Featuring November Process | Interview by Ruud Dreessen aka ebm-industrial.nl | 21-8-2009 21:39
1-Thanks November Process that you have found time to give answers to these questions
2- Greetings
Hello.
3- Please fill also a biographical resume about how,when and where... November Process was founded in ..... give us a more background information?
NP was formed in 1999 by Hendrik Schmitt, me, and Simon Maier in the city of Bad Homburg, in Germany. I was in the U.S. Air Force at the time, and I had met Hendrik in a goth bar (called the Cave) in Frankfurt. We were both working on music at the time, I with my old band, and Hendrik with Simon in another band. When I met Simon and we got to hear each others music, we knew we would begin working together right away...it just clicked. Hendrik, Simon and I quit our respective bands and formed November Process. Our first song, 'This Time' was released on a very old website called mp3.com. If you look really hard, you might find it somewhere out in the internet. The next song, 'Mindshadow', caught the attention of the newly founded record label in Frankfurt, Sonic-x. We signed, and the rest is history. Good times, though...we had a lot of fun doing what we did and getting where we are now.
4- How did you start to make EBM and what is EBM for you?
I think I'll begin by saying that we don't consider our music to fall into just one genre. As for how we began making our music: it was sort of a collaboration of my (Chuck) harder style with cheap, crappy instruments, and Simon's more elegant style with very expensive instruments. I would have to say that the initial inspiration for me was the technology itself.
EBM, for me, is Front 242. :)
5- What and who are some of your influences in EBM?
The above mentioned band is by far the favorite. We have a lot of influences from many other bands (not just from EBM) mainly because we listened to so much music before we ever heard the word 'EBM'. For me, the biggest would probably be Depeche Mode.
6- What are your top ten favorite EBM / Industrial Club Songs of all time?
1. Front 242 - Headhunter
2. Wumpscut - Capital Punishment
3. Front Line Assembly - Prophecy
3. Skinny Puppy - Assimilate
4. Combichrist - Get your Body Beat
5. Velvet Acid Christ - Futile
6. That one band, with the song that has lots of screaming and distortion...
7. VNV Nation - Standing
8. Kloq - I Never Said
9. Bigod 20 - The Bog
10. Nitzer Ebb - Muscle and Hate
*I know some of these might be a little outdated
7- Tell one secret about November Process that you have never told to anyone?
I'll have to check with someone higher up before I can compromise any sensitive information.
8- So tell me a bit more about yourself, such as musical?
Well, I started making music with a computer when I was young. It was an Amiga 2000 that my dad had bought to play games on. It came with a music making program (MIDI had just been established). Ever since, I've been hooked. The technology was what originally attracted me...but that's a very long story and I won't go into it now.
9- By the way do you like my questions? tell me what you think about it! ;-)
Good questions. You've got me thinking!
10- What is the main idea, the message you want to leave to people who listen to you? What is your motto?
If NP ever had a major message, it's that individualism matters. I think the people who like our music can really understand this. I guess it's about asking yourself questions about who you are, why, and how...and then forgetting them. I also think anyone who ever felt alienated or unwanted would understand this.
11- What’s the name of your band? What’s the origin of that name? Have you changed the band’s name before?
November Process. The origin of the name is debatable, and I don't think I'll go into that either. We've never changed the band's name.
12- where did the concept come from? and whats planned now that your album is finished? or anything else you're working on? Tell us a few words about the concept of this?
The concept is a combination of the frustration, love, life, hate, etc. of three individuals. Most of the time the concept comes from life experience, but that can also change. We are planning on releasing another album sometime soon which will be a little more aggressive than the last. This time, the concept will be mainly focused on feelings of things in the past.
13- Are you a member of any music organizations?
I don't think so.
14-How is the current promotional tour going for supporting this album?
There was no tour for the last album. People didn't seem to enjoy it as much as the first album, 'Newspeak'. We understand this, because it was a very big experiment - kind of like a beta test of some new singing styles and sounds...not very typical of our usual sound.
15- What do you think of a modern EBM and about EBM scene?
I'm finding it hard to locate a modern EBM scene lately. The way I see it personally, is that there are a lot of traditionalists going to extremes to preserve a feeling of "underground", in order to escape a mainstream which constantly rapes subcultures to find the next season's fashion. This could have something to do with our overly popular harsh styles today - in fact, it could be the result.
16- Our usual question - what is EBM for you?
See #4
17- What was your best live experience so far?
The best live show EVER, was Costa Rica (San Jose). Hands down. The people there (and the food) were the best.
