet, you went with a different approach altogether, using Indian, Middle Eastern and Celtic instrumentation and a lot of percussion as well. Where did the idea for that come from? Why did you use that approach?

That was an idea that was developed over quite a long time actually. It started with producers Ron Moore and David Eick and the director of the miniseries, Michael Rymer. They knew collectively that they did not want an orchestral score. They wanted to separate this version of Battlestar from Star Wars and Star Trek and the kind of orchestral score that you’ re talking about. So, they hired Richard Gibbs to score the miniseries and I was working for Richard at the time. So, I ended up writing a bunch of extra cues and was involved on a daily basis with that score. Richard was in charge of that and Michael requested that he brought a bunch of taiko drums. There was some orchestral writing as well, but it was a beautiful and minimal score. When I took over the series, I used that as my starting point. We knew that we needed some taiko drums and some Middle Eastern stuff. I started incorporating music from diverse cultures and, at the end of the first season I had brought in Italian aria, Celtic music and bagpipes and some Indian music. At the end of season 1 you had your first piece of unabashedly orchestral music. In fact, eventually we came ful circle and by season four, you have the kind of sweeping, orchestral music that we wanted to avoid in the beginning. Except, by this point, the orchestra was very different. I still don’t feel that my aesthetic and orchestration  is the same as Jerry Goldsmith’s, cause there’s still a lot of ethnic pieces of music involved. If anything, my orchestral writing owes more to Ennio Morricone. He’ s one of my major influences and an oversight there from that last question.

Yeah, you ‘re right because in later seasons there were a lot of orchestral elements, but I ‘m thinking- not to get too geeky here- but I was thinking of the attack on the Cylon hub in a later season, where they destroy their ability for resurrection. Now, one would expect sort of a triumphant score for that scene (since the good guys are winning) and instead you have this mournful piece which makes you think that a way of life is being destroyed. It’s interesting approach to go for…

…Yeah, that’s an interesting scene. I must confess that the idea to do that came from my initial exhaustion. We were at the end of this run and I had just finished doing these live concerts at The Roxy Theater here in Los Angeles, so I was exhausted. I could have literally slept for a week and I had to score this episode. I remember looking at this deep space battle and talking to the producers and just collectively realizing that we had seen this so many times. So many big space battles. And this one really was different. It was more strategically important than any battle yet. And I wasn’t even sure how to do it. The music I had done for episodes like Exodus Part. 1 or The Hand of God had big, victorious moments and honestly I didn’t know how to one- up that stuff. So I pitched them this idea of trying for the complete opposite effect and making this battle stand out- not because the music is bigger than everything else but smaller and more intimate and mournful. What I wanted to underscore was not the exciting action, but the almost divine implications of destroying the hub. I wasn’t sure it was going to work but it is frequently cited by fans as one of their favorite sequences, so I guess we did something right.

It was very successful. The word I was looking for was “intimate” and you don’t get often that with epic space battle scenes. Another thing… I was watching the series lately and- in fact- I only watched the Season 4 finale last night…

Oh wow!

(Laughs!)… Yeah. So, I ‘m about to watch the pilot for Caprica this evening. One of the things I wanted to talk about, your version of All Along The Watchtower. You may have people asking you about this all the time. Not just because it’s an interesting cover version, but because it features heavily on the script as well. The song is not just a piece of background music, it’s actually integral to the plot. Whose idea was that and how did you decide to approach it? I mean it takes a lot of nerve to actually touch THAT song, you know?

(Laughs!) Well. I must confess, I wasn’t thinking about it at the time. I wasn’t thinking about the implications of covering a song that is so revered. The idea to include it first came up from Ron Moore who was the writer and developer and executive producer. I ‘m not sure- I ‘m sure he’s mentioned in interviews and stuff- but I am pretty sure that, at the end of Season 3, he didn’t know exactly what Watchtower was going to be. I don’t think he knew it would have a direct impact on the plot. I say that because he certainly didn’t let me know at the time. All he said to me was that there was an episode coming up where they wanted to use All Along The Watchtower. He didn’t tell me what it was about or what it’s function would be. For the first time, he gave me no creative input. He didn’t tell me how long it should be or how it should sound like, he only told me that it should sound like Battlestar. So I thought about it for a couple of days and cut a demo for my idea for this heavy metal / George Harrison version of All Along The Watchtower and- to cut a long story short- Ron loved it and the studio loved it. It was a major turning point for me and my relationship to the series because- for the first time- the music had broken the fourth wall and was interacting with the audience and with the characters. In Season 4 I was much more involved and in fact the score starts to seep into the plot, culminating of course on the piano episode and the finale, where the notes of the song have an impact on where the series goes.

