INTERVIEW with I FEEL LIKE NICK CAVE (Turkey)

by Guray

1. When I heard you band for the first time on Relapse compilation, one name came to my mind immediatelly. A Turkish band called NEKROPSI. Since you have a chance to listen their album, let me know what do you think about.

KH: Yeah, I listened to that Nekropsi record you sent me. I can see what you mean, even though none of us were familiar with them when we recorded 'No Interference'. The production even sounds similar! It's a cool disc. I like it. Some of it also reminded me of a band called Thought Industry. By the way, I have to say I love a lot of the Turkish music you send Hoak. Baris Manco rules!

2. When you started the band do you want to be an instrumental trio or it happen because you can't find a good vocalist in your neighbourhood :) ? Don't you wonder how it can sound Dysrhythmia with vocals?

KH: It was always our intent to keep Dysrhythmia an instrumental band. Once we tried vocals with Clayton singing, as an experiment, but we decided it would be best to concentrate on writing purely instrumental music. We never sought to find a vocalist. People have e mailed us before asking to audition but we turn them down. We're not interested.

3. How it's happen to work with S. Albini on your new album? Was he your choice or label's advice? What kind of producer is he, trying to force his way of working or let you do whatever you want?

KH: It was our idea to work with Albini. We thought he would be the best choice to capture what we wanted and were never able to achieve before, which was an accurate representation of our band playing live together as a unit. He mainly stays out of your way when you're working. He would tell us if he thought a take was good or not, but didn't let us get too carried away with doing ten million takes in a row like we had done on previous recordings. So, he had some input and we would take his advice, but ultimately he is more concerned with getting the instruments to sound good and then the rest is up to you to play great.

4. Your previous album was recorded almost live with only few overdubs, what about Pretest?

KH: 'Pretest' has the least amount of overdubs than any of our other records. There's only 2 overdubs and they're both just guitar. One is the doubled harmonics on "Annihilation II" and the other is the brief guitar solo in the middle of "And Just Go". That's it.

5. How did you choose the songtitles? Some of them must be linked with real life such as "my relationship"..."catalog of personal faults"?

KH: Yeah, usually the titles are inspired by life experiences or the emotions the music may bring out. Some of them I think are pretty obvious like "Catalog of Personal Faults", while others like "Running Shoe of Justice" is more just like a mood or a feel. A feeling of triumph I like to think! That title we didn't come up with ourselves, someone shouted it at a show when the song didn't have a title yet.

6. It seems that you are a pretty much live band. You are playing live a lot. So is this intensive touring help you to mature as a musicans and as a friends? Dysrhythmia must be more that "3 dudes playing together" type of band?

KH: Yes, touring has helped us grow as a band immensely! You go through a lot on tour. You never know how each day is going to be, and it always has it's major ups and downs. You have to learn how to work together as a team and by that I don't just mean playing every night but also sharing duties like driving, dealing with promoters, loading gear in and out, finding places to stay and eat!

7. You played with a lot of different kind of bands from metal to indie. Do you change your playlist when playing in front of ugly metalheads for example with more "metalized" songs ?

KH: Not really, honestly. We almost always tend to play most of our more up-tempo, aggressive songs live anyway whether we're playing with metal bands or quiet indie rock bands. We're usually just bursting with energy when we get up there.

8. Making interviews with original bands like you is always a hard job. I am really out of questions right now :)! You probably are not interested into answering questions about punk ethics, heavy metal attitude or worshiping devil huh???

KH: No way Guray. I'm all about punk ethics, heavy metal attitude, and devil worship!!! What are your questions?

9. Well if you are ready for some heavy metal worshiping here we go! Do you remember your first touch with devil's music? I bet your first album was Iron Maiden or Kiss!

KH: No, I think the first record I bought was a Dokken record! I still remember how I got into heavy metal. I was in 3rd grade and the kids on the bus always had boom boxes and would blast AC/DC or Twisted Sister all the time on the ride to school. It didn't take long for the "majesty of rock" to cast it's evil spell on me. I never was a Kiss fan really. Iron Maiden rules of course. They were my first concert.

10. How is to work for Relapse records? What do you feel when you deal with some gore related stuffs such as Exhumed etc or some black metal extremists? Fun ???

KH: It's cool. The best part about it is the job is flexible because they understand I need to take time off to tour, etc. Relapse doesn't really deal with black metal, not as a label at least.

11. What do you think about negative criticism? Are music magazines and fanzines for fans or for business or for artist's pleasure? What was the most surprising response to your albums till now?

KH: I don't mind criticism at all if it's got a purpose or if I can tell they really listened to the record and felt things could be better. I don't like reviews where it's obvious they didn't even listen to the whole disc or just say it's a bunch of "wanking" or shit for people who work at Guitar Center. There's hardly even any guitar solos on the record, man! I guess the most surprising thing to me about the response has been how, overall, the European press doesn't seem to get what we do, especially the "no vocalist" aspect of it. I thought they would be more open-minded in general.

12. Do you think that feature of your interview in my zine will help me to find a way to the heart of girl I madly love???

KH: You? What about me!? Is this why you call your 'zine 'I Feel Like Nick Cave'? 'Cause you're sad and lonely?

13. What is the meaning of "success" in your life? Have you think what can happen if someday Dysrhythmia split-up?

KH: Writing new music that tops what we've done before...constant improvement, that's success to me. All three of us in Dysrhythmia have other musical outlets besides this band. We would probably just put more time into those if Dysrhythmia ceased to exist. If Dysrhythmia ended tomorrow, I would still feel proud of what we had accomplished thus far, but there's still so much left we've yet to do.