Debido a terribles demoras en la traducción de la muy interesante entrevista a
Wave Tank, los protagonistas de nuestro simple de octubre, publicamos aquí la entrevista original, en inglés, apra quien quiera (y pueda) leerla. En un futuro no muy lejano, tendremos publicadas las versiones en castellano y en griego.
Les recordamos que está disponible para bajar el EP completo, con los tres temas más el arte de tapa, en nuestra
página de simples de Mun Discos.
He aquí la entrevista con
Mr. XIII, que la disfruten.
1) How did Wave Tank started..?
Wave Tank has been there since the beginning of the Background Projection main project back in 1995, the idea of the project pop out just to separate the motivation behind the specific project. I wanted to make clear the definition of this project connecting with social political texts and attitudes but also a separation of a most easy listening form than the rest projects. Wave Tank is inspired by the situations a person experiences and interacts with the sum and social laws, injustice but also describe the emotions lay behind all that.. Isolation, Strife, Anger but also a need for unity and peace amongst all individuals of this world, being aware we are all born and live ourlives under the same shelter, Earth.
2) Mr.XIII, Mr.S* ,Captain Mission, where did you get those names from?
All the names have their special meaning connecting to this project, making a statement at first that we don’t accept the need for fame for our own personal sake and we do not wish to have a connection to our real names, chosen and given to us without any permission asked.
Same goes for all the rest names of the people cooperate in a close range with every project far so on.
I will try to give a short description of the nicknames mentioned:
Mr.XIII is associated with the number 13 which in Tarot cards is connected with the card of Death (The first and original name of Background Projection and Mr.XIII was in fact one and that was “La Mort”, the Frenchname for Death that was written at the lower part of the Card). The Card of Death as many would mistake is not connected with the physical death but with the purpose of purification of the old not-working values system destruction and the rise of a new era full of new values that act in favor of the person, in our case this could be the individual’s mistaken higher self where ego prevails building walls where paths of enlightenment should be carved. In the card of Death the obvious symbolism inside the drawing is the decapitated heads of a king and a priest, showing that death is the higher form of balance and equality. There is no difference under death be you a priest, a king or anyone other. I take it further to the part where the destruction of authority and religion figures should follow to see a new future arise.
Captain Mission is a real character that took place at the 17th and 18th century who founded a short-lived utopian society called Libertatia, the name closer to the real was Captain James Misson. Misson was French and it was said it all started when he lost his faith, disgusted by the decadence of the Papal Court. Its flag was white, in contrast to the Jolly Roger, one that pirates often used. They were anarchists, waging war against states and lawmakers, attacking their ships, sparing prisoners, and freeing slaves. They called themselves Liberi, and lived under a communal city rule, a sort of worker owned corporation of piracy. This character was also used from William S. Burroughs at his books “The Ghost of Chance” and “Cities of the Red Nights”.
Mr.S* explanation is not that significant but comes from the connection of this person’s ideals with the Latin phrase of Cicero“Doom Spiro Spero” (“While I breathe I hope”). The S is followed by a star symbol and that is in fact the whole signature. The Star is the Higher sign of Luck but also connected to the Crowley’s motto “Every man and Every woman is a Star” showing the significance of each and every individual.
3) We know that Wave Tank is basically Mr.XIII project, how does the band currently work?
Indeed all projects are mostly connected with Mr.XIII since I do most of the work in the composition part and every other possible but not always. Works who are not exclusive my own are signed with the person/persons that also contributed at a big part.
Wave Tank is our own Libertatia which means we work asa collective in the most part, all ideas are shared and worked out through us all.. even in works where I mostly do the biggest part, I advice my fellow mates for the musical, aesthetic or composition part.
In the practical level we all together work out the instruments, lyrics and composition part using all available means no matter the level of aknowledgement we may have for any one of them.
4) The NDW and Coldwave influence on Wave Tank is very obvious, but your music is not exactly that. What can you tell us about your sound?
Of course NDW and Cold wave (but also any related music form of those years like UK, Polish, Greek Punk and Post Punk) was and will always be a great deal of inspiration and this is because we found the NDW scene arty, playful but also really chaotic yet disciplined in structure of the songs and that is most close to the way we believe people are deep downinside. We are born imperfect trying to evolve yet we can’t avoid mistakes, we are humans and out of all the music tendencies this is how NDW scene appears most likely to us, maybe old fashioned for the times we live but never out of fashion.. Also at the lyrical and ideological part scenes such as cold wave, NDW and post punk are where we all (in the band) find our selves roam inside. Doubt, Reasoning, Questioning, Happy while sad, Anxious and calm are how we are. We don’t pretend to be perfect neither we hide our part of the self wherewe may be child alike or confused as most musicians lost in repeated forms do with one way or another. There is disarray and confusion inside our songs forthis is how life ends up to finally is. There is no clear direction, no bright future.. No clean melody, no catchy refrains - We dream of making a new future where we are all equal without separating people according to their university or conservatoire degree. Where even a child without any musical acknowledgement can be an active part of what we do. This is what we think and this is how we sound that for, I come to believe.. We have a life philosophy laying underneath and guiding us. We embrace all without biases. No pop song form, no digital/analog restriction.. We could use anything that seems nice to us inside our songs and we could sound a bit more experimental than a cliché new wave/minimal synth band. We like to experiment in our lives so we also love to do the same in music..