Is that your brother Brendan, singing on it?

Yeah.

It reminded me a cross between Hawkwind and Zeppelin, but you ‘re right, the Indian scales are reminiscent of George Harrison’ s solo stuff.

Yeah, I definitely had George Harrison and Rage Against The Machine in mind.

The music of the show is becoming a bit of a phenomenon. Recently you had a ballet in Germany with music from Battlestar Galactica and of course you had the concerts right? I think the most recent one was in the San Diego Comic Con and Los Angeles before that.

Well, we played in Los Angeles and in the House of the Blues in San Diego. The turnout for these events is pretty incredible. It’s really an incredible opportunity for fans and crew and actors and authors of the show to get together, hearing this music performed by the exact same musicians who performed it in every single episode of the show. It feels more like a rock concert than a symphonic concert because you are really watching a band. That makes it a really powerful experience. Each one of these musicians is easily one of the top masters of their instrument, so it’s incredibly exciting to have them all together on stage for me and the audience.

How did you get the idea to have people like Edward James Olmos and Katee Sackhoff being part of the concert? Olmos was an MC and Katee Sackhoff actually played the piano. I mean, it’s a cliché for the people working on a show to say that they get along, but in this case you actually have everyone on stage, supporting the music as an integral…

Well, I ‘m glad it’s pointed out that it’s a cliché, but it’s never been as true as in the case of Battlestar. Everyone who worked on this show feel exceptionally passionate about it. I think that- as you said- the testament to that is that the entire cast showed up in San Diego. The funny thing is that the official panels in San Diego had a couple of cast members. The only place where you had seven or eight or ten of them together was at my show and it’s because they all wanted to be there. And of course Katee Sackhoff playing the piano with me was an incredible moment because we re- created onstage the final scene from the “Someone to Watch Over me” episode. I was kind of joking with her about it- I was never expecting her to come onstage and play. I mean, she’s a TV star. And yet, she leapt at the opportunity. I think the Battlestar cast and crew are particularly aware of what I ‘ve been doing with the music and that was a long and gradual evolution. In the beginning no one knew who I was. I mean, the composer never meets the cast, he meets the producers and maybe the writer. I think as the show went on the writers started to rely on me. I think the writers started writing to my music and even Ron Moore brought me the script and I was involved very actively in helping them figure out how the music worked within the script. It was an amazing experience and certainly not one that I ever had in the past.

I can only thing of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical episode as an example of a TV series where the cast is actually involved with the music…

Yeah that’s a great example. The biggest difference is that that was a standalone episode, you know what I mean? I mean it was so stunningly affectionate. With Battlestar, in season 4 I would be involved in almost every episode.

Are there any upcoming plans for more concerts? Why stop now?

I hope we get the opportunity to play to cities around the world. The concerts we ‘ve been doing have been too successful to ignore.

Hey, you should do a world tour! I mean, I don’t know how popular the show is in individual countries…

Well, people are writing to my blog from all over the world. And for the LA show, we ‘ve had people flying from all over the world. Canada, Europe, Australia, Malaysia… So clearly there are fan bases out there around the world.

It’s tricky trying to calculate how popular something is in a particular market. Here in Greece, BSG was never on TV- well, it was on one channel at 5 O’ Clock in the morning or some stupid time- slot like that. People know it either from DVDs or by downloading it off the internet. Which isn’t necessarily a good thing for the producers but it did become known this way. So what’s next? You are scoring Caprica as well right?

Yep.

What’s your approach on that one?

Well, since you are watching the pilot tonight, I am not going to spoil it for you (laughs), but suffice to say, it’s very different. The soundtrack for the pilot is actually out already, so you can check it out and hear that it’s much more… lyrical, romantic and also, it’s much more intimate. It’s restrained and small, where Galactica was powerful and tribal. There are a few quotes of Battlestar music in there, moments where I agnoledge where the show is going chronologically, since Caprica is in the past. I had an immense amount of fun scoring the pilot.

