Pod Talks About Dancing With The Demons Under My Bed

Pod Talks About Dancing With The Demons Under My Bed

R3cords

Interviews

Pod Talks About Dancing With The Demons Under My Bed

we only briefly touched on the ‘witches’ album, After the first interview with Pod. so I arranged another interview to dig a little deeper into what it was all about, and hopefully we might also find out a little bit more about him.  ↓

Pod Talks About Dancing With The Demons Under My Bed

Written by

After the last interview I had with Pod, I was really wanting to hurry on with the next session because we didn’t really have the time to cover everything that I’d intended to. A few weeks have passed since then, and I’ve managed to meet up with him a few times. I feel like I know him a lot more now, although I’ve still never seen him without his mask on.

He literally wears it everywhere. I’ve stopped asking about it now though, I’ve come realize that he’s just completely dedicated to his character, and I actually admire that about him! Because beyond that, he’s actually just a really cool, easy-going guy. One that has a real passion and talent for what he does, and you can’t fault that really,

       

 

DMA:  “Ok, so… Here we are again! Another interview with the one and only Pod! How’s everything been?”

Pod:  “Alright I guess, I’ve spent most of my time working with Tragic Souls and Eerbl00d recently. “

DMA:  “Ah yeah, I heard about that earlier today actually. They’re two very different acts and you’ve been helping manage both of them, haven’t you?”

Pod:  “Yeah that’s it, it’s mostly so we can all get to know each other properly. I’m going to be producing a lot of tracks for them in the future, Rip Damon’s also on board with all this as well. We’ve just been making sure they both get out there really, show after show. It’s been good to see the rooms fill up with crowds of people, sharing the love, having a good time.”

DMA:  “That’s good! I haven’t been able to get a hold of anyone from Tragic Souls just yet. They’re always, way to busy!”

Pod: “That sounds about right! They’ve been going none-stop since the underground circuit opened back up! “

DMA:  “I know it’s great all you guys are able to get back out there again! Oh! Just for those listening in, or reading the interview; Could you please explain what the underground circuit actually is?”

Pod:  “Yeah sure! Well it’s a gig circuit for underground acts. It’s our own circuit! They’re specially chosen venues, And we have our own way of putting on the show. You know! They’re the coolest places you’d want to watch gig at. They’re away from your regular venue, like in some dive bar where no-one cares about the music. We wanted places were people want to be, and where people care. We don’t want randoms just turning up. It’s for those in the know. They’re exclusive shows. In exclusive places. They’re very well promoted to the people in the loop, and we provide the people in the loop with the kind of new music they love and want. There’s no restrictions on genres, it’s just whatever’s cool… Of course, on the night, it makes sense that show’s catered for a particular crowd, that should be obvious. A Dubstep act being followed by a guy on an Irish Fiddle would be a strange night. One I’ve actually witnessed first hand! Strangely enough.”

DMA:  “Yeah, I think I’ve been to a night like that as well. I was expecting a load of Ska bands to play, because that’s what the headliner was. But we got the strangest mix of Emo-Metal and Brit-Pop, with some acoustic guitar playing rapper. And then finally the music we all came for.”

Pod:  “Yeah, and I bet no-one complained because the music was probably all good.”

DMA:  “You’re right, kind of! Everyone just kind of waited around, chatting, listening. Some of my friends actually spent most of the night outside in the smoking area, because they didn’t like the support. I didn’t mind it.

Pod:  “Yeah that’s what I mean, it shouldn’t be about seeing the headliner. It should be about about the music on the night, and that’s it! The classic gig format is just so… old hat, you know?!”

DMA: “Yeah it is old hat, I don’t really get how it could change though.”

Pod:  “Oh… You’ve never been to a R3cords gig before have you! I thought that was how you got in with the guys here… Wow! That’s something! You’re in for something special when you do! You really are!”

DMA:  “Well, you’ve peaked my interest, that’s for sure! So what is different? What’s so good about a R3cords show?”

Pod:  “Oh I’m not giving that one up! I’ve said to much already, and you don’t even know! Haha. You gonna have to talk to Biggs about that one. He’s the guy you need ask, and he’ll tell you!”

DMA:  “Alright, I will. I can’t believe I’ve never even heard of this!”

Pod:  “Hey, from what I hear, it’s as much about your journey as it is ours! So, just do your thing… Man, it’s gotta be cool to be you.”

DMA:  “Hah, well… Maybe I don’t know.”

Pod: “I mean, you’re getting to learn how it all works, fresh eyes. Wonder. You’ve got us all here itching to tell our stories to you and only you, when we can. The beauty of it is, you’re easy to talk to, and you’re interested in what we have to say. Because you want to know. It’s like tapping into a barrel of your favorite juice, and you’ve got it all to yourself!.. That’s gotta be cool right!? “

DMA:  “Yeah it is… “

Pod:  “…”

DMA:  “It’s really f**king cool! Actually..”

Pod:  “Heck yeah it is!”

DMA:  “alright yeah! I’ll talk to Biggs when he’s around. While I’ve still got you though. Can we talk about the ‘Witches’ album?”

Pod:  “Yeah sure! I thought we already did, but I’m good to talk about whatever.”

DMA:  “We did talk about it, in our last interview. But I kind of wanna go in a little deeper with it this time, if you don’t mind.”

