INTERVIEW

CLAN OF XYMOX
20/07/2006

 


You’ve been on tour since March. How is it ?
Ronny Moorings : We tour actually all the time since 1997 and never stopped. The way we tour is not in the classic way most bands tour. We do on average 20 to 25 shows per year, so it is always pleasurable and we do not get tired as if we would do 20 shows in one go. The small breaks from January to March are always used to write new material.

How do you feel working with the band like it is today ?
To me it all are personal friends of me and since we live in Germany and the rest of the band in Amsterdam it is great to catch up when we do shows. It is a great way of seeing them and it is always lots of fun.

Did you notice any changes in your audience as your latest album “Farewell” was more electronic and do you know if this album "Breaking Point", which issued in April this year, was good welcomed by your fans ?
Our fans are very much used to the different aspects highlighted in the albums of Clan Of Xymox. I think that is the strength of our band and is most appreciated by our fans. It is not what is highlighted on our albums but the general atmosphere which draws people to our music. Clan Of Xymox is known as a innovating band being unpredictable at times. The latest album has indeed more slower songs on it which are appreciated by the hardcore Medusa fans but in general I keep on making the music I want and feel like. The blue print for writing music is the combination and interaction between electronics and guitars. Sometimes the electronic part dominates and sometimes the guitar side prevails, however the symbiosis between these elements is what interests me the most.

You all live in a very big old house in Leipzig now and you talked about inviting some bands. What for ? Who are the bands you feel close to ?
Mojca and me are living so far in Leipzig and my guitarist Mario will move soon also to Leipzig and will live in the same house ( if all works out for him). So far we take it slow because we like our privacy very much, so we will have to be very selective in the choice of people.

You’ll finish the tour at the end of this year. What will be next step for you ?
We only put our dates so far till October but we will tour next year just the same...

We can read on your website that you are preparing a DVD live. Can you tell us more about it ?
Later in the year we will concentrate to get the DVD finished and the DVD will be just like any other band consist of video clips and live footage. We try to assemble material this year so we can compile all later together. I know a lot of bands did a DVD and the planned schedule was always delayed. It is a very laborious task so I do not dare to give an exact release date yet, but hopefully in the beginning of 2007
.

Concerning your musical orientations for the future, can we imagine that, with this latest issue “Breaking Point”, with this title as if you had reached the end of something, you will try something else. Did you ever think that there is like an accumulation of “easy-electronics” in the gothic scene, and that it would be a reason for you to come back one day to some more “oldschool-wave” sounds for instance ?
I just write what I feel like, to me there is no strategy or deliberate planning what an album should sound like. If I would do this all would sound forced and would not be an honest record. So since I have not written anything so far which could be the start of a new album I simply have no idea. To me there is no this or that, I like to have the freedom ( which I have) to do whatever I want and it is done in my personal taste, so my rule of thumb is that if I like it, more people might like it just the same.

What do you want for Clan Of Xymox ? Where do you want to bring it to be satisfied ?
I have no great ambitions for the band, I am happy the way it is now. I guess that is why my band still survives up to date. Many bands go under the strain of pressure for success in a big way. I do not want to have the glory or fame of major acts. Being a cult band is just fine by me.

How do you feel when looking 25 years back ? What do you see ?
It is for me like it was just a blip in time. It went very fast and I feel I just started. All records served it's purpose in time and the only thing I am looking forward to is to make new albums in the future.

Do you sometimes think about an “after” Clan Of Xymox ?
That thought never crossed my mind!

 

Propos recueillis par Dawn et Dusk
Merci à Ronny Moorings

Photos par Mojca