So you are taking into consideration the plot as well? Because, unlike Galactica, there aren’t 12 colonies with different cultures yet. The world of Caprica is more urban and homogenized. Also, it’s a more personal story from what I gather.

It’s much more contemporary. We can relate to it more because it takes place in a world more familiar to our own. There are a lot of people out there who enjoy good drama, who don’t watch Battlestar because- for whatever reason- they can’t relate to something that takes place on a spaceship. I think that those people will be really taken with Caprica because it feels more like our universe. There are science fiction elements but, in a way, it has the potential to become more powerful because we can relate to themes such as terrorism, more than battles in space and billions dying. It’s a more intimate story.

Battlestar touches on whole civilizations changing and many people can be turned off by the fact that it’s blatantly science fiction. I don’t mind because I am a science fiction geek anyway, but some people have to be convinced to watch it.

Yeah and to me this is an indication of how badly science fiction has made of itself- when you have a great drama that people won’t watch because they think they are not interested in a particular genre. You know?

Sure, but you have several events these days, like the San Diego ComiCon, which is essentially mainstream now. After the success of the Guillermo Del Toro and Peter Jackson, such things are not cult anymore. Are you a science fiction fan? Most of your work seems to be associated with science fiction TV shows.

Yeah, I am a huge science fiction fan, in fact science fiction is the reason I wanted to get into the music and entertainment business in the first place. For me, to be involved in this genre is literally a dream come true.

What sort of music are you into these days?

Well, honestly I ‘ve been working so hard lately that I didn’t have the time to listen to a lot of new stuff. I listen to a lot of soundtracks. I ‘ve been going through some of my old Jerry Goldsmith soundtracks lately. La La Land Records has finally released the soundtrack to Airplane!. I ‘ve had a bootleg of that for ages but it’s now remastered and with all the tracks, so that’s pretty amazing. So I ‘ve been listening to stuff like that. Keeps me inspired.

What are the plans for the immediate future? Is Human Target your newest project?

Yes, I have Human Target which is going to be very exciting orchestral music, I have Caprica and another TV project. I ‘m finishing up Dark Void and I have another video game project coming up. If anything, I am looking at a very busy year.

With Caprica, we started shooting last week and I am having meetings with writers and producers and writing songs, even though scoring won’t start for another year. Because it’s many of the same people from Galactica, they know I can help them.

(-Dimitris Kontogiannis-)

New Jersey’s Solace are one of the world’s greatest heavy rock bands. They rose from the ashes of Godspeed almost 15 years ago and since then, they have overcome bad luck to obliterate Roadburn Festival, play with Ed Mundell (Monster Magnet, Atomic Bitchwax) and Wino (Saint Vitus, The Obsessed) and release several scullcrushing albums. Their latest is called A.D. and has been almost 5 years in the making. As far as we ‘re concerned, it’s essential listening for anyone with even a passing interest in rock ‘n’ roll (you can check out our review here: http://www.crowsnbones.com/2010/10/solace-%e2%80%93-a-d/). Guitarist Tommy Southard took some time to answer our questions.

(Interview by Dimitris Kontogiannis)

CnB: You come from the New Jersey hardcore scene with Social Decay and you also promote obscure funk and soul gems through your blog, The Devil’s Music (http://devildick.blogspot.com/). Tags like stoner, metal and punk are not adequate to describe Solace’s music. That’s a lot of range. What were your influences as a guitarist and songwriter?

Tommy: Well I am a music fan before a music player. I liked music way before I could ever play and music lived in my house from a very young age. We didn’t watch TV or play video games. my mom always had the radio on or the stereo so I grew up listening to the radio and Elvis and my uncles had all these great rock records like Hendrix, Ten Years After and Grand Funk so that was my 1st introduction to heavy rock. And then I found Kiss and then Black Sabbath & metal and punk. But I never wanted to only listen to one sound or one kind of music. And I’ve collected records my whole life. Of course I love heavy stuff and that is what we choose to play so we just try and incorporate a little bit of all of our influences and try not to copy anyone or be something were not.