Pod:  “Sounds good to me. We can talk about it for as long as it takes. I’m good all the way!”

DMA:  “Great stuff! Ahh, I tell you what! I’ll let you start, tell me about your favorite track on the album.”

Pod:  “My favorite track? Wow, I’ve never really categorized my own work like that before… I don’t know if I can even do that, you know! It just does not seem right?”

DMA:  “Oh ok! So you must have had a favorite memory whilst writing them or producing one of them perhaps?”

Pod:  “Hmmmmm… No I don’t think so, there’s like, good times and bad times in there. But it’s all stuff from inside you know!? I can’t categorize my emotions. I don’t know how I’m supposed to even start with that.”

DMA:  “How about the one that made you feel the best?

Pod:  “The best what?”

DMA: “Happiness, that’d be your favorite!”

Pod:  “As opposed to the best sadness? I can’t really say that that would make it any less important, being honest.”

DMA:  “No because sadness would be the worst.”

Pod:  “Why would sadness be the worst? I don’t think it is. It’s important to remember the sadness as much as it’s important to remember the happiness. It’s what you learn from, or do with it, that makes it truly count for something.”

Keep reading ↓

DMA:  “Yeah ok, I see what you’re saying here. alright… I’d like to hear what ‘Dancing With The Demons Under My Bed’ is all about. The title really interests me.”

Pod:  “Ah, haha. Well, I’ll tell you all about that one! But first, before I do. Could you tell me what you think it’s about?”

DMA:  “Erm, yeah sure. Why not!.. “

Pod:  “…”

DMA:  “I think it’s got to be like some kind of a metaphor. Kind of like playing with fire in some way right? Or knowing your enemy, or keeping them close, or something like that. Am I right?”

Pod: “No, not really… Hahaha. Like I said before, all my music comes from my own experience. It’s all my own memories, my own emotions. My music is the transmutation of my own witness of any chosen moment. You should take my titles with a little less salt maybe, if you get what I mean.”

DMA:  “So are you saying it’s more… Literal?”

Pod:  “That’s exactly what I’m saying! The demons were my friends. Well kind of, let me explain. You must have heard about kids with imaginary friends before right? Well, when I was a kid I had two! They both lived under my bed. They weren’t scary or anything, they were nice, fun actually! We’d play chase, dance to music together. Sometimes we’d have a go on the karaoke, which was always funny because they both had these really un-worldly voices!”

DMA:  “Is that what I can hear in the track? Their voices?”

Pod:  “Yeah!… Well, a re-creation of them at least… I miss them…”

DMA:  “So this track is you, remembering your old friends, having fun together.”

Pod:  “Correct!”

DMA: “When did they… Go?”

Pod: “Damn… I haven’t thought about that one for a while… Just a second…”

DMA: “Oh erm, no no, you take your time.

Pod:  “… They didn’t go. I never just stopped believing in them and then that was it, gone. It was nothing like that. What happened to both of them, it was an accident… It was just… Horrible… And I couldn’t, do anything… I was just a kid…”

DMA: “…”

Pod:  “I woke up one night, choking. I didn’t understand it at the time, it was like the air was thick. Everything was so dark, I couldn’t see anything, even when I went over to my window.”

DMA: “Your house was on fire?”

Pod: “My parents were out that night, but the insurance people tried to say it wasn’t an accident. It destroyed them. Not just because they lost their home, but because they were blamed for it too.”

DMA:  “What happened to you? How did you get out?”

Pod:  “I started banging on the window, grasping for the handles trying to open it somehow… Oni grabbed a hold of me, pulling me down to the floor. I took the deepest breath I had ever taken before, and then there was this loud smash at the window… Some light began to trickle into the room through the smoke. Through the silhouette I could make out Menoetius, standing there with his fist through the window… But now the smoke just seemed to move around more, it writhed…Chaos… I tried to get up, to maybe get to the window and shout for help, but Oni still held me tightly. I wriggled, trying to get free. But I could feel myself getting weaker every second, every breath. So I gasped again, as deep as I could…  Again I could make out Menoetius, but this time he was towering over me… Holding my wardrobe above his head. He gave out this tremendous roar as he poised back… And with all his might, he threw it at the window. Smashing the whole damn thing open, it broke some of the wall off too!”

DMA:  “Your… Friend, smashed the window open with your wardrobe?”

Pod:  “He did. And then he disappeared off into the smoke… I noticed that Oni had let go of me, so I get up… And I just kind of walk over to this gaping hole where my window used to be… The smoke was pouring out around me, and I stood at the edge looking down. I was one floor up, and there was nothing but bushes, flowers and grass below… I had this idea in my head that we could all jump out together. It wasn’t far, we’d be ok… But as I turned around… In my peripheral I noticed Oni running at me, arms stretched forwards… And then Oni, she shoved me. Hard… And I just fell… For what felt like, forever. Until I hit the flower bed… The world felt misaligned… I just laid there, on the ground… I just watched the smoke pouring out the window, and then the smoke turned into flames… I heard this colossal roar come from the house, and all three of our cats came flying out the window, landing in a tree at the end of the garden… Then I heard this screech, with crashing  overtaken by the roar of the fire as the whole house completely went up…”

DMA: “They saved you… They saved you and your cats…”

Pod: “… I miss them… I miss them everyday..”

DMA: “… So the track, is this what it’s all about? the fire?

