KainKlang MusikMagazine

LoveCult

Anstehende Shows:

14.Mrz.2009 20:00
Elektra: supporting for Adam Bomb sliedrecht, Zuid-Holland
20.Mrz.2009 20:00
Lazarus Leiden, Zuid-Holland

Interview with LoveCult

Claudia:Who is behind everything in LoveCult?

Paris:
Well there is not just one person behind LoveCult: all of us have
different responsibility’s in the band. I write most of the music and
work with our tour manager to put together a tour.
Chris: I do all
the kinky artwork for the band: I create the sleeves for the albums,
the promotion materials and the artwork for the internet sites, stuff
like that.
Nicky: I handle direct contact with our fans and other people through our
myspace.

Claudia:Is there such a thing as a fundamental idea which hides itself behind LoveCult?

Chris:
We wanted a true rock n roll band, cause that’s something we haven’t
had in this dirty little country for many many years. LoveCult is a
result of our desire for pure, un-compromised sex, drugs and rock n
roll.
Paris: It basically comes down to the idea we have of bringing
back good old sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll, cause we just think this
world is getting way to fucking boring.

Claudia:How, where and when did you came to the founding of LoveCult?

Paris:
Well, Nicky and I started the band one and a half year ago. Back then
we used to live together as we were both in college. I was playing in a
band back then, but got more and more inspired by the many
possibility’s of rock ‘n roll music, which my band could not satisfy,
so Nicky and I started talking about it, as he has been playing drums
for a few years, but never in a band.
So we decided to form a band, and not just A band, we wanted to be THE band.
Nicky: But we needed a bass-player first and those guys are hard to find,
especially
one who’s fucking sexy and we most def wanted one of those, so we
decided to force Paris’ brother Chris into being our bass-player by
pouring speed in his coffee, and I can say we are all very pleased
about that choice.

Claudia:How long does your band exists? How
satisfied are you with the results achieved so far and what would you
change if you could turn back time?

Chris: Well, LoveCult has
been around for one and a half year now and yeah, we are pretty happy
about our achievements, but as we are all very hungry for more, we
intend to get more, we always want more, bigger, louder.
Paris: If I could turn back time I’d go back to the 80’s and make them last
forever.
Claudia:What should we know about LoveCult ’s history?

Paris: For about eight months we had a fourth player in the band. A guitarist
named Iggy Velvet. We decided to split up a little while back.

Claudia:Why did you decide to name the band LoveCult? Is there a deeper meaning behind it for you?

Chris: Well, we thought about it for a long time. We came up with a lot of
different
names, but we wanted something we considered to be powerful and
meaningful, something that sounds a little mysterious too, something
sweet and something cool, but it also had to be something that would
stick in peoples minds so we landed on a porn movie from the 60’s.

Claudia:What was for any of you a key experience in life, which made you decide you wanted to make music?

Paris: I really can’t remember ever not wanting to play music and be in a band, so I’ve been doing it for years now.
Chris:
That has to be a Colour Of Fire concert for me: I saw them at lowlands
in 2004, that was the time of boring nu metal bands, so I was amazed of
seeing a kick ass new band. But it wasn’t until the start of LoveCult
that I was offered the chance to do it for real.
Nicky: About eight years ago I went to see HIM play live in Amsterdam. That
was the moment I thought: ‘fuck, I’m gonna do this.’

Claudia:What
do you feel is important in today’s (Gothic) music landscape image and
the visual appearance of a band? Is dressing a certain way for LoveCult
a way to express the image?

Chris: Many people have a sort of irrational fear to promote any sort of explicit
image,
but I see it as part of the art. I want to offer something more than
just music. I want to offer an entire experience; with in its center
loud rock music. Music will always be the most important part, but
looking good while playing doesn’t hurt a thing.
Paris: In my
opinion modern music does not pay enough attention to image and the
visual appearance of a band. There are few bands who dare to do a
truly
outrageous show on stage. A lot of people think it’s impossible to be
shocking as a rock band, but in fact it’s really easy.

Claudia:Whom do you see as the typical audience? Is there a certain audience that you want to address with your music?

Paris:
Well, we like to address all kinds of people: but most of all people
who are fed up with today’s music and want to see something more then
the boys from next door paying their mediocre tunes.

Claudia:Is there a difference between the German public and other audiences abroad?

Chris: Well first of all, I like to say we love all our fans, no matter which country they come from.
And
second we sadly haven’t played abroad yet, but we are looking forward
to it. As I’ve heard German people are crazy and we fucking love crazy
people.

Claudia:Who writes the music of LoveCult? How would you describe your music to people who never heard it?

