Featuring Erik & Johan from Batch ID | Interview by Ruud Dreessen aka ebm-industrial.nl | 26 July 2009
Thanks Johan that you have found time to give answers to these questions,For the first question will be - do you know the netherlands
Johan: Unfortunatly I have spent almost no time in the Netherlands. Travelled through Amsterdam once and thats about it. Would love to come visit and play with Batch ID.
Erik: The same goes for me... would be fun to visit and play with the band.
Greetings Johan could you please shortly introduce our readers your music project Batch ID?
Johan: Batch ID is the result when Erik and I create electronic music together.It's alot about baselines,DIY,punky attitude,melodies and energy.Please fill also a biographical resume about how,when and where... Batch ID was founded in .....
give us a more background information?
Johan: Erik and I met in Gothenburg in 2006. We were both looking for a musical partner and found each other through Myspace. We met up for some beers and had alot to talk about, mainly about music but also about political stuff. We are enough alike to like each other and diffrent enough to make it interesting. We decided to try to write a song together and after a few hours we came up with the song Nothing to say. We had alot of fun doing it and decided to keep on doing it. We figured we needed a name for the band and Erik came up with Batch ID.
How did you start to make music and what is EBM for you ?
Johan: I started to write music in my early teens and had my first band when I was 12. I have mainly played rock or traditional popmusic over the years. But the last couple of years I have almost not touched the guitar and have been concenetrating on the computer and synths instead.EBM for me is energy, dance and a good time.
Erik: I have been arund music since I was 7 years old, singing in choirs, taking piano lessons and such. Been thinking about starting a band for ever, but it came to reality in 2005 when I started a projekt called Armed and Vicious.EBM for me is 100% raw energy and alot of punkattitide and dancespirit.
How has your EBM evolved since you first began playing music together?
Johan: I would think that Batch IDs music have slowly moved towards it. We started of with the intention of writing electronic pop with alot of cocky attitude. But the music wanted to be more agressive, faster and with a more punkier vibe to it. Our visit at Familientreffen IV also inspired us towards more EMB-like songs. But I'm still not sure if it is EBM-music we are making. But I love to be associated with the scene. The people in the EBM-community are the greatest.
What and who are some of your influences in music
Johan: There are thousands... Old time horror-rocker Alice Cooper is someone who has inspired me over the years. I'm a sucker for anyone that puts on a great spectacle... and he is the original spectacle. Frank Tovey was also one that knew how to use the stage to his full advantage. Alot of the music from the first punkwave in 77... mainly alot of not well known Swedish punkbands. Bands like A split second, Nitzer Ebb and Pankow has inspired me alot regarding electronic music. But I listen to alot of diffrent music, as long as it has soul, energy and attitude.
Erik: To hard to say. You could have me namedropping for hours. Metallica and Megadeath meant a great deal when I was younger. When I was only 7 years I heard Human League for the very first time. and Don't you want me is still a great song in my world.
What are your top ten favorite EBM / Industrial Club Songs of all time?
Erik & Johan: This is to hard to answer. The result will vary depending on wich day you ask us. But for today the lists loos like this.
Johan:
A Split Second - Check it out
Nitzer Ebb - Let your body learn
Depeche Mode - Question of time
Lassigue Bendthaus - Automotif
Voltage Control - Outer space oddysey
Cultivated Bimbo - Corruption
Transvolta - Disco computer
Dance or Die - Candy jungle
Nine Inch Nails - Head like a hole
Pankow - Girls and boys
Erik:
à;Grumh - Ayatollah Jackson
Human League - Don't you want me
Dance or Die - Dance or die
The Twins - Face to face
And One - Metal hammer
Kraftwerk - Computer world
Gary Numan - Cars
Fad Gadget - Luxury
DAF - Kebab traume
Invincible Spirit - Push
Tell one secret about Batch ID that you have never told to anyone?
Erik: Well we have some strange fascinations... me I like sex dwarfes and Johan has a strange craving for leather nuns.
so tell me a bit more about yourself, such as musical? By the way do you like my questions? ;-)
Johan: Yeah... I'm that much of a exhibitionist that I love any attention regarding me and the band. ;-)
Erik: I was expecting more exploring and probing questions. This is easy.
You know there are lot of fans of ebm-industrial in the netherlands,We have organized a contest. and we have received hundreds of questions from your fans and if it is possible you will choose the most interesting one for you What is the main idea, the message you want to leave to people who listens to you? What is your motto?
Johan: We really don't have a message. We like to put the finger on and point out some issues in society... but we don't provide the sollution. Think for your self! We are all about self experession and pushing boundrys for what the norm is, with a twist of chaos, excess and strange dance moves.