Pod:  “It’s about the fun that we had, the times I wish we still could have. It’s those little moments where we’d joke around, sing and dance together. It’s the emptiness I feel now, it’s all the love I’ve always felt for them. It’s all of us together. That’s it really… I don’t know how else to say it.”

DMA: “… Wow, alright yeah, I get it, yeah. I really do.. That’s just.. Yeah that’s brilliant, thanks! Thanks for that! Thanks for sharing. Really! “

Pod:  “… It’s cool. You know, it’s hard to go through things like that sometimes… But it really helps you know!? Thanks man.”

DMA: “Your welcome… Did I help you heal just then?”

Pod: “HAHA, no I’m 35, trust me! I’m healed, it’s the reminiscence part. It’s nice to feel.”

“The smoke was pouring out around me, and I stood at the edge looking down”

This interview was amazing, I really didn’t expect Pod to tell us such a heart wrenching story about his imaginary friends. And I’ve just realized how silly I just made the whole thing seem. No! All respect to him, I loved every minute! I can’t wait for our next interview! I’d like to delve into his other tracks from the album. So cheers to Pod, and here’s to Menoetius and Oni… I’ll remember you both.       

Subscribe now, and keep up to date!

Follow R3cords on a variety of your preferred social media platforms. Also, if you're a real fan! You should also consider subscribing to the mailing list, for biweekly updates on the latest news, announcements, music releases, videos or whatever's been happening!

Chase Lumen Talks About Chase and the Dead

Chase Lumen Talks About Chase and the Dead

R3cords

Interviews

Chase Lumen Talks About Chase and the Dead

Chase talks about Chase and The Dead, a now disbanded underground progressive indie band. WE also touch a little bit on WHAT HAPPENED leading up to the disbandment, and just how things were throughout. ↓

Chase Lumen Talks About Chase and the Dead

Written by

This was my first meeting with Chase Lumen, we did a short interview and then we chatted for a while afterwards. This was when he gave me a copy of his new emblem. He wanted me to give a brief explanation on the design, I will do an article about it in the future. But here’s the short one; 
The emblem shows a Raven on a shield with its wings spread high and looking towards the observer, Chase Lumen is written on the scroll below.
It is important to note; the head of the Raven is in skull form which also sits upon its feathery hackles.
Finally in a display of transcendence the Ravens wings can be seen breaking out through the top of the shield.

       

 

DMA:  “Right ,so! Chase!… This… is our very first interview together!”

Chase:  “Uhm, that’s quite true yes. Bit of a strange way to start an interview I might add, but I wont hold it against you. How are you? You look a little nervous, or ill… I can’t really tell.”

DMA:  “No, actually. I was running a little bit late, but It was fine in the end. I’ve heard quite a lot about you actually and to be honest, I didn’t really know what to expect. I’ve really been looking forward to this interview to be honest… I didn’t sleep well, I was making sure I’d got all the right questions to ask.”

Chase:  “Haha, We’ve got all the time in the world mate. I’m always good for one of these, so if we miss anything, you know… We do another one another time, and another.”

DMA:  “Yeah I know, I think it’s just because I hadn’t met you till today, I’ve met everybody else and only really heard about you, until now of course. What I’m saying is, it’s nice to finally put a face and a voice to this… Legend I’ve been hearing about, every day, since I became the author of the site.”

Chase: “And to yourself actually… Same. I’ve been reading a lot through the articles you’ve done recently, it’s just really nice to see things on the site going out there finally!”

DMA:  “Yeah, I’m absolutely loving it! I really, really wanted this job, it’s kid of weird… It’s like, I actually asked the universe for this exact job! Not exact, because I’d never heard of R3cords before, but then I met both Biggs and Mr Stuart and they just told me about all this, and… long story short, I said YES… And here we are now!”

Chase:  “That’s nice, I know funding was a real issue from the start, and that they’d been digging deep into their own pockets to get this far. So how does it feel to be the first official R3cords employee?”

DMA:  “It’s unreal! It’s really, something! I can’t actually imagine myself doing anything else anymore.”

Chase:  “Would you still do it if the money stopped coming in?”

DMA:  “I’d like to say so, I think I would! I’d obviously need a second job though.”

 

 

Chase:  “Well, that’s how you know… Isn’t it? If it’s what you are?! That thing that makes you, you! It’s a nice feeling to have, when you find it… The thing that gives you purpose, that you could just do forever.”

DMA:  “Yeah, I think this is that, exactly. Although I think we’ve gone way deep, way to quick here. It’s nice though. Don’t get me wrong.”

Chase:  “Ah haha, I wouldn’t have put it like that, but yeah haha. “

DMA:  “Haha, no really this is… I think, no I’d say… I know, this is me. This is what I am, this is what I do.

Chase:  “This is who we are, this is what we do!”

DMA: “…Yeah all of us!”

Chase:  “Yeah exactly haha, I was doing a thing!..”

DMA: “A thing? What do you mean?”

Chase:  “You’ve got your thing, I’ve got mine! If you aint got it yet, you might in time!.. How about that! I’m a poet and I don’t know it.”

DMA:  “You can make a rhyme, every time!”

Chase:  “Haha.”

DMA:  “I know that, what was it from?”