CnB: What is it with New Jersey? So many great bands come from there. Springsteen and the E Street Band, the Misfits, Monster Magnet. Is it there something in the water or what?

Tommy: It’s most likely because there nothing else to do in Jersey but get fucked up and jam!

CnB: I think the first time I heard Godspeed was the cover of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath with Bruce Dickinson in the Nativity In Black Sabbath tribute album. How did that collaboration come about?

Tommy: Our manager at the time was Geezer Butler’s wife Gloria Butler. She set that all up. Being a part of all that was great but I just wish it was Solace doing all those things now!

CnB: Are you horror / science fiction fans by any chance? There’s a lot of that imagery in Wes Benscoter’s and Paul Vismara’s awesome artwork.

Tommy: I know Rob and I are way into horror and gore movies and science fiction. We love that stuff. I know Rob used to read Fangoria and had all the Godzilla movies and shit like that. Justin also. I’m also way into crazy old art like Hieronymus Bosch. That shit hit me hard at a very early age.
You know we aren’t a death metal band but we always wanted that darker imagery ya know? Kinda what the tunes represented, a meaner, pissed off, darker side of doom, kinda like Sabbath meets Discharge with a heavy dose of horror and Bosch.

CnB: How did you end up having Wino play on 13?

Tommy: At the time we were writing 13 I came up with the riff to common cause and it sounded a bit like something off of The Church Within by The Obsessed. At the time I was good friends with a guy named Frank Wombat who was friends with Wino and I sent the ruff tracks to him and asked him to have Wino listen and see if there was any chance he would be down with contributing to it. And he was down. And we were psyched! I mean fucking Wino is legend!

CnB: Are you continuing your collaboration with Small Stone Records? I know nothing about their business practices but their roster is spectacular- worthy of Rise Above and Southern Lord.

Tommy: Yeah SS has been great. They got a shit ton of real good rock bands on the roster and it looks like there branching out and starting to do some heavier stuff. So far so good!

CnB: You toured the UK with Orange Goblin and Firebird recently. Was it fun? Do you enjoy touring or is it a hassle?

Tommy: I love touring. The only hassle is that as you get older you have other responsibilities like children and work and relationships that are strained but other than that I love it. I love getting to see new places, meet new people and have a good time. Being on the road with the Goblin guys is about as good as it gets. Those guys are out brothers and they know how to have fucking fun and party and get shit done on the stage! They bring it every night! every night is like a non- stop rock n roll extravaganza! So yeah that tour was great and Firebird were great as well and really nice guys! We hope to hit the road again with Goblin soon!

CnB: What are your future plans? Any plans for touring Europe again anytime soon?

Tommy: No plan for Europe anytime soon. We are working on something in the states but nothing set in stone yet. We have a bunch of new material written and we hope to get back in the studio before the next 5 years!

Danko Jones is the frontman of a Canadian trio (called, appropriately enough, Danko Jones) that has been playing some of the fiercest rock ‘n’ roll around. Their latest album Below the Belt is one of our favorite releases of the year and they have been touring non- stop to support it. Check out their website and our review of the album below; and don’t miss them this winter, if you live in the US and they are coming your way.

http://www.dankojones.com/

http://www.crowsnbones.com/2010/07/danko-jones-below-the-belt/

(Interview by Dimitris Kontogiannis)

C ‘n’ B: It’s been something like seven months since the release of your latest album. After all this time what is the feedback you get from the press and your fans?

DANKO: I think the feedback has been just about 90% positive. The other 10% were from people who wouldn’t have liked the album even if it was “Sgt. Peppers” or “Darkside Of The Moon” anyway. There’s no pleasing everybody but on this album we came close. We’re not used to the positive response but it’s been nice.

C ‘n’ B: Most of the time, your lyrics are about sex and debauchery (I suspect Bon Scott and Phil Lynnott would approve). Is this a coincidence, or are you consciously trying to avoid, say, political subject matter or vintage metal / Dungeon & Dragons lyrics?

DANKO: Why would I want to sing about Dungeons & Dragons? We’re a rock band. When have you known a rock band to sing about Dragons? It’s subject matter usually reserved for metal bands. You’ve heard our music, would those subjects go well with those riffs? I think you can answer this question yourself.

