This "interview" was conducted with Nina of Yendri on 14-Aug-2010 Thanks Nina
From which country / town do you come from?
I was born in Hildesheim, Germany and live in Hamburg now
how are you doing? Where are you currently?
I'm at home and I'm fine.
Could you briefly summarize Yendri and what you guys are about?
It's just me, Nina Cording and I also do all the stuff from composition, lyrics, vocals, mixing, mastering, photography & artwork.It's all about the dark / melancholic side of life. So the styles re quite different, but the theme stays the same.
Nina what noise do you make in Yendri?
All :)
How's the start of 2010 been for you thus far?
Unspectacular.
Other incoming projects?
Musically none, just the songs I write from time to time.
If people don't know what you and your music are about where have they been!?,how would you describe yourself?
I'd tell them that it's a dark electronic music project.
If you could play a show anywhere in the world where would it be?
Somewhere in the USA where most of the fans are. Actually I could, but I don't have any plans for playing live.
What day jobs did you guys have while you were putting the band together?
I'm a programmer and designer, mostly for multimedia and internet projects. I do a lot of flash, games and so on.
What is your music background? Who are you and your bandmembers? Tell your story
I started making music back in 1992, I produced the first CD in 1999 and it got released 2000 then.My background in music is all kind of electronic and synthesizer music, quite a wide range.Among that Mike Oldfield, the Prodigy (the very old stuff), Level 42, Talk Talk, Yello, much House and Techno,even Lisa Stansfield, there are lots of influences, but most of all that isn't considered "dark".
What do you do when you're not partaking in band activities?
Taking photos, programming, doing all kinds of computer stuff... no sports.
Back to your roots, how did you first come to music?
I saw people in the city playing the organ to entertain the people. Then I also wanted to learn how to play such an instrument.
If you weren't a musician what would you be?
Probably a photographer.
When did you form Yendri? What inspired you to make music together?
It was 1999. The idea was actually to make music alone. I was in a school band before and I just hated it, because we only covered other songs which got very boring. I always asked to to our own compositions, but it never got so far. I wanted to have full control over every single aspect of it.
What are your top ten favorite Electro / Gothic / House Club Songs of all time?
I don't even know more then 3... those they always play in the club here up and down and up and down and ... so on.I'm sure there are more of 10 which I really like, but often I don't know the titles, because I don't listen to music at home very often.I'm always happy when they play songs of NIN, for example, because they're very unique and stand for themselves or when they play unknown stuff which doesn't sound like a copy of the "big ones".
Do you keep up with how the record has been selling? Is that really important to you?
I don't keep up, because the numbers only come in once a year, so there is nothing to track really.And it is important as long as it justifies the production of a next CD.I'm not getting rich by selling records. Actually I would have to release about 60 CDs a year if I would like to keep my current lifestyle (and I have just a normal income) just by selling CDs.
Who is your favorite band at the moment?
At the moment I don't have a favourite band.
What band or bands would you like to tour with and why?
With Wumpscut and Sopor Aternus. Because it would be their first time also ;)
Is touring a pleasure or a necessary evil?
I don't know, I never have been touring.
What would you be doing right now if you weren't in Yendri?
Being the only member I can do whatever I want ;)
And that's how you came up with the name of the band? How did you come up with the name Yendri?
I just made it up.
How did you come up with the title "Destination Oblivion" (Yendri latest CD)
That's where all the stuff on the album will end up, in oblivion. I am not, and never will get famous enough that I will leave any traces.
All right. You guys toured heavily after "Destination Oblivion" came out. How did the whole touring, to support that record, turn out?
Er... there was no touring? I hope you don't confuse us with another band...
How do you feel to hold the finished cd in your hands?
Nice of course.
What are you currently listening to on your mp3 player? What artists have you been listening to these days?
I have spoken word podcasts there, documentaries, interviews, and so on.
Do you spend a lot of time on remixing other artists tracks or is it something you do when you have some time over?
The latter. I don't get so many requests, so I do it in the spare times.
Is your family pretty impressed with what you've done?
I hope so!
Have you recorded any previous cd`s or posted any audio files on the Internet? what type of recording process did you use? who produced your recording?
Destination Oblivion is my 10th album (1 album was my side project "Lillith")They are all produced completely digital. This means I never use or used any external synthesizers or samplers, everything happens inside the computer. I DO use a midi keyboard and professional speakers though.I produce all the stuff myself, I also installed and set up the whole equipment. The older albums have been mastered by the label, the last ones on Rudy Ratzingers label I mastered myself.