Chase:  “I think it’s one of those cliché tropes you’ll find anywhere to be honest. Actually I might be wrong, but there was a cartoon from a while back called Johnny Bravo. I think he might have said that at some point. I was just a kid back then so like I said, could be wrong…”

DMA:  “Actually, yeah! It rings a bell! I’m not too sure though.”

Chase: “Ahh, it doesn’t really matter to be honest.”  

DMA:  “Hah no, we should probably get on with the interview now. So!.. I’ve got questions, many questions… I love asking questions.”

Chase: “That’s Great! I love answering them! And I bet! You probably didn’t know that about me, am I right?!”

DMA:  “No I didn’t actually! But that’s why we’re doing the interview so I can find out, but at a guess, I’d say you must… At least just a little bit.”

 

 

Chase:  “Well yeah! There’s definitely some truth in that, I guess the easy way to say it would be that I just like having fun in conversation. Erm, like for instance, have you ever heard of misdirection?”

DMA:  “Yeah, pretty sure, kind of like the slight of hand, card tricks, rabbit in a hat, all that stuff right?”

Chase:  “There is, those things yes. I could list off a lot more too. My favorite use of it was actually from those choose your own adventure books, have you ever read any of them?”

DMA:  “Yes, of course… Well just one, back in school. I kept unintentionally starting the story over… It’s funny actually, because I would always choose the safer option and it’d take me back to the beginning every time.”

Chase:  “Ahhh you got stuck in a loop, the old classic perpetual spiral, the ultimate blunder, the unending  goof, the cycle of misfortune!.. Haha I don’t know why I’m saying it like that, dramatic effect maybe!”

DMA:  “Hah, I think I know what you were going for to be honest. I’m going to have to change the subject though… Time n’all that!”

Chase: “Sure thing! You’re the boss!”

DMA:  “I’ll just jump to it, so… Chase and the Dead. Tell me about it, what happened?”

Chase:  “Ahh, OK. So, as you probably already know, we were a err, progressive indie band. I’ve never really cared about getting the sub genre naming convention right, I’ve always preferred to just focus on the writing, than putting effort into caring about how much of an individual people people want me to label myself as… I’m so bored of having to explain myself to people! As though I should care what people think about what genre or style I align myself with. Like some rich bourgeois poser from a middle class family who pretends to rebel, making out he’s damaged and that no one understands. But really he’s just trying to get laid… There’s no love or respect for the music. It’s just a phase for them… Hang on, I’ve just realized I’ll stop ranting… Ugh, it’s because I was talking to some guy earlier and he just went on and on about *the struggle* you know?!.. I mean! His Dad bought him a brand new car this year! and he’s 32! What struggle?! He’s not even moved out yet, when he could, because he actually has a good job!.. I feel like I only go to open night mic nights nowadays to just get annoyed at people.”

DMA:  “Hah, well I guess you could call that your struggle!”

Chase:  “Hah! You’re not kidding, haha! But yeah anyway, the band had been going from around 2005, up until 2019. So, 14 years! That’s a long time now I think about it. Never really thought about how much time had actually passed before. I started young with it, I was 17 when we started the band. 31 when we split. Nothings really changed for us lot though, we still hang out like we always have. The only difference being that we just do our own thing with music now instead, you know!? “

DMA:  “Yeah, I’ve talked to Rip Damon in private about some of the things that happened with the band. He didn’t disclose anything about yourself though, he said it’d be better coming from you.”

Chase:  “Yeah, he’s fair like that. We’d all been talking about it for years really, we were all writing our own stuff, some of us had things they just want to go and do. Create our own things. I personally was wanting to go more experimental with my own stuff, with out any restrictions.”

DMA:  “Well, I know there’s more to it than that. I know there was an event that triggered the decision… And I know we’ve definitely got to talk about that.”

Chase:  “You mean the break up… My break up… Yeah, I’m gonna be honest mate! I  really don’t like going there, In my head. It destroyed me… And when it happened, I was done… So that was the best time for everyone to just take some time for themselves, you know!… I don’t want to get into the details today though… So let’s just say, my break up was the catalyst in starting up what we had already had planned out for a while.”

DMA:  “Chase, thanks for sharing. you don’t need to go into it today, we’ll cover it another time. When you’re ready. But at least we now know the why… So how about maybe for now, we just talk about what the band was all about.”

Chase:  “Yeah ok! ahh, so like I said earlier, we’d been together for about 14 years, but I’d say, 10 of those were us being active, you know! Like gigs and all that. Those empty 4 years were kind of just little breaks and time spent reworking our sets, you know!”

DMA:  “So were you guys, quite proactive when it came to making new material?”

Chase:  “Oh yeah absolutely! I’m always writing something, whether or not it’d become something we’d actually use, wasn’t that important, because it’s just what I do. For myself more than anything. But sometimes I just really had to get something out there, you know! I’d write everything, because I had the whole piece in my head. When I’d show the band something new, I’d tell them what I wanted and what sort of sound I wanted in what places.. And that synchronization with what I wanted, they just played it. Like, they all just knew what was going on in my head. I’ve played with loads of other people, other bands… And I’ve had not had any pure, synchronicities, not like I’ve ever had with these guys. We just worked, it’s like when you solve a puzzle and everything just fits together. No friction, no egos, no stress… It just worked… We’d usually work on around 4 tracks a month, although most of them never got recorded. We’d just test them out, see what the crowd thought, and judge it that way… If they didn’t like it, we’d scrap it!”