C ‘n’ B: How on earth did you manage to get Elijah Wood, Lemmy, Ralph Macchio, Selma Blair and Mike Watt for the Had Enough and Full Of Regret videos? That some line- up!

DANKO: The Diamond Brothers directed the videos and are friends with Elijah. They turned Elijah onto our band a few years ago too. Selma was friends of the producer and we knew Lemmy and Watt from playing shows and touring together. Ralph Macchio though was different. We really reached out to his people for him to be a part of the videos but we didn’t have an immediate source who could hook us up. Everyone who was did a guest spot was so cool and down-to-earth. It made the whole production so smooth and easy.

C ‘n’ B: 2010 marked the passing of many musicians. Any thoughts on the deaths of legends like Solomon Burke and Ronnie James Dio? If I ‘m not mistaken you had the chance to meet them in the past.

DANKO: Yeah, I did. Both times I met each one I walked away feeling great. They were very nice to me. Ronnie James Dio was hard to take because he was only getting started again with Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler in Heaven & Hell and we all just knew they were gonna keep making records again. It’s very sad.

Solomon Burke passing was very weird because we were listening to him in a cab probably at the exact moment he passed away on the plane headed for The Netherlands the night before.

C ‘n’ B: You have supported, toured and played with everyone- from Motorhead to the Stones. Who was the coolest act to share a stage with?

DANKO: Both bands you mention were very awesome. The Rolling Stones are the biggest band on the planet and that was pretty heavy. We toured with Motorhead and I’ve sung with the band over a dozen times. Every time I get on stage with Lemmy I am so nervous but it feels amazing. Guns ‘N’ Roses have been amazing to tour with too.

C ‘n’ B: Can you name some albums that you can’t live without?

DANKO: There are too many but maybe Black Flag – My War, Kiss- Love Gun, Metallica – Master Of Puppets, Black Sabbath – Sabotage, AC/DC – Powerage, ZZ-Top – Tres Hombres but I can probably list another 50 albums.

C ‘n’ B: What music are you listening to these days?

DANKO: Shining – Black Jazz, Grand Magus – Hammer Of The North, Melvins – Bride Screamed Murder, The Biters – S/T ep, Soulwax – Nite Versions

C ‘n’ B: You are touring the US in December. What’s next for the band? What are your plans for the New Year?

DANKO: We’re gonna shoot another video for “Below The Belt” in LA in January and more touring in North America and Europe.

I believe that TANKARD after 28 years of existence and 19 albums (counting the Live albums and compilations) on their shoulders, don’t need a special introduction! Most of you Thrash metal maniacs out there probably have seen them on stage, I am sure you have a couple of their albums in your collection and a thing in common…..BEER!

We wanna thank Mr Olaf Zissel (the Drummer of Tankard) for spending sometime to answer our questions.

For Tankards web space hit here: http://www.tankard.info/index.html
For Tankards discography hit here: http://www.tankard.info/discography07_eng.html

CnB: Congratulations on the new album? I enjoy it a lot. Pure Tankard metal tunes!

Olaf: Hi there, Olaf here the drummer of the bunch of clowns.

CnB:Tell us a little about “Vol(1)ume 14”?

Olaf: We had a very short period of song writing this time and Andy our guitar player did most of the work for the V14. He has a small home studio so we were able to test several things if it works or not. We also changed the producer cause we thought it should be not to bad to get some new inspirations but at the end of the day we just recorded like we always do and we`re quite happy with the result for now.

CnB: What about the Limited Edition CD?

Olaf: I don`t know nothing about LE or vinyl or whatever. I just can tell you that we have a short video clip out on YouTube as a preview for V14. The song is called “rules for fools” and it`s a funny movie!

CnB: What are your expectations concerning “Vol(!1)ume 14”

Olaf: We surely won`t hit the billboard but it would be OK if we get back in the minds of all the metalheads in the world.

CnB: After 24 years of career what more do you expect to gain with Tankard?

Olaf: It`s 28 years right now and we don`t have much expectations in what`s coming next. We just try to continue what we like to do most and that is playing hard music in front of a good crowd of maniacs.

CnB: Does the music business pay? Or after all those years you actually need to have daily jobs?