When you start to record Testosterone CD-R is all the writing done or does it continue in the studio?
Johan: The way we have worked from day one is that we meet up in the studion and start to work on ideas together. We kind of record and write at the same time. Often we start with a baseline and build on that. Sometimes we have a lyrical theme or subject that we want to explore musically. Very few songs are written outside the studio. On the Testosterone album there are two songs that were 'pre written' (Them steps and Joy ride), which were transfered from my earlier soloprojekt Small Pocket Stimulator.
where did the concept come from? and whats planned now that your album is finished? or anything else you're working on? Tell me why this title "Tanz Anarchie"? Tell us a few words about the concept of this EP?
Johan: For Testosterone we did'nt really have a concept to begin with. Musically it has alot of different moodes, styles and sounds. It is very much Batch ID exploring it self. It was also a learning experience for us trying to figure out how all the machines and musical program worked. No one in the band had any prior experience of the technical aspects of recording and mixing. Lyrically we found that many of the songs written in that period seemed to revolve around subjects regarding (negative) power. Godlike button explores the ultimate military power, Them steps is about the powertrip gained in stalking and scaring a woman and Give me some more is about the power of money and consuming. Allt these often associated as typical male forms of power, hence the song and title Testosterone.
The concept for Tanz Anarchie is more deliberate. We wanted to do something more focused and punkier after Testosterone. We also wanted it to be more party and danceable. Dance and punk = Tanz Anarchie.
Do you have a record label? so tell me about te labels?
Johan: We don't really have a record label, but we kind of invented a label name that we could use for our own releases. We named it Closet Freak Production and it's the umbrella were we will release both Batch ID stuff and soloprojects. Erik has already released stuff with Body Pleasure and will release an ep in the near future and I will hopefully release a brand new project later this year.
What was your best live experience so far?
Erik: Familientreffen IV was very special for us. It was very well organized and filled with very lovely EBM-people.
What are your views on the current state of this electro scene in Zweden in terms of creativity and audiences? And the scene in other countries?
Johan: It feels like the EBM-comunity is slowly growing in Sweden. There are alot of clubs around, but very few places that feature live bands. It seems like the audience in Sweden is very scepetical regarding new bands. The audience in countries like Germany seems much more curious, and we love the fact that we have been invited twice already to play in Germany.
you have very nice album..and many many more 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?
Johan: The lyrics are important to Batch ID. We don't sing much about boy-meets girl... our lyrics is often based around a phenomenon in society that intrigues us or something that has pissed us off. We often discuss around topics and try to aproach it in an interesting way lyrically. We like to adress political issues but we also have a less serious side to us in songs like Do you like the pitch or EBM-girl. But we try to say something with all our lyrics... it is never just words without a meaning.
So what are their main influences as a band at the moment?
Johan: I'm mainly getting inspired from things that pisses me off. Seems like I'm getting angrier and angrier over time. Musically I¨'m getting inspired by early punk and death metal.
Erik: At the moment I get alot of inspiration from the fact that alot of mainstream music sucks and bands like Batch ID is needed. As always I get inspiration from alot of underground cultures.
How do you see the future of download / Copyright in area of goth-industrial music ? What are the best ways to develop it in your mind ?
Johan: Downloading is a reality and we and many others enjoy it's possibillities.
Erik: We dont think that legislation against peoples wills is the right way to go. Laws should be built on democratic principles.
what do you do in your spare time?
Johan: Batch ID is our spare time!
Please let us know about your upcoming plans, some new releases you like to confirm here
Johan: We wan't to play live. Please invite us to your stages and clubs.
Erik: We will release the Tanz Anarchie EP at our gig in Berlin 15/8. Then we will start to record new material for the next EP.
Awesome! Tell me, are there any new bands out there lately that you're into, any tips for the future? Are you working on any current or future projects?What is the future for your music?
Johan: Yeah! We have interesting bands in Sweden like Container 90, Spark! and Dupont that starts to get the attention they deserve.
Erik: There are also some interesting synth-pop bands such as Mr Jones Machine and Kite.
It has been a pleasure to interview you on your musical activity,Well,any last words to your ebm-industrial fans? and what is next on the the Zweden.agenda?
Erik & Johan: Keep support the scene. Visit local venues and gigs. Buy and download the music you love and spread it. Keep the EBM-culture growing.
How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?
Erik & Johan: Our myspace or last.fm sites are good places to start. Don't hesitate to contact us if you like our music or just want to express your mind regarding Batch ID.
http://www.myspace.com/batchid
http://www.lastfm.se/music/Batch+ID
Last question Some final words to our readers to conclude this interview?
Erik & Johan: Thanks for the interest in us. Keep in touch and stay true to yourselfs.
more info:
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