This "interview" was conducted with Claus of Leæther Strip on 03-Aug-2010 Thanks Claus
we are happy to get the chance to ask you a few questions For the first question will be Thanks Claus that you have found time to give answers to these questions,
From which country / town do you come from?
I come from a small village in the northern part of Denmark called Vegger.
how are you doing? Where are you currently?
I’m doing great. I got myself some memories to last for a life time last night and my new album in at number 2 in Germany so I’m a happy boy today. Righ now I’m in my studio at home answering this interview and relaxing a bit after the gig I had last night with Skinny Puppy. It was just a perfect night and an perfect audience.
Could you briefly summarize Leæther Strip and what you guys are about?
Leæther Strip was formed by myself back in 1988. I was in several other bands and I just got tired of all the problems and they didn’t have the same dreams and goals as me, so I just packed my synths and went solo. Made myself a Demo tape and got a record deal with the german label Zoth Ommog. I have always had 100% total artistic freedom on my music and artwork and it has been the most important point for in in the contracts I have signed over the years. My music is my therapy and a place for me to explore my thoughts and dreams. My Hate and my love.
Claus what noise do you make in Leæther Strip?
I make ALL the noise and mostly all the artwork. I had a really talented artist Evi Numen help me on my new album “Mental slavery”. Her work just spoke to me in a way that I just had to have her on board.
How's the start of 2010 been for you thus far?
2010 has perhaps me the best year for Leæther Strip. Being back on stage again has really boosted my faith in the scene again. I have met so many fantastic people and bands this year. And my New album “Mental Slavery) is very well received all over the world.
Other incoming projects?
Right now I am finishing artwork and the last mixing on my forthcoming album “Dark Passages” released in November.
If people don't know what you and your music are about where have they been!?,how would you describe yourself?
Honest electronic music that comes from the heart, sometimes ugly, sometimes beautiful and always passionate.
If you could play a show anywhere in the world where would it be?
There are so many places I dream about playing. If I were to pick 4 countries I haven’t played in it would be South America, Italy, Japan and Australia
What day jobs did you guys have while you were putting the band together?
After I found the love of my life and married him we have been living in his income so that I could pursue my dreams, which is now our dreams.
Leæther Strip wouldn’t be around today if it weren’t for Kurt , my husband.
I took an education to place my parents mostly, as a Hi-fi and TV sales man. But I have worked as a Zoo keeper, and in a kindergarden and ran a record store too.
What is your music background? Tell your story
I have always been really into music since I found out that there was such a thing. My Dad was a Jazz musician in his young years so I guess I got it in my blood.
I was a teen right in the Punk era so that influenced me a lot, and then mover more and more into the electronic scene and became a big fan of Fad Gadget, Soft Cell, Depeche mode and the whole new romatic scene. By chance I met a guy who wanted to sell my his Moog synth, and that changed my life. I started to teach myself how to play and create sounds, and started right away to write my own songs.
What do you do when you're not partaking in band activities?
I spend my time with my Husband and our ”boys”. Two dogs, Ras and Bufas. We’re both nature people so we like to find new spots to explore and I like to fish too.
We live a very relaxed life out in the country without too many people around us. I also like to paint sometimes, and Kurt plays the piano.
Some would say boring. But that’s the way we like it. I usually bring Kurt with me to the gigs so he can help with the merch and such. We are not very good at being apart.
Back to your roots, how did you first come to music?
Like I said earlier. I was always a music nerd. But I never had dreams about becoming a musician before the day I sat down with my first Synth.
I was instantly hooked and I couldn’t stop writing songs. I saw the light!
If you weren't a musician what would you be?
I’ve asked myself that many times. I would probably be locked up somewhere in a mental institution , and I’m being serious.
The only anti depressant that works on me is music. The doc’s have stuffed so many pills in me I lost count. So I’m self medicated with music now. And No
Pills what so ever.
When did you form Leæther Strip? What inspired you to make music ?
Leæther strip was formed out of frustration in 1988. I have no idea where the inspiration came from, I just knew what I would
Do for the rest of my life the day I wrote my first song. And it was the ONLY thing I held onto. I just used the first years finding that it was really hard to
Find people with the same passion and dream so my band ended up as being a one man band.
