Daniel Columbine is a professional when it comes to music, with a vast knowledge in the musical field, ex member of Psyclon Nine and founding member of Columbine. He has worked and shared the stage with numerous other artists, and he was very kind in revealing some important moments of his carreer to us, and more!
pdn: Hello, Daniel! Did you come up with the band name for Columbine because of the High School Massacre?
Daniel: Well, yes and no. It was more of a dichotomy thing. My whole life growing up columbine was always a flower (a very beautiful one for that matter). As soon as the massacre happened columbine became just a shooting. Which kind of showed me that people tend to gravitate and aim there focus towards the more negative things in life. Which is exactly what the band always reflected, so we always felt it was a very fitting name. The band never really represented dark and evil things but rather the profound awareness of dark and evil things. We were basically an ink blot that was up for interpretation. That being said, no one ever asked if we were named after the flower...... case in point.
pdn:If so, what is your opinion about that event in a nutshell (causes, effects), and how come you've picked that as the band name?
Daniel: N/A
pdn: I know you used to be a part of Psyclon Nine; what happened there, why did you leave?
Daniel: I was and still am proud to have been a part of there history, it was a great learning and life experience. I met a lot of wonderful people and saw a lot of cool places. As any Psyclon fan knows they have an ever revolving line up, so I was just happy to have had the time with them that I did. As for becoming a permanent member, it just wasn't in the cards for me.
pdn: Also, what happened to Columbine? You've told me only a bit about it...
Daniel: Columbine is officially done. It wasn't because of anyone or anything. The guys and me are still friends and theres no bad blood. It was just time for me personally to take on the next life adventure and try something new. We had a good run and again I'm proud to have been a part of it.
pdn: What are the main things that influence you in your musical projects?
Daniel: For me it's constantly changing, my opinions vary on a day to day basis. I get bored easy and if the musics sounding the same from song to song then I know its time to take a different approach. I've never had a set method in which I write, and I never visualize the
end result until its done. I never set out to write industrial or any genre for that matter its just what came out.
pdn: Also, what musicians inspired you mostly in forming your career, style?
Daniel: That's a tough one.... so many. I've always liked bands that come off as being a whole rather than a group of individuals. I'll also look at musicians and say "I don't want to be like that", There probably the ones who have formed my style and career more than the ones you'll see me front and center row at. For example I'm probably on the opposite side of the color wheel than Justin Bieber. And thats a conscious decision.
pdn: You've worked with many bands, in all different ways. Who was most fun to collaborate with? And who would you like to work with in the future?
Daniel: I honestly have fun working with everyone. I've never really disliked writing or playing with anybody. Some may be a little more fun than others but I'm not exactly gonna put up that list.
pdn: What are you up to in the present, and what are the plans for the near future?
Daniel: Currently I'm working on a new project with a couple of guys, Pat Elmore (producer of columbine/B.M.M.) and Jno (fresh out of the band B.M.M.) which unfortunatly I can't give to many details about. But I can say I'm really excited for this project. Oh and just because I like to tease people, It doesn't sound like columbine.
Thank you Daniel, and I want to apologize for the delay again! :)
http://myspace.com/columbinemusic
http://www.myspace.com/daniel_columbine
The Gothsicles is a really, really, awesomely original band from Chicago, with humorous, funky lyrics and rhythm, combined with the crazy-sounding voice of Brian Graupner. Playdeanation had a little chat with him!
pdn: Greetings, Brian! 'The Gothsicles' is a fun name for a band, how did you come up with it?
Brian: I needed an outfit to launder all the money I’d made selling completely fake and worthless Star Wars merchandise to Jim Semonik and figured that everyone would instinctively steer clear of any operation named “The Gothsicles”. So far, so good.
pdn: Your sound and vocals are quite humorous, how did you get the idea for such music?
Brian: The basic working model has always been to actively and knowingly attempt to plagiarize an Hocico song and then make it be about alcohol or genitalia, but lately I’ve been getting pretty experimental.
pdn: Describe your music in a few of your own words, please!
Brian: Everything Goes Cold minus the guitars and Metropolis signing.
pnd: What inspires the band's obvious uniqueness, and what are the main themes and subjects for your songs?
Brian: Wanting Jim Cookas to like me.
pdn: If one day you would be to play a different type of music, what would that be, and why?
Brian: Okay, werd [sic]. I actually do listen to a lot of fainty-swoony goth rock, but I think I’d be horrible at it ‘cause that shit actually comes with some musical assembly required. I think it would be fun to be the easily least popular guy in an huge boy band, all driving myself home in a minivan after the concert and secretly telling myself that I know there’s someone out there for me, just before I quietly tuck myself to sleep.
pdn: What artists do you usually collaborate with, and also, who would you love to work with in the future?
