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[:SITD:] : November 07, 2003
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Band: SITD
Interview by: Eelco
<< Back | Reviews:
- Stronghold - TekNoir
- Laughingstock - TekNoir
- Laughingstock - Beautevil
- Stronghold - Eelco
- Richtfest - TekNoir
- Coded Message:12 - TekNoir
- Coded Message:12 - Beautevil
- Kreuz:gang - TekNoir
- Bestie:Mensch - TekNoir
- Rot - TekNoir
Questions: Eelco
Answered by:
Carsten Jacek [vocals & lyrics]
Tom Lesczenski [keyboards, programming, sampling, backing vocals]
After the highly succesful 2 EP's by this German duo, and the celebration of the first full-length album 'Stronghold', it's time to ask this duo some questions about the band, the progress made and the concept behind the releases.
Enjoy!
After 'Snuff Machinery', it went very fast uphill with SITD. Did you expect your first EP to be so succesful?
Carsten:
We have never expected such a success, but we are very happy about that. Our fondest wish come true. We are now able to share our hopes and dreams, our nightmares and innermost fears with our audience. There are so many people which understand our music and our point of view and all this had never happened without releasing the first EP. The Snuff EP has openend doors for us which were closed before.
Various festivals, clubtours throughout Europe, visits to the USA. Do you reckon there is a certain pressure on your shoulders when you're performing live?
Tom:
No, we love what we do. We live our dream and it is matter which is near to our hearts to perform our songs live, to celebrate a huge party with our fans. There is no pressure on our shoulders, there's just the passion deep from the bottom of our hearts to play live.
What were the differences in recording this full-length release in contrast to the EP's? Did you approach different studio-employees?
Tom:
'Stronghold' is 100% pure [:SITD: ]. We didn't make use of guest-musicians or remixers on this recording. That was very important for us. Every sound you hear was created in our own studio, the [:SITD: ] headquarter in Gelsenkirchen, except the vocals which were recorded and produced by Krischan Jan-Eric Wesenberg of Rotersand at Studio 600. He did a very good job and he is an absolutely professional producer. It was a very good experience to work with such an outstanding studio-expert. In contrast to our album we love to co-operate with other artists and musicians on our EP's and MCD's. We've worked together with Das Ich, Cut.Rate.Box., The Retrosic, Pzycho Bitch, Solitary Experiments, Lights of Euphoria, Soman or Blutengel for example. The single releases consists of the work of many different artists. That's the difference between the full length-release and the EP's.
Where there any differences in recorder-material used?
Tom:
We have spend a lot of money in a better equipment and in an advanced software-system. We are very happy about the results: the album sounds very harsh and much more brilliant than the older stuff. Just listen to the song 'Hurt' and compare the old version [from 'Snuff Machinery' -E.] with the brand new mix on our album and you'll understand what we mean.
Where does all the aggression, the rage, come from? Do you think coming from the Ruhr-area had a certain impact on it?
Carsten:
Every emotion comes from the inside, we don?t think that the Ruhr-area had a certain impact on it. It's also possible to make similar music in Brazil or Mexico . . . :-]
Where do the influences for the music and the lyrics come from? What other artists/bands or performers gave you the ideas?
Tom:
We don't have the intention to write the history of electronic music again, but we guess that [:SITD: ] has build up an own identity and over the years we have created our own You tend to flirt with war, violence and death , so I see reflecting in the lyrics, music and artwork.. Where does this influence come from?
Carsten:
Just go through this violent world with open eyes, recognize this sick-minded society which lives in it. See their egoism, their war-thirstiness, their dark sides and perversions. Not the electro or gothic scene, just the world around us is totally sick. We don't flirt with war or violence, we just describe the bloody reality in an ironical and cynical way. We critize the daily violence which has so many different, ugly faces and we have the intention to lay our fingers in the wounds of this rotten society. 'Laughingstock' for example is a song about the Columbine High-School massacre in Littleton [USA] and the the amok of a young man at the Gutenberg-Gymnasium in Erfurt [Germany] in April 2002. We were shocked about what happened, especially about the mass-media-overkill in the yellow press. Instead of curing the disease: the bad perspectives for the German youth in regard of unemployment after finishing school . . . the pressure for the kids caused by an old school-system without qualified teachers and helpless parents which know nothing about their children . . . instead of curing all that disease, the media was hunting for a big story and the politicians just thought about winning the next elections, they do nothing to improve the situation for the kids.
Another example is 'Snuff Machinery' which is about snuff-films. Real torture documentaries which are just available on the black market. 'Snuff Machinery' is a phorical expression for the organizers behind the scenes which fulfill such perverted desires of sick persons. For them a normal s/m-movie is not enough, they need real torture, real blood and finally they satisfy their abnormal sexual desires while watching a real death of a raped woman or child. During the Kosovo-wars such stuff was filmed by murderous warlords. We know it's horrible but it is grim reality. Every [:SITD: ] song is about that bloody reality and the artwork of our cd's should underline our intentions. All these black engines and machines stand for the powers of evil. In the distance you can see the white skies which symbolize the harbour, the place where the 'Stronghold' lies and where you can find your shelter. The more you suffer, the more you defend the throne of evil. Cure one evil with an even worse evil and maybe you will be able to reach your 'Stronghold'. This could be a possible phoric link to the music and lyrics, but everybody should find an own answer to that question.
The track 'Lebensborn', what's it about? A small note on the lyrics-sheet provides the reading with the lines 1000's of children were transferred to the 13 lebensborn-centers in order to be 'germanized', most of them were finally exterminated..?. Do you have any comments on this song and its lyrics? How did you came on the idea of using this particular topic?
Carsten:
The song 'Lebensborn' is about one of the most terrifying chapters in the German history. The 'Lebensborn' project was a secret program conceived by 'SS Reichsfuhrer' Heinrich Himmler. He founded the 'Registered Society Lebensborn' on December 12, 1935. It's difficult to explain and to translate what 'Lebensborn' means, but the meaning of it is something like 'fountain' or 'source of life' [Leben=Life]. The program was launched in Germany in a small way to incourage and assist German girls to give birth to racially pure children, even if they were unmarried. After the Germans launched World War II and occupied large streaches of Eastern Europe, they proceeded to kidnap thousands of children who were deemed to be Aryan. Himmler indicated that these children had to be 'germanized' or killed because he though Aryan populations outside of the Reich were a threat. Estimates suggest that 20-25 thousand children, mostly Polish, were eventually involved in this program. Only a small number were ever returned to their parents. Most of them died as cannon-fodder in a useless and stupid war. The song is a political statement and we want to invigorate the democracy with it.
The whole concept, and ideas reminded me of :Wumpscut: at some points. Can you see yourself in comparing your band with Rudy's work? Why [not]?
Carsten:
We like the work of Rudy Ratzinger. We think highly on him and we appreciate his music, but we guess that our music is completely different to Rudy's music in regard of using strings and harmonies. But we prefer strong beats and vocal samples like :Wumpscut:, so we have no problem with the comparison.
After the vicious material, the last lyrics are on 'Venom'. Is it a love song? If [not/so], what is it about?
Tom:
'Venom' is a very personal song. It's about loosing a beloved person in cause of death or divorce . . . Whose blood do I bleed, whose tears do I cry when I'm still yours and your still mine . . . ?!?
Last, are there any comments you'd like to give on questions, our Dutch readers or your album?
Carsten:
Onze grote dank aan alle nederlandse dj's and cybergothics . . . thanks a lot for your support ! ! !
Carsten & Tom:
Thank you for that interesting interview! ! !
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