18- Please list the name, age, school, and respective instrument of each band member
Here we go:
Chuck Gish, 32, Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, synthesizers, vocals
Simon Maier, 29, Technical University of Graz, piano, synthesizers
Hendrik Schmitt, 29, Currently Working, guitar
19-What are your views on the current state of this electro scene in Germany in terms of creativity and audiences? And the scene in other countries?
See #15 for views on the scene. To tell you the truth, I don't see much difference in the clubs/people from different countries aside from the cultural differences.
20- 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?
Thank you. The lyrics are either written with a melody in mind and a feeling attached to something that happened, or they are inspired directly from the music that we compose. I've said it before and I still feel this way: Simon's compositions bring out feelings in me that I would never have thought I felt. In my eyes, he is a prodigy...of course he would deny this! Anyway, the music/feelings are there, Simon and I will normally banter back and forth about technical production stuff, and we decide the best way to deliver the message of a given song. That means: giving it a structure which is acceptable to us and hopefully to others, actually producing sounds (danceable or slow beats on which the feelings will ride), recording vocals and guitar (or piano), and then ironing out all of the wrinkles - this is mainly technical detail, which unfortunately takes up very much time. We believe that a certain feeling isn't necessarily constrained to one particular style of sound...therefore, we leave the options open as far as making a song a club track, or something you would listen to in your home.
21-What genre of music do you consider your work to be? Who are your major influences?
As much as I hate to put things into categories, I guess it's necessary to draw boundaries sometimes...to make things clearer. I would say the closest genre would be "EBM which is very synthpoppy".Influences would be Front 242, Depeche Mode, Front Line Assembly, Utah Saints, etc. Of course, there are also non-musical influences.
22-What do you do to chill out?
It sounds nerdy, but I like to do math. If I can solve problems, I feel better.
23-So what are their main influences as a band at the moment?
see #21
24-What is currently inspiring your material as an artist? tell me all about the EBM scene of Germany?
Currently inspiring: coming to terms with unpleasant events in the past (for all of us) which affect us today. Sometimes you are forced to turn back and meet something big and dark, head-on, and it's not always easy.
The EBM scene in Germany: I usually get a lot of questions from people in North America about how cool the scene is here. It's (like everywhere) not exactly what it used to be, but that's not negative. I still have fun when I get a chance to go out.
25-Do you think that people from the music press didn't expect you to grow up musically?
I still can't figure out the music press. I'm no journalist, but I'm pretty sure that the press cares more about keeping a faithful reader/listener than whether or not a band matures. To be honest, I do care what they say about us (who wouldn't?), but at the same time, I don't mind negative feedback or criticism. Not everyone will like each direction a band decides to go in.
26-what is the key to making music from November Process? and what inspires you to keep growing as a musician?
I'll try not to sound too typical here, but happy feelings have never been a good catalyst for our music. So, negative feelings and pain often lead to our best songs...I would have to say they are the key ingredients. On the other hand, happy feelings are almost required (as well as lots of coffee) to make a song sound good when we are producing. There's nothing worse than three grumpy guys crammed into a studio (without coffee), trying to make a good album.
What keeps me inspired is simple. I like to learn more about myself and others, and also about music in general. I like to see people enjoy music.
27-How do you see the future of download / Copyright in area of goth-EBM industrial music ? What are the best ways to develop it in your mind ?
This is a loaded question. :) I have spoken up against music downloads in the past. Now I've changed my mind. Here's why: we have a "download me once, shame on you - download me twice, shame on me" situation here. Technology has advanced. People's attitudes have changed. Everyone downloads music now...even old ladies (like my aunt), and it's not even considered stealing anymore. The value of music itself has decreased significantly in the eyes of the average person. I see it as the responsibility of the artists or labels to deal with this change...that means adapt or get out. It's beyond our control, so let's "face the music", be adults, and make a decision.
28-If there was one thing you want people to know about your band what would that be?
We prefer if people get to know us personally. If anyone has any questions or wants to say what they think of NP, just email me!
29-Please let us know about your upcoming plans, some new releases you like to confirm here
We will have another release soon...and all I can say about it is that it will be more aggressive than the last one. We've stripped down a lot in the production phase, so it will probably be a lot more raw as well.
30-It has been a pleasure to interview you on your musical activity,Well,any last words to your ebm-industrial fans?
Stay tuned and keep in touch!
31-and what is next on Germany agenda?
We're not sure. We have a lot of opportunities, but we're not jumping on them right away for several reasons, two of which are:
1. Two of us are engineering students, and don't have so much free time
2. We are working on music in that free time.
32-thanks for your time! great work on the albums and good luck with everything.any How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?
Our albums are available online through a number of stores, or they can be ordered directly from Vendetta Music at:
www.vendetta-music.com
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