Brian: This is actually a brutally well timed question ‘cause there’s a lot going on. I will forever endeavor to drop machinations of acclaimation unto one Dan Clark. He’s my go-to producer guy and he’s fucking, fucking, fucking great. He produced the last Ego Likeness album and every time I hang out with those guys, we inevitably talk about how effin’ rad this freakin’ guy is. This sounds so comic booky, but I don’t think you’d be interviewing me right now if it wasn’t for Matt Fanale. The particular timeliness I was mentioning comes by way of the new live member (and keytar player), Mike, whose stage name this week is “Cylon Belmont”. Never said it before, but I was really ready to hit the reset button on the whole ‘sicles thing, just from all kinds of hypershit, but this man has fully re-energized the project to the point that it feels like a whole new band. Invincibility stars. I have this private fantasy with I would get on really well with Prince.
pdn: What are the plans for the near future? Any upcoming shows, new material?
Brian: WOOOOOOOO! I fucked up on getting back to you on this interview in a timely fashion, and have also just done a shitpissfuckcuntcocksuckermotherfuckertits-load of shows so I don’t know how much my current show line-up will help, but here goes: DEFINITELY the next shoot dang KINETIK FESTIVAL with some of my favorite bands of all time (Beborn Beton, S.P.O.C.K., Lenny & The Cenobites, etc.). Bunch of shows tentative with a band I’m really excited about that I prolly shouldn’t mention, but their initials rhyme with “Deviant UK”. With regard to material, I was able to release an album on WTII earlier this year, so that’s sort of freed me up to work on the other 12 things I got in the mix. The Causticles (me & mattmatt) is a priority, but I’m also slowly being seduced by the allure of being able to be the cool remix guy, maybe (someday) like an XP8 or a Grendel. Maybe even a Boole (just kidding, there can be only one).
pdn: Oh and by the way, what's the deal with you 'looking like Kurt Russel'? Had to ask!
Brian: At the 2009 Kinetik Festival, motherfucking Vasi from Reaper (also Frozen Plasma, formerly Namnambulu) just decided that I look like Kurt Russell, which I completely don’t. It kind of became our thing over that weekend and I was really just loathsomely, schoolgirlishly excited to have somebody that recognizable acknowledge me to the point that I referenced it in a song, basically to desperately tie my shit band to a band people like.
pdn: Thank you so much for you time and attention! What would you final words be, for fans, friends?
Brian: I was working on this year’s Kinetik comp track at the time of this interview, because of which, there is now a Kurt Russell reference in the track. Freal.
http://www.thegothsicles.com
The Ludovico Technique is a harsh industrial band from Orlando, FL., and their main intention is to highlight the dark side of human experience as well as depths which the human mind can reach. Vocalist and mastermind Ben V- was kind to answer the following questions for us.
pdn: Hey Ben! Please tell me a bit about the source of inspiration for the band's name.
Ben: The name stems from the story "A Clockwork Orange" - the "Ludovico Technique" is the psychological therapy given to the main character in an attempt to condition his behavior.
pdn: How did you guys meet? Was it prior to the band's existence?
Ben: The first live band members were all actual friends of mine. I think its important to have a very personal relationship with those that you share so much of your passionate experiences with.
pdn: Who writes the lyrics and what inspires them?
Ben: I am the principal writer for the lyrics and music, Every song is extremely personal to me, where as others in the industrial scene may talk about cybernetic war or just say the word fuck over and over, Lyric writing for me is a way to get thoughts and feelings out in a constructive way that otherwise would end up coming out in a destructive way in my day to day life
pdn: What were things and/or people that influenced you when getting started and along the way?
Ben: Anxiety attacks, past drug abuse, the death of immediate family and a general sense of disconnection and misunderstanding to my fellow man are things that were and are influential
As far as Musically? Old school Industrial, Classical Music, 1920's and 30's blues Old school hip hop, 1950 and 60's country.
pdn: And how would you describe your sounds in a few representative words?
Ben: Harsh industrial music highlighting the dark aspects of the human experience as well as the depths to which mans mind can deteriorate.
pdn: Which had been your favourite band to tour with so far? And also, if you could pick anyone, who would you like to share the stage with someday?
Ben: We've toured with so such great bands up to this point I think there's different experiences on each tour that have been my favorite, as far as one day maybe Skinny Puppy, Front 242, Einstürzende Neubauten
pdn: What are The Ludovico Technique's nearest plans? Any specific events the upcoming year?
Ben: We are at the moment in the studio recording our debut Metropolis Records Album "Some things Are Beyond Therapy" which I will turn in to them come Feb. We'll spend the remaining time of 2012 touring heavily and playing Europe for the first time.
pdn: Thank you so much for the interview! Any final words you would like to add for your fans?
Ben: Follow your passions, let no one stand in your way, we have one life to live and this is not a dress rehearsal for something else, If there's someone you love, express it, If there's something you hate, express it. The Things that separate us from other animals on this earth are the usage of tools, bipedal motion and ... Artistic Expression. You have dreams for your life and there is nothing to stop you. Thank you for your time and we'll see you out on the road!
http://www.facebook.com/theludovicotechnique
http://www.theludovicotechnique.com/
http://beyondtherapyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/self-titled-e-p-re-issue
end result until its done. I never set out to write industrial or any genre for that matter its just what came out.