“We just worked, it’s like when you solve a puzzle and everything just fits together. No friction, no egos, no stress… It just worked… “

I really enjoyed this interview. I’d been wanting to meet Chase since I first heard about him. He comes across as a really cool guy, he’s got his head screwed on and I like that. Unfortunately I had to leave the official interview there though. There’s definitely plenty more I want to talk to him about, which will be brought up in the next interview, hopefully very soon!   

Subscribe now, and keep up to date!

Follow R3cords on a variety of your preferred social media platforms. Also, if you're a real fan! You should also consider subscribing to the mailing list, for biweekly updates on the latest news, announcements, music releases, videos or whatever's been happening!

Rip Damon Talks About In Memoriam Pt 1

Rip Damon Talks About In Memoriam Pt 1

R3cords

Interviews

Rip Damon Talks About In Memoriam Pt 1

Rip finally opens up about his debut album; In Memoriam Pt. 1, released back in July 2019. ↓

Rip Damon Talks About In Memoriam Pt 1

Written by

Rip Damon is one of R3cords’s original “day one” artists and has currently released two albums to date. (at the point of writing this article) During this time he has remained quite elusive to the public eye, performing very few live shows annually and has had very little social media presence.

So the point of this interview, is to simply just find out what’s been happening with him and to simply just talk about his debut album. If you’ve not had a listen through it yet, it’s now available on all of the music streaming platforms out there. The image of the record is also a Spotify link to the album, so give it a click and add it to your playlist!    

 

DMA:  “Hey Rip, how’s it going?”

Rip:  “Yeah good man, yourself?”

DMA: “Brilliant, actually… It’s been about two months now hasn’t it?

Rip:  “Yeah I think so, the last time I saw you was the day you got this job actually! Doing all the website stuff! How’re you liking it?”

DMA:  “Well of course, I’m loving it, it’s like a dream! I can’t imagine doing anything else anymore.”

Rip:  “That’s nice man, you get to do your thing! Not everyone gets to do the things that they love doing everyday. It’s awesome!”

DMA:  “Yeah I’m pretty lucky, I guess.”

Rip:  “Yeah you are, but don’t let ’em push you around or abuse the fact if you know what I mean.”

DMA:  “I get it, don’t worry I’ve had a lot jobs before this one and this is the most stress free job ever, trust me.”

Rip: “Hah yeah I’m sure it is, so erm…  What is this interview about exactly? I heard you wanted to talk about my past or something?”

DMA:  “We do yea… I mean, I do! Actually I want to talk to you, about your debut album; In Memoriam Pt.1. There’s not been a write up or any actual interviews prior to this, about you or the album so!… There’s no better time or place than now I guess!”

Rip:  “Hah-hmm, yeah I know what you mean. I’ve know I’ve been terrible in terms of getting myself out there, I remember around the time of the albums release… Personally, I wasn’t in a good place. I should of been! But I wasn’t, it all felt like a balancing act. On one side I’ve got my music and performing it, and on the other… “

DMA:  “I heard.. you, was going through a lot of personal stuff.”

Rip:  “Personal stuff?… Hmph, It’s true, but it feels like so much.. Of an understatement in all honesty.”

DMA:  “Ok, well I don’t want you to dive all the way in to that just yet. I know it’s been tough for a lot of people this last couple of years, and that’s not to make light over yourself of course! Because I’m sure that’s had an effect on what you were able to do, thinking live performances and so on.”

Rip:  “Oh yes, absolutely! Not that that’s really bothered me completely. I like doing live shows but that’s not really what drives me, To be honest you can hear that in my music. It’s great for chilling out to… I don’t really care about commanding a room full of people to the beat. Don’t get me wrong though, those are great times to be had… The greatest, sometimes! But it’s not me, you know! Some of the best times I’ve ever had with music, are just laying back, chilling out and just really listening to it, you know? “

DMA:  “I completely agree!  I love chilling out to a nice chilled beat, it’s a really welcome contrast when you want to take a break from one room to the next.”

Rip:  “Hah, you’re talking about like when you’re a night club aren’t you? or a festival, with the themed tents and everything?”

DMA:  “I am yes! I’m still missing all that at the minute to be honest! After lockdown lifted this year I still couldn’t get any tickets.”

Rip:  “I feel that! I mean the whole thing has definitely changed how I wanted to carry on, I had a few regular nights going. Sometimes just my own original stuff, sometimes just a mix of everything, like some kind of human jukebox… And obviously I prefer people connecting to my music. But in all honesty, what all this time off really made me realize is, is that what I actually really love doing… What really makes me happy… Is the creation part, it’s exactly why I produce music full time at R3cords now! There’s nothing that makes me more excited than the idea of taking on a new music project.”

DMA:  “So what you’re saying is that you’re just a producer now? you don’t want to be a performer or an entertainer?”

Rip:  “Well, I never really wanted to be any of those things, I just did the live part because I felt like I had too, and it was a few extra quid in my pocket… I just worked hard doing what I loved doing, but not thinking about it, and over time things just change and you look back at what you’re doing, and you just ask yourself… Are you actually happy?”

DMA:  “Wow, I actually feel like I’ve been where you’re saying right now… It’s the main reason I took this job actually.”

Rip:  “I know right? I’ve never really enjoyed personal fame, you know! And yeah I get how ironic that is, but as Rip Damon the Artist… It’s more about my mind and your own being the product. If you understand that.”

