Alec Empire interview
With: Alec Empire
Questions: Beautevil

That the new album “Futurist” is special of the month (April 2005) is enough reason to ask Alec Empire some questions. “Futurist” is more organic than we’re used from Alec and it is also a step backwards if you consider the punk influences. It is also the album in which Nic Endo and Alec are working together once again. 

Why the title “Futurist” (when the CD sounds more back to the punk roots)?
Well, it’s more a combination. It’s traditional rock ‘n roll and guitar sounds combined with electronic rhythms. “Futurist” is therefore a combination of the past with the future. We came up with the idea to create a combination between political technology and art during our visit in an art gallery in London. We were searching for a techno title and than came “Futurist” in mind. 

“Futurist” sounds more guitar oriented and also has a live vibe (like drums). Why this decision?
The lyrics demanded a more primitive aggressive approach. This time we did our basic riffs in one take instead of repeating it to be perfect. That is where the live vibe comes from. It’s actually a punk rock album completed with complex beats and all in the right drive.

The album is also recorded in different studios all over the world (like in London, Chicago, Berlin) with different musicians. That explains the drive and vibe as well.

You’re working together with Nic Endo (ATR) again for this album, why did you team up for this album?
Well, we know each other very well from the Atari Teenage Riot period. Nic is an expert in special effects and noise. We have had contact all this time, so it was natural to ask Nic once again.

Nice titles anyway, ‘Kiss of Death’, ‘Overdose’, ‘Night of Violence’, ‘Gotta Get Out’, ‘Point of No Return’, ‘Make Em Bleed’, ‘Vertigo’, ‘Hunt You Down’, ‘Uproar’, ‘In Disguise’, ‘Terror Alert High’ and ‘XXV3’. It will confirm the idea that you’re an angry man, don’t it?
The lyrics are sometimes intense and are much deeper than the Atari simplicity. It is so much deeper and contains an element of aggression and anger. It’s actually an uplifting energy. 

It’s strange how some people see you in fact. Some people even think I’m a religious man, a kind of Messiah, a new Jesus. Others try to convince me that I have to find the way to God or that I have to be saved by God. I try to make sure that people can’t misunderstand me, but it is almost impossible. 

How are the reactions so far?
I can only relate to what friends and other musicians have said. It’s a weird thing when other people talk about your music. Most people start with the fact that the guitar is so upfront. They feel that energy is the starting point of the new stuff. It sounds different from Atari Teenage Riot, but has the same vibe. 

The artwork for this album comes from MIRON ZOWNIR – how important is the artwork for any album for you?
The artwork is important it’s not more important than the music of course. It’s a kind of visual presentation, you can add something. I still collect records (like from the seventies with some strange covers) . I noticed the work of Miron and it impressed, because he had done some different stuff like photographing old dead people in Moscow. We searched for a certain feeling and we felt that Miron Zownir was the right person. 

Is there a tour scheduled?
Well, we’re busy with preparing ourselves at the moment. It will be a whole band effort. It depends how the tour will look like, but probably we will work with different musicians on this tour. It keeps the live shows fresh and it is not repeating the same set every time. We haven’t really decided yet, but it will be clear in the next few months (Alec Empire is confirmed for May 1st in Iduna in Drachten, the Netherlands, see agenda). 

It seems that your music is accepted by a metal audience as well, especially since you’ve played Waldrock.
That was a strange story. We used too much power or so. It was unbelievable that we’re at a festival with a lot of metal bands and we were too powerful :-)

I actually love metal festivals. I really like that the people don’t conform to the standard, it’s not like hip hop. It’s a crowd that can’t be really fooled. They are first thinking is it good or not. It’s good to notice that we have an audience that wears shirts of Slayer, Rage Against The Machine and so on. We had that already with Atari Teenage Riot.  

What would be your perfect society?
I would make some changes. The profit that is made should be shared between more people. Now people who make profit only think about making their profit bigger. It’s a result of the American dream, being a capitalist. There’s nothing changing in the 3rd world, because of this. They’re only thinking about protecting themselves and their economy. I would change this injustice. 

If you had the chance to be somebody else, you would be? And why?
I would say a dog, but that is probably already said? Another animal maybe. This is a though one. On tour we always make a joke and say that it would be OK if we could be someone in the crowd. Maybe I would think: ‘Is he aggressive?’ ;-)

Something you always wanted to say, but never was asked…
Music is everything. German speaking music is the worst. Although people outside of Germany could get the wrong perception.

Love live! Although it seems that the major key to my music is destruction it is only to create a new start. But hey, Alec is a super angry guy :-)