In few more words we embrace the ways of the Surrealists, Dadaists & Situationists but also New Romantics within our sound without any fancy outfits. This maybe is in fact our recipe.
5) Is there in Greece more interesting music, like you, or bands usually copy old formulas? What do you think of the artistic potential of peripheral countries like Greece or Argentina?
I am not aware of the Argentina music scene I must say besides few bands I’ve met and cooperated, or intend to do in the future, and most of them I think you know far more better than me.. So I can only say in few words that what I can see from these bands is far more better than what I experience in here.. The music is warm, down to earth, playful and more art-friendly as the people seem to be over there I think. They do not seem to have boundaries or limitations to a most popular form as they have in here. They do what they like to do without the fear of no-recognition as most artists in here seem to be extremely worried of.
In Greece things look quite upsetting to us, those who are not part of the star system of any level they seek to create a status of recognition. There is a climate of unwilling competition even between the bands that do not aim in the same area.
People are suspicious and nosy and the audience really negative towards new things or forms. The music industry for sure affects the thinking of the audience and drives the local artists/bands to try and reach the industry standards/tendencies, adopt popular forms within their own or even worst seek for a label to be released so they can feel their work finally is rewarded. That shows completely lack of faith for them self meanwhile their egoism is so full driving them build gossips for each other or them selves. They try to lookmore “Indy”, more “Experimental”, more “D.I.Y.”, more “Professional” than the others while they are strictly limited in search of the perfect conventional mastering/composition form/style & outfit to be accepted from an uneducated audience in order to survive or rise above in a way in the sum of the local musical scene. People who believe in music as something more than fun should be united and supportive to each other.
Now since you brought up the “Artistic Potential”.. There is not such any of that in here..
Music turns to be a way of amusement same as TV, Magazines or DVD’s I suppose.. People like to dance to music, sing love songs, go out in a club and have a drink or flirt while listening to music but there are few that will appreciate or try to understand music deeper as a way of artistic expression and that of course affects in a great part the artists/bands and their potentials in here being so depending on the audience’s judgment.. This is no Greek phenomenon but a world wide one and this is as sad as it can be. See what was meant to serve and evolve human, Art, turn to a way to pass the free time between job and sleep.
To come back and close the subject of the question now.. Of course my answer was long and not encouraging and sure easy to be judged but I express things as I experience them the last 13 years I am active in various music eras. I can see some hope at the back and that comes from people who care not of fame or be a part of the music industry to be accepted.
The independent scene that used to be one with punk but evolved to other forms and the people who work on their own from their “home studios” seem not to be worried from such a silly master plan and make their own moves and it’s nice to see and realize that maybe the support is small towards them but surely of great importance ( - since the use of a computer and internet is a great privilege for the artistic mind of today, being able to make a more full outcome but also filter the information reaching to him through the corrupted mainstream channels and being able to pick up what thinks of more objectivity - ). They are the people who seek communication between people who share same visions and goals. Evolution of any kind at the most part and not a social status, fame or money. These are the hope I can trace, the underground resistance that keeps the artistic mechanism turning and reshaping to the new inspiring forms.
6) What kind of music did you like when you were teenager and how was itthat you ended up doing this?
I was always open minded and had no limitation to whatI should have my attention at but always try to see what the motivation was underneath.. That really helped me evolve even more from some silly hesitations to new things than those I was used toknow till then.
Being a great fan of experimental and non conventional music and ideas I was a fan of some old school Greek Punk bands like Adiexodo, Stress, Genia Tou Chaous, ANTI, Ex-Humans but also the last of that wave like Anasa Staxth which really marked my perception at a very young age. Local BlackMetal/Death scene was also a great influence being really unique and kitsch at the way of their experimentalism but moving further I got intrigued from DarkAmbient/Noise/Early Industrial sounds, Post punk / New wave, Apocalyptic Folk but never really stopped being fascinated of Glam Pop /Rock artists with further depth like Bowie and Nico. All those that I use to listen had a great influence over me and I was always used to think and live through music.. My great fascination for music and arts is what led me to do what I do. It’s the way I express myself the best and this is why I will never stop even when no one will be there to support me. It releases me from all things held inside.
7) Did you like “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”?
To be honest I have seen it but it wasn’t that interesting to left any impression as it seems. Just the same old story of the Neo-Greek perception transferred and mixed with a bit of silly love comedy. I prefer movies with deeper meanings and symbolism than the profound reality I experience everyday.. Reality is a great source of thinking and understanding already for a healthy mind.. I do not need to see it on the screen to make me laugh, it’s funny enough already.