Paris:
Well, I usually come up with an basic idea of a song, then we simply
start to play it, finishing and arranging the song together, as we go.
I think in many respects a song should write itself, you add only what
it needs.
Chris: It’s best to be described as goddamn hard rock music, with an edge of
dirty
sleaze, combined with sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll. Throw in big hair,
lots of make-up and some tight pants, then make it fucking loud and
you’ve got LoveCult.

Claudia:How important is success for LoveCult?

Chris: Success is pretty important to us, ‘cause it gives us financial opportunities and freedom to do whatever we want.
Paris: But the most important for us is that we and our audiences have a fucking good time

Claudia:Would
you perhaps (musically) bend, thereby open up a possibility to be
successful, to get a record deal or to be on VIVA or MTV?

Chris:
No. I think it’s important to stay true to yourself. It takes all the
fun out of being in a band if you’re not true to yourself. And I think
it will appeal to people more if they see you are real.
Paris: Off
course there always things which are debatable but only as long as we
don’t have to bend the way we are or think about the way we do our
thing.

Claudia:Do you have any dreams connected to the music? (If so, what are those?)

Paris: You can’t start a band without dreams, that is if you want to be really good.

Claudia:Which difficulties have you, as a band, currently ran into or is everything going as it should be?

Paris:
There are the usual difficulties within our band as there are in any
band: a difference in opinion. Sometimes one wants to go one way and
the other wants to take a different road. But I think that’s normal
between friends.
Chris: A big difficulty was the departure of our guitarist Iggy Velvet. When
someone separates from the band it’s like breaking up a relationship, like losing a member of your family.
Claudia:How does this kind of news arrived at your fans? What reaction was there from the (scene – Specialist) press?

Chris:
We try to hold difficulties within the band. I mean it’s often not even
worth mentioning: it’s more often just a fight between three friends.

Claudia:How long did it take for LoveCult to complete the latest album? Where was it recorded and produced?

Paris: We recorded our EP Streetheroes at Art of Sound Studios in one weekend, Justus Burger produced it.

Claudia:Production wise did you have support, or was everything in your own hands?

Paris:
Well we mostly do everything ourselves, but Justus Burger helped out
with the production as well as the owner of the studio Roland van
Steijn.

Claudia:What requirements do you think does a good song has?

Paris:
Well a good song is more then just a couple of good riffs: A song has
to build up to a climax, a solo for instance. If you hear some friend
singing a line from your song all the time, even without knowing the
lyrics or where they got it from, it’s a good song.

Claudia:Does it require a certain inner mood or a special atmosphere for you when new song are composed?

Paris:
I don’t need to be in a special mood to write songs, I can do it
anytime. You will hear different emotions in the songs though, ‘cause
every song is written from personal experiences.

Claudia:What’s the best place for you to respond to the letter of writing lyrics?

Paris:
I get ideas all the time, even while I’m sitting on a galloping horse,
but I can only work out full lyrics in the context of a song. I usually
do that at home with a guitar in my hands.
Nicky: I reply to fan mail when I am at home, having a smoke.

Claudia:What are the themes in your lyrics and how do you get inspired?

Paris: Most of my lyrics are inspired by and through sex, drugs and alcohol.

Claudia:How
important are your lyrics for you? Is it an important part of
LoveCult-music, or do you see the lyrics more like an accessory to the
music?

Paris: To me every aspect of LoveCult should be good: the music, the lyrics, the show, the look, the artwork, everything.

Claudia:What can you tell us about your activities concurring LoveCult live? Do you often get the opportunity to perform live?

Chris: We done a bunch of gigs and the all keep getting crazier and louder. We
love
playing live: it’s one of the best things about being in a band. It’s
such a fucking kick, so we always give everything we have to give.

Claudia:What can we expect from a LoveCult show? And what do you have on stage with you?

Paris: My les paul, and a bottle of Jack, I also like to play thru big amps, the more the better.
Nicky: You can expect a fucking loud killer rock ‘n roll show from three sleazy
fucked up sexy rebels, covered in sex, drugs and alcohol.

Claudia:Is being represented on the Internet important for LoveCult?

Chris:
I consider it to be very important. It gives our fans the opportunity
to talk to us and for people in other countries to get to know us and
enjoy our music until we get our asses over there to do a show.

Claudia:What would you like LoveCult to (musically) achieve in the near future?

Paris: I’d like to have fireworks on stage and at least three Marshall stacks.
Chris: I could dig a record deal and I just wanna tour my fucking ass off in
Germany, Sweden, the UK, France..well everywhere actually.
Nicky: I wanna go on tour too and meet our fans.

Claudia:What was the best experience you had as a musician in 2008?

Chris: We did a show with Blackrain and Sister in a large venue and I know I
speak
for all three of us when I say that was just a fucking great evening:
it was a damn fucking loud show and we had a nice fucking after party.
We love after parties.

Claudia:Were there less pleasing events for you in 2008?