DMA:  “Yeah I think I do… So jumping back to you solely be a producer now, like… Does everything you produce sound like the albums you’ve released? You know, with your own signature style or flare”

Pod:  “No not really, as an artist I do my own thing. It’s just me, expressing myself.”

DMA:  “So when you produce for other people….”

Rip:  “I get to know them, and I try to capture as much of their own essence into the music as possible. Let it just shine out! You know? It should sound like they’re there in front of you… If it sounded like my own stuff, it’d be more of a collaboration effort than anything else, and of course that’s always something I might be open to doing, because it could be quite interesting… But also I love just doing my job.”

DMA:  “Ok I get that, so nowadays you mostly focus on professionally producing music?”

Rip:  “Exactly yeah, I will still be releasing my own stuff as well… Down the line. The plan with my own stuff has not really changed much in all honesty. I know Biggs has been looking at ways to get more visual stuff out there, and I’m not sure if I’m supposed to be saying this but,  the biggest issue with the label at the minute are the budget constraints.”

DMA:  “I’ll check with them before I publish the interview. But he told me that EVERYTHING  goes, so I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

Rip:  “Hmmm, zero marketing budget, zero… budget, in lots of things actually, but… We’re busy, pushing forward for those things at least.”

DMA: “Yeah, it’s a labor of love… At least I get paid.”

Rip:  “Haha, lucky you ey!”

DMA:  “We err, need to get back on track actually… So jumping back again, what was your approach to this album? And what is it about?”

Rip:  “Well… My approach to this album, was the same in all my music really. I have this kind of personal philosophy that writing music should be a very personal thing, specially when it’s origin is internal. I’m not a lyricist but I write poetry, I always write a free verse for every track that I do, and  sometimes even draw an image to go with it as well.”

DMA:  “Are you talking about writing from the soul?”

Rip:  “Erm… I guess that’s one way of putting it. I’m a lover of classical music but I don’t like writing it. I’m also a lover of most modern composers, like those in the movies. The best composers are really great at capturing emotion in their music, and I absolutely love that! The idea of leading emotion with music is something as old as music itself. But then one day I had this thought, what if I take the idea of leading emotion with music, first with the idea of creating an idea for the listener which I then guide that idea with the music.”

DMA:  “errr, I know what you’re saying, but isn’t that what a song is anyway?”

Rip:  “Well, yes and no. Because you can just listen to it, like it, think it’s cool or whatever. But then there’s more to it than it being just a cool track or whatever. It’s kind of difficult to say exactly what it is to me, because it is me, and I’ve never really tried to properly put it into words. It’ll be easier if I just bounce off what you ask I guess. Haha.”

DMA:  “Yeah OK, so what I think you’re saying is that you’re trying to paint a picture with the music?”

Rip:  “Almost yeah, because a single painted picture will always be the same, but painting a picture in the mind is very different, because it will always be different. I often meditate nowadays, it really helps me unwind and get my head straight. There’s an abundance of meditation music and guided meditations out there also. It’s the guided meditations that I could probably mostly relate my music to. But instead of holding your hand the whole way through, I seed the initial idea and then you do what you will with it, and the track plays out. Now obviously if you just found my music on Spotify and you pick a track, close your eyes and listen through. You might have a nice day dream with it, you might even feel something.. But the context isn’t all there so you’re not getting the full journey intended from the seeded idea. The seeded idea is the title of the track with its free verse and the image, all of this together should be your base point, before you listen to the track.”

DMA:  “So what you…Wow, so what you’re saying is that I actually haven’t experienced your music properly yet? Because I’ll be honest with you, all I’ve done so far is just listen to it in my car! Because that’s just how I listen to music. I’ve got good subwoofers in there and everything!”

Rip:  “Haha, let me just say it first, there are no rules OK! you can listen to my music however the hell you like haha, and to be honest that sounds like a cool way to do it. But you should try it at least once, just to see where your mind goes. The music, the writing and the imagery, it all comes deep from my own experience in a relatable way. I’ve never just thrown something together, it all means a lot to me, and when I construct a melody or an abstract sound, it has a purpose, it means something. It’s deeply internal and it’s tied intrinsically to an emotion when I do this.”

DMA: “You’re making me feel like I’ve been missing out on something now, haha!!”

Rip:  “Well, if you do! You know! let me know if you have a little journey or something. I like hearing what people experience.”

DMA:  “That’s quite interesting actually, so do people ever have similar experiences from the same ahhm, seeded idea?”

Rip:  “In some cases, there have been similar experiences, yes. But they’re similar from a more metaphoric standpoint than literal. The interest I have in the experience part comes from my own personal interests in psychology. The experience is pretty much a daydream which has simply been given a contextual aesthetic, in which your subconscious then fills in the rest. “

DMA:  “OK so are you a scientist as well or a psychologist or something like that?”

Rip:  “No, not really. I know what I know from books, it’s all personal research and curiosity. I had a difficult childhood, I suffered from depression at very young age, I got my first job at 13 to help my mum, I loved school but I was never really there… I had to help out with my baby sister. I used to steal books from book shops because I was banned from every library. I wanted to learn everything, I wanted win the Nobel prize. I wanted to save us.”

DMA:  “That’s… Really admirable… So have you ever gone on to learn and get a degree or…?”

