1. Various genres and their stems have been gradually created… What does the “neofolk” or eventually “darkfolk” mean for you? Do you see any meaning behind these words or do you consider them as empty used by journalist only to mindlessly describe music?
I don't really think about genres as such. Only when I'm asked in interviews. Think there is so much more that has come out of this path than could be described by 2 words. Like bands such as Death In June, Blood Axis, Current 93, Derniere Volonte, Spiritual Front, to name a few, are very different in approach and sound. But if people need a name then why not.
2. If we look upon progression of music during the last 15 years we might notice that those “new” genres were usually created by fusion of those already existing and by nothing truly revolutionary. Know-it-all would say that everything fundamental has already been invented. What do you think?
Again I don't spend my time defining or pondering about who came first with what, and who were more original. If it sounds good it sounds good. Period!
3. And if we reach out for your creations do you feel as a continuator of such ultra-classics like Johny Cash or you that you belong into completely different sphere?
Well, I really love Johnny Cash and listens a lot to his music but I wouldn't put myself in his catagory. He is in a class of his own. I hope with my new album to further develop into a bit of new taratory and refine my own expression nonetheless.
4. In one interview you were asked about your inspiration, lyrical concepts and background of “OF THE WAND & THE MOON: and your answer was: „Alcohol, runes and misanthropy.” About misanthropy: Is it a negative thing, declination and experience about which you sing or is it an everyday reality hooked in your life so deeply that you can’t really avoid it in your creations?
In terms of Misanthropy and Alcohol I guess it is a base feel that still lingers with me. The runes also, but these days I guess on a more personal level that I don't have the big urge to share with everyone. At least on this new album I'm working on. But the forementioned topics of course has two sides of a coin.
5. Musicians are often boasting that “dark” music is capable of strengthening individual person similarly like “happy” music. But the majority of people (and musicians) is usually listening to the vast selection of bands not only those “depressive” or “positive”. One usually listens to music according to his mood – Something bad happens so he listens to an appropriate music. Personally I can’t imagine this “charging” through negativism. What do you think about it as a listener?
I have had this kind of questions a lot of time in the past and I still really don't know what to say to that. I don't know why I seemingly prefer 'dark' or 'depressive' music and art.
I tend to get even more depressed seeing and hearing the mob get a boner off the countless 'Talent'/'Idol'/'(un)reality' shows and the mediocre emptiness which they produce.
Do I sound bitter?
Well, I am....
6. Let’s focus on : OF THE WAND & THE MOON: first. Last album was released in 2005 when can fans expect some new material?
I'm working hard in the studio and hopefully the new album will see the 'dark' of day late this year.
7. Have you noticed any tendencies in popularity of :OF THE WAND & THE MOON: albums? Do people like „Sonnenheim“ more than other albums for example?
I really don't know and really don't care. Guess it could be very mixed from person to person. I don't have any statistics about this. Although the album sells quite well. That applies to live performances.
8. Is there an album which gets a bigger crowd response than others? Are you also influenced by the eventual popularity of the songs or you just perform songs you want and not considering the demand of the public?
Not sure which albums gets the biggest responce live. Again I think it can be very individual, from mood of the night and country to country. I only choose the songs I want to perform, and the ones that we can get to work live, although there has been some requests along the years for the song 'Lucifer'.
It then actually struck me that I never played any of the songs from the 'Lucifer' album. So I added this song and think there might be a few more more from that album in the future.
9. Is it inspirational for you as the musician that you have been creating quite unique and popular albums? Are you trying to push your music towards a bit different aims during the years or do you feel still as a same person focusing on aspect you personally like?
I think the mood is mainly the same as it is a very personal project for me, but always seeking to progress the music from the last release. It is boring for me to release the same album time and time again. Guess people will notice the difference on the coming album as well. I appreciate that people like my music, but I would do it anyway for my own pleasure, even though nobody would want to hear it. My music is a part of me and I am a part of my music. Obviously.
10. Can you tell us why you created Of the Wand…? It has been 11 years now… how do you feel when looking back? Were those years good years?
I used to play in the doom metal band Saturnus, whom I wrote the music and much of the lyrics for. Early on I fell in love with the apocalyptic/dark/neo folk and wrote a lot of acoustic stuff for Saturnus. However, as time went, my acoustic and folk inspired ideas began to pile up. And as the other members of this band didn't have the same interest in this music and themes, I decided to form my own project which became :Of The Wand & The Moon:. Looking back I feel that it was enevitable and after the break with Saturnus it seems even more to have been a neccesary and liberating move, that I have never regretted.