Olaf: Maybe it would pay all our bills if we play 150 shows a year but we don`t like to be on the road for 200 days. Actually we select the offers where we can go next and we do about 30 shows a year. That is fine and not too much abrasion. We all have regular jobs but that brings us in the good position not to see the music as our main business but for fun and we also don`t have to run after all the new waves coming and going.

CnB: I read on your web space that you have scheduled tour dates for up until February next year? What happens after that? Are you gonna continue the gigs?

Olaf: Yes we continue but we don`t like to run a regular tour for weeks. We are old- and we have families we like to see sometimes. Some of the shows after February are not confirmed and we usually promote them when they are fixed but I can promise you that we will play a lot more then actually announced.

CnB: You gave many concerts, have been to many cities and countries. Do you have a preferable one, and why?

Olaf: That depends on the weather! No- we always enjoy traveling to new countries and new places. There are so many memories about what happened all around the world while we`re on tour but not a special place on top.

CnB: We have been to WACKEN OPEN AIR this year with the hope of seeing you there, but no lack! Is there any chance to see you next year?

Olaf: If the promoter ask us to play and give us a serious offer we will think about it but I’m pretty sure that we won`t appear there in 2011. There are other festivals where the people can find us.

CnB: Do you have ever considered making profit from beer companies? You are actually giving away free advertisement (ha ha)?

Olaf: We tried a couple of times but the companies don`t like our rough drinking image. They prefer smart persons with perfect bodies and so we have to make our own brand if we like to go into this. BUT after we brew our own we will become our own best customers and I can`t see where we can make profit out of that.

CnB: Give us some info about the little green monster that is showcasing a lot of your album covers? What it stands for?

Olaf: He is the little illegitimate brother of Iron Maiden`s Eddie but that`s a secret and I`m not allowed to say that in public. So I can`t tell you.

CnB: Thanx so much for you time! All the best with the new album!

Olaf: Thanx!

Interview taken by -manoc- for CnB webzine

Scum Of The Earth are the new band by Riggs. Riggs has played guitar for Prong and Rob Zombie and it’s his characteristic (and oft imitated) guitar tone that can be heard in hits like Dragula. He is famous for his love of tattoos and weird Fernandes Vertigo guitar models (made of plexiglass, covered with tattooed pig skin, or filled with bovine blood). Scum Of The Earth’s new album is Sleaze Freak.

http://www.scumoftheearth.com/

http://www.myspace.com/scumoftheearth

http://www.streetteam.com/forum/group.php?groupid=3

Cnb: What are your main influences as an artist?
Riggs: The real world no one ever wants to talk about .

CnB: Scum of the Earth are one of the few bands left that still invest in what used to be called “shock rock” (I ‘m thinking Alice Cooper, KISS, etc.). Rob Zombie none-withstanding, not many artists go for that approach these days and yet, it never really appears dated. Why did you choose this aesthetic and what do you think its appeal is?
Riggs: Like question one , I think the world is very shocking and I write songs about it . Maybe some think it’s over exaggerated or shock rock , but it’s all in front of me every day.

CnB: How did you end up working with Rob Zombie? What was your collaboration like?
Riggs: I was playing live guitar with Prong and they had the same management as Zombie so everyone knew everyone and it was a great time working with those guys , very easy to work with and very talented dudes and it seemed we were on the same wavelength and it just clicked .

CnB: I read somewhere that you used to fill the body of your guitar with cow’s blood and poor it on yourself and the audience. True story or rumour? Do you still do that on stage?
Riggs: True … Yeah , I still use that guitar on tour now .

CnB: Who is your favorite tatoo artist? Can you tell me more about Riggs Monster Tattoo?
Riggs: All the expected and a dude named Tim Pontillo who works at my new tattoo shop in Branson MO.
The new tattoo shop is a way to inject a bit of evil into the bible belt to let the people know there is absolutely nowhere to escape the evil … and you can get awesome work and not spend a fortune …

CnB What’s your favorite horror movie of all time?
Riggs: Evil Dead , Motel Hell etc … I like almost all of the new and old horror flicks …

CnB: What music are you listening to these days?
Riggs: Probably not what you would think … I like a lot of music just like the movies . Everything from the Bee Gees to Slayer !