What are your top ten favorite Industrial / ebm / Alternative / Electro Club Songs of all time?
I can name ten of my favorite songs but the order is random. I’ve got tons og favorites.
OhGr : Tragek
Skinny Puppy : Testure
Gary Numan: Are friends electric?
Soft Cell: Sex Dwarf
Depeche Mode: In your memory
Ministry: Isle of man (part 2)
Depeche Mode: Black Celebration
Fad Gadget: Back to nature
Bronski Beat: Why?
Dead or alive : Misty circles
Do you keep up with how the record has been selling? Is that really important to you?
You are forced to really every time you see the statements from the label. Sure it’s important for me as a songwriter but it doesn’t affect my music at all.
The music just comes and Its impossible to know how the few people, who isn’t stealing mine and other artists music, will receive it. This scene isn’t about money.
Most band’s in this scene are in it for the love of the music. If it were about the money then I think we would do mainstream music.
What? They didn’t want their friends to see them buying your record?
If I understand you right then I Have heard from especially Russian fans that they couldn’t tell their friend that they liked my music, because they would be stamped as “GAY” and left alone. I just makes me so fucking angry. When it comes the gay issues in Russia, the Stalin days aren’t over by far . If you want to come out as a gay person over there you need balls of steel, and I admire those people who does it.
Who is your favorite band at the moment?
I started out writing technopop songs and they just write the perfect melodies and they are amazing live too.
I have just remixed their song “Ways to dance”
What band or bands would you like to tour with and why?
I just had my dream concert partner yesterday with Skinny puppy, and I would love to tour with them , I think we fit each other well. That’s also what I heard from the band too. So who knows. Also if Soft Cell wanted to go on that road again I would be there in a second.
Is touring a pleasure or a necessary evil?
I would not go on a massive tour again unless it was with one of my hero bands. Right now I found a way to make playing live a lot of fun without draining you totally.
I play 3-4 shows per month tops. Playing live is amazing, it’s all the other crap that drains you. Like lying promoters and shitty hotels and so on.
How did you come up with the name Leæther Strip?
Not a very interesting story, I needed a name fast cause my first demo was ready. I first went with just “Strip”, but some friends of mine 8 who later formed Psychopomps, told me that people would think of stripper act when they heard that name, so I added Leæther to it and added the Danish letter Æ to it and I had a logo too.
How did you come up with the title "Mental Slavery" (Leæther Strip latest CD)
If is a line on the song “Your god has left you tonight” from the album, that I liked and thought it would make a good title. We are all slaves of our own thoughts aren’t we?
All right. You guys toured heavily after "Mental Slavery" came out. How did the whole touring, to support that record, turn out?
Nothing but fantastic nights. No big fuck up’s at the shows and everywhere we came there was a lot of happy people. I did have some problems with booking in Mexico and Brazil with very unprofessional people but it’s really difficult to find the right people to work with over there sadly, and its always the fan’s who suffer.
I am actually not really touring for a specific album I Play tons of the old classic songs too.
How do you feel to hold the finished cd in your hands?
It’s just one of the best feelings there is for me. I usually cry like a girl every time. I still can’t believe that this little fat boy get to release his music for over 20 years now.
It’s almost too good to think about. I might not be rich but I am living my dream and I am very grateful for this.
What are you currently listening to on your mp3 player?
I usually listen to ambient or classical in my mp3 player. Recoil is amazing for headphones and old J.M. Jarre too.
Do you spend a lot of time on remixing other artists tracks or is it something you do when you have some time over?
I get so many remix requests these days that its hard for me to handle it. I do whenever I get the time. It’s a lot of fun and I just remixed for Ministry and Wang Chung.
Is your family pretty impressed with what you've done?
I surely hope so. We all want the approval from the once we love but for some strange reason , it’s sometimes hard to tell people you love just that.
So everybody go tell your family that you are proud of them!
what type of recording process did you use? who produced your recording?
I work like I always have. With a computer software and all my synths. I do everything myself all the way to the pressing plant.
What new music inspires you when you are writing? 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?
