DOCTOR MIDNIGHT & THE MERCY CULT
– Hello, thanks for taking the time. First of all, how did such well-known artists get togehter for DOCTOR MIDNIGHT & THE MERCY CULT?
Hi, thank you for giving us space. We met over the years via the bands we played in. We all worked as hired guns in wellknown bands, but lacked the outlet for our own music somehow. We wanted to start a band that just played music we liked and not be entangled in image and the visions of others than ourselves. That was the aim and still is the goal.
– All of you have played in many and different bands. What does DMTMC provide you?
First of all freedom. We do not follow a normal pattern of striving bands that need to fullfill all kinds of dreams they had. We do not have a time preasure to do this and that. We go with our own flow and let everyone in the band have time for their own careers too. Its a product of creativity we find from each other.
– You have recently released your debut album, «I Declare: Treason». What do you want to say with such title?
The title reflects the things I have mentioned above. We feel unattached from everything and can do what we like outside the current trend or whatever is out there. Its our playground. Its a way to say “we do not care what you say, fuck you” in a tounge in cheek way.
– And how’s being the feedback for this effort so far? Are you guys satisfied with the final outcome?
We are very happy with the album yes. Its hard to release new music now as there is 1 trillion bands with younger guys who want to stay on the road and promote the hell out of their dreams to compete with. The quality of the record is what we aimed for, but we got a bunch of new music allready that go in a different direction. This was just a start.
– I guess some people may be wondering if DMTMC is just a proejct or a steady band? And do you plan touring to support the album on stage?
We played 15 shows all throughout Scandinavia this summer and are looking for tours as we speak. We wanna progress and do more and time will show. Its a band, but we do not have to live from this alone and will take our time to find the right ways to things.
– As I said before, all of you have played in bands of really different styles, and it seems like in DMTMC you are mixing all those styles and adding each one’s musical experience. How do the bands you have played in influenced your style?
My background are varied but at the end of the day its all music. I wanted to have a band that could play about anything I liked without getting the genre police all over us. Who knows what we do next? I like band that surprice you more than the ones who allways do the same. Having said that I love AC/DC and Motorhead too, so its different from band to band more than anything.
– The result of melting together all those different details is a really unique sound. Was playing something difficult to label something you aimed for?
The sound just fell into place by it self. We never said “lets try to become more like this or that, we just let the wibe guide us.
– And due to this, I would like to know how was the songwriting process like. After hearing such a diverse sound I guess it may be a team work?
Everyone have contributed to this record with his own ideas. We used this record to figure out what we like best, but we have no set rules to how the songs get together. I would like more experimentaiton on the next record. More doomy stuff would be cool. We will see.
– I know is quite tough but; how could you describe the sound on «I Declare: Treason»?
It sounds like a recording of a band with experience of 100 years of dark music combined with catchy vocals on top.
– One tune that stands out among the other in the album could actually be «OK (We’re Just About To Die)», a kinda slow and thick song, with certain Stoner guitars (as some guitars on «Glory (Threw the Axe)». What could you tell us about this tune?
This song I have in the shelf for my other band Magenta in a different version with a long time without getting anywhere with it. We wanted to ad a doomy song and I pulled it out and adjusted it to our sound. I really like it. The Glory song is mainly written by our drummer, David, who comes from progressive thrash metal. I love the groove and the riffs and I would never have come up with anything like this.
– And what about «Revenge»? As I think it decpits quite good what this album is all about, moreover it has a certain organized caos felling to it.
Its a combination of me, Tim and Davids riffs and Hanks old punk rock style. It a great look into stuff we will do more in the future I think.
– I noticed produciton is quite raw, are you satisfied with it? I would personally liked something clearer as (though your sound is quite honest, which fits the kind of production you had in the album) your music has plenty details and certain complex patterns that deserve attention and be heard clearly.
We inteded it to be raw as we recorded it live with us all in the same room. Its how recordings where done in the 70s and we wanted that old school wibe of Black Sabbathish sound to it.
– The overall sound in the album is quite dark, and you also have well-cared compositions with catchy choruses. How easy is creating such a good balance between dark and catchy?
Its all down to the singer. Some people hate his voice and others love it. Its nothing in between and I think this is what we will see more of in the future. I always likes bands with radical different vocals like Joy Division, Sex Pistols, Slayer, Black Sabbath, Smashing Pumkins, The Cure, Sisters of Mercy and Motorhead etc. Its bands like this that makes a difference. They also spent a long time getting their sound our to a bigger audience and we have no rush to succeed with this band. We wanna be true to our selves over compromises.
– If I’m not wrong, you are hadling from different countries so, ho do you tend to work?
We meet 3-4 times every year all of us, but we meet all the time online and in smaller groups when we create music. It would be more easy if we all lived closer, but this makes the band what it is too and we just have to deal with it. It is what it is.
– We could say you are an “all-star band”. This terms tends to be a double-edged sword. Do you think this works more as a benefit for the band or the opposite?
We get more shit from the mainstream press insteantly for this, but we are not here to please them. We are in this to find our own way in this World and as soon as people relalize this the better.
– And finally, what can we expect form now on from DOCTOR MIDNIGHT & THE MERCY CULT?
We wanna tour in 2012 and release more music. We are not going away any time soon!
– That has been all from our side, thanks again for taking the time. Now feel free to add some final words if you’d like to.
Thank you very much!