CnB: How did you decide to get Paul Garner to do the artwork for the album? Were you a fan of his work before?
Riggs: Yeah , I ran across some of his work and tracked him down . .. Awesome artist and his art is a good mix of sleaze and gore …

CnB: What’s next for Scum Of The Earth? How is the new material coming along? Are there any plans for a European tour in the future?
Riggs: Make more music is the plan … The new songs might be too nasty for American stores , but the rest of the world will hopefully be able to pick one up … We will tour anywhere with anyone , anytime … Give us a buzz !

Album Review: Scum Of The Earth – Sleaze Freak

Riggs, the leader of Scum Of The Earth used to be Rob Zombie’s guitarist and you can tell. Sleaze Freak, their second album, features his signature pummeling guitar sound and the same Halloween imagery that made Hellbilly Deluxe and The Sinister Urge so iconic for the 90s. Riggs’ vocals here are extremely Zombie- like, but then again, Zombie’s sound owed a lot to his churning riffs and changed significantly when they parted ways. The familiarity of the sound has its pros and its cons: Nothing in this album is particularly original, but every one of the songs could be a hit single. The B- movie imagery never fails to entertain (Paul Garner’s artwork is truly awesome) and it should be noted that the songs are a bit filthier and sleazier than before. Make no mistake, this is music for strippers to grind to. Like with most of the shock rockers of the 90s (from Zombie and Al Jourgensen to Marilyn Manson), there are a few too many electronic touches for my liking, but- just when you think the album is completely subtlety free- you get hit with the slide- drenched, haunting Just Like Me. Try it if you are into that sort of thing.

(-Dimitris Kontogiannis-)

For more games and info visit: http://www.nestorgames.com/ 

CnB: Tell us about what you do in Nestor games? How you ended up with the idea and what are your expectations from this project?
Néstor:  I do everything except some of the artworks and some of the game designs. This is a one-man company.
About the idea. I’ve spent 2 years developing the business model of NestorGames. This model is the only way I can compete with the big companies. 

Eric Salomon's Corporation

CnB: You have already published a dozen of games. Do you have an annual plan on how many games you should publish?
Néstor: Well, in fact I’ve published 28 games in around half a year. My plan is to publish around 40-50 per year. 

CnB: How long does it take you to develop a game?
Néstor: This is not easy to answer. You work and work on lots and lots of mechanics, themes and components. Then a new game shows up in your brain from time to time. Not all of them work. However, I’ve developed some strategies to create games that “work”.
Publishing a game is a different story. I can produce a new game every week.   

Essentia by Fernando Lafuente Clavero

CnB: I read on your web space that you accept game submissions? What are your requirements?
Néstor: The games must be fun, innovative and must fit in my formats (Format 1 and 2). The technical specs of my formats are available on my website. 

CnB: How many copies of each game do you produce? If a game runs out, is there going to be a reprint?
Néstor: I produce copies on demand. So my print run is just 1 copy. However, I usually have 5-10 copies of each title in stock. The games never run out. 

Mole Hill by Reiner Knizia

CnB: Do designers make a profit out of their game? And how is that calculated?
Néstor: Of course. I try to give all of them the same percentage, but sometimes it depends on the final price and the weight of the product. (as the weight influences the shipping costs) 

CnB: What’s the feedback so far concerning your project?
Néstor: Very positive. People love the concept and the games. I’m receiving a lot of support. Moreover, many of my clients purchase all my games. 

Rebel Moon Defense by Cameron Browne and Stephen Tavener

CnB: I believe that you were a regular board game player before starting you game publishing company. What were your favorite board games and which are you favorite designers?
Néstor: I’m an abstract games lover, and I like games with simple but elegant rules. I think beauty must emerge from simplicity. The most elegant game ever invented is GO (and probably Hex). I like games with a lot of player interaction and negotiation too. My favorite designs come from Reiner Knizia. 

CnB: What do we have to expect from Nestor Games in the future?
Néstor: Lots of great games. Non-stop. Same business model. New formats (bigger games) and some nice surprises this year. 