Rip:  “I’ve done all the free courses online! I’ve never had the money, and life has a way of distracting you when you could, or really should do something. And actual help from someone is something that seemed so alien to me… You know, I could rant on for ages about how long I’ve gone through most of my life, saying that I’m the only person that I can ever truly rely on. Everyone one wants a piece of you, and as soon you ascend to some place better they’ll do what they can to drag you back. Clawing and scraping… I’ve been to some dark, dark… Very dark places. And it was me, that pulled myself out of them… It was me wanting to understand. You know! Maybe if I learned about the mind, maybe I could control it better, re-wire it… Stay as far away as possible from the dark places in there. You know, and eventually I realized that there’s just so much cause and effect to everything. All this control I was obsessed with mastering, just didn’t matter anymore.

 

DMA:  “Are you saying you came to the conclusion that you just can’t control how you feel?”

Rip:  “No, because I believe you can, to a certain degree… What I really came to the conclusion of, was the fact that all of a sudden, I was a 30 year old man with no real qualifications, a terrible job and renting a tiny moldy flat. That realization was literally how long it took for me to get my life together. There’s no fault there, because some people never do. Some had it easy and sorely sadly, some don’t even make it…”

DMA: “… So erm, is this album about your life experiences, the ups and the downs?”

Rip:  “Well, I’d say it’s as much about my own experience, as much as it is about your own, or anybody else’s. I don’t even think that just an experience solely does it justice either, because in all honesty, I think a better way of explaining it is that the idea is more archetypal to the human experience. So again, It’s not necessarily about any particular unique and personal events that have happened, but there are contextual stories to the notion of each track, in effect making them archetypal metaphors.”

 

 

 

DMA:  “OH, so it sounds like that you’re doing something with music, that’s actually in the realm of tarot almost?”

Rip:  “In a way, yeah. There’s definitely a kinship there, in regards to the psychological effect that it can have. That said, it could be an alternative parallel to tarot. Although  this is very much an introspective exercise of the imagination, over it being an external intuitive reading to reflect upon.”

DMA:  “So if it’s an introspective thing, does that make it dangerous or risky in any way.”

Rip:  “… That depends on what you mean by dangerous or risky. I mean, my journey to even arrive at this, was starting at the idea of putting some kind order to the chaos. There’s absolutely no intent on what I do being some kind of miracle elixir in any way. It’s an exercise, with the seeded idea of an archetypal metaphor. You start with this, and then your subconscious in effect then supersedes the initial idea. The intended experience is to have a contextually controlled day dream that is representative to a small degree of the human experience. It’s something that I’ve been building upon since I was 7… But that’s something I don’t want to get into right now…”

 

 

DMA:  “No no! That’s fine! We’ve got something to cover on our next interview! I just want to touch again with the risks or dangers…”

Rip:  “In all honesty, for anyone to say that simply thinking is a dangerous or risky thing to do…I’m sure you’d be quickly labelled as some kind of vile despot! Of course, that being said without any actual contextual motives on why that’s a good thing… But to say it practically, just don’t do it whilst driving a car, or any other kind of machine really… Just stop and take a moment! I mean that’s an obvious one, but I feel like it needs to be said. Now, in terms of your own mind? hah! I’d hate to be someone who was afraid to at the least, think on purpose! We watch films, documentaries and listen to music to alter our moods everyday, you can be guided in a way to feel anything from pure illation to being completely devastated. We tend to reflect on those moments we witness, we learn and even sometimes we emulate them. In this context I could relate a lot of music, films and tv shows to being very much like a tarot reading. It’s all laid out there in front of you, and you either relate to the story being told to you, or you don’t, heck! you might even learn something. “

 

 

“In all honesty, for anyone to say that simply thinking is a dangerous or risky thing to do…I’m sure you’d be quickly labelled as some kind of vile despot!”

After this interview, I’ve got to be honest, I had to have a little sit down to simply just begin to process what had Rip talked about. I feel like I’m going to have to do another interview or two, just on this album alone because I feel like we’ve barely even brushed the surface with it so far.

The images and accompanying free verses are planned to be available to buy as booklets once more funds have been risen.

The image peripherals however are currently available to view on Rip Damon’s Instagram now. 

Subscribe now, and keep up to date!

Follow R3cords on a variety of your preferred social media platforms. Also, if you're a real fan! You should also consider subscribing to the mailing list, for biweekly updates on the latest news, announcements, music releases, videos or whatever's been happening!

My First Conversation With Prince Of Darkness

My First Conversation With Prince Of Darkness

R3cords

Interviews

My First Conversation With Prince Of Darkness

This is a first look into the artist, prince of darkness. we touched lightly on his image, we talk about his album ‘witches’. and a little bit about his next project with another artist. ↓

My First Conversation With Prince Of Darkness

Written by

After meeting Pod for the first time you’d definitely find that he is absolutely a much more complex individual than you would give him credit for, specially at a first glance. I’m not gonna lie, I was expecting some kind of dark brooding edge-lord. But what I actually got was a nice friendly guy, humble. A guy who just loves making music, and the thing is again with that, I was expecting something loud, something “doomy”. But it’s not! His music is so much more chilled and relaxing than anything I would of imagined just from his name alone. So the first question I had to ask him was; “So, what’s with the name?” And I could see that he knew exactly what I meant by that. He answered in a nice Southern American English accent, which I did not expect. Saying; “Well, it’s been my name since birth and even though I’ve pretty much had to explain it my whole life, I respect my parents enough to keep it. To be honest, most people just call me Pod, and I’m cool with that.” ……      

 

DMA:  “So, what’s with the name?”