11. Let us talk about SOLANACEAE now. Why was the purpose to create this project? You have released an album with SOLANACAE last year. Didn’t you use some of the material you had ready for :OF THE WAND & THE MOON:?
Solanaceae stems from about 15-16 years ago actually, as 3 of the songs was written at the same time as 'Paradise Belongs To You' with Saturnus. I wanted to use them for the first :Of The Wand & The Moon: album but then decided on another direction of sound. So I put them in the drawer. It wasn't until I came across the US bands Novemthree and Arrowwood, that I got inspired to take these songs up again. So guess I have to thank Pythagumus and Chelsea for this. I was also writing material for :Of The Wand & The Moon: at the same time, but had a good idea of what sound and direction I wanted to go with for :OTWATM: & Solanaceae, and it seemed to be heading for their own paths. The new :OTWATM: album also proved to become of a more personal level and I needed it to keep this way. And Solanaceae seemed to be a more joined venture of friends contributing.
12. Do you have any principles under which you create music for your projects? I mean how do you decide which material you’ll use for which project and so on. It doesn’t seem to be simple from the view of detached guy.
The main principle is that it has to satisfy myself. The choice of what material goes where comes very natural to me.
13. To move ourselves on the next project lets discuss BLACK WREATH also. Although the year of creation of the band is stated to be 2002 your debut album got released last year. Why?
Well, the idea of forming a funeral doom band emerged back in 2002, by myself, Peter (Blazing Eternity) and Dave (Chasing Eudaimonia). But it wasn't until 2007 that I finished writing the music. In the mean time I had also moved from Copenhagen, so we weren't really hanging out that much. So the project has mainly been a studio project so far. Maybe we'll do some shows in the future. Time will tell.
14. Can we say that BLACK WREATH serves you as a veil where you put ideas you come up with after your departure from Saturnus?
Yes. Actually there are also several pieces on the album that I wrote between the first Saturnus album 'Paradise Belongs To You' and the second release 'For The Loveless Lonely Nights'. Also pieces originally written for my other project 'The Loveless'. Guess the last years have been tiding up those lost compositions.
15. If you try to predict future do you expect to release more albums or you leave everything to take its course?
We have talked about doing more Black Wreath albums, but for now I will concentrate on my next :OTWATM: album and while in that process, new songs for Solanaceae also appeared. But time will tell when all this will be realized.
16. Denmark is one of the countries I’ve always wanted to see. How would you describe it to someone who is about to visit it? What he shouldn’t miss? How are you satisfied with your life in Denmark?
Well, there are lot's of places to visit in Denmark I guess. A few that I would point out is the island in the Baltic sea called Bornholm. Lived there a couple of years and it is a truly magickal and beautiful island to visit, with a lot of ancient sites and folklore and wonderful nature. In Copenhagen there's the National Museum, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Nyhavn and have a walk around the local hippie town Christania, always an interesting place to have a stroll if you know where to go. And last I of course have to recommend my friends club 'Faust', where if you're lucky (or unlucky, depending on your mood) you might find me ocationally, pukeing in the toilets after all the free shots they pour in me :). Or if you are only into metal there's a club not far called 'The Rock'.
17. Are you able to make living from the music? If not, have you ever thought that you would like live like that? Do you have some other interests beside music which are somehow related to your music?
No, I don't live solely off my music, but things are going in the right direction. I try to stay away from labour. haha...
'Work destroys the character' as someone once told me. Anyhow, besides music, I love working with artwork and movie editing. Used to be good at drawing and painting....well not anymore I guess... Maybe take that up again when my promising musical career fails :)
18. If you compare Kim Larsen during nineties and Kim Larsen today where do you see the biggest difference? Have you changed greatly as a person and did it have some impact on your attitude towards music?¨
Of course you develop, but I had a conversation with someone recently about how the things you remember as a child and growing up, those are the things you strive towards to re-live. Not sure if it is completely true, but I see a lot of references throughout my life to the prescence. So of course things change but essentially the essence is the same. That’s everything from our side.
19. Thank you for the interview and we’re looking forward to any news from your camp. Take care.
Cheers to you!
Yours
- Kim