Way Of The Dragon by Néstor Romeral Andrés

CnB: As a music portal I have to ask you what kind of music you hear these days.    
Néstor: Well, I don’t listen to music much. Not enough time. And when driving I listen to a German course CD. Moreover, I have a 3 years old doughter and all I listen are children songs, so… 

CnB: Ok! Thank you very much for your time Nestor, wish you all the best for the future.
Néstor: Thanks, for the opportunity 

Interview by -Manoc-

Last time I saw Ernesto, we were both students in The University of Wolverhampton in the UK. I was studying Biology, he was studying Law and there was a lot of drinking involved, so recollections can be a bit hazy. Even then, he had a lot of tattooing experience and an interest in the heritage of his tribe, the Ibans. These days, more than a decade later, Ernesto is the founder of Borneo Headhunters, the first tattoo studio in Malaysia.

The Ibans are one of the major cultures of Malaysia and in the past have been famous for practicing headhunting. Today they are known for a wealth of traditions, including the art of tattooing. Borneo Headhunters (located in Kuching, the capital of the state of Sarawak, in Borneo) is more than a tattoo studio. It’s a direct line to a culture that deserves to be better- known to the rest of the world. Ernesto’s work has been featured in National Geographic Television and he was an adviser for the film The Sleeping Dictionary (starring Jessica Alba and Bob Hoskins). He is the winner of two H. P. Giger awards for Best Tribal Tattoo and Respect To The Culture.

http://www.borneoheadhunter.com/

(Interview by Dimitris Kontogiannis)

Even when you were living and studying in the UK, you had mentioned that you wanted to be a tattoo artist. How did you go from the Wolverhampton Law School, to the first tattoo studio in Malaysia?

I don’t think that law is for me. I studied it just to go out from the country. And I have been tattooing for fun even before i went to UK. Plus
it’s something for the culture and nobody is doing it at that time and the culture is already dead.

What did you learn when you started for the first time in England in 1998?

I learned law.

When did you start being interested in tattoos? Was it your grandfather who taught you the use of the traditional needles?

Since 1992,but mostly on modern design and using home made electric machine. The traditional way, I learned by theories from the old people from long houses through out Sarawak. Since nobody is practicing it anymore, I can’t learn it technically.

Up until the last century, the Iban people were notorious for practicing headhunting. Was this practice used in rituals (for example, as a rite of passage) or in battle?

Headhunting was for glory and trophy. It’s also to prove manhood and the qualification to get married to certain high ranking women. It was also to control a river and area for cultivation.

Culturally, headhunting was closely associated with tattoos. The practice has stopped for decades now. Are there any older people in the community who used to practice it? And is it appropriate for younger people to have traditional headhunting tattoos (considering that the custom does not exist anymore)?

There are older people that still have that tattoo, which is called ‘entegulun / tegulun’, (placed on the forehand and fingers), but very hard to find. Even in the old days, not all that have killed or joined the headhunting trip will get that tattoo. This was to avoid ‘test’ from people around you or enemy, or become main target for headhunting to steal the soul or power from you. It is not appropriate for anybody to get this tattoo if they never taking head!

How did you decide to set up your own music production company (Borneo Headhunters Music Production) and produce albums? Any news on upcoming albums?

Just to do something different other than tattoo and also to bring something different to the local Dayak music scene, since the industry has been overloaded by the same music style for a couple of decades already. Upcoming album, in the middle of this year, to be titled as ‘Jeanne…dalam mimpiku’.

What are the inspirations for your music?
Anything around us, daily life and other people story of life. Appeal to most of the people in this world.

What exactly was your involvement with the film “Sleeping Dictionary”? Did you make sure that the tattoos in the film were authentic?

I provided the designs of the tattoos and doing consultation on the
placement and usage of the tattoos. And they are authentic.

You have pointed out that a lot of rock stars were fans of Malaysian tattoos. Ever met anyone? I am asking because there is a picture on your website of you with someone who looks a lot like Nikki Six from Motley Crue…

I won’t declare this one, I’m sorry. Yes, it is Nikki Six, but I didn’t tattoo him because was fully booked that time. I have to be fair to the other customers that booked earlier.

I read in an article that you once played with the late, great Noel Redding? How did that happen?

I was in a guitar clinic in England at that time and it was happened that
him was doing the clinic. He asked if anyone wanted to jam with him and
everybody put their hands up including me. He chose me, probably because I ‘m different than the other people in the crowd.

What are your plans for the future?

Enjoy life more, less tattooing, more fishing. What else do I need in
life? I’m happy with my life now.