What are your views on the current state of this Electro / Gothic / House scene in Germany.in terms of creativity and audiences? And the scene in other countries?
I only know the scene in Germany, especially Hamburg and I find it quite boring. But as I don't participate so much in "the scene", I actually can not really judge it. Hamburg is quite an "electro city", but it always has to be harsh and fast, so they don't ever play my stuff there.
What new music inspires you when you are writing?
There hasn't been much new music which inspired me. Although I think the new stuff from Hurts is pretty nice.
tell me about lyrical compositions what you can tell about the done work? How does your music creation process work? How do you create a song?
Songs get created in different ways. Sometimes a big part of the lyrics are ready before I start making any music. In most cases, lyrics and music get created almost simultaneously.
How did you sell your CD’s/Audio Files? (Consignment? Live sales? My space, iTunes,Distributor?)
Classic distribution. And still ist.
Since the music industry is more open now to purely electronic music has this made things easier for you?
No, not at all.
So what are their main influences as a band at the moment?
Stuff that goes on in my head from all kinds of sources, be it dark dreams, negative emotions and more.
Do you see the Internet as a benefit for bands like Yendri? Does the growing possibility of someone downloading your material, rather than buying it, worry you?
I'm not dependend on CD sales, so it doesn't worry me as much. But for those who are dependend on CD sales, it's a big problem. I also often think that the mainstream gets duller and more and more boring. But this has something to do with the fact that artists have to completely sell-out to the last big music corporations and produce mass-market material if they want to be profitable. Those who were big in the past can call themselves very lucky to have something to build upon.
How do you see the future of download / Copyright in area of goth-Electro / Gothic / House music ? What are the best ways to develop it in your mind ?
No ideas yet... I'll just sit and watch what opportunities the future may bring.
What about all the big festivals? Summer Darkness in the netherlands? Mera Luna in Germany Familientreffen in Germany and Wave Gothic Treffen in Germany and many more?
I don't go to festivals, just too many people in one place, too much alcohol, really bad acoustics and camping in the dirt, that's not my thing.
what is the key to making music from Yendri and what inspires you to keep growing as a musician?
The key is to express what is going inside of me. What inspires me to go on is, that I just can't stop making music and a hand full of loyal fans.
If there was one thing you want people to know about your band what would that be?
Even if you don't like the music, your mother actually might. No really, I often found my music to appeal to a much wider range of audience than just the goth scene.
Please let us know about your upcoming plans, some new releases you like to confirm here
Yes, working title "Bitter" is in progress and if everything goes as planned, will be released in April 2011
It has been a pleasure to interview you on your musical activity,Well,any last words to your ebm-industrial fans?
Just a big THANK YOU!
Do you think the music industry is dead?
No, it's pretty much alive, but it only works for the top 100 international artists.Sometimes it is even more alive than I'd wish.Now you have one TV station, a radio station and even TV programs promoting just that one song the industry pushed into the "media queue". So you're forced to listen to "California Gurls" (which isn't that bad) over and over and over and over and over again until you just can't stand it anymore, the play it many times on the radio, they use it as background music for reality soaps, magazines, shows. For the "dumb masses" (as they might think) this actually seems to work and I just can't understand it.
Where would you like to see Yendri three years from now?
Aunt Nina will hopefully still be there for her fans doing good old electronic dark & melancholic songs.
What's the band's favorite song to play live?
None. As I don't play live.
What was it like the first time you heard one of your songs on the radio ore internet ore clubs? who was the DJ that played your song?
I don't know, in 10 years, this never happened to me yet.
And, finally, what does the next twelve months hold for the band?
Working on new songs!
By the way do you like my questions? tell me what you think about it! ;-)??
Yes, although there were some basic things you didn't know about my project and 2 duplicates ;) But that's not bad at all, because an interview is for people who don't know my project already, so the right questions get asked.There were some questions I never got asked, that's very nice! Because after 10 years some questions get asked over and over again (and I understand they have to be asked).
Last question before I’ve gotta go! What bands would you like to tour with if given the opportunity?
And yes, you also asked me this one before. (search for "Sopor Aeternus")
Thanks alot for your answers! We wish you furthermore great success
Thank you :)
Any final thoughts for the people out there?
Yes, don't listen to my music unless you plan on suicide. No, just kidding ;)
Sincerely,
~Nina~
This page,and all contents,are © 2003 / 2010 permission by ebm-industrial.nl