This question is really impossible to answer in a “right” way. Everything around and inside my brain inspires me. I use my music as a vent for my soul and to get sometimes painful memories, world events or something that happened to a friend or loved one, out of my system. I react in my songs. Sometimes a song comes in a dream sometimes I have to work hard to get it out and sometimes it’s written in 2 hours.
How did you sell your CD’s/Audio Files? (Consignment? Live sales? My space, iTunes,Distributor?)
My label handles all of that . You can buy them directly by them, they even pay worldwide postage If you choose to buy there.
All the digital sellers also have my work.
Since the music industry is more open now to purely electronic music has this made things easier for you?
It’s been really harsh times for bands and labels. Especially for the newer bands. Labels aren’t taking a risk anymore with new artists because they are close to
Closing song because of music piracy and all the other people out there who is stealing our work. They are destroying the scene, period. I wonder what they would feel
If they worked on something for a year or more and then someone just saw it and stole it. Every single copy sold in this scene is a part of saving the scene.
I know a lot of really talented musicians who have given up hope in music all together because of this and we all want new talents to listen to don’t we?
My type of music will never be mainstream or radio material, I know that and I don’t give a shot about that. What I care about is the underground scene and that it will
Grow back to where it was , so we all can get our music addiction satisfied.
So what are their main influences as a band at the moment?
Right now I’m also working on a new Klutae album, so I’ve been listening to some of my old punk vinyls from my teens. The next Klutae album will be
An “in your face” ala’ “Desert Storm” type of album. Electro Punk!
Do you see the Internet as a benefit for bands like Leæther Strip? Does the growing possibility of someone downloading your material, rather than buying it, worry you?
I love the internet and it’s a great tool for tiny bands like us . I hate the pirates who claim they are stealing and spreading our music because they love the music. I hope they get what they deserve one day.
How do you see the future of download / Copyright in area of goth-Industrial / ebm / Alternative / Electro music ? What are the best ways to develop it in your mind ?
The only way this scene will have a chance is if people would start to open their eyes and see that this scene is so close to having NO labels to release the music from.
So if you like a band, buy their songs/cd’s and stop stealing the music they worked so hard for. Judging by the success of the big festivals just proves to me that too many people downloads their music illegally.
What about all the big festivals? Summer Darkness in the netherlands? Mera Luna in Germany and Wave Gothic Treffen in Germany and many more?
This year I played WGT and E-tropolis festival in Berlin, and Arvika festival in Sweden, and I will play Summer Darkness in 2 weeks. I will play at the NCN festival in Deutzen Germany in September, and the Dark Storm festival in Germany in December
If there was one thing you want people to know about your band what would that be?
I give it all I got. I have dedicated my life to this.
Please let us know about your upcoming plans, some new releases you like to confirm here
Lots of more concerts I hope, New album in November “Dark Passages”, its also a soundtrack for a upcoming American indie horror movie with the same title.
New Klutae album in the works and also Retention no4 in the works. No dates set on them yet. It depends on how many concert booking I get in the future.
Do you think the music industry is dead?
Nope, but its long down a very deep dark hole. For a lot of the kids today music is like chewing gum , they download it, listens to it for a week and then “spits” it out.
Where would you like to see Leæther Strip three years from now?
I take one day at a time. If someone would have told me 2 years ago that the next 2 years I will play shows in America, Canada, Finland, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, France and that I would get to meet some of my hero’s I would have laughed my ass off. I hope that the next 3 years will be as happy as the last 3, and that I still can handle to play live. So far my back problem hasn’t been acting too badly.
What's the band's favorite song to play live?
“Strap me down”. Everyone knows the lyrics to that one and I love it when the sing along.
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 actually still remember that. It was on Danish national radio, and they never play music like that usually. I was in my car going somewhere when it came on in the middle of the day. It was a female Danish DJ Katrine Ring, and I actually met her years later and gave her a big hug as thanks.
Thanks alot for your answers! We wish you furthermore great success
Thanks mate, and the same to you!
Any final thoughts for the people out there?
If you like a band…pay for the music and save the scene. And I hope to see you all out there somewhere at a concert.
Lots of hugs from Denmark!!!
Claus
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