Paris: This big fuss started after making out with some dudes fiancé during his gig.
Chris: For me that has to be the departure of our guitarist and friend Iggy Velvet.
Nicky: There were a few moments when I considered leaving the band, that
wasn’t very pleasing in any way.

Claudia:Can you always work on a new song or does it entirely depends on your mood?

Paris: Well I can always write and work on a new song, except when I am tired.

Claudia:What actually goes through your head when you are making music?

Chris: Mostly weird ass shit like unicorns with aids, squirting lesbians. Shit like that.
Paris:
Can be anything, weird like stuff like Chris just told, can be about
sex, things like making out in the backseat of a cab, or something. If
not I think of more technical stuff like: “are we playing a verse or a
chorus?” or “dammit, my A is out of tune”.
Nicky: I usually think about sex, alcohol and smoking…’cause I fucking can’t have none of it while being on stage.

Claudia:In which country would you like to go on tour?

Chris: Every fucking country possible. But specially Germany, Sweden, and the UK
Paris: Also France, Italy, Spain, the States, Finland, Norway.
Chris: Oh And Zimbabwe sounds nice: yeah I was watching a Discovery
Channel documentary the other day: looked nice.

Claudia:Which country was the most impressing for you??

Chris: We sadly haven’t played abroad yet.

Claudia:What was the most beautiful and unusual gift from a fan?

Paris: A pink my little pony t-shirt.
Nicky: I love all gifts and I love getting gifts. I don’t think gifts can be weird or
unusual.

Claudia:And what do you do with your fan gifts?

Nicky:
I keep every picture and letter fans and other people send us over
e-mail on my computer at home. And off course we post the pictures on
our myspace to show the world how wonderful our fans are.
All other gifts given to us in person I store at my house: I collect them.
I always try to answer each and every single one of our fans.

Claudia:What was the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you?

Paris: Yeah, I once fell asleep when I was kissing a girl
Chris:
I once met this cute girl at a bar, we had a drink, we had some laughs,
and eventually I took her home, but ended up being far too wasted for
any naughtiness. The poor girl went home directly after waking up the
next morning and she later denied that it had ever happened. Luckily I
was too hung over to really comprehend what had just happened to me.
Nicky: This one time I was fucking this girl, but I couldn’t tell if I was actually
inside
her as I couldn’t feel anything down south anymore, due to fucking her
to much that evening, but she was riding me like a cowboy on speed
on a wild horse, so I thought I was inside, so I just pretended to enjoy it: wasn’t all that pleasant.
Chris: Oh and one time when we did the ‘Riding with the Devil’-photo shoot, I
planned to take some nude pics and Nicky was pointing and giggling like a little schoolgirl, that wasn’t very helpful.

Claudia:What plans do you have for 2009?

Paris: Well we plan on going on tour in Sweden, the UK and Germany.
Chris: And off course making a new album.

Claudia:What would you never do for money?

Paris: Sex. I would never have sex for money…I only do it for free.
Chris: I would never dishonor myself, or my loved ones.
Nicky: I would never do something to promote discrimination.

Claudia:Very personal question: Are you single?

Paris: Well…that’s debatable.
Chris: Nope: got myself a cute little girl
Nicky: No: I am in an amazing relationship with a very beautiful girl.

Claudia:What does you dream woman / man look like?

Chris: A combination between a fucking hot chick and Nicky Valentine.
Nicky:
It doesn’t really matter to me: I could fall in love with anyone, boy
or girl: I don’t care, as long as I see something beautiful and special
behind someone’s eyes.

Claudia:Who are your heroes?

Paris: Well I don’t really have one, but if I have to choose for I’d have to say Queen’s Freddy Mercury.
Chris: I’ll say Russell Brand, dude looks good and is fucking funny.
Nicky: I’m going for the greatest and worlds first ever rock band: The Beatles.

Claudia:What do you plan to do after LoveCult?

Paris:
I think it’s save to say that I speak for us all when I say we will
always keep making music. Music is a part our lives. But after LoveCult
is over I will probably be training horses…or be dead.
Chris: I want to keep on making more killer graphic art.
Nicky:
I think would start expanding my extreme fascination for gore, horror
and exploitation movies and start making movies myself: according to my
twisted sick vision and view on life

Claudia:If you have one wish for free, what would you want?

Paris: True love.
Chris: I would have to say: pure and true happiness, a life without all the fucking complications.
Nicky: No more depressions.

Claudia:What would you take with you on a desert island?

Paris: An inflatable boat and some navigation cards, so I can leave that fucking place.
Chris: Nah, couldn’t read a map if my life depended on it; I would take a tattoo artist and a hot tub, filled with sexy girls.
Nicky:
I would take a SHITLOAD of cigarettes and alcohol and of course a
really REALLY sexy chick…maybe two…oh and some sex-toys.

I thank you for the interview and wish you all for the future good!

Claudia Wagner