Pod:  “Well, it’s been my name since birth and even though I’ve pretty much had to explain it my whole life, I respect my parents enough to keep it. To be honest, most people just call me Pod, and I’m cool with that.”

DMA:  “Wow, so you’re actually The Prince of Darkness then? officially!”

Pod:  “Haa, well no. Not really, The Prince of Darkness is pretty much just a title, and the thing about titles is, they come and go… My name is, Prince Of Darkness… You can’t take that away from me.”

DMA:  “That’s actually really cool, I’m guessing your parents must pretty interesting people then?”

Pod: “Interesting?… you could say that, I guess… I love ’em, but they’ll always seem pretty normal to me though.”

 

DMA:  “Hah, yeah I get that, it’s nice… In my experience, interesting people tend to make interesting people.” 

Pod:  “Hmm. There’s definitely truth in that!”

DMA:  “While we’re on the subject of what’s interesting, that mask you wear.”

Pod:  “You mean my head?”

DMA:  “Haha, yeah… So what’s it about? Did you make it yourself?”

Pod:  “Well, yeah. Kinda… It’s my head.”

DMA:  “Ok, erm. Yeah, so are you kind of going for one of those characterized looks like those other masked artists like Deadmau5 have?”

Pod:  “No, dude. Again, it’s my head. I aint going for a look, it’s just me. That’s it”

DMA:  “Alright if you say so. I’m just saying what other people will probably think. Like that your mouth doesn’t move when you talk”

 

 Pod:  “I didn’t know it had to! I seem to do a pretty good job at it.”

DMA:  “Yeah you do! … I guess errm, music… You released an album last year, ‘Witches’. Tell me about it! What inspired it?”

Pod:  “Well… It’s 10 instrumental tracks I put together, each track is based on a personal experience. It’s something I learnt about from a good friend of mine.”

DMA:  “You’re talking about Rip Damon, right?”

Pod:  “Yeah, it’s where you seed an idea and use the emotion of your experience, putting it into the music as you create it. Making a kind of variable sound picture, in a way. The idea is to create metaphors in the mind almost, like how you might interpret a dream for instance.”

DMA: “That’s actually really awesome! I didn’t expect that kind of interpretation to be honest.”

Pod:  “Hahaha, why not?”

DMA:  “I don’t know really, I’ve never really thought about it that way. Like when you go and watch somebody do a show, the music is there to dance to, and you listen to the lyrics you absorb the message through the words. Something like that.”

Pod:  “Yeah, I get that. Music is always there to dance to, providing it feels right of course. This album doesn’t have a message though, not an agenda at least. It’s something to just absorb and enjoy in your own way, chillout and relax. The emotions they evoke for me personally are probably a lot different  to how it might make you feel for example; you’ve lived a very different life to me, so certain things will effect you in different ways compared to me.”

DMA:  “Yeah I get that, so everyone relates in their own way drawing on their own experiences and all that.”

 

 

Pod:  “You could say that, but if we’re talking about the ‘Witches’ album, it’s simply just purely myself sharing my own emotions with the world. I never really put any thought into how other people might perceive it or even perceive myself through it, in all honesty.”

DMA:  “So how about in the future then? Will you be putting much thought into how people might perceive your next project, or any agenda it might have? .. not that it needs one obviously”

Pod:  “That’s a good question actually, because I’ve been working on the tracks for the next album just recently. And what you just asked was actually something we were just debating the other day.”

DMA:  “We?”

Pod:  “We, being myself and Chase Lumen, you’ve met right?.”

DMA:  “Yeah I know of Chase! He’s the singer that was just signed to R3cords but he hasn’t actually released anything yet.”

Pod: “That’s the guy! .. Yeah, we were recently discussing what some of the lyrics should be about, because he’s already got his own thing going on, with his own style and everything. So him doing his own thing to my stuff doesn’t really make sense.”

DMA:  “So by that, do you mean he’s gonna kind of work close with you lyrically? like working with some direction from you, or something like that?”

Pod:  “Pretty much yeah, it’s just difficult at the minute because of all the personal stuff he’s going through. It’s cool though it’s just a time thing … I’m just working on the music for now, in the same way I did for the last album! But this time I’ll be seeding him the ideas from the emotions I put in, for Chase to write and perform the lyrics to.”

DMA:  “That sounds incredible Pod, I’m really looking forwards to hearing what you two can create together!”

Pod:  “Haha, yeah me too actually.”

 

“it’s where you seed an idea and use the emotion of your experience, putting it into the music as you create it. Making a kind of variable sound picture, in a way.”

This was my first interview with Pod, and I left it feeling like I’d barely scratched the surface with him. He’s clearly absorbed by this character he sees himself as, and I’d really like to get to know a little more about his background. But I guess that’ll have to wait until the next interview.   

Subscribe now, and keep up to date!

Follow R3cords on a variety of your preferred social media platforms. Also, if you're a real fan! You should also consider subscribing to the mailing list, for biweekly updates on the latest news, announcements, music releases, videos or whatever's been happening!