June 2nd, 2014 | E-mail interview by NINa | Submit for an interview | professional review | Read other Fabryka interviews
NINa: Your album is entitled Visions of The Blinded World. What blinds the world the most these days? What kind of symbolic 'eyeglasses' does this world need to see better? Finally, who should put these 'lenses' on - the church, politicians, employers, bands & music listeners or media & press perhaps?Lucky Spook (guitar, programming, songwriting and production): Well, I think that we can look at the "eyeglasses" or "lenses" thing/theme from the opposite perspective - whether we should put on or take off some of these that we have been bearing and got so used to that they have almost become an extension of ourselves, almost like body parts.
I think what is important for all of us, is to try to rise the level of consciousness and awareness - to talk to our inner self rather than catch up with and follow the tempo of "progress" and madness of the modern world in general. It is a big market place out there: the system really got accelerated. I mean we get offers to put on and try out new stuff - be it glasses (what about these Google glasses – do we really need it?), political and media campaigns, whatever. During one single day that is sick. I think human nature is not about this pile of garbage we are being pushed into to find our happiness. Yes, we need to function and adapt, but not to be carried away and forget to look up at the stars at night. I often recall Soundgarden and their "Blow Up The Outside World" tune, for me, it can't be said better. Don’t take it literally though ha, ha.
When it comes to Visions Of The Blinded World title, I think it just somehow popped from my subconscious mind, this really creative and rich source each of us have. It could be planted in my head too - by some mysterious spiritual mentor of mine, who knows. The album title puts the whole essence of the record in one phrase and lyrics of the title song "Other Side Of Time (Vision Of The Blinded World)" answers your initial questions better than me ranting at the progress of modern society here.
NINa: Visions Of The Blinded World (pt. 1) came out in late 2013, so I assume there will be part 2 coming sometime soon. Could you give us a taste of themes on that release? How will you distribute it?
We aim to have part 2 finished sometime next year. We are at the stage of recording vocals now and when we are done with these, we will start mixing. Mixing is going to be a task again: some songs have close to 200 separate tracks on them but it is much fun, too. Part 2 is going to be as diverse in variety of styles and sounds used as the first record. Drama, intensity, action: record will have plenty of it for sure :) Basically, we're going to portray and document outside and, to some extent, the inner and distant worlds in a manner we did on part 1.
Some songs like the one called "Thunder Of The Distant World" will have close relation to some song from the part 1 album. Both, soundwise and lyrically. In this case, it is "Cyberage". We will have "Falling Down pt. 1" which further develops (or pre-develops) out-of-body experience theme we had started on "Falling Down pt. 2". There will be a thriller-killer story with funeral-maniac and tragedy-of-it-all scenes on "Man On The Road" – this one is really dark and creepy, it gives me shivers just knowing I will have to mix it :) One song called "Little Pill" covers drugs and pharmacy topic, again it will be up to the listener to read between the lines.
When it comes to distribution, we plan to approach some labels with Visions Of The Blinded World (pt. 2) album, see if any will be interested. By then I hope Spookshow inc. will have a solid live act, more content and hopefully some following to back up the distribution campaign.
NINa: Compared to the beginning of your musical career in 2003, are your inspirations different today? What's the driving force pushing you to be innovative with the band you've founded? Speaking of inspirations there are many sources to dig after. When it comes to bands and artists, I can say what the whole experience to have been exposed to new sounds while living in London in 2004-2006 was a huge one. Damian Junior Marley just blew me away and so Lee Scratch Perry, not to forget Tricky. Jeff Beck and his concrete blocks melting records You Had it Coming and Jeff - these two records were hugely inspirational when it comes to guitar playing. Buckethead and Zakk Wylde are among other favourites of mine to look for the guitar related inspiration. To name a few of emerging acts, XRC and Sickist are the ones. Over the last few years I have drifted more into the Middle East and Asian sounds though.
The biggest inspirations and coal into creative fire for me are books, probably. Spiritwalker by Hank Wesselman, Only Forward by Michael Marshall Smith, anything by Michael Newton to name just a few. I consider dreams being a vast ocean to pick up ideas from, too. Otherwise it can be just about anything, a social topic, a phrase I picked up while shopping, a story someone tells me etc.
When it comes to making music, well, I am not a minimalist indeed. I like music that is rich with action, dynamics and is preferably multi-genre. The tension and release of different sounds interacting, wide spectrum of musical colours and textures, moment of surprise, deep vibes - I try to incorporate all of it into the songs. Even aspects of comedy like in the "Dead Shot Baby" tune - for me it is a parody song, really.
I think I can partly blame my rather maximalistic approach for making music to the facts that first of all it was Pink Floyd that got me interested in music and the fact that I am classically trained - I played classical guitar when I first started. Classical music has a lot of things going on at the same time and although I have forgotten most of the theory long time ago, the method itself suits me well. Basically, the driving force to try and be a bit innovative is that I try to make music that is interesting to myself, and if I think about the listener, I want to present something really interesting.
Finally, the band name Spookshow inc. lets me be as creative and wicked as I possibly wish to be. It can be circus on fire, a drug trip turned out wrong, an alien secret service report or magic tricks on a market place in Mogadishu, literally, anything. It is a fucking Spookshow you know, ha, ha.
NINa: Is Spookshow inc. the only artistic undertaking you take part in, or are there other plans concerning your musical future?
As Spookshow inc., we have one collaboration going on right now. We work on a couple of tracks with one wicked industrial music producer and hopefully you will hear from us again soon :) Other than that, I don’t see myself working seriously on any side project. I plan to concentrate on Spookshow, really.
NINa: Do you believe in parallel worlds, seeing the future through dreams or extraordinary time and space connections between strangers? Do you have any personal experiences in that field that you could tell us about?
Well, I think that everything what I can imagine existing is out there in one way or another. For me, it is not believing, I know it deep inside. I don’t really need much proof, besides, what proof can we get on astral and subtle matters like dreams or time and space connections? It is not possible to track substances and phenomenons that are not material in their nature with devices made of steel and plastic. Albert Einstein said that reality as we are used to look at it is merely an illusion albeit very persistent one.
When It comes to personal experiences, I have had a few and some of these are represented on songs quite literally. Like on "Falling Down pt. 2", I had virtually seen myself walking down a street from perspective from about 20 meters above the ground. It was just a momentary experience, but for me it was as real as about anything else. Funny thing, I was sort of in two places at the same time, because I can still recall horrified face expression of a person who just happened to be passing by and then turning back to look at me in horror. At the same time, I was looking at the scene from above. Needles to say, I was under some influence that time.
Another interesting experience is documented on "Requiem For A Vision" tune. This time I was sort of dosing off without getting into deeper phase of sleep after some wicked night out… :) And I began seeing these faces from different epochs, a viking face for example I can still recall quite well. Faces and some quite obscure details in the background - I could tell that these were from different epochs and parts of the world. But the interesting thing was that I sort of knew deep inside these were my own faces from previous reincarnations here on the planet. Ha. Ha. Cool experience to take inspiration from, isn’t it? That makes it just for one more reason to call Spookshow inc. debut album Visions Of The Blinded World…
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